If we told you corduroy trousers had been around for thousands of years, would you believe us? Yup, it’s true that Egyptians were producing a durable corduroy material as far back as the second century AD. These days, men’s corduroy pants are less of a working-class pant than something that a person with timeless taste may wear to Sunday brunch. Maybe they’ve got some tight wale black corduroy pants for more business casual affairs and a pair of brown corduroy pants for the relaxing weekend getaway.
If you’re feeling the need to replenish your closet with some corduroy jeans, men’s corduroy slacks, or even some wide wale corduroy pants, you’re in luck. We’ve spent countless hours scouring the internet researching the best corduroys, from skinny corduroy pants to high waisted corduroy pants, we’ve seen them all! So, here it is, our list of the best corduroy pants.
The Best Corduroy Pants
Amazon Brand – Goodthreads Men’s Corduroy Pants (BEST CHOICE)
Goodthreads is always a reliable choice when searching for a pair of pants. Amazon’s hand-selected brand searches high and low for suppliers who make high-quality, affordable clothing. Their Men’s Straight-Fit 5-Pocket Corduroy Pants are primarily cotton but integrate a little elastane to give them a big of giving.
This cut and the color options are perfect for a business casual setting or dressing up an outfit a bit for a weekend getaway, but you can also wear them as travel pants.
Haggar knows a thing or two about dressing up, and their Men’s Stretch Corduroy Expandable Waist Classic Fit Pants are a great looking pair of trousers for the office. These flat-front pants feature off-seam front pockets and a very minimal but noticeable pleat upfront. They’d pair well with a button-down and blazer. If comfort is a priority for you, you’ll love the expandable waist, especially after the holidays! For some extremely durable and practical options, check out our guide to the best tactical pants. Columbia’s Men’s Flare Gun Corduroy Pants are a stylish and function option for those who work on their feet and want a touch of style to do it in. These button-front closure cords are machine washable and come in four different color options. With a straight leg fit and a slight natural stretch in the cotton, you’re sure to be able to bend, stretch, and work all day in these pants. The cord width on the Flare Gun pants is a pinwale pattern, which is tight and accommodates approximately 16 to 23 rows of cord per inch. Our guide to the top chinos features more wardrobe essentials like this. Check them out. For a super relaxed look and feel, we found these Lentta Men’s Baggy Tappered Fit Corduroy Pants. If you’re looking for an old school, 90’s era reggae vibe in cords, look no further. These pants’ patchwork nature gives them a relaxed look perfect for a Sunday brunch or cruising to the local juice bar. Drawstring closure keeps these pants tight enough to stay on but loose enough to be comfortable. You’ve got two color options to choose from, but we prefer the orange. For more casual options like this, be sure to browse our list of top-rated sweatpants. Levis has been a trusted brand for over 150 years, which is why we feel confident in adding them to this list. Their Men’s 514 Straight Corduroy Pant is a skinny cut, but they’ve woven in 33% polyester to the blend to ensure your pants move with you, not against you. These pants’ corduroy is on the narrower side, but they maintain a classic and stylish look in all three color options. Pair them with your favorite polo shirt for a casual look Quicksilver is better known for their board shorts and graphic tees, but they also know how to make a pair of pants look good! Their Men’s Kracker Cord Pant is a slim cut, button closure with a fairly tight cord pattern. Of all the pants on the list, the Kracker offers the most variety, so pick up a few pairs in different colors and see what pairs best with your collection of t-shirts and jackets. Reviews on Amazon state that these pants run a little larger than typical sizing, so keep that in mind when ordering. Vintage 1946 aims to make men’s mid-century fashion cool again. Their Men’s Stretch Corduroy Pant is a classic cut with a flat front, no dart, and five color options. While these pants could easily fit in at a business casual setting, they might feel most at home on the weekend or a night out on the town. The Vintage 1946 Stretch Corduroy features a 3% blend of elastane, which gives them just a bit of stretchiness without losing the pants’ form. You may also be interested in these functional work pants from our list. Don’t miss them. RVCA (say “Ruu-ca”) is a cool, southern California brand right from the heart of Orange County. This surf and skate-inspired company makes clothing for the kids, but parents love them, too. Their Daggers Pigment Corduroy Denim are a great compliment to a more casual wardrobe. You can dress them up or down depending on your boot, shoe, and shirt selection. With only 1% elastane in the cotton blend, these pants won’t provide the stretch that others might on this list, but the cotton has a natural give. Just make sure you wash them cold and do not overheat them in the dryer. Nautica is another brand synonymous with classic style and quality. Their Men’s 5 Pocket Stretch Corduroy Pant is a traditional, relaxed cut. These cords’ wale is tight and clean, perfect for pairing with a button-down, lightweight polo, or a cable knit sweater. These pants also offer a slight stretch with 1% of the fabric blend coming from elastane, so they’ll move with you but aren’t designed to be an active pant. Hanayome round out our list with their Stretch Corduroy Pants with a slim fit. These brightly colored trousers are a tight waled corduroy designed for more formal environments, or as formal as a pair of pink cords will allow. 20% of the material blend for these pants is polyester, so they surely have some good stretch when you need it. Pair these pleated pants with a nice suit jacket, or just a button-down. Style – Like khakis or chinos, the world of corduroy pants features a lot of variety. The thing that sets corduroy apart from its khaki cousin is the distinct wide cord based weaving pattern. If you’re thinking about picking up a new pair of corduroy pants, you should probably familiarize yourself with the distinct differences in weaves. Standard wale, pincord, pinwale, needlecord, and dyed are all styles of corduroy weave. These all have a fairly distinctive look, and it’s good to know when to wear what. The lengthwise pile rows per inch define the classification of corduroy. Leather cord is one of the finest versions of the fabric and features 20 to 25 rows per inch. This look is best for a more work casual setting where chinos or khakis are appropriate. Pinwale is a slightly broader cord pattern, typically measuring 16 to 23 rows, and is one of the most common looks for pants. When you begin to reduce the pile rows below that, like the regular wale (6 to 10 rows) and broad wale (3 to 5 rows), you start to get into very thick cords that produce a very distinct style. Fit – Like all trousers, the corduroy variety comes in all shapes and sizes. Designed for working-class people, the pilon fabric is now widely available for just about any fit and style imaginable. Comfort – One of the best things about corduroy is how it breaks in overtime. A good pair of corduroy jeans that have had a few seasons to break-in can be incredibly comfortable. The fabric’s soft pilon ribbons maintain their shape but can become much more pillowy with time and consistent wearing. Durability – Because corduroy fabric tends to be slightly thicker than your standard cotton material, it can be quite durable. Selecting the proper weave will make a difference in durability as well; though you might think that the thicker weave is the most rugged, the medium-width patters have the most strength. Quality – Not all corduroy is the same. The quality of cotton and the weave can vary widely between brands and cuts. Inexperienced sewers can get thrown off by the parallel lines in the fabric, which can play a role in uneven or angular cuts that leave the garment fitting a little funny. So, when buying a pair of corduroy pants, pay close attention to the quality, fit, and finish. To look at the catalogs of most major brands these days, you would think that corduroy is falling out of fashion with the public. However, men’s magazines and fashion pundits repeatedly refer to corduroy when readying one’s fall outfits. Corduroy is a dense and soft fabric that is perfect for colder climates and months. Worn correctly and with the appropriate accessories, cords are a timeless classic in a man’s wardrobe. Depending on the density of the cord, these pants can be warmer than jeans. Medium to thick cord pillars can provide more warmth than standard jeans, given that they have more material between the wearer and the elements. So if added warmth is important, look for a pair of standard or broad wale pants. Given that corduroy is really a fall fabric, you’ll want to think about fall tops and accessories to pair with your pants. Wool, denim, and sweater fabrics are all a great way to round out a corduroy-focused outfit. Cords can be a summer pant as well! Though they may run a little hot, a baggy pair of wide wales can be a nice summertime look. Just make sure that the rest of your outfit accommodates some airflow, as you are likely to run a little warm with the added density in your pants. Corduroy pants can definitely shrink, given they feature the same cotton as denim or chinos with a different weave. Be cautious when washing your pants, ensuring that you do so on a low-temperature setting. Consider hanging them to dry or tumbling them on low or no heat to ensure that they come out the same size as they went in. Because of the wide variety of styles available, corduroy pants can accommodate all sorts of shoe options. A tight wale pair of corduroy slacks can easily be paired with a more formal shoe selection, while a loose-fitting pair of wide wales could sync up nicely with some sneakers. Corduroy Guide – How to Wear It, What Cords to Buy & More – Gentlemen’s Gazette For similar content, take a look at our guide to the best motorcycle pants.s
Haggar Men’s Stretch Corduroy Pants
Columbia Men’s Flare Gun Corduroy Pant
Lentta Men’s Baggy Tapered Fit Corduroy Pants
Levi’s Men’s 514 Straight Corduroy Pants
Quiksilver Men’s Kracker Cord Pant
Vintage 1946 Men’s Stretch Corduroy Pant
RVCA Men’s Daggers Pigment Corduroy Denim
Nautica Men’s 5 Pocket Stretch Corduroy Pants
Hanayome Men’s Stretch Corduroy Pants
Corduroy Pants Buying Guide & FAQ
Features to Look for in Corduroy Pants
Corduroy Pants FAQ
Are corduroy pants in style?
Are corduroy pants warmer than jeans?
What matches with corduroy pants?
Can you wear corduroy pants in summer?
Do corduroy pants shrink?
What shoes can I wear with corduroy pants?
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