The Best Corduroy Pants for Men, Tested and Reviewed
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This season, we’re calling corduroy by its true name: the fabric of casual kings. After all, what is corduroy but ridged velvet?
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With origins in Ancient Egypt and a modern provenance dating to the mills of 19th-century Manchester, corduroy plays both sides of the workwear-evening attire divide with aplomb, all with a bohemian insouciance that, sorry to say, a pair of chinos never will. Plus, the list of style icons associated with corduroy is long indeed, from Wes Anderson in his fussy little suits to Jagger shirtless in pink wide wales.
Accordingly, corduroy pants are an essential in every man’s wardrobe — a textured riposte to clubby canvas chinos and more rugged denim. They play very nicely with blazers and ties; They’re easy to dress down with loafers and a sweatshirt. When it comes to acing that level of sophistication, it’s all in the wale. You’ve likely heard of 8-wale or 12-wale corduroy — the number refers to the number of ridges per inch — but, in general, the bigger the number, the finer the wale and the more refined the trousers.
How Did We Test Corduroy Pants For Men?
I did all the stuff I’d normally do in casual pants. I was looking for corduroys that could stand up to daily tasks — runs to the dump, housework, wrestling with the kids, a little touch football — and elevate more considered, night-on-the-town occasions like the elusive “date night” with my wife.
Also, because corduroy’s ridges will eventually fade with age, leaving bald spots on high-impact areas, I was also looking for immediate wear on the seat and knees.
Alex Mill Standard Pleated Pant in Corduroy
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Style: In the case of these wide wales from Alex Mill, the style is the fit and the fit is the style. More details below, but these are by far the slouchiest, most relaxed of the four pairs I reviewed here. Though corduroy pants are casual by definition — the wider the wale, the more casual the pants — I found myself gravitating to the finer-waled trousers, as they felt more elegant, more sturdy, or both. This leaves Alex at the back of the pack in terms of cut, style, and vibe.
Fit: The fit on these cords had me confused. First, the inseam. The Alex Mill site suggested that I go for the long inseam since I’m over 6 feet tall, but they utterly pool at my feet. Fine, get ’em hemmed, you say. But they’ve also got a really long rise, which meant that the most comfortable way to wear them was actually up around my natural waist (read: over my navel). That’s all well and good when I was standing but rather uncomfortable when sitting.
As for the waist, which I ordered in my usual size, it’s really darn loose when worn at the hips. Worse yet, the crotch drops down to mid-thigh, and with all the excess fabric and audible swishing that comes with cords, this made for a pretty uncomfortable situation between my legs. And just to keep the slouch extra slouchy, the pants are pleated, which means more room up top. I suppose the verdict, here, is if you like to wear your pants Urkel-high and Wu Tang-baggy, this is your pair!
Sunspel Pleated Corduroy Trouser
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Style: Sunspel is a classic British brand. With roots going back to 1860, the company has been making high-end essentials for umpteen generations, but the brand got a big boost when Daniel Craig made its Riviera polo shirt the swoony splurge of the season in Casino Royale.
Unsurprisingly, these pleated cords are the most elegant of the lot. They boast the finest wale — the fabric is 15-wale from the French corduroy specialist Volcorex — as well as a handsome single pleat and a relaxed silhouette that still manages to come off as entirely polished. I found myself immediately slipping into a tweed jacket and knit tie when I put these on. (I would also consider Sunspel’s matching blazer for a very natty corduroy suit indeed.)
Fit: Unlike the Alex Mill cords, which were loose in all the wrong ways, the Sunspels wear much trimmer than they actually are. The single pleats keep things loose up top, and a relaxed fit with a slight taper give the pants a rather elegant line. The 15-wale corduroy has a lot to do with their refined feel, though there’s also a slight bit of stretch in the fabric — usually a horror, but in this case I’ll let it slide. If there’s any knock, it’s that these pants are probably the least substantial and the least warm of the four tested here. But they’re also the most elevated, so I was happy to take the trade-off.
Buck Mason Craftsman Corduroy Full Saddle Pant
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Style: Of the four cords tested here, Buck Mason’s come the closest to classic workwear, and that’s a very good thing. These cords are modeled on a pair of 1950s work chinos, and it shows. I love the rich walnut color, the relaxed fit, and the slash pockets. I found myself in these cords in more casual settings — paired with an Oxford and deck shoes, a sweatshirt and loafers, or under a big wool hunter’s coat. Buck Mason touts itself as a brand indebted to the “Spirit of the West” and it’s easy to imagine ranchers and workmen in dusty, mid-century Sacramento sporting pants like these. They’re kind of ideal with a white tee.
Fit: Like real, actual workwear, these pants include room to move in the legs, seat, and crotch. Of all the cords I tested, I’m most likely to take these on a hike. They’re not as refined a cut as either the J. Press or Sunspel pants, but they’re also more likely to stand up to the shop floor. The pants have a higher rise than the J. Press pair, as well as what feels like a wider leg opening. They work well over boots, unsurprisingly, though I also rolled the cuff a few times and wore them over chunky shoes like Paraboots and they fit in just fine. No worry about wear, here, either. (Plus, because of their workwear provenance, bald knees and the odd slash across the wales will be a welcome addition.)
J. Press Corduroy Pants
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Style: As with all things J. Press, the style is classic Ivy League. Fabric from England, made in America. Get these traditional, flat-front corduroy trousers to a homecoming game or a campus lecture — they split the distance between formal wool slacks and casual pants. Personally, I came to love pairing these with any navy blazer or a vintage L.L. Bean Norwegian birdseye sweater.
Best of all, this cut comes in over a dozen colors, from uber-preppy gold to a zillion shades of brown. I ordered the whiskey shade. I was surprised how shiny the corduroy was, actually — a risk with any lighter-colored cord — but I still found these pants to be versatile enough to work with multiple fits. (Pro tip: Get the nap of your cords all running the same direction for a more elevated look.)
Fit: Color me surprised (or maybe just wider than I realized I was), but the J. Press fit was one of the better of the cords I tried here: trim in the seat before opening into a medium-wide leg. I suppose there are much slimmer five-pocket cords out there, but these are not the voluminous trousers you might expect from such a traditional clothier. I haven’t noticed any out of the ordinary wear across the knees or the seat, and they emerged just fine after a spin through the washer and dryer. High marks for a classic fit that still feels entirely relevant in handsome, sturdy corduroy!
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