| After all we did for Britain, selling that corduroy and making it swing, all we got was a bit of tin on a piece of leather | |
- George Harrison |
The twisted fibres of corduroy are woven to lie parallel against each another, giving the fabric it's distinctive 'cord'. Known to be quite durable, corduroy is usually produced from cotton and in all essence it's really just a rigid form of velvet.
Amazingly the fabric dates back to 200 AD in Egypt and in the 20th century it became a popular choice for children's wear, then sports and military garb. In 1960-70s corduroy became a worldwide staple in the form of jeans and jackets - influenced greatly by The Beatles, who were known to sport corduroy suits, jackets, pants and even hats, spiking a surge in the fabric's popularity.
Amazingly the fabric dates back to 200 AD in Egypt and in the 20th century it became a popular choice for children's wear, then sports and military garb. In 1960-70s corduroy became a worldwide staple in the form of jeans and jackets - influenced greatly by The Beatles, who were known to sport corduroy suits, jackets, pants and even hats, spiking a surge in the fabric's popularity.
I'm starting to find a lot of inspiration in "Stockholm" style; where the art of layering and fabric blending seems like second nature. This cord field jacket was another recent Ebay purchase and fits perfectly into my winter wardrobe, mixing well with my suiting and smart-casual wear.
In these photos I have mixed my corduroy with denim, flannel, shantung and cotton.
I would definitely recommend giving fabric mixing a go, especially to add or take away warmth. As we speak I have a pair of vintage Ralph Lauren cord pants being altered to take me through the rest of the Australian winter. It looks to me like another "old man" classic can be easily brought into the modern day with a little tailoring.
