Fall may be the best time to break in a brand new double-fried crispy pair of raw denim jeans. But why suffer? There’s too much of that already. Instead, leave the crunchy bits to the dead leaves and slip into something a little more comfortable. We’re talking a pair of velvety, creamy corduroy pants.
They’re ideal for nippy weather, thanks to the cords or “wales” woven into the fabric. Those are made by inserting yarns into the fabric from the back side. The yarns stand up through the right side of the fabric and are then shorn, resulting in the hairy piles of cords (or velvet) on the surface. That does two things: the piles are able to trap heat better, making them great for nippy weather, and; it makes the fabric more durable. No wonder it’s often been seen in winter workwear garments like chore coats and heavy pants.
Whether you want a pair for the durability, the rustic aesthetics or the touch, the feel of corduroy, now is the ideal time. We’ve put together the best options out there right now. So scroll through.
L.L. Bean Stretch Country Corduroy Pants
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Best Overall
$65
When you think of a pair of cords, this is the picture that comes to mind. Slanted hand pockets, welted rear pockets, flat front. Ya know, chinos — but in corduroy. L.L. Bean’s shoot straight down the middle and are as classic as it gets. They’re made with a middle-of-the-cord 11-wale that’s great for fall, early winter, and even for spring. They’ve got a smidge of stretch and even come with a lined waistband and curtain for extra durability — a detail you won’t find even on cords above this price point.
Uniqlo U Corduroy Wide-Fit Work Pants
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Best Affordable
$50
Leaning more on vintage French work pant designs, Uniqlo U’s cords are somewhat utilitarian. They’ve got a chunkier 8-wale all-cotton corduroy that’s super satisfying to touch. And they come with rear patch pockets and an extra utility pocket.
Rota Higher-Rise Washed Cotton Corduroy Trousers
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Best High-End
$375
Rota’s corduroy joints have a lot going for them. A hefty English corduroy from the esteemed Brisbane Moss mill, oxford shirting fabric for the pocket bags, lining and binding (no raw seams here); button fly and side adjusters. And they’re cut and sewn in Rota’s Italian factory where they’ve been making trousers since the 1960s.
Flint and Tinder 365 Corduroy Pants
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$98
Splitting the difference between jeans and chinos, Flint and Tinder’s 365 cords are true to the name. The mid-wale, mid-weight eight ounce corduroy fabric is perfect for wearing all year long. It uses 98 percent cotton and two percent spandex — just enough to feel the difference without reclassifying them as corduroy yoga pants.
Stan Ray Tapered Fatigue Cord Pant
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$105
Stan Ray’s fatigue pants are among its most popular. The patch front pockets, flapped rear pockets have just the right shape and proportions, and they’ve got the relaxed cut nailed. Rendering them in a hefty and luscious corduroy could only yield greatness.
Taylor Stitch Camp Pant
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$129
Eleven ounces of organic cotton corduroy makes these pants one of the heavier options on this list. But at $129, it’s still on the lower end of the price spectrum. With copper buttons at the fly, double-needle stitching and organic cotton pocket fabric, it’s also one of the better values.
Gramicci Corduroy Pant
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$139
If you have the sudden urge to go rock climbing, Gramicci’s got just the pants for you to harness into. They’re flexible enough with a pinch of stretch and a thoughtfully gusseted crotch for any challenging maneuvers. They have dual hand and rear pockets for your energy bars and come with an integrated webbed belt that’s both lighter and more comfortable than traditional leather belts.
Battenwear Active Lazy Pants
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$195
There are a handful of hybrids on this list. Battenwear’s pairs the loungey design of your favorite sweatpants with husky 8-wale corduroy for a pant that’s ready for anything from kickin’ it on the couch to kicking a soccer ball around with the buds.
The Stronghold Heritage Fit Bedford Corduroy
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$245
We get it — you’re still hooked on jeans. The Stronghold’s Heritage Fit jeans are made in Los Angeles and have a grip of denimhead-approved details want like exposed copper rivets, buckle back, vintage-style ticking stripe pocket bags and a roomy, high-rise fit. Plus the bedford variant of corduroy feels closer to the denim you’re familiar with.
Beams Plus 1Pleat Corduroy Patchwork Pants
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~$354
You’ll get these pants if you’re fall’s number one fan. Every conceivable pattern and fabric associated with the year’s best season is here. It comes in a buttery corduroy printed with a slew of patterns you’d expect to see roaming the English countryside. They have a single pleat, wide fit and a cropped cut. Not for everyone, clearly. Still very good, though.
Barena Wide-Leg Cotton-Corduroy Suit Trousers
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$360
Hats off to you and your high-shine pomade if you’re still wearing a suit, but we like these Barena pants all on their own. The corduroy has the rich color of cocoa and the meat of a chateaubriand. And, like a cut of chateaubriand, the cut of these is big enough for two.
Dries Van Noten Corduroy Floral Trousers
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$675
If you think corduroy was not only revived but also peaked in the ’70s, then these are for you. They have the main hallmarks of a flower child in bloom: flowers (obviously) and a color palette identical to the wood-paneled den of someone lighting up to Jefferson Airplane. The only thing missing is the flared leg.