Matching Cord Colors With Tailoring

Corduroy pants fall somewhere between chinos and jeans in the formal-casual range (exactly where may be influenced by whether you’ve chosen a traditional chino cut or a trouser cut). But that doesn’t mean they’re too informal to be worn with tailoring: in fact, corduroys are a natural pairing with tweed jackets, blazers and more through the fall and winter seasons.Of course, one of the things we like most about cords are their deep, rich fall colors. That’s why we’ve broken down some of our favorites this season to suggest how you might pair each with a sportcoat or blazer.

Khaki
Khaki corduroys are the autumnal equivalent of your go-to khaki pants. As such, they’re casual but cleared for wear with most anything on top, particularly a blue blazer or blue check.

Mid-Brown
In comparison to a straight khaki, a mid-brown in a chestnut hue is much warmer. That helps it to play off cool colors like a light grey glen plaid or a mid-grey hopsack.

Dark Grey
Cords in a dark grey, graphite color are about as formal as corduroys get. You might think of them as the dressed-down younger cousin to a pair of grey flannels. With that in mind, wear them to balance out busier patterns and more unusual colors like a taupe windowpane.

Olive
As a color to match with tailoring, olive is less expected but highly complimentary. Think of pairing them to colors or patterns that might otherwise appear plain with neutrally colored pants, like a grey windowpane or a brown melange.

Navy
It’s hard to match navy chinos or trousers: their flat weave can make it look like you’re wearing a pair of orphaned suit pants. But thanks to those raised wales, no one will mistake navy cords for being one piece of a full set. Take advantage of the freedom to match it with neutrals like a tan windowpane or even a classic houndstooth. 

Mahogany 
Those warm and rich red-brown colors that feel uniquely suited to corduroy fabric is where it gets fun. The key is to wear them with a tailored piece that will restore balance, like a cool blue grey windowpane or a dark charcoal tartan.