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The Corduroy Jacket

18K views 45 replies 30 participants last post by  eagle2250 
#1 ·
They've been showing a lot of Woody Allen movies on the cable movie channels lately, and from this and other films I get the impression that the courduroy jacket was the item to have for the east-coasty intellectual in the late 70's (preferably in some shade of brown). And really what a useful item it was- wearable casually with jeans and a button-up shirt, or dressier with chinos and a knit tie.

In many ways it strikes me as a kind of "alter-ego" to the navy blazer: still bookish, possibly old-money, but a little more relaxed and unorthodox. The best way I can explain it is, while the navy blazer seems more suburban or southern trad, the cord jacket seems more northeastern or urban trad.

I don't see them discussed much here and was kind of wondering why.
 
#2 ·
Cord jacket

I think cord sport jackets are under appreciated. I have a Brooks Brothers cord jacket that I absolutely love and wear whenever I can. It is soft as butter and comfortable as an old friend.

I was in Europe (France, Switzerland) in the fall and cord sportcoats were quite popular there but in darker colors than I like. Lots of deep navy's.
 
#3 ·
I was in J. Press today looking at some of the jackets that are on sale. They had a corduroy sack jacket there in a medium brown that I was considering. It was just a little too dark for my taste. But back in college I had a Paul Stuart corduroy jacket that I wore all the time until I ripped the lining, then eventually hung it up and grew out of it.
 
#4 ·
I wore my "moss" green one today, darted to be sure, but with elbow patches. Works great with a plaid or pink OCBD and khakis. Got a few compliments on it tonight at a football watching party. Smells of cigar smoke though, time to let it air out . . . another great "casual" option in the arsenal.
 
#5 ·
Back in the day, I had a corduroy suit that I got a lot of use from. As I have mentioned a few times, it is one of three suit materials where the jacket can be worn as a sport coat and not look like an orphaned suit jacket.

I would have another one except for the fact that I have my suits MTM and I don't want to spend that much on a cotton suit when I could get a nice tweed or some other wool suit for the same price.

I did have a seersucker jacket made last year, but one cotton jacket at MTM prices is enough.
 
#6 ·
Well, first off, note that everybody in a Woody Allen film is wearing some shade of brown so don't read too much into that.

Anyway, you raise an interesting question. And you're right, the corduroy jacket has never had the same place in the "canon" as the navy blazer, camel's hair jacket, tweed jacket, et al. I can only think this is because it previously had rather too much of the dowdy teaching assistant about it, and it currently is a rather bohemian garment.

I don't particularly care for them.
 
#7 ·
I have one that doesn't fit anymore and I'm sad to lose it. It was a great piece for a young guy and I'd get another in a heartbeat if it were cheap enough. It is very versatile with jeans, chinos, OCBDs, knit ties. It is, like Jim, not something I would want to spend MTM money on however - which is exactly why I haven't replaced my old one.
 
#8 ·
I have BB sack cord jacket that I would be very unhappy to part with.

It seems likely that the ubiquity (on this board) of khakis (a pant type with which I have become increasingly disenchanted) could be a barrier to cord jacket enjoyment, given the too-close color combination.
 
#11 ·
I wear this camel colored S.Cohen sack from Press a lot in the winter, usually w/o a tie (I plead guilty to being bookish).
 
#12 ·
I have BB sack cord jacket that I would be very unhappy to part with.

It seems likely that the ubiquity (on this board) of khakis (a pant type with which I have become increasingly disenchanted) could be a barrier to cord jacket enjoyment, given the too-close color combination.
That's why I think the good colors for a cord jacket are dark brown or dark green. They're fall colors and contrast sufficiently with khaki.

I'd only wear a light brown one with dark denim.

I have a dark brown LE one: "Ivy" - I thought it was going to be dark green.
 
#14 ·
I have a dark brown PRL corduroy jacket and I consider one of the staples of my casual wardrobe. I don't think I've ever worn a tie with it, but it looks fantastic paired with jeans, khakis...even heavy wool tan and grey trousers.
 
#16 ·
With denim, yep.

I'm more and more into jeans these days.

One day I wore chocolate brown corduroy pants with my BB light brown corduroy jacket (same color as AP's, above) without realizing (till I'd got to the office) what a double-dipping corduroy dweeb I was. But nobody even mentioned it.

That's why I think the good colors for a cord jacket are dark brown or dark green. They're fall colors and contrast sufficiently with khaki.

I'd only wear a light brown one with dark denim.

I have a dark brown LE one: "Ivy" - I thought it was going to be dark green.
 
#17 ·
One day I wore chocolate brown corduroy pants with my BB light brown corduroy jacket (same color as AP's, above) without realizing (till I'd got to the office) what a double-dipping corduroy dweeb I was. But nobody even mentioned it.
You are forgiven. Ha! That reminds me of those hideous corduroy suits from the 70s and 80s, as well the Seinfeld episode where George got a great deal on a designer cord suit...and his legs rubbed together when he walked. "What's tha sound?"
 
#22 ·
corduroy jackets

I think cord sport jackets are under appreciated. I have a Brooks Brothers cord jacket that I absolutely love and wear whenever I can. It is soft as butter and comfortable as an old friend.

I was in Europe (France, Switzerland) in the fall and cord sportcoats were quite popular there but in darker colors than I like. Lots of deep navy's.
I also like cord jackets. Recently bought one in a dark brown colour in a second hand shop....but it looks like new and fitted perfectly. Have had several comliments and team it with tie or ascot.
 
#24 ·
I'm a bit younger, so not sure if that predisposes me to this opinion, but I only like cord jackets in a casual style - unpadded shoulders, floppy lapels, etc. Don't like them at all as a traditional sportcoat. Polo has a great one, on sale right now for anyone who cares (fully lined too!). I like the leather elbows, but don't care that strongly about them either way. https://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3166710
 
#25 ·
I'm a bit younger, so not sure if that predisposes me to this opinion, but I only like cord jackets in a casual style - unpadded shoulders, floppy lapels, etc. Don't like them at all as a traditional sportcoat. Polo has a great one, on sale right now for anyone who cares (fully lined too!). I like the leather elbows, but don't care that strongly about them either way. https://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3166710
I looked at those at Macy's. Pretty decent- unpadded shoulders like you mentioned. I was kind of put-off by the Made in China thing, but the ones I looked at a BB were made in Thailand at three times the price. Anybody have anything to say about the ones Land's End is selling right now?
 
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