Corduroy pants & sport jacket?

[keys]

I recently purchased a pair of RLPL corduroy pants in a dark olive color that I intend to wear w/ my Morechi Suede Oxfords. Is it generally appropriate to wear corduroy pants with a sport jacket?

I have a wool houndstooth SB that I *think* would go rather well along w/ a button down shirt and the aforementioned slacks/shoes. Yay or nay?

 

[petescolari]

Yay if the cords are narrow wale. I haven't seen either jacket or pants, but if the cords are RLPL, they are probably a finer wale.

 

[AlanC]

Certainly 'yay'. It's a casual, even 'country', look, but one that I quite like. Tweeds, etc. go great with cords. The suede shoes sound like a good choice, too.

 

[Manton]

...

 

[keys]

Cords are indeed a narrow wale. The jacket however is not a tweed but, rather, a Loro Piano-like wool. A bit more elegant than a tweed but presumably it should still work, yes?

Perhaps I should forego the button down shirt for a cashmere turtleneck?

All of your input so far is greatly appreciated.

 

[LA Guy]

I don't think the cords necessarily have to have a narrow wale. I kind of like the wider wale cords. I think they go well with bulky tweed coats.

Actually, depending on the sportsjacket in question the wide wale might be more appropriate. A velvet sportjacket would take a narrowwale corduroy pant, while a heavier tweed sportsjacket would definitely take a wider wale trouser. Since these are informal trousers to be worn at the hips (do not wear corduroys at your natural waist unless your legal name is Farmer John), go with flat front - no pleats.

 

[Keith T]

Keith T: "Yay"

Ernest: "Nay"

 

[keys]

<<go with flat front - no pleats.>>

No such luck on the flat fronts; the pants are pleated.

 

[Ed13]

I have started to really like wearing cords the last couple of years after not owning any for many years. I think a button down shirt is fine with cords if you try to keep it on the casual side. I also like a knit tie with the outfit. I like the textures and think they are great for fall and winter.

 

[DSM]

What is a wide wale cord?

 

[Manton]

...

 

[j]

A "wale" is a ridge in the fabric. Wide wale has larger, wider ridges, while pinwale has very fine ridges, sometimes so fine that it's hard to tell it's corduroy. I don't know what the in-between-wale is called. Midwale?

 

[DSM]

So I assume the incotex cords I am now wearing (91% cotton, 9% cashmere) are probably wide-wale, as they have pronounced ridges. From the definitions given, I would assume most cords on the market are wide-wale?

 

[petescolari]

I believe they count the number of wales (ridges) per inch. The wider the wale, the fewer the count and vice versa. I am not sure how many an inch categorizes as wide, narrow, mid, and so on.

 

[j]

Most cords I've seen are wide to "regular-wale" (making up a term for it now). Unless they're wide wale or pinwale I don't think they're referred to as anything but corduroy. Wide would be something like 1/8" or more between ridges.