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CORDUROY

Today Uncle Tweed is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his favourite pair of brown Corduroy trousers.

The Textile Institute , Manchester, U.K has this to say about Corduroy:

“A cut-weft-pile fabric in which the cut fibres form the surface. The binding points of the pile wefts are arranged so that after the pile has been cut, cord or ribs are formed in the direction of the warp. Note: Velveteen fabrics are sometimes cut to give a corduroy appearance.”

Corduroy is the fabric of kings. A pair of Corduroy trousers are always stylish and brings about an air of sophistication.

The Corduroy slacks are right for any circumstance, and when worn with a tweed jacket (with or without leather elbow patches) they bring about comfort and savoir-faire like no other garment would.

The Dutch wear Corduroy too, as this report from Christopher Wagner’s Historic Clothing site explains:

History: “We have developed considerable information on Dutch boys clothing, but we do not yet have much information on corduroy.

One 1952 magazine ad for heavy sweaters show a boy wearing wide weal cord trousers. A Dutch reader reports that corduroy was popular and commonly worn in the Netherlands into the 1970s.

By the 2000s, however, only older men wear cord pants.

Terminology: There are several words in Dutch for corduroy.

“Manchester” is the word for the heavy material kind of corduroy.

“Ribfluweel” (fluweel means velvet) is used for the velvet kind of corduroy.

“Ribcord” is used for corduroy too.

The English word “corduroy” is a common word in Dutch also.

Pants: Dutch boys wore both long and short cord pants. Presumably until after World War II, cord knickers were also worn.

One reader reports, “In the late-1960s and early 70s, I had blue and yellow coloured small weal pants.

In the summer my mother made short shorts from the winter pants, not simply cut-offs but with a neat hem.”

The cord shorts worn in the 1960s and 70s were often cut quite short. Many were worn with belts. Presumably there were also cord jackets, but we do not have information at this time. “

Uncle Tweed knows he’s not the only man with a pendant for Corduroy. Witness frenchbaldman whose interests include “Computering, Hairloss, chute cheveux,velours, corduroy, fetish, Gershwin, and musique cubaine.”

Corduroy, when properly made, needs very little maintenance and is a virtually indestructible material. Uncle Tweed, for one, is looking forward to the next thirty years with his favourite pair of cords.