A corduroy jacket is one of the easiest ways to add texture to a plain outfit. Treat it like a denim jacket that is a little warmer and a little smarter: wear it over a tee, a roll neck or a fine knit, add jeans or chinos, and keep everything else simple. Below are six outfits built from pieces in the WARDLEY range, plus how a cord jacket should fit and which colours to start with.
Cord jacket or cord overshirt?
- The trucker jacket: the Notting Hill Men's Corduroy Trucker Jacket (£150.00) takes the classic trucker shape – point collar, button front, twin chest pockets, buttoned cuffs and adjustable hem tabs – and cuts it in soft, fine-wale corduroy. It is a regular fit that sits on the hip, and it comes in Ecru, Olive, Forest, Black and Taupe.
- The overshirt: the Barbican Men's Corduroy Overshirt (£59.00) is softer and less structured, with a point collar, chest pocket and buttoned cuffs. Button it up as a shirt or wear it open over a tee as a light jacket. It comes in Black, Olive and Grey.
Pick the jacket if you want an outer layer for dry autumn and spring days. Pick the overshirt if you want something you can keep on indoors all day.
How should a corduroy jacket fit?
- Notting Hill: a regular fit that sits on the hip. Stay true to size.
- Barbican: a relaxed cut. Size down if you want a closer, shirt-like fit.
- Layering: try the jacket on over the thickest knit you plan to wear under it, and check it still fastens comfortably.
See the size guide for measurements.
The one rule: one cord piece per outfit
Corduroy is a busy fabric, so let it be the only textured piece in the outfit. Put smooth fabrics around it: plain denim, cotton chinos, fine knitwear. If you want to wear cord on your legs instead, choose the Kentish Men's Stretch Corduroy Trousers (£61.00), a straight-leg, mid-rise trouser in fine-wale stretch corduroy, and wear them with a plain knit rather than a cord jacket. The Kentish is a regular fit; if you are between sizes, size up.
6 corduroy jacket outfits for men
1. Cord jacket, heavyweight tee, straight jeans
Wear the Notting Hill in Ecru or Taupe over the Essential Men's Heavyweight Boxy Fit T-Shirt (£36.00) in White, with the Shoreditch Men's Straight Leg Stretch Jeans (£59.00) and clean trainers. It works from early autumn until it gets properly cold.
2. Cord jacket over a roll neck
For dinner or a relaxed office, put the Notting Hill in Black or Forest over the Marylebone Men's Roll Neck Jumper - Slim Ribbed (£59.00). Add dark trousers and clean low-top trainers. The Marylebone is a slim fit; size up if you want it looser.
3. Cord overshirt, henley and chinos
Wear the Barbican open over the Kensington Men's Ribbed Knit Henley (£59.00), with the Putney Men's Slim Tapered Chino Trousers (£59.00) in Stone. The henley's three-button placket keeps it looking considered.
4. Cord jacket with a mock neck
The Chiswick Men's Fine Knit Mock Neck Jumper (£59.00) sits between a crew neck and a roll neck, so it gives a clean neckline under the jacket's point collar. Try Oat under an Olive Notting Hill, with indigo Shoreditch jeans.
5. Cord overshirt under an overcoat
When it gets cold, use the Barbican as a mid-layer. Button it over a tee and wear the Hampstead Men's Longline Overcoat on top. The Hampstead is fully lined and cut to sit over a chunky knit, so a shirt-weight layer underneath is easy.
6. Cord jacket over a cable knit
On a dry, cold day, a knit under the jacket is often enough. The Cotswold Men's Cable Knit Jumper (£59.00) in Oat under a Forest or Black Notting Hill mixes a knitted texture with a woven one, which works better than two woven textures. The Cotswold is cut slim, so it layers cleanly; size up for a relaxed fit.
Which corduroy colours to start with
- Ecru and Taupe: easy with blue denim and white tees. A good first cord jacket.
- Olive and Forest: good with navy, oat and dark denim for autumn.
- Black: the sleekest option and the easiest to dress up with a roll neck.
- Grey (Barbican): a quiet overshirt colour that goes with black and indigo jeans.
What shoes go with a corduroy jacket?
Clean low-top trainers are the relaxed choice with jeans and a tee. For chinos on drier days, suede-look loafers from your wardrobe work well with an Ecru or Taupe jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is a corduroy jacket smart or casual?
It sits in the middle. It is smarter than a hoodie or denim jacket and more relaxed than a blazer. With a roll neck and dark trousers it suits dinner; with a tee and jeans it is a weekend jacket.
Can you wear a corduroy jacket in winter?
Yes, as a layer. Wear the Notting Hill over knitwear on dry, cold days. On its own it suits autumn and spring. On wet or freezing days, wear a cord overshirt under a proper coat instead.
Shop men's corduroy or browse all men's jackets. For more overshirt ideas, read how to style a corduroy overshirt.
