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Corduroy. Never in the field of human fabrics has so much negativity been applied to so many garments by one material. The mere mention of this hapless textile can set eyes rolling as their owners recall their geography teachers and uncle Toms of old, dressed head to toe in brown cord, complete with elbow pads, of course.Well it’s got to stop. If this describes your knee-jerk reaction to corduroy, it’s you who’s living in the past, because the material is well and truly back, and it’s smarter than ever.To be honest, corduroy trousers have been rehabilitated for quite some time now. They’ve been a staple in the men’s fashion world since the late 90s, and yes, they were available (even desirable) in brown. Once you actually get to wear a pair of cords, the light bulb dings above your head as you realise why the dullest people have always gravitated to the material – it’s damn comfy. It’s actually quite a light fabric because a good deal of the perceived volume is taken up by fresh air, which makes them flexible when creased but also relatively rigid when straightened, and that’s pretty much the optimum combination. But most of all it is soft on the skin, which will come as no surprise when you realise that corduroy is in fact a form of velvet in terms of fabrication.It’s perhaps these qualities that have made corduroy a popular material for creating marvellous shirts. They are at once informal and luxurious, and they carry printed patterns surprisingly well, considering their cross-section, the effect creating matte pastel shades that look fresh and not just overwashed. They did have a bit of a surge in the 1990s thanks to their being worn by bands like Oasis and the countless laddish bands that came in their wake. It was a great time to be a shirt-wearer. Although they were structurally no different to the suit shirt you’d buy from M&S, these were designed to be worn as outerwear, like a tee shirt – that is, not tucked in. All too often blokes would pick up any old formal white shirt and let it hang out, the effect being similar to that of a vet, a 70s lollipop lady or an office worker who has just been in a fight over lift etiquette. No, the custom-made cord shirt was chic, smart and structured. It was the height of cool urban wear for a season or two.Although the corduroy shirt has never gone away, it’s worth taking a step back in time and sourcing some authentic articles from vintage clothing stores. There’s a strong, sharp vein of Mod running through these examples, whereas the later ones became a little more comfortable, loose and informal. They can be worn under a blazer or short jacket, but they come into their own when worn for all to see, as nature intended, hanging over the belt as part of an overall look of masculine style. Corduroy minus elbow pads equals cool. "the north face big shot,"moncler clothing uk