Rating: NNNNN
It’s ba-a-ack. Corduroy, the quintessential fall fabric, has busted out of vintage stores, put some stylie updates on its most recent 1990s grunge incarnation and is showing up in designer gear all over town. But corduroy isn’t just about those retro brown flares you had in 1994. Nowadays you can get just about anything with a bit of cord cachet. Except for fish. We were looking for a corduroy fish but couldn’t find one. Sorry. But try these on for size….
This hot-pink cord shirt by Diesel comes with funky pockets and snap detailing, and Miss Sixty brings you burgundy cord pants with the knees conveniently pre-worn. Thanks, Miss Sixty — we get so tired of always being on our knees. (1, shirt from Due West, 431 Queen West, 416-593-6267, $90 pants from Over the Rainbow, 101 Yorkville, 416-967-7448, $215. Model sold separately.)
Diesel also makes this padded trench, perfect for flashing unsuspecting people, and this little (very little) denim skirt with cord detailing. Pull out your Raggedy Ann chic with cord patchwork platforms (2, coat, Due West, $355 skirt, Due West, $150 boots, Transit, Eaton Centre, 416-340-2563, $79.99).
Local design heroines Comrags have taken their needles to corduroy, too, in an atypical yellow shirt dress with a graphic print (3, Comrags, 654 Queen West, 416-360-7249, $295). Top off your look with the season’s ubiquitous poorboy cap in cord (Chateauworks, 336-340 Queen West, 416-971-9314, $12.95), and when the weather gets chilly, cozy up with a cord-and-sherpa mix by DEX, perfect for scaling the mountains of… um… Toronto (Over the Rainbow, $160).
Go motorcyling bomber-style in this little jacket (4, Preloved, 613 Queen West, 416-504-8704, $139) or tart à la 1989 with an itsy-bitsy cord skirt (Preloved, $69). Also: graphic print cord top and light grey pants (5, top from Comrags, $220 pants from Due West, $105).
With files from Joy Kittredge (pictured)Dorky corduroy isn’t just for 1970s nerds any more
