The Best Corduroy Pants for Men

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At a Glance: The Best Corduroy Pants for Men

Cords might be the world’s most versatile trousers. The best corduroy pants can replace slacks at the office, jeans on the weekend, or even sweats on a grocery run or an airplane — and look suave in every scenario. But shopping for those perfect go-anywhere cords isn’t as fun as stylish liberal arts professors make it seem. There’s a huge range of fits, colors, and wale thicknesses (the size of the fabric’s ridges or lines) out there to choose from. To help realize your corduroy dreams, we’ve rounded up some of the best corduroy pants to buy right now, and, at the bottom of this article, provided a brief guide on what to look for while you shop.

The Best Corduroy Pants for Men

Below are some of the best corduroy pants you can find online right now. To make this roundup, we had a shopping expert try on cords all over Los Angeles, and we consulted reviews from both experts and regular shoppers. All of our picks feature a rating of 3.7/5 stars or higher and have ample stock (as of writing) at trusted retailers.

1. Buck Mason Craftsman Full Saddle Pant

These Craftsman trousers from Buck Mason nail the versatility that makes cords so wonderful. Featuring a thin wale fabric, a straight fit, and a warm brown color, they’re clean-cut enough for dressy outfits but laid-back enough for casual ones. We also appreciate the lighter weight of these pants, letting us wear them year-round without feeling too warm or too cold.

2. Abercrombie & Fitch Pull-On Pant

For a casual pair of cords, check out these pull-on cords from Abercrombie & Fitch. Their drawcord waistband and soft, stretchy fabric make the pants feel almost as cozy as sweats, but you’d never guess that by looking at the pants’ thin wale material, large cuffs, and overall grown-up aesthetic.

3. Todd Snyder Relaxed Fit Bedford Corduroy Pant

Our go-to for laid-back, vintage-inspired style, it’s no surprise that Todd Snyder has some killer corduroy pants. These Madison corduroy suit pants are one of the best pairs from the American label, showcasing cords’ dressier side. Team the trousers with loafers or dressy boots, a button-up shirt, and — for a seriously show-stealing outfit — this matching jacket.

4. Alex Mill Straight Leg Pant

With a gusseted crotch and adjustable tabs at the waist, these Alex Mill cords are comfort-forward. Alex Mill doesn’t specify the fabrics’ wale, but we think it’s around mid- or wide-wale, building on the casual, cozy look.

5. Banana Republic Corduroy Officer Pant

We think Banana Republic is slept on for wardrobe staples, and these corduroy Officer Pants are another exhibit in our case. The straight-leg trousers showcase a chic thin wale fabric that looks even richer in person, and the mid-rise waist with a long inseam feels very comfortable. They’re another versatile pick, capable of elevating sneakers and tees as well as loafers and dress shirts.

6. Levi’s XX Chino Authentic Corduroy Pants

Another great pair of casual cords is these Levi’s XX Chino Authentic trousers. The pants feature a straight leg, a wide wale, and a faded wash, looking more like something you’d score at a thrift store than Levi’s website.

7. LL Bean Stretch Country Corduroy Pants

If you’re a romantic (like us), consider grabbing these LL Bean cords because they’re exactly the kind of thing a professor might wear while on sabbatical, writing a book in Maine. If you’re a realist, buy these cords because they’re the most highly-rated pair on this list, boasting 4.5/5 stars and over 1,400 reviews.

8. Dickies Regular Fit Corduroy Pants

Just about everyone feels flattered by the fit of Dickies’ high-waisted regular-fit pants, and our wallets feel good about their price. These pants showcase the workwear brands’ beloved fit in a thin wale, slightly stretchy corduroy, making a great pair of casual weekend pants.

9. Ralph Lauren Purple Label Gregory Corduroy Trouser

If you’re unfamiliar with Purple Label, it’s the highest-end of Ralph Lauren’s several labels. Its best pieces, like these Gregory corduroy trousers, perfectly exemplify the “stealth wealth” trend with a look that’s understated yet unmistakably premium. If you’re looking to subtly flex in the office or on a date this winter, these are the pants to do it in.

10. Polo Ralph Lauren Relaxed Fit Corduroy Pant

Another great pick from Ralph Lauren (with a more approachable price tag) is these relaxed-fit cords. Inspired by early 20th-century French workwear trousers, the pants have a wide leg and wide wale fabric that we love with boots and casual button-up shirts or a tight T-shirt.

11. UO Baggy Corduroy Beach Pant

If you’re into the baggy look, pick up these corduroy Beach pants from Urban Outfitters. In keeping with the casual look of the baggy fit, the pants also feature a wide wale fabric. We’re also big fans of the color options, which include versatile black, navy, and light brown, as well as a more adventurous light olive.

12. Flint and Tinder 360 Corduroy Pants

Boasting a 4.7/5-star rating with more than 270 reviews, these 360 corduroy pants from Flint and Tinder are hard not to throw on every day. The main difference is their cut, which is just like a pair of great jeans instead of chinos. Plus, the stretchy, mid-weight fabric is very comfortable for all-day wear — even if you’re getting slightly active.

13. Tom Ford Slim Straight-Leg Corduroy Trousers

Tom Ford is famous for just about perfecting wardrobe classics. The ultra-high-end designer pulls it off again with these slim straight-leg cords, slimming down the silhouette and using an extra soft mid-weight fabric that feels as sumptuous as it looks.

14. Nordstrom CoolMax Straight Leg Corduroy Pants

If you want to enjoy cords in warmer weather, pick up these CoolMax corduroy pants from Nordstrom. They feature Nordstrom’s CoolMax polyester fabric which they say helps regulate moisture and wick sweat, solving the problem of cords sometimes being too warm.

15. AG Tellis Slim Fit Corduroy Pants

For a slim fit, check out these Tellis cords from AG. They’re cut like five-pocket jeans and have a slightly lived-in wash (especially in this nice Sulfur Blue Note color) for a more casual look.

Corduroy Pants Buying Guide

Overwhelmed by all your options? Here are a few things to consider while shopping for the best corduroy pants.

Wale: Unlike other pants, you’ll want to consider the thickness of the wales — those ridges or lines in corduroy fabric — while shopping for cords. Sometimes brands will provide the fabric’s wale number, which represents the number of wales in an inch: Regular or mid-wale has 10-14 wales per inch, and wide-wale has 3-8 wales per inch. Generally speaking, thinner wale cords are going to look more pulled-together and feel lighter, while wide-wale cords will look more casual and feel warmer.

Fit: Corduroy fabric can also make pants’ fit feel slightly different. We suggest starting with straight-leg cords, if its your first pair or you haven’t worn any in a while. Sometimes a slim fit can look at odds with corduroy material, while wide-leg cords might feel too big or baggy.

Color: Brown is to cords as blue is to jeans. The color just works so well with the fabric, but other earth tones (greens, pale blue, burnt yellows and oranges, etc) or classic black will all look pretty great in person too.