Tomorrow, is #Corduroy Appreciation Day, and CJ+h has some thoughts on how to stylishly celebrate this fabric on 11.11 (the day that most resembles corduroy).

Guys have it pretty easy when it comes to wearing corduroy. As long as their pants fit well and aren’t in a garish color, they can pull on a pair, put on a relaxed button down with the sleeves partially rolled up, and be set.

Women have a greater chance of making a mistep, so let’s get some cautions out of the way first. A chic corduroy dress is a rare thing (see one magnificent option above). You’ll find plenty of corduroy shirt dresses and  jumpers out there, but they’re likely to make you look frumpy or bulky no matter how darling and svelte you are. Corduroy shirts fall in the same category. And while we do have an example of corduroy in a print, the inherent pattern in the fabric can make prints seem a dizzying. Especially if the print is a floral. Please, for the love of all that is beautiful in the world, avoid floral corduroy at all costs. It’s horrible for so many reasons.

On the other hand, there’s lots to love about a pair of corduroy pants in a slim, contemporary fit and a little A-line or pencil corduroy skirt. You can easily build an entire ensemble starting with one of these pieces, and they can be as formal or as fetching as you want them to be. In that way, corduroy is just like that other great wardrobe staple—denim.

Yet you can add a big pop of color with corduroy in a way you can’t with denim. (Yes colored denim is super hot right now, but it’s a trend that comes and goes; colored corduroy has a lasting richness to it that makes it a classic.)

Other things to consider wearing are cropped jackets or blazers in feminine, le smoking cut. Make sure they have a finer wale to them, since a wider wale can add a sense of bulkiness. And if you want to feel a little less like a J. Crew prepster, pair corduroy accessories or shoes with an otherwise cord-free outfit.

Those are just a few suggestions to get you thinking about wearing this timeless seasonal fabric. If you don’t have it in your wardrobe already, get cracking. Tomorrow’s the perfect time to add it, wear it, and party in it. 

* Jeanne Ivy *