The first thing anyone should know about corduroy is that the old chestnut about it being the corde du roi – the cord of kings – is nonsense. It’s been a favourite of princes and paupers and more likely takes its name from ‘duroy’, a rough wool that was popular in England in the 18th century.

The second thing to know about corduroy is that you should swerve a few certain colours. Bright reds, burgundies, baby-sick yellow; these hues conjure up the corduroy of faculty common rooms, stained in chalk dust. Instead, the best corduroy trousers are the ones knocked out by Gucci and Prada and all those other 70s-raiding brands, who do theirs in emerald greens, cobalt blues and rich caramel.

In other words, the kind of corduroy that announces itself. If you’re conscious of how much wear you’ll get from it, know that today’s cord trousers can lean skate or smart, pairing with everything from hoodies to biker jackets to matching corduroy jackets. Dress them up or down, and look for other modern touches like a wider leg or cropped hems that show off your sneakers or boots.

Where To Buy Corduroy Trousers

Flint and Tinder

Not convinced about cords? Then get a pair cut exactly like your jeans. Flint and Tinder does its cord trousers in the same cuts as its denim (straight), so you can sample a new texture without trying a novel silhouette, too. We’d suggest you stick to something slim, like the skinny fit (don’t worry, they’ve got some stretch) or tapered fit, to keep your look up-to-date.

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Marks & Spencer

In this irony-slathered, ugly-beautiful moment, the squarest brand’s squarest trousers can, on the right man, look very modish indeed. If you are the kind of guy that people picture when they think of M&S cords – middle-aged, not quite as lean as once you were – then give these a miss. If you’re a rail-thin 20-something, get a pair in a straight leg, a size or three larger than you should, then hold them up with something unexpected, like a shoelace belt. You’ll take advantage of M&S’s unbeatable price-to-quality ratio, without looking like you were dressed by your mum.