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Few are likely to remember that corduroy was embraced by farm workers of the Nineteenth-century, thanks to the fabric’s assured durability. But any kid that grew up in the 70s can easily attest to the popularity of the fabric in their respective era. Any high school hall in America was awash with the ribbed fabric that was embraced, not only for its rugged ability to last, but simply because it was one of the most fashionable choices of the time, enough to temporarily knock the iconic denim jeans off their pedestal for more than a few years.

 

Corduroy jeans, more commonly referred to as cords, were usually worn snug, enough to hug every curve and crevice of the body, leaving very little to the imagination for the herds of hormone-raging teens that embraced them. The most popular colors were earth tones such as beige, burgundy, green, navy and brown. Coupled with a pair of Nikes or Wallabees, one was assured to be a part of the crowd, rather than an outcast. And parents didn’t mind purchasing them, knowing that they were likely to last for at least the entire school year if not much longer.

 

Corduroy is a densely-weaved cotton velveteen with pronounced ridges. Two distinct kinds of ridges are available – the wide and narrow variety. The wide wale variety is considered more dressy, while the thinner wale is better tailored for casual use. It is the thin variety that hugged the torsos of millions of kids throughout the 70s. And today, as thrift stores have become all the rage, cords are starting to make a small, but noticeable comeback. For as anyone knowledgeable in fashion can attest - if it was trendy in the past, it will likely become trendy again in the future. And if the past is any indication, a surge of corduroy seems likely to be only a few moments away.