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#1 2006-09-10 00:52:21
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
Hey dudes,
I'm looking for a nice quality corduroy -cloth - something with a very moderate wale for a jacket. Color will be tan. The more banal the better.
I prefer to find something that has a "heritage" and that would've been the type of corduroy that a Brooks or Chipp would've made their cord jackets out of in the early 60's.
Then, where did one find the best corduroy cloth? Who were the traditional makers? The Brits, the French, or others??? Were there yanks making the cloth as well?? I've noticed that some of the newer cord cloth has a "sheen" to it??? Maybe it's some sort of new-fangled reincarnation? I don't like it as much.
What do you think the most judicious "wale count" would be for a jacket? I think thin wale is no good but wide wall is no good either.
Anyway, insight appreciated as always....
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#2 2006-09-10 05:41:17
- Miles Away
- Member
- From: Miles away
- Posts: 1180
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
Is there anything harder on the eyes than counting the wales in corduroy?
I THINK I have a 14 wale and an 10 wale in my warbrobe. Probably I wear the 14 wale most...
8 wale might be good too... 6 wale would be too chunky?
'Cato, Pakeman & Carter' have very good cord from a mill in Yorkshire which they waste by pleating & darting in their RTW. However, they do do MTM and therefore you could get their cord from them in theory.
I actually used to wear it myself in their corduroy trousers (despite the single inward facing pleats) when in 'Fogey' mode way-back-when, and my brother practically lives in it still when off duty.
The French as we all know invented the stuff, but I think the English took it to their hearts most and from there it spread to Ivy and the U.S.
Probably most of the stuff is now made someplace foreign where they have curious table manners etc... See how hard it is for an Englishman to talk about corduroy without accessing his inner Fogey?
It's a fight everyday... but I'm winning...
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#3 2006-09-10 05:48:14
- Miles Away
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- From: Miles away
- Posts: 1180
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
Another thought:
I've never worn a corduroy suit but I do like to wear Olive needle cord flat-front trousers with a wider wale tan corduroy TNSIL jacket and a mid-Grey Shetland and Blue/Blue tattersall BD inbetween.
Anybody else wear cord with cord, mixing wales and colours?
I'm sure that there's a rule against it, but it can look wonderful in a kinda shabby academic way. A little like a disgraced librarian out on the town...
Lord, that Fogeyness is creeping back over me today isn't it?
Brrrrrrrr!
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#5 2006-09-10 22:14:30
- Tomasso
- Member
- Posts: 598
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
I've seen some cotton/cashmere blends that had a wonderful hand. And, I like 8W cords.
#6 2006-09-11 18:53:27
- steedappeal
- Member
- Posts: 28
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
According to Paul Winston, a lot of the old -time 50's and 60's cords came from now defunct mills in Mississippi.
#7 2006-09-11 21:49:03
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#8 2006-09-11 21:50:19
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#10 2006-09-29 03:05:12
- Miles Away
- Member
- From: Miles away
- Posts: 1180
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#11 2006-09-29 08:54:01
- Miles Away
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- From: Miles away
- Posts: 1180
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
OK - 10 or 8.
A small war has broken out over here now...
Edit: Brooks was 10 wale. Press may well have used both 8 & 10.
Last edited by Miles Away (2006-09-30 01:01:56)
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#12 2006-09-29 12:16:06
- stanshall
- Member
- From: Gilligan's Island
- Posts: 12991
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
Recently found a nicely finished narrow-wale corduroy from Dormeuil.
"bow wow wow yippie yo yippie yay"
#13 2006-10-01 02:27:37
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
Thanks Man.
I saw the cord. jacket at Brooks. Nice cut, in some respects (lapel, etc), but "Made in Thailand" and the quality for the price ain't worth it to me. I'd rather spend more and get something substantially better in quality.
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#14 2006-10-01 06:23:39
- Miles Away
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- From: Miles away
- Posts: 1180
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
I think the point is almost upon me when I'm going to just give up & get my old Ivy threads copied by a compliant tailor.
So much that I'm seeing these days seeks to 'add value' by using fabrics, colours and cuts which ruin perfectly good items in my eyes.
Good basic kit seems to be the hardest stuff to buy...
The basic Ivy Cord or Herringbone jacket is an obvious example.
Less is More -
Remember The Beau!
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#16 2006-11-25 01:47:13
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
I just bought some corduroy. How do you measure wales? Per inch?
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#17 2006-11-25 02:04:07
- Terry Lean
- Member
- Posts: 2440
Re: Suggestions for best corduroy cloth?
"One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing"