Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
From the first mild day of fall straight through the earliest days of spring, there is a very good chance that the pants I’m wearing are of the corduroy variety. This was the case when I was a teenager in the ’90s, aping the over-sized style of the punk bands I was listening to at the time. It was the case in my 20s and 30s when I settled into more of a heritage/workwear vibe, and it was also the case whenever I decided to lean into the trad/Ivy look I’ve always enjoyed but never quite known how to pull off without looking like an actual old man.
The point is, corduroy pants are extremely versatile, capable of working in any number of situations and within quite a few differernt overall aesthetics, depending on the details of the pair in question. Pleats or no pleats? Fine-wale or wide-wale? A cropped, baggy fit or a sleeker slim fit? Or maybe you want a pair that sits right in the middle?
For much of the past four months, I’ve been wearing the corduroy version of Flint and Tinder’s ever-popular 365 pants. They feature a medium wale (each individual cord of fabric), a casual 5-pocket styling and are constructed of a not-too-heavy 8oz material that’s made up of 98% and 2% spandex for a little added stretch.
They come in three fits — straight, slim and tapered — and the differences between them are exactly what you would expect. The straight fit offers some extra breathing room around the seat and throughout the legs, while the slim cuts things a little closer. The tapered, which, full disclosure, I have not tried, seems to feature an upper portion that resembles the straight fit and a lower portion that resembles the slim fit — other retailers call this an “athletic” fit sometimes.
I’ve worn my slim-fit moss-colored 365 Cords more times than I care to admit over these past few months, and they’ve performed flawlessly. They come out of the wash looking perfectly fine, they’ve shown no signs of wear, and they’ve kept me warm on the coldest days this Northeastern winter has thrown at me.
Pair them with a well-worn blue oxford and some boots, and I think you’ve got yourself a perfect, timeless look that’ll work anywhere from the office to the workshop to dinner. (Side note: Huckberry, please tell me you’re bringing back Flint & Tinder’s OCBD — that thing was a winner.)
Flint and Tinder Straight Fit 365 Corduroy Pant
We've put in the work researching, reviewing and rounding up all the shirts, jackets, shoes and accessories you'll need this season, whether it's for yourself or for gifting purposes. Sign up here for weekly style inspo direct to your inbox.