Today is November 11th, which means it’s not only the day where we take a moment to honor the soldiers who have fought for our country, but also the day when we pay homage to one of fall’s most staple fabrics -- corduroy. Why November 11
th? Because it’s the date that most closely resembles the corded pattern, 11/11.
Modern corduroy dates back to mid-18th century Europe and was the fabric of royalty and the wealthy -- including Henry VIII who loved the fabric as much as he loved his six wives. It is mistakenly believed that the word “corduroy” was derived from the French –
corde du roi – or cloth of the king. Most likely, the name comes from a combination of the word
cord, referring to the fabric’s row-like structure, and
duroy, which was a coarse wool fabric that was used in England at the time.
Eventually, corduroy became less associated with high society and grew in popularity for its durability and warmth. Despite its elite origins, today corduroy is worn by everyone -- a favorite of Woody Allen and probably your college English professor.
We constructed our
Brown Shelby Corduroy shirt from the classic fabric. The chocolate brown color is perfect for the season and the Italian-woven corduroy is incredibly comfortable.
Don all things corded today and wear them with pride.
