What can I wear with this brown cord jacket?

[Mr Tickle]

I bought this jacket a while ago to try and put together some autumnal outfits, but then we didn't really get an autumn, it went straight from summer to winter here, so I didn't get much chance to experiment with it.



Excuse the differing levels of saturation, I was playing around with sliders to try and stop the jacket looking black in my pictures. None of them give a very accurate reflection of the colour but in reality it's a very deep chocolatey brown.
In pic 3 I am wearing it with trousers that are also corduroy (though blue) - is this even legal, let alone advisable?
Does anyone happen to have seen any pictures of a similar jacket worn in a stylish way?
Or is this particular style of jacket (Harrington) just not that easy to do stylishly in cord?

 

[dieworkwear]

There's a brand called De Bonne Facture that sometimes makes things like that. I think to wear something like that well, you have to develop a nuanced eye and buy certain designer pieces. It requires a bit more experience and intentionality. If I were you, I would just sell that item and move on. But if you really wanted to try to make it work, I would try a chunky, textured knit and some military styled chinos (green or tan), rather than your basic chinos. Push the style away from trad/ classic. De Bonne Facture and Neighbour (a shop in Canada) may have some good online content you can browse for inspiration.

 

[adrianvo]

When I wear a dark brown top in colder weather, I generally pair it with trousers in:

- White/Off-white/Cream
- Dark grey
- Beige/Camel
- Dark green/Forest green or kaki(may be harder to pull off)
- Taupe
- Dark navy

I would generally not build up an outfit with two different corduroy pieces. I think corduroy pairs beautifully with suede and flannel, or even some heavy twill or herringbone weaves (even tweed).

Hope this helps.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Moleskin pants, too.

 

[Mr Tickle]

There's a brand called De Bonne Facture that sometimes makes things like that. I think to wear something like that well, you have to develop a nuanced eye and buy certain designer pieces. It requires a bit more experience and intentionality. If I were you, I would just sell that item and move on. But if you really wanted to try to make it work, I would try a chunky, textured knit and some military styled chinos (green or tan), rather than your basic chinos. Push the style away from trad/ classic. De Bonne Facture and Neighbour (a shop in Canada) may have some good online content you can browse for inspiration.

Apologies for coming back to this after a long break. Just wondering where I would look for military style chinos you mention? I am not sure how I would tell the difference between them and "basic" chinos. All chinos look kind of military to me!

 

[dieworkwear]

Apologies for coming back to this after a long break. Just wondering where I would look for military style chinos you mention? I am not sure how I would tell the difference between them and "basic" chinos. All chinos look kind of military to me!

There have been many military fatigue designs over the years, but the simplest one looks like this (and this is the design that's probably closest to a green chino). Note the large pockets

Compare to an olive chino

Some chinos will be even more cleanly tailored, such as these made with single needle stitching

I don't know if your jacket will really work with an olive fatigue. I wouldn't buy a pair just to try out. Personally, I would just sell the jacket and move on. I think there are better options. But if you have a pair of olive fatigues laying around, I would wear that jacket with a grey sweatshirt and a pair of fatigues, just to see how it looks.

Personally not a fan of very basic CM-styled casualwear. So with a plain jacket like that, I would try to push it more towards a directional look, such as workwear.

I think the jacket would look better with more details. As is, it's so plain, it sort of looks like cloth draped over you. The silhouette is too straightforward; the design too plain. That said, I've seen similar jackets from certain fashion brands, so was suggesting possible ways to style that before deciding to sell it.

 

[dieworkwear]

One more thing:

When styling things, don't just think about pairing colors and textures. Meaning, don't think of this as creating art or a painting. Think of dressing more as writing a sentence. Follow Instagram accounts that inspire you. Read about various social movements -- art, music, cultural movements, etc. Read about history. Start to get an understanding of visual language (fashion language).

I think when guys start out, they often think of this as a painting. Blue goes with white. Brown goes with green. (Or whatever). Linen goes with cotton, etc.

But clothing is not art; it's a language. Learn how to create a sentence with your clothes. Think about how you're communicating certain things. Think about what you're expressing.

If you buy a jacket next time, think about how it fits into a certain "look." Draw from history and various aesthetic movements. I think you'll be more successful with outfits this way.

One of the reasons why I think it's hard to style that jacket is that it doesn't express anything. Find an aesthetic niche and create a look around that. If you want to create a workwear look, get a field jacket. If you like prep, get a Harrington. If you like avant-garde looks, get a black Rick Owens jacket. Etc. Find a language and learn how to use that language.

 

[Mr Tickle]

There have been many military fatigue designs over the years, but the simplest one looks like this (and this is the design that's probably closest to a green chino). Note the large pockets

View attachment 1580032


Compare to an olive chino

View attachment 1580033



Some chinos will be even more cleanly tailored, such as these made with single needle stitching

View attachment 1580034



I don't know if your jacket will really work with an olive fatigue. I wouldn't buy a pair just to try out. Personally, I would just sell the jacket and move on. I think there are better options. But if you have a pair of olive fatigues laying around, I would wear that jacket with a grey sweatshirt and a pair of fatigues, just to see how it looks.

Personally not a fan of very basic CM-styled casualwear. So with a plain jacket like that, I would try to push it more towards a directional look, such as workwear.

I think the jacket would look better with more details. As is, it's so plain, it sort of looks like cloth draped over you. The silhouette is too straightforward; the design too plain. That said, I've seen similar jackets from certain fashion brands, so was suggesting possible ways to style that before deciding to sell it.

Thanks for the as-always very thoughtful advice. I've actually decided to keep the jacket - I quite like it (and apart from anything else it wasn't cheap by any means - I don't buy a lot of stuff at full price from higher-end makers but this was one thing that I did! And it's worn so I'd only get a fraction of what I paid back for it).
At least, I will try wearing it for a while and pairing it with a few things along the lines of your suggestion, and see whether it grows on me.
I don't have those fatigue-style chinos (although I have owned them in the past) but I do have olive chinos in the more tailored style you also posted, so I will throw them on with a grey sweater and see how it feels!
I've also got a more beige corduroy jacket coming, which I think will be more useful to me as it will go better with the dark brown (maybe suede) shoes or boots I would tend to wear with a casual outfit like this. This dark brown one I would be more likely to wear with my Red Wings (black) which might help push it towards workwear, as you said.

 

[Mr Tickle]

Another couple of goes at styling this jacket and also showing off my new brown suede chukkas, which possibly I guess people might say are too similar in tone to the jacket to really work, but I quite like the monochrome effect.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

There's nothing wrong with matching jacket and shoe color if it's a standard color. Every look is dragged down by the fit of the pants and, worse, jeans. The first look is equally damaged by the polo shirt in almost the exact color as the pants.

 

[Mr Tickle]

Yeah not sure what's going on with my jeans in that picture. They don't normally look like that. I think I just took the picture in a rush and didn't have my belt done up properly!
What would you say is wrong with the fit of the beige pants exactly? (They are actually jeans too but it's not too clear from the picture).Too long?

 

[mensimageconsultant]

They might be too long. They are bagging at the knees. It could be due to standing with knees locked.

 

[Mr Tickle]

There have been many military fatigue designs over the years, but the simplest one looks like this (and this is the design that's probably closest to a green chino). Note the large pockets

View attachment 1580032


Compare to an olive chino

View attachment 1580033



Some chinos will be even more cleanly tailored, such as these made with single needle stitching

View attachment 1580034



But if you have a pair of olive fatigues laying around, I would wear that jacket with a grey sweatshirt and a pair of fatigues, just to see how it looks.

As you suggested - think these chinos are vaguely similar to the style you pointed out ... Don't wear them often as they're a bit slim for my current taste.