One of my favorite looks for fall is combining a dark brown corduroy sport coat with a casual pair of chinos, especially with an open collared, plaid shirt, like you see above. The chinos should probably be khaki colored, but olive could work just as well. The shirt can also be an OCBD, chamois, flannel, or some other kind of brushed cotton. The key is to get something that’s heavy and rough enough to visually hold its own against the corduroy. For shoes, I recommend a dark brown pair of loafers, chukkas, or plain-toe derbys. I would personally opt for plain calf, but if you wanted more texture, you could reach for suede or pebble grained leathers.
The best thing about corduroy and chinos is that, like with good denim and tweed, they only get better with age. Corduroy sport coats, for example, look best when they’ve developed that uneven wear from years of repeated use, and causal chinos are much nicer once they’ve softened up with age. This makes them perfect for guys who don’t like to fuss too much over their clothes. So long as you make sure they fit well, you can wear them hard and feel assured that any use will just add to their value. When well-aged, corduroys and chinos have a great way of conveying a relaxed, nonchalant sense of style, which in my opinion is the best kind.
Plus, their combination just expresses fall very well. As seen here on Woody Allen.
