What are corduroy jeans?

Corduroy jeans are five-pocket jeans made from cotton cord, a fabric with raised ribs. The ribs make it softer and warmer than denim, which is why cords are mostly worn in autumn and winter.

How do I wash corduroy jeans?

Turn them inside out and wash on a gentle cycle at 30 degrees, then dry flat or on the line rather than in a tumble dryer. This keeps the ribs from flattening and the colour from fading.

Do corduroy jeans stretch?

It depends on the brand. Some corduroy jeans have no stretch, some have plenty, and some sit in the middle. Our Brax cords have a little stretch. If you are between sizes, try both in our Shaftesbury shop before you decide.

Where can I buy women's corduroy jeans in the UK?

At Shirley Allum on the High Street in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and online at shirleyallum.co.uk. Most of our cords are Brax, in a run of colours that changes each autumn.

What colours do corduroy jeans come in?

Ours run from navy and black to cherry red, olive green, plum and chocolate brown, depending on the season. Darker shades are the easiest to wear, and the richer colours look best with cream or navy knitwear.

Cord Jeans

Women's corduroy jeans are cut like five-pocket jeans but made from ribbed cotton cord, which is softer and warmer than denim. They are what we reach for once the mornings turn cold.

Most of our cords are Brax, in the slim Mary and the Carola, which gives more room at the hip. Colours run from navy and black to cherry red, olive, plum and chocolate. NYDJ adds a straight cord with its tummy panel.

How much a cord gives depends on the brand. Some have no stretch at all, while Brax cords have a little, so they are worth trying on. Come and see the colours in our Shaftesbury shop, as they look richer in person.