Step Away From the Jeans—These Are the Versatile and Timeless Pants You'll See Everywhere This Fall

The sidewalks are covered with leaves in shades of gold and amber, the morning air has a sharp crispness that wasn't there a few weeks ago, and signage is popping up that signals the inevitable—pumpkin spice lattes. That's right. It's officially fall! With the change in season comes the ritual of pulling coats from the backs of closets, inspecting knits to make sure they survived hibernation, and asking yourself the most daunting question of all. What am I going to wear this season?

In my experience, the uniform for a season doesn't really take shape until you've had a good month to sit with everything. That said, there's no need to wait until mid-October to start shopping. By then, half the pieces you wanted will already be gone. (Several from my fall list disappeared before I could even press "purchase.") To kick-start the process of shaping your fall wardrobe, allow me to suggest an alternative to your trusty denim: brown corduroy pants.

How I'm Styling Them

Now, why cords, and why brown? I'm always looking for newness. I don't think every seasonal change requires an entirely new wardrobe or a new personality—that would be absurd and expensive. But I do think it's natural to have whims and impulses that surface with each season, and instead of ignoring them, it's worth paying attention. Personally, though, I have a stack of jeans, but I've never been obsessed with finding the perfect pair or defaulting to denim when I don't know what else to wear. I've always felt more comfortable in fatigues and painter pants, so each fall, I end up on a subconscious mission to find my own alternative to jeans. This year, it's brown cords.

Corduroy pants share the same appeal as jeans: easy to wear, easy to style, and never too fussy. As for brown, I'll borrow from Leandra Medine Cohen, who put it best: "It's softer than black, which makes them more chill, a less harsh companion to color." Brown has this uncanny ability to make the colors around it come alive. Pink looks more electric, green more saturated and almost surreal, and black deeper and richer. I'm firmly in the camp that believes fashion rules are meant to be broken, so I'll happily pair brown and black together.

Of course, it's sometimes easier to show than to tell, which is why I've broken down five styles of corduroy pants and how I'd style each one. (I even dedicated a full newsletter to the subject, which you can check out at Consider Yourself Cultured.)

Slim and Straight Classics

I see straight-leg pants as the closest cousin to the jeans we're all used to. The difference is that, with jeans, the cut itself can sometimes limit how experimental you can be, whereas cords give you a lot more room to play. The outfit I put together here would work just fine with jeans, but swapping them for brown cords adds an extra layer of interest, especially alongside something as full of personality as fringe.

How I'd Style Them

Barrel-Leg Styles

This is easily the most fashion-forward of the styles I listed, and it's a shape many of us have already seen in the denim world. For those who like the idea of experimenting but are unsure about versatility, I'd suggest styling them with a coordinating jacket or shirt. It takes some of the guesswork out and leaves more room to play with shoes and accessories. Another route is to stick with a monochromatic palette since matching colors help balance the dynamic cut of the pants without making you think too hard about the rest. The barrel shape is already a statement, so I think it works best when you keep everything else cool and pared back.

How I'd Style Them

Slouchy Wide-Leg Cords

Though these are not as fashion-forward as the barrel-shaped pants, these can still be seen in the category of trendy. Similar to how I treated the barrel pair, I wouldn't overstyle and keep things fairly simple. You can't go wrong with an easy white T-shirt, and from there, you can layer on an interesting top or jacket. I particularly like the idea of leaning into rich fabrications like a silk-blend striped button-down shirt or perhaps something in cashmere. Though we are keeping things simple to allow for the pants to shine, that doesn't mean we can't have fun with our fabric choices and even our jewelry!

How I'd Style Them

'70s Flares

In many ways, I think it's okay to lean a bit into the decade without verging too retro. I think the key to mastering that balance is in the accessories. Take, for instance, the suede bag—suede feels very much a part of the decade, but the origami shape adds a level of modernity to a look.

How I'd Style Them

Leisure First

Though we are five years out from the COVID-19 lockdowns, wanting a level of comfort when getting dressed remains! The key is figuring out how to be comfortable yet still look and feel polished. Having a balance of pieces that straddle the line of professional—such as a fitted blazer, a great piece of jewelry, and a structured top—offsets the casual nature of the pants. For this look, I opted to keep all the professional-leaning pieces on top and all the comfortable bits on the bottom. This look is styled with slides, but because there is a sleekness to the design, it doesn't seem as if you forgot to change out of your house shoes.

How I'd Style Them