Brown cords have undergone quite the transformation. Once firmly associated with weekends in the countryside and long walks through crunchy leaves, they've become one of autumn's chicest alternatives to jeans.
It's all part of fashion's love affair with softer dressing. We all want the ease of denim, but with a little more warmth, texture and personality. Enter M&S's velvety brown wide-leg cords.
M&S has no fewer than 13 pairs of brown corduroy trousers in its autumn collection, but this £36 style stands out, not least because two members of the GH team have already bought a pair.
The velvety cotton and modal blend with a touch of stretch is wonderfully soft and comfortable, while the wide-leg cut and pin-tucked front seam create a polished silhouette that's smart enough for work and relaxed enough for weekend and off-duty days.
They're super easy to style, too. The chocolate brown shade will pair with a soft caramel Henley knit, a crisp shirt, a simple white T-shirt or a red jumper. On top you can layer on last year's barn jacket, a cropped trench or a car coat. Finish with loafers or ballet flats now, swapping to ankle boots as the weather cools.
After years of black dominating autumn wardrobes, brown has now resolutely become the dark neutral of choice. Warmer, softer and more flattering against every skin tone, it works like a dream with cream, burgundy, lipstick red and dark indigo denim.
The best everyday pieces are the ones you stop thinking about because you reach for them so often. These are exactly that kind of trouser, and if brown isn't for you, they come in navy too.
