If you are a fan of the obscure, then you probably already know that today is Corduroy Appreciation Day! 11|11, the date whose vertical stripes so resemble the wale of the beloved fabric, is the natural fit for this unique holiday. So today we don our Corduroy pants, we think back about our college professors in their Corduroy jackets and we enjoy being comfortable in cords.

In honor of this special day, we had the pleasure of corresponding with Miles Rohan, president of the Corduroy Appreciation Club, about growing up Corduroy, Wilt Chamberlain and his favorite wale.

Team Saucony: How did you come to be such an enthusiastic appreciator of corduroy?

Miles Rohan: Growing up Corduroy just seemed to be a constant presence. My mother had a lot of it and used it to make all kinds of things for us. Couch cushions, bed spreads, clothes. I also used to find a lot of Corduroy in used clothing shops where it almost seemed like a discarded relic and so I’ve snatched a lot of it up over the years. It’s always resonated with me as something a bit more than a fabric.

TS: How did the Corduroy Appreciation Club get its start and how long has it been around? How many members does the CAC have?

MR: In earnest we got off the ground in 2005, but it was conceived somewhere around 2000, initially just as a theme for a party. But what I’ve come to realize over the years is that there always has been something of a club for wearing Corduroy even if it wasn’t spoken about or intentional. There’s something there with so many writers, artists, thinkers wearing it for so many years.

TS: Do you have a favorite wale?

MR: I’m more of a pinwale person—which I think has something to do with my personality. I’m can be pretty quiet. But I do love wide wales, and it seems like they’re more in style this season than in previous. But I rarely ware them. They seem louder than I am.

TS: Are there any celebs, athletes, etc. who you look up to for their corduroy-wearing proclivities?

MR: Of course. Totally. Woody Allen, Wes Anderson come to mind right away. But there are many great Corduroy wearers. I was just reading somewhere that Wilt Chamberlain likes Corduroy. Michael Jackson seems like he once wore a lot of Corduroy—in the 70’s—before he kind of moved into all that leather.

TS: What is the Corduroy Appreciation Club doing to celebrate 11/11/09 this year?

MR: We’re meeting in a new secret space. A big, old, very secret-feeling garage in a turn of the century factory. Feels good to be somewhere new. Our keynote speaker is Sloane Crosley [author of I Was Told There’d Be Cake]. We like to have writers be our speakers—and she’s definitely the most well-sold author we have ever had. There’s also a real women’s theme to this years meeting. Which is also nice because in the past it’s been very male centric.

TS: Any extra big plans in the works for 11/11/11?

MR: Well, yes. But I can’t talk about them yet. It’s going to be huge.

Photo of Miles Rohan by CAC member Meredith Modzelewski

Tags: Corduroy, obscure holidays

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