Shoppers, are you ditching jeans for good? M&S £40 cord wide-legs in 3 colours could save your look

As temperatures dip and office dress codes soften, a quiet shift is happening in wardrobes from Leeds to Lewisham today.

Marks & Spencer’s corduroy wide‑leg trousers have re‑entered the conversation, priced at £40 and pitched as an easy swap for denim. Launched in 2023, the style returns with new urgency as cords surge back into everyday rotation in 2025.

A high-street pivot from denim

Jeans still dominate, but many shoppers want softness, room and polish. Corduroy brings texture without fuss. It warms the legs, reads smarter than joggers and dodges the stiffness that can make rigid denim feel tiring by mid‑afternoon.

M&S leans into that mood with a pair designed for pacey days and neat nights. The trousers sit high on the waist, fall to a relaxed wide leg and move with you thanks to added stretch. Front and back pockets handle a phone, cardholder and keys. A zip fastening keeps the finish sharp.

£40 buys a high‑waisted, wide‑leg cord in three shades — Olive, Spice and Bitter Chocolate — in a cotton‑rich blend with modal and elastane.

What stands out in the M&S design

The silhouette flatters many body shapes. A higher rise defines the waist and supports tucked‑in tees or blouses. The leg drapes cleanly, skimming rather than clinging. Stretch fibres help the fabric recover after sitting, walking or tackling stairs with a pram or laptop bag.

The cloth feels substantial enough for chilly commutes, yet not so heavy that you overheat indoors. That balance matters in Britain’s stop‑start weather, where layers do more work than single heavy pieces.

Key spec at a glance

• Price: £40 on the high street.
• Colours: Olive, Spice, Bitter Chocolate.
• Cut: high waist, wide leg, zip fastening.
• Practicality: front and back pockets that carry daily essentials.
• Fabric: cotton‑rich with modal for softness and elastane for stretch.
• Origins: introduced by M&S in 2023; still a go‑to in 2025.

How to style for weekdays and weekends

Keep weekdays easy with a tucked crew‑neck and a blazer; swap to loafers or block‑heel ankle boots. For the school run, go trainers, a ribbed knit and a scarf. A fitted long‑sleeve top balances the volume for dinner or drinks, especially with pointed boots.

One pair can run the commute, the coffee and the catch‑up without changing trousers — the promise driving the cords comeback.

Mix, match and go

• Olive works with ecru, navy, cream and stripey Breton tops.
• Spice lifts neutrals; pair with charcoal, camel or denim shirts.
• Bitter Chocolate anchors bold prints; add gold jewellery for warmth.
• Trainers keep it casual; sleek boots sharpen the line for meetings.
• A tucked tee shortens the torso visually; a cropped knit keeps the waist defined.

Value for £40: cost-per-wear maths

Price tags can distract from usage. Wear the trousers twice a week from October to March. That’s roughly 26 weeks, or about 52 wears. Divide £40 by 52 and you’re at around 77p per wear before spring. Wear them across the shoulder seasons and the number drops again. That’s the sort of maths that turns a trend into a wardrobe constant.

Fabric and care: making cord last

Corduroy is a woven fabric with a raised pile, arranged in vertical ribs known as “wales”. The pile gives comfort and warmth, but it needs a little care to keep its texture.

• Wash inside out on a cool cycle to protect the pile and reduce dye transfer.
• Air‑dry on a hanger to preserve the drape; avoid high heat that can flatten the ribs.
• Steam lightly from the reverse if creases appear; press along the wale, not across it.
• Brush the nap with a soft clothes brush to revive texture after wear.
• Avoid overstuffed pockets to prevent distortion at the hips.

What shoppers should check before buying

Try on with the shoes you plan to wear most. The hem should clear the ground without catching. Check the waistband for gaping when you sit. Walk a short loop to see how the fabric relaxes and whether the rise stays comfortable. Dark dyes can release excess colour on first wash, so separate lights.

Test the fit for 30 minutes at home before committing: stretch eases as body heat warms the fibres.

Where this sits in 2025’s trouser trend

Relaxed shapes lead the high street this year. Barrel legs, cargo details and straight cuts jostle for attention, but cords offer a sweet spot. They bring cosiness without reading sloppy, and texture without loud patterns. That makes them easy for offices shifting to smart‑casual and for parents juggling busy weekends.

M&S sits in the space where practicality meets polish. A £40 ticket invites broad uptake, which often signals a look moving from niche to mainstream. Expect more cords across autumn rails, from skirts to suiting, as retailers lean into touchable fabrics that photograph well and feel good.

Alternatives on the high street

Other chains typically carry cord trousers between roughly £30 and £60, with variations in wale width, leg shape and stretch. Some push slimmer legs for boot‑tucking; others run softer flares. Fit and fabric can differ widely, so trying a couple of cuts pays off if you’re new to cords.

Sizing, accessibility and budget notes

Leg length makes or breaks a wide leg. Retailers often stock short, regular and long options; check availability before you set your heart on a colour. If you’re between sizes, the added elastane can accommodate movement, but waist comfort should lead your choice. Pockets that hold a large phone help with hands‑free errands and pram duty. If you’re watching spend, seasonal promotions can nudge the price lower; multi‑buy events sometimes apply to core basics.

Extra context for cord newcomers

Curious about wale width? Lower wale counts (think chunky ribs) feel more casual and cosy; higher counts (thinner ribs) read sleeker. The M&S pair aims for everyday wear, so expect a middle path that works with tees and tailored coats alike. If you worry about bulk, choose deeper shades and keep top layers neat. If you want to lengthen the leg, match trouser colour to shoe for a clean column.

Not sure when to wear cords? They thrive in shoulder seasons and draughty offices. Team with merino in January, then rotate to cotton knits in March. On rainy days, stick to cropped lengths or sturdy soles to keep hems clean. Look after the nap and wide‑leg cords will hold their shape across many cycles, making that £40 feel well spent by the time summer rolls round.