Most trousers hide a slightly off fit. A little extra room at the waist, a hem that’s not quite right, a seat that sits a touch loose. Smooth fabric doesn’t show much of that. Corduroy shows all of it. The ribs running down a pair of corduroy pants are called wales. They catch light and shadow in a way flat fabric never does. That texture is what makes corduroy look “Corduroy Pants for Men Don’t Forgive a Bad Fit”