Styling My Mum’s 80s Vintage Green Corduroy Jacket

You could say I’ve been waiting over 35 years to bring you this outfit post.

Well maybe not quite that long, because – you guessed it – there were no blogs in 1986. But in theory it’s taken me that long to get this outfit together and photograph it, as I have had my eye on my mum’s vintage 80s green corduroy jacket since… since FOREVER.

It is, in fact, the only item of clothing that she’s handed down to me – along with the matching skirt (that, and an amazing 80s snake necklace which WILL one day make an appearance here). But pencil skirts aren’t my thing, so I’ll probably sell it. In my eyes, mum’s green corduroy suit was the stuff legends were made of, and to be honest it’s one of those outfits that I picture a 52-year-old Catherine’s mum wearing; her signature outfit, if you like.

The green suit, with a white blouse buttoned up at the neck, and black court shoes. It’s just so her.

[Reading time: 2 mins]

Disclosure: This blog uses affiliate links (at no cost to you). Full disclosure

Shop the look:

It was to my delight that, when my parents moved to their current home in a retirement village, mum had a clear out (as you do when you move house) and she said that The Green Corduroy Suit could be mine, if I wanted.

Er – YES PLEASE…!

The jacket is still in perfect condition – no moth holes or it’s-been-in-the-loft smell – and I just ADORE the colour. It’s actually been worn by yours truly quite a lot since it was adopted by my wardrobe, and here it is in all its emerald glory with lots of autumnal colours to really show off that deep rich tone of green and lush jumbo cord.

Yes, the shape is a bit “blouson-y”. I don’t care. The shoulders are now less Dynasty-esque due to me removing the shoulder pads. And fun fact: it’s from Next. The brand only started in the early 80s [rebranded from Hepworths, I know, but Next as we know it was born in 1982] so the suit really was from the early days of said fashion giant.

Another fun fact: I bought a pair of cream and tan two-tone brogues from one of the very first Next directories in about 1988 soon after I started my first Saturday job in Debenhams. (Uma Thurman and Christy Turlington were two of the models in it.) Don’t ask me why I remember this, but I clearly remember the shoes were £36. Thirty-Six. POUNDS.

It was a TREMENDOUS amount of money to pay for shoes back then. But I’d worked hard for the money and I treated myself and oh god I wish I still had them now…!