The Best Shorts for Men, Tested by Style Editors

After weeks of trial and error, we landed on Abercrombie as the short to wear this spring and summer. The short’s flat front cut hits the perfect style note between casual and dressy. That means it plays well with a T-shirt, polo, or button-up, and you can dress it up or down as much as you want. The seven-inch inseam is a middle-of-the-road length that flatters guys with giant quads or chicken legs, so it works with a lot of different body types.

We love a menswear essential with performance features, and Abercrombie’s Go-To Short delivers on that front. The polyester fabric wicks away moisture, which helped us feel dry during exceptionally hot days. Its waistband has a hint of stretch that’s easy to move in. And because the waist doesn’t crinkle like other hybrid dress shorts, we found that it still looked polished when we wore it under a tucked-in dress shirt, and without a belt. It comes in four colors, and given its affordable price point, we recommend copping these in a few styles.

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Patagonia’s Baggies short has become a warm-weather staple for our active and outdoorsy editors, and for good reason. It’s easy to wear, and the quick-drying nylon fabric is lightweight but tough, and has a relaxed fit that won’t cling when the heat is on. We’ve sported these during hot hikes in upstate New York and casual errands in Manhattan, and found they worked just as well in both settings. That’s because it’s got a laidback aesthetic that doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, so you can easily pair this with a moisture-wicking tank or a camp collar shirt. Plus, the five-inch inseam hits that sweet spot: short enough to show some leg, but not so brief you feel like you’re wearing swim trunks to the bar. We like to bring this to our tropical vacations because of its comfortable mesh liner, and the vertical side pockets that help reduce drag in water. In short (get it?), it’s the most versatile options we’ve tested.

Read more: Best Swim Trunks for Men

This short is purpose built for summer travel. It’s got a cotton-linen blend that’s lightweight and breathable, and the textured fabric hides wrinkles better than other cotton shorts we’ve tested. That means you can throw this on right out of the suitcase. Our style team loves the tailored fit, which keeps you looking put-together without feeling stiff. I wore this during a recent summer trip to Buenos Aires, and found that it’s polished enough to dress up with a button-down shirt, but still plays well with my go-to T-shirt and sneakers. In terms of comfort, I love the elastic waistband that’s also forgiving on love handles. But because the waistband is wrinkled, I like to rock this with a belt when I wear it with a tucked shirt.

Read more: Best Travel Pants for Men

Pros

• No break-in period
• Great for business casual fits

Pros

• Unique texture
• Very breezy and light

Finding a top-tier jort; however, was a much easier task. The 501 is one of the most iconic jeans ever designed, and still holds up today. And its shorts version is no exception. Levi’s cut its marquee pant down to a 7-inch inseam that hits mid-thigh for a lot of guys. And to save you time, the brand was kind enough to distress the hell out of it, resulting in a great lived-in look that pairs well with casual fits. Because this is the 501, it works with just about any summer casual look, and you know it’ll never go out of style.

Yeah, these jean shorts are much thicker than other options on this list, but we found that the 501’s straight cut offered enough breathing room through the thighs to keep us relatively cool on a typical summer day. Though you may want to swap these for a chino or linen short on blazing afternoons.

Summer workouts call for lightweight gym shorts that are still durable. Enter Ten Thousand, a purveyor of some of our favorite workout clothes, including this one. The Interval Short is made with a polyester blend that’s purpose built for tough exercises. Trust us: Our fitness editors have put it through the paces, and found that it didn’t rip, and moved like a second skin. That’s thanks to its four-way stretch fabric, which also has a bit of compression so it doesn’t ride up or cling. We found that the quick-drying material lives up to its odor-fighting marketing claims, and helped prevent swamp crotch during 90-degree runs.

The Interval Short comes in three inseams, though we suggest (you guessed it) the 7-inch length for a universally flattering cut. And while our fashion team mainly recommends wearing this for the gym, its slim cut makes for a decent athleisure fit, and some of our editors frequently wearing this on weekend errands. In fact, the Interval Short is so great that we gave it a 2024 Men’s Health Fitness Award.

We’ve been co-signing cargo shorts long before they came back in style. Take this one from Uniqlo, which takes everything we love about the workwear classic—ample pockets, relaxed fit, a durable fabric—and tops it with a water-repellent shell to dry you off during water sports. Our editors have sported this on a boat, lakeside, and during torrential downpours, and can attest to its quick-drying capabilities. The polyester belt is non-obtrusive, and cinches in the short during hot weather hikes.

We also appreciate its roomier cut and eight-inch inseam that looks great (without looking sloppy) on taller guys. And this being Uniqlo, the Geared Short is incredibly affordable, so you’re getting a great cost-per-wear value. We recommend stocking up on this in multiple colorways.

Read more: Best Cargo Pants

Draw-string bottoms don’t have to look sloppy. Case in point: Dockers, which makes a pull-on short that’s smart enough for off-duty fits, and is cozy like our favorite lounge pants. Its cotton fabric is infused with elastane for extra stretch, and has a loose knit that’s somewhat breathable and moisture wicking. And while it doesn’t move like our tried-and-true gym clothes, we found that the Ultimate Pull On Shorts felt comfortable enough to wear all day, especially when we were on the move.

Take note: though this short has a casual vibe, its draw-string waist keeps it from being too dressy. We recommend pairing this with T-shirts and laidback fits, but keep it outside the office.

Meet your new lazy day bottoms. Mack Weldon’s short has a plush French terry fabric like your favorite hoodies. But unlike OG sweats, this one is cut close like a slim fit chino, so you can pull this lounge pant off in public. Plus, our editors like its suite of pockets that can easily store your keys, phone, and wallet while you’re on the go. Though because of its thick knit, it’s not ideal for warm weather activities.

Of course you can wear this out and about, but we think the Ace Sweatshort works best as an at-home uniform. We like to use it as a pajama bottom, then throw a dress shirt over it in the morning before our Zoom meetings.

Read more: Best Sweatpants for Men

The Different Styles of Men’s Shorts

To rely on just a simple pair or type of shorts for every task on your summer checklist would be a mistake—a sweaty, smelling, head-turning-for-all-the-wrong-reasons type of mistake. Below, we break down several of the most popular kinds of shorts for men. Basically, you need to build up a solid arsenal of shorts that’ll make summer dressing a breeze.

Athletic shorts: your active lifestyle requires a few pairs of go-to moisture-wicking shorts for the gym, running, cycling, hiking, and all kinds of sports or sweat-inducing fun. Made with performance materials, these shorts will keep you cool, dry, and comfortable while you sweat it out.

Swim shorts: looking for athletic shorts specifically meant for water activities? Swim trunks and board shorts are a no-brainer. Better yet, most can be worn out of the water as everyday moisture-wicking shorts, easily.

Leisure shorts: if your focus is more on R&R over PRs, you still need some cool, casual stunners that have the versatility to be worn in both daytime and evening scenarios, from your sofa to perhaps a bar. Sweat shorts and lounge shorts will keep you cool and comfy while you beat the heat. On the other hand, denim shorts and utility/cargo shorts let you embrace the outdoors in sharp style.

Dressy shorts: for your office days, dinner plans, summer or beach weddings, and any formal or business casual occasions, chino shorts, Bermuda shorts, khaki shorts, and any pleated shorts—especially those built with a hint of stretch and a comfortable waistband—are foolproof.