The 11 Best Shorts to Get You Through This Summer Heat

The thing about summer is you don’t know where it’s going to take you. Dive bar, brunch, beach, or some dude you met last night’s lake house. In any scenario, a pair of Baggies is the ultimate tool. We prefer five-inch, but no shame in going for seven if you’re a little shy.

Todd Snyder has plenty of worthy options with shorter inseams, but it’s one of the only places that does a tailored long inseam for a reasonable price. This 10-inch Italian Pinstripe or the 11-inch Relaxed Cotton are killer options for showing less skin.

RRL, Ralph Lauren’s heritage-inspired sub-label, took a nautical turn this season. It’s a lot of sweaters and jacquards along with the mainstay denim and workwear. One of the best additions are these deck shorts cut from a really phenomenal cotton-linen chambray with a five-and-a-half-inch inseam. Throw on these, some boat shoes, and a lightweight sweater for a yachting man’s summer look.

Allow me to introduce you to shorts that feel as good as they look. Lululemon’s best-selling style is crafted for you to wear anytime, anyplace, and always look smart. They have a streamlined appearance, with technical fabric and a perfect seven-inch inseam.

J.Crew’s chino shorts are a style you’re going to find yourself wearing and pairing with everything. They’re great with tees, camp-collar shirts, button-downs, and even tank tops. Plus, with a tailored silhouette that has just the right amount of flex, you’ll stay comfortable while looking cool.

If you don’t already have OB swim trunks, snag a pair—but while you’re at it, snag a pair of its everyday land shorts, too. In breathable cotton, these have a tailored, flattering AF silhouette that makes even the most worn-out T-shirt look like it’s worth a million bucks.

Chubbies, once a frat boy punchline, are… actually cool now, especially if you’ve got the legs for ’em. There’s a more diverse inseam offering these days, but you can’t beat the original four-inch inseam. This is what summer’s all about.

Easy, casual khaki shorts for all of summer’s adventures. You can wear these anywhere from the office to your vacation, and you can pull them out next year, too—they’re hard-wearing like that.

Flint and Tinder is one of our go-to purveyors of all things ruggedly handsome, and these shorts certainly make the cut. They fit like chinos but stretch like athletic shorts, and they look like your favorite garment-washed jeans. What’s not to love?

Few things are more flattering come summertime than pleated shorts. Bonus points if those pleated shorts have Brunello Cucinelli’s on holiday vibes, with cuffed hems and a hook-and-zip fastening.