The heat is rising, the sun is shining, and the thighs are ready: ‘tis the season when the best short shorts for men come out to play. Letting your quads share the spotlight has gotten a lot of hype the last few years—scientists carbon date the start of the modern short-shorts movement to this 2020 photo of Paul Mescal—and yet some men have wondered if we’ve reached peak short shorts. They have it all wrong: as that photo of a young Harrison Ford at Cannes still proves, the best short shorts for men will always deserve a place in any summer rotation. Particularly if you’ve spent the last few months grinding through leg days.
The next question, then: what, exactly, makes a pair of men’s shorts short? In our book, an inseam around 5 inches represents the golden mean. Yes, there are shorter options available, but when you get to the realm of 3” or less, you’re either a hardcore track runner or a potential danger to the public.
But as with every rule, there exist asterisks and interpretations. The word “short” is relative. In hunting for the best short shorts, we’ve given some options in the 6” range, since every brand—and every man—approaches a pair of shorts a little differently. If you’re tall, or only just now dipping a thigh in the short-shorts genre after years of knee-skimming pairs, a 6.5” inseam might look (and feel) downright breezy. Or your appetite may come down to the scenery; you might feel better about short shorts at the beach, but less so at the hotel tiki bar.
To help you keep things short and sweet this summer, we’ve found 15 pairs of the best short shorts for men across a variety of categories, from everyday linen and chino-style pairs to short shorts for the gym or a swim. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.
The Best Short Shorts for Men, According to GQ
In This Guide
Best Short Shorts Overall: J Crew 5” Linen Shorts
J.Crew blessedly makes almost every pair of its shorts in a variety of inseams, from dadly 9-inchers down to its shortest 5-inch pairs. Which means you can almost certainly just grab the trimmed-down version of your J.Crew faves. That said, we’d go with this linen pair over the usual chino if only because linen breathes nicely, will feel a little less restrictive than thicker cotton, and comes with that standout coin pocket up near the waist. They’ll be chill with a tee, but an Oxford shirt, camp shirt, or light cotton sweater plus a pair of loafers will get you into the resort’s nicest restaurant.
Best Short Shorts for Vacation: Portuguese Flannel Atlantico Seersucker Shorts
Drawstring shorts ask nothing yet offer everything you want—ease, comfort, relaxation—whether you’re strolling cobblestoned streets or going Do Not Disturb mode under a seaside palm tree. Portuguese Flannel’s Atlantico shorts add to the mix with cotton seersucker, with the fabric’s natural pucker that lets air hit your skin and resists wrinkles. Seersucker historically comes in brazenly striped blue or khaki and white, but this subtle navy-on-navy looks sharp without shouting.
Best Short Shorts for Running (and Running Errands): Tracksmith Van Cortlandt Grand Shorts
As with everything Tracksmith makes, the Van Cortlandt will quickly become your favorites for racking up miles on Strava, thanks to the lightweight mesh and built-in liner. But they’re so soft, so breezy (thanks to a 4-inch inseam), and so retro-handsome that you’ll be wearing them while casually speeding through your to-do list.
Best Short Shorts for the Gym: Lululemon Pace Breaker Shorts (Lined)
Short shorts belong at the gym. You’ve got to let the tigers out of the cage when you go big gains hunting. No, but all Instagram swole-speak aside, Lululemon’s fairly legendary Pace Breaker Shorts have long been beloved for doing everything right, with a mostly recycled poly technical fabric that’s moisture-wicking and lightweight, plus the optional very comfortable liner. We’re especially big fans of the liner’s storage pocket, which will keep your phone locked in place whether you’re doing clean and jerks or just sprinting downstairs to catch the DoorDash guy.
Best Corduroy Short Shorts: Buck Mason Cord Beach Cruiser Short
Thanks to leaders in the field like short shorts enthusiast Chris Pine, we’ve been reminded that corduroy deserves your consideration come summer. This Buck Mason pair has a luxuriously soft finish (seriously, there is a noticeable gap between cheap corduroy and the good stuff) and a slightly demure 6-inch inseam. The patch pockets on the front and back make these a variation on camp shorts, bringing a little seventies summer to your wardrobe.
Best Denim Short Shorts: Drake’s Stone Wash Indigo Cotton Drawstring Shorts
We’re well aware that a new pair of jean shorts is only as far away as a pair of scissors. That said, turning 501s into 5-inchers is a one-way ticket to Daisy Duke Island, complete with dangling fringe (and hopefully nothing else). The better blue jean solution comes from the gentlemen aesthetes at Drake’s, who turn soft denim—complete with a beautiful indigo wash—into a pair of comfortable drawstring short shorts that are too beautiful for the word “jorts.”
Best Chino Short Shorts: Patagonia Men’s Heritage Stand Up Shorts, 5”
Yes, Patagonia Baggies are quite possibly thee short shorts standard-bearer, and we’ve given them their accolades…often. But there’s no more hard-working member of a summer wardrobe than the humble chino short, and Patagonia’s 5” version of the Heritage Stand Up Shorts (also available in a 7” style) stands out in a sea of khaki lookalikes thanks to some outdoor-inspired details: abrasion-resistant (and visually cooler) cotton canvas and swoopy outer pockets on the butt. Grab a pair or two of 5” Baggies, sure, but don’t be surprised if you log more hours in the Heritage Stand Up Shorts between now and Labor Day.
More Short Shorts We Love
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How We Make These Picks
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.