The 9 Best Men’s Shorts for the Dog Days of Summer, According to Huckberry

This article is presented in partnership with the team at Huckberry, which provides clothing, gear, and stories to inspire your next great adventure.

Shorts are tricky. Unless you're one of those guys who relentlessly wears them through winter, you might feel a little out of practice—especially considering how many new styles there seem to be since you last wore them. With pants, it's fairly easy to imagine where they should land, but with so many inseams at our disposal, shorts can be confusing.

In a lot of ways, shorts are like haircuts; some are a lot more flattering than others and you can always take more off, but can never add it back on. Appropriately, the easiest (read: cheapest) way to figure out what shorts are right for you: cut up some pants that are on their way out to test different lengths side-by-side....or, you know, go to a store and try some on.

Which is all to say: we live in a golden age of shorts variety, with plenty of subtypes, features, fabrics, and lengths to choose from. Here, we'll be focusing specifically on casual shorts — the sort you'll probably wear most of the time this summer. Though these differ somewhat widely in material and silhouette, they're all within the range acceptable with a button-down and loafers or your rattiest t-shirt and sandals. In other words, these are the best casual men's shorts to rely on all summer long.

Durable, breezy linen...without the wrinkles

Linen has long been a breezy style move when the mercury rises, with a truly cool and often lived-in look, but here’s the thing: It tends to wrinkle a bit too easily at times. How best to solve that? By throwing substantial but soft cotton into the mix, as Flint and Tinder has done here with these super versatile shorts. Select from both 7 and 9-inch inseams for the best fit based on your height and build and choose from colors like Natural, Olive or Mustang, and you're cooking with gas all summer.

https://huckberry.com/store/flint-and-tinder/category/p/73755-cotton-linen-shorts-7-inch 

French Workwear-Inspired Shorts

Workwear inspiration seems to be popping up everywhere these days, including in the world of summer menswear. Naturally, casual shorts might seem an unusual place to tap into workwear style, but it all comes down to the fabric — these chore shorts use a durable cotton-linen blend with stretch.... and all the handy features built right in. Like a chore coat or a chambray shirt, these shorts are downright useful, from the tool pocket to the easy-wearing drawstring waist and unique, made-to-last button fly. When your summer to-do list comes calling, make sure these shorts are close at hand.

https://huckberry.com/store/flint-and-tinder/category/p/71644-dobby-chore-short

The best-selling 21st century shorts

Sometimes your favorite casual shorts have a sneaky second life on the road, on the trail, in the river....you get the idea. Such is the case with Proof's Nomad Short, the pair we're constantly reaching for when we're heading off the grid or just going to a BBQ where there might be an inflatable pool. Just looking at these handsome shorts, you might be surprised to know they're aquatically inclined, but the Toray Polyester Stretch Twill allows for quick-drying and stretch in a sleek package you could rock with a button-down if you had to.

https://huckberry.com/store/proof/category/p/66666-nomad-short-7

Sturdy and comfortable wide-wale corduroy, with a sun-faded look inspired by the ‘70s surf scene

Wellen’s clothing walks in lockstep with nature and breezy surfing culture, drawing style inspo from the beach and early morning sessions. Few items embody this ethos better than the Longridger Easy Short, cut from organic cotton and oozing laidback 60's chill. To go straight from the beach to your favorite restaurant, there's no better pair out there.

https://huckberry.com/store/wellen/category/p/71634-longrider-easy-shorts

Versatile and tough shorts with plenty of all-occasion styleIf your seasonal wardrobe doesn’t have at least a few pieces from Taylor Stitch for every occasion, you're missing out on their enviable attention to detail and flair for unique textiles. Here, they’ve turned their considerable expertise to a pair of garment-dyed, suitably lived-in cotton-linen shorts with soft fabric and just enough texture to change up the pace a bit. The 8-inch inseam is a winning move for most guys, with a fit that allows mobility and provides a clean look without veering anywhere near "baggy cargo shorts" territory.

https://huckberry.com/store/taylor-stitch/category/p/72229-the-morse-linen-short

Versatile everyday shorts cut from a surprising textileRelwen is another brand we’ve come to trust for absolutely everything. The real kicker here is the way they've taken the classic military-inspired shorts silhouette and cast it in a thoroughly modern fabric. It’s a high thread count reverse sheen cotton sateen, which is both smooth and substantial, stretchy and durable without feeling flimsy. These shorts are also cut closer to the body than the vintage kind, which helps them move like more athletically minded shorts while looking just as polished for casual weekend pursuits.

https://huckberry.com/store/relwen/category/p/72385-flyweight-flex-short-8

Our bestselling everyday pants....but shorterWe know that all of us at Huckberry certainly can’t get enough of the famed Flint and Tinder 365 Pants, a best-seller made with garment-dyed fabric using just enough stretch. What if those same pants were shortened up, literally, and turned into a set of go-anywhere shorts available in an astonishing array of versatile colors? That’s the idea behind the Flint and Tinder 365 Shorts, our go-tos most days of the summer, especially when the morning calls for chores and the evening is a little buttoned up.

https://huckberry.com/store/flint-and-tinder/category/p/61671-365-shorts-7

JORTSDo jean shorts tend to catch a lot of flak? They sure do — sort of like mullets or cut off tees. But it’s the 21st century, and there’s a right way to do jorts i.e. precisely the way Ripton & Co. has made them, with stretch, subtle design details, and a deep black color option that swerves from the more typical light wash jean shorts out there. They can add some fun and levity to just about any outfit, especially a breezy indigo popover and high-top sneakers for a high-low style blend.

https://huckberry.com/store/ripton-co/category/p/73165-jean-shorts

Detailed, stylish shorts from the land of peace and love

The best style often looks and feels like it’s been around forever: with one glance, you know there are deeper stories at play. And there are plenty of those to uncover with TSPTR, which draws from 1960s counterculture to deliver effortlessly cool clothing built to last. Named after Malibu’s Zuma Beach and with unconventional details like U-shaped patch pockets, these harken back to sunnier, more laidback days. Bonus points: the cotton poplin is sturdy but dries quickly, allowing them to skate the line between casual and hybrid shorts.

https://huckberry.com/store/tsptr/category/p/73217-zuma-short-7

If you're looking for a more adventure ready pair of shorts, head to our hybrid shorts guide. Or, if you foresee an extremely laidback summer, there's a pair of lounge shorts with your name on them.

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