The 12 Best Short Shorts for Men Do the Legwork for You

Skies out, thighs out. These short shorts will make this the best summer your legs have ever had.Courtesy of Cueva, Everybody World, Greg Laboratory, Mr Porter, Patagonia; Design: Emily HanhanWe’re at the midpoint of the season, and it’s only natural for the unrelenting heat to reveal the cracks in your summer wardrobe. Those small cracks can turn into craters, especially when thigh-baring shorts are involved. The banality of the shorts debate naturally places summer's favorite garment in a stylistic state of flux.Should we be wearing giant shorts that hover around our upper calf, or should our quads share the spotlight with a classic short short? Sadly, there is no right answer, but folks like Paul Mescal have slowly pushed the short short into the spotlight, proving that it deserves a spot in every summer rotation. The next question you might be asking is: what, exactly, makes a pair of men's shorts short? In our book, an inseam of around 5 to 3 inches represents the golden mean.Rest assured, there are some great short shorts out there this season. (Dare me to say short one more time.) We’re talking every price point, fabric, application, and style, from the shorties to the real shorties, the crunchiest of nylons to the bounciest of linens and everything in between, all of them qualified to get you through the next three months and beyond.The Short Shorts Hit-ListThe No-Nonsense NylonPatagonia 5" Baggies ShortsRead moreThe Showstopper Pleated ShortsDrake's Straight-Leg Pleated Cotton Twill Chino ShortsRead moreThe Leisurely Everyday ShortsJ.Crew 5" Everyday Drawstring ShortRead moreThe Technical TrailblazerGreg Laboratory E-SS26 ShortsRead moreThe Truncated TrunksBather Kombu Active TrunkRead morePatagonia5" Baggies ShortsThe 5" Baggies have been the best pound-for-pound shorts in the world for so many years running that we've lost count, but don't sleep on the 7" Longs either.Drake'sStraight-Leg Pleated Cotton Twill Chino ShortsIt's hard to find a pair of loose(r) pleated shorts with a short inseam, but Drake's absolutely crushed this pair, which shows a bunch of thigh, but doesn't hug it too tightly.J.Crew5" Everyday Drawstring ShortBetween the beachy pincord, the short inseam and the extra stretch at the waistband, you'd have trouble finding a pair of gym shorts that are as equipped to handle the heat as these are.BodeField Straight-Leg Logo-Embroidered Cotton-Twill ShortsPrime-era Bjorn Borg would've lost his mind over these.William ElleryFroggies ShortsI you ever wondered what a different pair of shorts on this list would look like if they were tricked out at every turn—and also neatly packed into one of the pockets—they'd look like this.District Vision5" Training ShortsArmed with both moisture and odor control and a built-in liner, these featherweight workout shorts are the kind that won't have your gym session also feeling like a steam room.American TrenchOriginal Equipment Classic Mesh ShortNot only are these some of my favorite mesh shorts ever—they're short, wide and, importantly, have side pockets—but they're also made in Pennsylvania and cost just $55. Is there a downside? They sell out sometimes, but otherwise no.Everybody WorldEveryday ShortsThink of these like a cropped t-shirt, but for your legs.NikeDri-FIT 5" Brief-Lined Running ShortsNike has once again made a pair of shorts so light that somehow wearing nothing at all feels more cumbersome.Small Talk StudioVented Drawstring ShortsKnit tape is cool and all, but Small Talk went ahead and made the stripes on the side of these track shorts an entire ventilation system.Greg LaboratoryE-SS26 ShortsThese might be the most inventive shorts I've encountered this season: the front pockets are concealed entirely by a deep pleat, the scooped back pockets are reminiscent of those found on climbing pants, and the fit is as baggy as anything I own without looking goofy. And for the doubters, that inseam is 5".A 3.5-inch inseam can feel hauntingly short. But have no fear, just channel your inner Harrison Ford at Cannes.Not a subscriber? Join GQ to receive full access to GQ.comReed Nelson is a freelance writer for GQ Recommends covering menswear and gear. Before writing full time, he spent years working retail at Unionmade Goods, Gant Rugger, J.Crew, and Nike—experience that sharpened his eye for what’s actually worth buying. He’s also worked as an in-house copywriter for brands big and ... Read More