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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I’ve waxed poetically about Bonobos’ eternally wearable chinos, so it’s no surprise that the brand makes equally-great chino shorts. Think of this one as your cheat code for business casual dressing this summer. It’s got a soft cotton stretch blend, with the kind of give that keeps you comfortable though long lunches, or sprinting to catch the train. The fabric’s also garment-washed, which means they’ve got that easy, broken-in feel from day one.

In fact, our editors say they feel super comfortable straight out of the box, like they’ve already owned them for a few summers. The fit is balanced: slim without being clingy, with a nice mid-thigh length that works with most body types, and plays nice with sneakers, loafers, or sandals. Plus, it comes in more colors than you’ll know what to do with, so you’ll find a style that suits you. IMO, these are the shorts to grab when you want to look put together, but not too stuffy.

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.

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