Most men have a drawer somewhere with a pair of shorts they’re not proud of. Faded elastic waist, fabric that pills after three washes, a length that commits to nothing. They wear them anyway because replacing them feels low priority. It shouldn’t. The drawstring short is one of the most worn pieces in a warm weather wardrobe and getting it right matters more than most men give it credit for.

What we’ve been looking for here is a specific thing: shorts that have the ease of something casual without looking like an afterthought. Fabric is most of the argument. Linen and technical weaves that actually breathe. A length that sits above the knee without going too far. A waistband that lies flat under a shirt you want to tuck in.

These are not gym shorts pretending to be something else. They’re properly considered pieces that work on a terrace, on holiday, or on a Saturday that asks nothing of you.