Getting shorts right is harder than it should be. Too short and you’re in holiday territory whether you want to be or not. Too long and you’ve crossed into a different decade entirely. The mid length is the sensible answer but even then, most options manage to look either too casual for anything useful or too try hard in ways that are difficult to explain but immediately visible. We’ve been looking specifically at shorts that sit around the knee without making a statement about it. Clean cuts, decent fabrics, and colours that work with more than one type of shoe. Linen that doesn’t crease into disaster within an hour. Cotton that holds its shape through a full day. Nothing with unnecessary pockets or branding that does the talking for you. The best shorts in this edit look considered without looking like the person wearing them thought too hard about it. That balance is rarer than it ought to be.
Claire's Picks
← Trousers Worth Hanging in Your WardrobeMid Length Shorts That Don't Try Too Hard
Getting shorts right is harder than it should be. Too short and you're in holiday territory whether you want to be or not. Too long and you've crossed into a different decade entirely. The mid length is the sensible answer but even then, most options manage to look either too casual for anything useful or too try hard in ways that are difficult to explain but immediately visible. We've been looking specifically at shorts that sit around the knee without making a statement about it. Clean cuts, decent fabrics, and colours that work with more than one type of shoe. Linen that doesn't crease into disaster within an hour. Cotton that holds its shape through a full day. Nothing with unnecessary pockets or branding that does the talking for you. The best shorts in this edit look considered without looking like the person wearing them thought too hard about it. That balance is rarer than it ought to be.
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