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The Best Men's Swim Shorts Work on Dry Land Too

It's a golden age for swimwear, and yes, you are absolutely missing out

By Jack Stanley and Esquire Editors
best mens swim shorts
End Clothing, Selfridges

Given that holidays are about swimming pools, and swimming pools, and swimming pools (oh, and poorly pronounced lunch orders that bastardise the local language), why were the best men's swim shorts always considered an after thought? For the longest, saddest time, men delayed a big purchase to the airport. Which meant a limited choice. And an overpriced one. And, truly, a bad one.

But things are changing. As older brands begin to understand just how important swim shorts are, newer, cooler labels are realising their full potential. This enlightenment has come at just the right time, too. Because men have never dressed better (a good thing), meaning that we can take more risks. And, the planet has never been hotter (a really bad thing), meaning that we need swim shorts for a much longer period.

Where to start, then? Well not at Gatwick Airport's discounted emporium. The best sort of men's swim shorts work just as well at Miami's Soho Beach House as they do on the actual beach. So elect for resortwear: punchy, well made stuff that can provide an anchor to your Big Party Shirt, or conversely, the fun wingman to a classic plain T-shirt or linen shirt. It also helps if they're quick drying. Lyocell mixes, polyamide and polyester are but three fabrics that do this with ease (lyocell being a fabric that is increasingly used in the best underwear for men).

With so much choice, finding the right pair is the difficult part. So Esquire has pulled together best men's swim shorts that'll best the poolside competition. They won't improve your Spanish, sure. But they will keep you ahead of the curve for summers to come.

1

Asket

Asket
1

Asket

$80 at asket.com
Credit: Asket

You’ve been crying out for a pair of nice green swimming shorts for months. Crying, screaming, throwing your hands about in dismay. But please, we beg of you: stop it. If you stopped being so hysterical for just one second, you’d realise that Asket – the Swedish everyday brand that sounds a lot like, but is crucially not, Swedish everyday brand Arket – has some of the best simple swimmers on the market. They’re crafted from recovered marine plastics, can be easily teamed with your land-appropriate wardrobe and are built to last.

2

Orlebar Brown

Orlebar Brown
2

Orlebar Brown

Credit: Mr Porter

Orlebar Brown’s updated paisley print is enough to make a statement whether you’re wearing them by the pool or heading into town. They’re also made using recycled polyester and finished with a silver buckle and adjustable straps that helps to give them a formality not usually associated with swimwear.

3

NN07

NN07
3

NN07

Credit: Mr Porter

There’s no messing about with NN07’s swim shorts. Nice brown colour, nice straight leg, comfortable elastic waistband. What more could you ask for?

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4

Bianca Saunders

Bianca Saunders
4

Bianca Saunders

London-based designer Bianca Saunders pushes the boat out with her swim shorts. The design sports her signature checked design, combining a green and orange front with a sand and orange combination on the back.

5

Polo Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren
5

Polo Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren rightly has a reputation for very nice swim shorts. This pair is no different, and the blue and white stripe – combined with a red logo – makes them the perfect preppy-inspired pair for summer.

6

Vilbrequin

Vilbrequin

Why just get in the sea when you could also be dressed as the sea? Known for the colours and prints of its swimwear offering, Vilbrequin has pushed the boat out even further (sorry) with this wave print.

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7

Devá States

Devá States
7

Devá States

Indonesian label Devá States manages to mix a tropical beach aesthetic – palm trees, hibiscus flowers, bright colours – with a checkerboard reference to the skateboarding. The combination works, and the Palmera shorts are a winner.

8

Stone Island

Stone Island
8

Stone Island

Stone Island’s swim shorts may look pretty straightforward, but the combination of a recycled polyamide shell, tonal detailing and, obviously, THAT badge all add up to make them a must have.

9

Barbour

Barbour

Admittedly Barbour isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you think of swim shorts, but this pair is a clever riff on the brand’s iconic waxed coats. The tartan lining so often associated with Barbour jackets is recreated, although this time it’s for sunny days by the beach, not rainy days on the moors.

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10

Casablanca

Casablanca

Everyone knows about Casablanca’s printed silk shirts, but their printed swimmers are just as good. This pair – which comes in the label’s Ange de Jour print in yellow and blue – is the perfect example.

11

Adidas

Adidas
11

Adidas

Now 40% Off

Just when you thought Adidas' classic school gym shorts couldn't get any better, they went and joined the swim team.

12

Speedo

best mens swim shorts
John Lewis

SHOP

Speedo may be synonymous with big, big Copacabana meatheads in tiny, tiny trunks, but the performance-driven brand also makes swim shorts that actually work (and actually look great).

£24; amazon.co.uk

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13

Mr Marvis

best mens swim shorts
Mr Marvis

SHOP

Mr Marvis, good day to you good sir! Because this kindly gent has been making some of the best shorts – and some of the best swim shorts – for the best part of the last decade.

£89; mrmarvis.co.uk

14

Marcelo Burlon

best mens swim shorts
Farfetch

SHOP

That's Marcelo Burlon, County of Milan to you! And now, it seems the designer (an alum of Gucci, McQueen and Raf Simons) is taking his techno-infused menswear to the County of Capri by way of some printed swim shorts.

£107; farfetch.com

15

Arket

best mens swim shorts
Arket

SHOP

Lightweight, versatile and made from recycled nylon waste, Arket ticks all the boxes of what a good pair of swim shorts should look like.

£35; arket.com

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16

Vilebrequin x Massimo Vitali

best swimming shorts for men
Vilebrequin

SHOP

Part of a collaboration with famed Italian photographer Massimo Vitali, these mid-length shorts come with an elastic waist and an all-over print of a happy summer's afternoon taken from the rooftop of le villa Noailles, one of the Riviera's most iconic vantage points.

£230; vilebrequin.com

17

Tom Ford

best swimming shorts for men
Mr Porter

SHOP

Smart and a bit... sexy? These shorts by Tom Ford will make you the talk of the Chateau Marmont pool. You do have a membership, don't you?

£350; mrporter.com

18

Paul Smith

best swimming shorts for men
END Clothing

SHOP

The stripe seen across the globe, Sir Paul's aesthetic calling card works particularly well on a nice, classic pair of summer swim shorts.

£99; endclothing.com

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