'Good Things' is Esquire's celebration of the very best stuff you can buy, via the personal endorsement of our editors. "Best" doesn't mean most expensive, and it won't just be clothes (although, that's kind of our vibe). Just know that when you see the Good Things logo, it has the Esquire seal of approval.
My seniors may protest, but there’s nothing like a good pair of shorts. Nothing. A well-cut suit can flatter and impress and make you feel all special, but they’re not at all suited to the cruel summers of an ever choking London. Chinos are crisp and classic and an easy way to polish up, but think of the grass stains. Think of those creases. And jeans are all well and good post-6pm, but they’re no place for a set of perspiring calves. Shorts can accommodate all of that – and they too can impress should you have the thighs of a TikTok star on steroids.
Of course some shorts have limitations. Like most things in your wardrobe, there are purpose-built shorts for the gym, and the pool, and the bits in-between. But particular shorts can do all of those things at once, and still look good – especially if they’re from Parisian label True Tribe.
Founded by Paris-born, Sweden-reared Alexandre Sundberg, the shorts, like most great inventions, were made to solve a problem. Sundberg was a backpacker, and, after spending many months in Western Australia, needed one pair to perform all the things one does on a year abroad: walking, running, working out, swimming, partying (and partying, and partying). “I wanted shorts that were versatile, and shorts that can do everything,” he told Esquire back in 2020 when comfy, multipurpose shorts weren’t just a luxury but an absolute necessity during lockdown. “I didn’t have many clothes, and I went… with some swim short samples I’d sorted with some Portuguese suppliers as a bit of a side project.”
The former Saint Laurent staffer also wanted to help the planet as he explored it. Every piece is sustainable and put together using recycled materials. That means nylon made from ocean trash, like fishing nets. True Tribe also partners up with Survival International to support the rights of Aboriginal peoples around the world. And, most strikingly, the humans behind the shorts are in full view: True Tribe’s makers are all named and visible on the brand’s website, and are paid fair salaries for their work.
The makers make really, really great shorts too. Colours are iridescent, and stark, but they fizz rather than pop. Good if you don’t like a show off. They’re exceptionally comfortable. They also flatter, and move your backside slightly closer to those of Instagram gym rats that do nothing but film themselves lifting piles of metal. They’re slightly above the usual cost of the average pair of summer shorts. But that’s because they do a lot more than the average pair of summer shorts. And, in these times of mass decasualisation with the mercury at boiling point, a lot more than your suit, your chinos, even your jeans.
True Tribe
