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When summer's really doing its thing and the temperature's are cranked to a broil, the right pair of linen shorts will be the only layer keeping you from completely melting away. Wearing any pair of billowy bottoms should feel like cracking open a window and letting the breeze waft through. But linen shorts are more like a walk-in fridge for your thighs, an A/C-chilled microclimate that offers some much-needed respite from those brutal July days. If the linen shorts you're picturing right now resemble grain sack with pockets, we get it. But the supremely chill versions we're talking about here have evolved beyond their stale origins. Nowadays, they come in more shades than barley and with the type of wild-style prints and embellishments that'll help you thrive—not just survive—the swelter. Whether you're after a certified short-short, a baggy-ass cargo short, or a neon-soaked Bermuda short, there's a silhouette worthy of a spot in your rotation. These are our favorites.
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Introducing: the Platonic ideal of linen shorts!
Toss on a patterned camp shirt and classic white sneakers and you'll immediately find yourself in the 90th percentile for summer style.
We aren't saying that the five-inch inseam is dead, but we are saying that super long shorts are thriving right now.
If you haven't heard, Gurkha shorts are flying off the shelves. This heritage-inspired version from the now-cool Banana Republic is about as perfect as it gets.
Hard to find a better linen short for the price—even harder to resist buying more than one color.
Sometimes, the freshest way to enliven a classic is by adding some old-world charm.
Because why should graphic tees get to have all the fun?
If Patagonia Baggies were made of linen, this is what they'd look like.
Camp-collar shirts aren't the only way to add some pattern to your summer fits.
Down with the cooling properties of linen but not so much its wrinkly nature? Blends like this combine the old-world fiber with the softness and structure of other fabrics to help you avoid undue time with a steamer.
Further proof that olive green really is a neutral—and that it pairs with every palette as easily as blue or black.
If there was ever a reason to go full Diddy in his element, these voluminous vanilla-white shorts are it.
We've crunched the numbers and consulted the specialists: these are the hottest pair of short shorts you can get your legs into.
These may as well say ‘OOO’ right on the ass because there's no way you'll be doing any work in 'em.
For the folks who refuse to wear anything but black, even in the depths of summer.
A blue striped button-up and khakis is an infallible combo, but the same is true if you flip the pairing, too. Wear these striped khaki shorts with a solid blue button-up and you've got an IG-worthy summer look, guaranteed.
The perfect vessel for carrying your favorite summer snacks.
Because even the goth-king of fashion gets a little too hot in summer.
Whew, now you don't have to resort to cutting off your chinos—Taylor Stitch makes 'em in shorts!
All the badass energy of body piercings without the pain and permanence.
Introduce these to a boxy tee, gnarly slip-ons, and a funky hat for a slightly crunchy, extremely cool ensemble.
With a slightly rumpled button-up and huarache sandals, De Petrillo's dressed up linen shorts feel right up Chris Pine's alley..
Full Cover Muslim Swimwear Solitude Studios' very meta shorts will break people's brains, and make you a sartorial sage in the process.