After a long year inside, the mood is officially swim shorts, some sand and a whole lot of sunshine and fresh air. The perfect pair of trunks are the sartorial equivalent to sunscreen on a hot summer day—absolutely necessary to keep you comfortable and feeling good. Worn at the beach, river and backyard hangouts, a good set of swim shorts should be able to make the transition from pool to party no problem. There are two directions to take your swimwear right now: lean into the sport look with an outdoorsy nylon pair of trunks or board shorts, like Patagonia Baggies (the preferred style for the Valet. staff) or fully embrace “Hot Vaxx Summer” with bold prints and colors. Choose an inseam that falls anywhere between 3” and 8” inches for optimal short to thigh ratio. Ideally, you want your hem to hit generously above the knee. Dress it up with a swanky linen shirt, down with a knit or terrycloth polo, or, if you've spent quarantine working on the vanity muscles, ditch the shirt and pair your trunks with nothing but sandals. Browse our selections for the best pairs of shorts to swim your way through summer.