
Relaxed Nylon Shorts Are the Summer Move
The best relaxed styles check every box for summer: easy, elevated, and made to move.
Nylon shorts have officially made the leap from gym gear and swim shorts to daily essential. For Summer 2025, the vibe is relaxed—think wider cuts, a variety of inseams, and a lightweight swish that keeps you cool in every sense of the word.
Once the domain of climbers and campers, today's nylon shorts are as at home at the corner café as they are on a trail. Brands like Gramicci, Noah, and Wander are dialing in the fit with subtle tailoring, oversized patch pockets, and a range of tones that pair easily with everything from breezy button-ups and oversized tees to casual camp collars layered over a tank. The key is comfort without sloppiness: opt for styles that have a slightly boxy silhouette. Whether you want a five-inch or an eight-inch inseam is a personal choice. But they all dry fast, they won't wrinkle, and they look sharp with everything from vintage sneakers to leather sandals. In short, they're what you'll actually want to wear all summer long.
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The OG
Patagonia’s original nylon shorts, the Baggies, have been around since founder Yvon Chouinard created them as a “do-it-all short”—one he could hike, climb, swim, bike and camp in. Patagonia first cut them from a fluttery, quick-drying, twill-like nylon; but in 2018, the brand switched to a recycled version of the fabric. They’re available in over a dozen colors and your choice of five-inch or seven-inch inseam.
$69 by Patagonia