This post is all about how men's swim trunks should fit, and where to buy a great pair for your body type.
You a speedo kind of guy? Me neither. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just not my thing, you know?
Don't get me wrong, I like to show a little thigh. In fact, the older I get, the shorter my trunks get. No more past-the-knees board shorts for me!
In my opinion, swim shorts that go past the knee are too long, especially for shorter men.
You want your clothing to make your legs to look longer, not shorter. Long board shorts, for example, will have the opposite effect.
We're going to look at:
- How men's swim trunks should fit
- Which colors and patterns are best
- Where to buy swim trunks
To start, here's one of my favorite pairs of trunks:
I love these swim shorts because they're a nice color and have a classic polka dot patterns. More importantly, they fit great.
Men's Swim Trunks Fit
Here's a rundown of how each part of your swim trunks should fit:
Waist – Just tight enough that they stay up without having to use the drawstring (I prefer a traditional drawstring over a velcro fly).
Thigh – Not skin tight, but not too much excess material either. Mobility is important, so don't sacrifice comfort for a super slim fit!
Length – Should end somewhere between two and four inches above the top of your knee cap. Look for trunks with a 5-8″ inseam.
Leg Opening – This is almost as important as length because. Just like pants, if the leg opening is too wide, your legs will look thin and wimpy (especially if you have skinny legs like me).
Many American brands have wide leg openings but, unless you have super muscular thighs, you probably need a slim leg opening.
It should be wide enough for your the shorts to slide up and down your legs (like when you sit down and stand up, for example), but narrow enough so they don't billow out.
Think about the shape you want to create. You want your swim shorts to follow the natural shape of your body, rather than masking or distorting it.
Let's get some famous short men to help illustrate the importance of fit. Can you tell who nailed it?
One more thing about fit: try to avoid super low rise swim trunks. Unless you have super long legs and a relatively short torso, wearing swim shorts down on your hips isn't a great idea.
To learn more about rise and how it affects your look, read this article I wrote for Primer Magazine:
Pants Rise Explained (And Why Low-Rise Isn't Always Your Choice)
Instead, wear them a couple of inches below your belly button for a more classy, timeless and manly look.
Colors, Patterns & Style
Now that you've nailed the fit, let's talk color. First off, stay away from large scale patterns, color blocking and thick horizontal stripes.
While you're at it, try to avoid unnecessary bulk, like cargo pockets. Here are some examples of what not to wear:
Instead, solid colors and small scale patterns/prints are perfect. Since you'll probably only own a couple of pairs of swim trunks at any given time, it might be a good idea to stick with versatile colors (navy, burgundy, grey, etc.).
Of course, feel free to have some fun with colors and prints!
To get an idea of what brands might work for you, watch this video of me trying on a bunch of different swim trunks from H&M, Gap, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss and more:
For quick reference, here's a list of swim trunks that I think are solid choices, especially for shorter men:
- H&M short (very short, Euro fit)
- H&M swim trunks (above the knee, slim fit)
- Club Monaco Arlen 4″ Swim Trunk
- ASOS Teal Swim Shorts (mid-length)
- ASOS New Look Swim Shorts (short, navy)
- Original Penguin Foulard Volley Trunk (above the knee, slim)
- A&F Printed Trunks (short, cool prints)
- Sunspel Short Navy (pricey, supposedly awesome)
- Outlier New Way Shorts (also pricey, supposedly awesome)
These all meet the criteria I've laid out in this article – the fit well and look great on the shorter frame, and they're relatively timeless, in terms of style.
Go get yourself some trunks!
Swim shorts are just like any other article of clothing. It's all about fit, proportion and scale. Just remember this: no man looks good in long, bulky swim trunks.
Stick to shorter trunks, solid colors and small scale patterns, and don't be afraid to show some leg.
How short is too short? Share your opinion in the comments section!
Alan says
September 2, 2014 at 10:36 amI don’t think swim trunks can ever be too short. My ideal swimsuit would look something like this: http://www.freshpair.com/Derek-Rose-Pima-Cotton-Stretch-Trunk-8565DR.html
On the other hand, for those of us pushing 60, I’d welcome the return of the vintage look: http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/002393.php
Brock says
September 2, 2014 at 11:35 amI don’t know if I could pull either of those off, haha. But I bet you could!
Ben Karlin says
September 3, 2014 at 3:25 pmI am pushing 60 and just want to say, You Whippersnapper! You know horizontal stripes are out for us short guys. Grrr.
On leg openings and billowing: The worst look is wide enough to show all the way up the leg to the crotch. Tight enough to conform to it all, wide enough to give a peek at it all. Neither is really attractive.
Alan says
September 4, 2014 at 3:09 pmHi Ben, I’d love to be a whippersnapper, 60’s looming ever larger on the horizon. Yeah, stripes are bad news, but I’m looking for sun protection and a place to hide the ruins of my waistline : )
ANdrew says
September 2, 2014 at 10:43 amFinding a good pair of swim trucks is always a hassle for me. I don’t understand why most guys chose the big and baggy ones I guess comfort and don’t want to look European.
What to do you think of Daniel Craig ‘s square-cut swim trunks in “casino royale”? Keep in mind he’s 5’10
Brock says
September 2, 2014 at 11:38 amLove those swim trunks. Link for everyone else:
http://37.media.tumblr.com/c080f516dbb29f479f6aaa57680c9409/tumblr_mz8ztzhug51tp0bgjo1_1280.jpg
But you definitely have to have an athletic physique to pull those off. Any softness or belly and that won’t be a good look.
Zach says
June 16, 2017 at 6:17 pmI own a pair of those swim trunks! The ones Daniel Craig wears are from a high end brand called La Perla Grigioperla Lodato with a matching price tag. I got mine from a company called Zaya in an XS. I’m not sure if you can still find them though, since I bought them in 2006 around the same time the CR came out.
jimboylan says
July 9, 2017 at 10:28 pmSince I actually swim in my swim wear, I need something that doesn’t hinder my leg movement nor act like a sea anchor on my hips to slow me down. That means brief style, with the emphasis on brief. I do like a full seat in back, so it doesn’t turn into a thong and try to split my legs apart. Darker solid colors make it harder for the prudish to see the details of what’s in my crotch. The cooler water up here in the NorthEast helps control my growth.
Jason says
September 2, 2014 at 10:37 pmThanks so much for pulling this information together. There are so many facets to finding things that are the right scale for the vertically challenged man. I love the photos showing the bad wardrobe choices of Michael and Ben. When you point it out, it seems so obvious, but sometimes it is hard to see. I also appreciate you providing links for things you recommend. Kudos to you for being fit enough to model your own swimwear and keeping it real.
Brock says
September 4, 2014 at 9:58 amThanks, Jason!
Mrcivil says
September 4, 2014 at 7:52 pmThanks for this post. Great rules to live by regarding swimwear. Yet another article of clothing I had not given a thought about but now understand. I really appreciate the hard-and-fast “do not” rules.
Brock says
September 5, 2014 at 11:09 amSometimes the “do nots” are more important than the “dos”.
-B
KEN says
September 7, 2014 at 9:42 pmI’m glad you have this. I wish you would also state this about regular shorts. Those board shorts going down to the knee were designed for basketball players who have really long lower legs, and make we shorter men look like munchkins. I have such a hard time finding shorts that are the right length, which I believe really should be somewhere about 2/3 the way from the crotch towards the knee. You need to show some thigh or you just look like a little kid.
Tim says
May 8, 2015 at 11:31 amI think the problem stems from what is available in most stores, as well as misconceptions about the names of styles. It’s important to differentiate between a swim trunk and a boardshort. You touched on that in your intro, but a little more explanation would help. This link has a great history of ‘boardshorts’: http://www.frenchtruckers.com/history-of-boardshorts/
As you can see the original ‘boardshorts’ were from Oahu, Hawaii and were much shorter than what is considered a boardshort today. Times have changed and so have fashions. ‘Vintage’ boardshorts have a cut similar to what would be considered a trunk today, but lack the mesh lining a trunk has. Modern boardshorts are the long, nylon atrocities you’ll find in pretty much any clothing store that also lack a mesh lining.
It has taken me a few years to find a pair of ‘vintage boardshorts’ I like, trying many ‘trunks’ in the process. Like any piece of clothing, buy something that fits you correctly. Don’t settle for something that was designed to fit a range of body types.
Sorgansh says
October 14, 2015 at 12:08 pmI have a problem, whenever I get up from the swimming pool, my swimming shorts sticks to my body which makes people to see the shape of my private parts… How can I get rid of it?
A. Davey says
October 14, 2015 at 1:06 pmThe only thing I can think of is to wear a tighter bathing suit that will hold your anatomy in place.
You’ll have a bulge where your privates are, but when you come out of the water they won’t be outlined in graphic detail by loose and heavy excess fabric being pulled onto you by the weight of draining water.
ThickGirlsCan says
May 13, 2017 at 8:58 pmHey Brock, I’m shopping for my vertically challenged boyfriend. Would you be able to update your link with some currently available options? I’m struggling to find shorts with shorter inseams! Thanks 😀
OldProf says
June 13, 2017 at 5:27 pmI’m too old and fat to scare anyone with images of me in swim shorts! When I was MUch younger, more fit and (in my mind) sexier, I want through a speedo phase. Then I turned 30 and finally grew up! I started wearing pretty much what Brock recommends, though I usually went for no more than 2 inches above the knee since I’ve always had big thighs.
Mario B says
June 14, 2017 at 7:10 pmThanks for the post. I have to say for you Brock the only pair I thought that worked were the shorter H & M you didn’t seem to care for. Waist fit, length perfect – the others did make you look shorter and the leg width also perfect. I’ve had luck with shorter length Penguin but my absolute favorite hands down are the shorter length Sundeck. They have a multitude of styles and colors. They are a little pricey but I’ve occasionally found them on sale at Nordstrom Rack and at Off 5th. I’m a Florida/California guy so having about 20 bathing suits may seem extreme for some but I just might be obsessed.
Theo says
June 17, 2017 at 3:11 pmGreat Post…just in time for summer too!
Boy says
June 28, 2017 at 9:53 pmI don’t shop at H&M much, the fit of their clothes is almost always off for me and my oddly proportioned body (5’7, a rather top heavy, short legs), but last summer I tried their swim trunks by chance and I really loved the fit (I got a solid red pair and a blue gingham one, XS).
I’d recommend checking out Pull&Bear as well, I’ve recently bought a pair of trunks there, and their S size fits similar to the H&M XS, quality might not be that great but they have some cool prints.
Younger guys might want to look at Adidas Originals too, their trunks also have a nice fit, a bit baggier but still quite slim and above the knee.
Looking forward to the next post!
Cheers,
Boy.
Bobo Williams says
August 3, 2017 at 7:05 pmEarlier this summer, I had to replace my entire collection of swim trunks because I lost 30 pounds of body weight (fat). I went down to a 29 to 30-inch waist. I went to different stores and tried a number of swim trunks, but I didn’t find anything that I liked until I tried a Hurley.
Unlike Brock, I prefer board shorts, but board shorts that aren’t baggy or too long. I also prefer them to be unlined since I wear jammers under them. The mesh liners don’t give me enough “junk” support. I also do NOT like elastic waistbands since they look cheap. The Hurley has a smoother and cleaner looking fit around the waist since it does NOT have an elastic waistband. There is stretch in the waistband, but not from any elastic waistband.
I’m 5’6” tall, but Hurley offers board shorts that have an outside inseam of 18 inches (or inside inseam of 8 inches). The bottom hits about 2 inches above my knees. The Hurley 18-inch board shorts are a bit harder to find, but they are well worth looking for. They come in many different colors and patterns. I have the Hurley Phantom board short and the material is lightweight and very fast drying.
The one thing that surprised me about the Hurley board shorts is that they have a much slimmer fit than other brands of board shorts. I had some Nike board shorts before and the Hurley has a much slimmer fit. I was told that the slimmer fit is intentional since you don’t want to be swimming in rough surf with baggy board shorts.
The Hurley is a bit more expensive than those found at the GAP, Old Navy, etc., but the Hurley looks nicer and they’re more durable since they were designed to be more than leisure swim wear.
Jeff says
January 13, 2018 at 12:40 pmSunspel is clearing out the Liberty print version of their swim shorts for $62 ($72 shipped.) They have a 5.3″ inseam and 15″ outseam. I actually decided against these, because I think they may be too long (I’m 5’2″ with a 24″ inseam and I don’t skip leg day.) But, they would probably be great for someone not quite as short as me.
I found another brand I’m going to try – 2(X)IST. They have some on clearance for $42-$45 (currently 20% ontop of the sale price.) I also found some on Amazon for under $40. I went with a pair with a 4″ inseam and 12″ outseam.
Leslie says
August 1, 2018 at 11:30 pmWear what makes you feel great!!! Not what designers or Hollywood states a man should look like. Every individual looks different in each suite. We can’t all pull off 2″ above the knee and some can’t pull off shorts below the knee. Find the suite that allows you to enjoy the summer life with confidence. Enjoy what you are there for fun in the sun.
Bobby says
August 2, 2018 at 10:37 pmI think you failed to realize that the reason boardshorts are long is so people, (like been Stiller,) can surf, boogie board, and paddle board with out having their leg hair yanked out, I doubt you’ve ever surfed or boogie boarded, so I doubt you would understand how much it hurts.
Brock says
August 2, 2018 at 10:40 pmI’m all about function over form, but I’d venture a guess that 99% of people wearing board shorts aren’t surfers (just like 99% of people wearing work boots aren’t doing manual labor).
Bobby says
August 21, 2018 at 9:16 pmYou aren’t wrong, but nonetheless, my boardshorts go at or a little above the knee, and it still tears the hair out of my lower thigh, not to mention Ben Stiller isn’t the greatest example being he surfboards, boogie boards, and/or paddle boards. 😛
Mike says
March 15, 2019 at 2:24 pmAre men’s swimwear always worn below the navel, even for love handle challenged individuals?
Michal Kamola says
March 18, 2019 at 8:59 amWhat is it with Americans and swimming in shorts and the fear of someone seeing a bulge? Really! Speedos are for swimming, shorts are for walking and men were born with penises. In Poland they won’t let you into any pool if you’re wearing anything longer than speedos.
Jerry says
April 16, 2019 at 12:34 pmMy legs are too thin to look good in current styles. I will have to skip doing anything that requires a swimsuit until the styles change back to being down to the knee. Hopefully I won’t be too old by then.
Brock says
April 16, 2019 at 12:35 pmShorter, slimmer trunks look way better on thin legs. Enjoy this trend while you can!