It's shorts season.....or at least I thought it was until I looked out the window and discovered it's raining. But with any luck you're going away somewhere warm and sunny, and you'll be needing to update your shorts.

Standard chino shorts are a go-to option for most, and I've chosen here the ones that I know have a slight variation in fit, and that I've bought with past customers on their menswear personal shopping trips.

My client bought these shorts a couple of weeks ago when we did a shopping trip in Harvey Nichols personal shopping rooms. They're a nice slim fit and were perfect for his frame.....much better than the others he'd tried, which were too wide in the leg. The teal colour makes a change from navy too, and they're on sale - what's not to like?

When I put together his outfit list (that I send clients after their shopping trips) I styled the shorts with white, grey and navy tops, plus a very pale pink polo shirt. You could also put it with a very pale blue or sage green for a tonal look.

 Slim fit Bermuda shorts in teal stretch cotton - Pal Zileri - £96

A week later, I went with the same client to get these Pepe shorts. I've bought them in the past with clients who have very slim legs and need a narrower fit.......don't be fooled by the fact that weirdly they call them regular fit on their website......I've double checked in the shop, and this is the right one! 

I thought I'd put the yellow ones here as they look lovely and summery but we got a couple of the more neutral colours. So if you're not up for the colourful choices, then navy, beige and sage green are options too.

'McQueen' cotton chino shorts - Pepe jeans - £33

These are for you if you're a shorter guy, or just prefer a shorter inseam on your shorts - it measures 6" on these.....shorter than many others out there. 

I like the tailored look of the Orlebar Brown with the side adjusters and this pale blue colour is easy to wear......again there's lots of other colours to choose from though, if this doesn't float your boat. They're cotton with a little bit of elastane, so they'll be nice and comfy to wear.

'Bulldog' mid length shorts in Island Sky - Orlebar Brown - £195

I bought these yesterday with a client on a personal shopping trip in London. He's had them before in other colours and likes the regular fit and the quality.

We both really liked this colour......especially as his girlfriend had banned him from buying any more blue (!) and he already has the green ones. He wanted something interesting but not too bright and these fit the bill perfectly. Now we just need the sun to come out again so he can wear them!

'Slice' shorts in stretch cotton gabardine - Boss - £99

If you have chunkier thighs, then look no further.......you may already know I'm a big fan of Spoke for the different range of sizes they have in their trousers, and the shorts are no exception.

As well as the the different thigh 'build' options, they also have the in-between waist sizes, and you can even choose the length you prefer too.......all this, plus they have a great range of colours. So if you find it hard to get the fit you like or you're not the easiest shape to dress, then hot foot it over to their website and check them out.

'Hero' shorts in Parakeet - Spoke - £75

I've already been on my holidays this year, so I'm taking bookings for the rest of July and August (and beyond....but I know how last minute most guys are when it comes to their wardrobes!). 

And if you're wondering whether to go ahead or not, here's an email I got from a client I took shopping a couple of weeks ago - this is what happened when he was wearing one of the outfits we bought together! (And it's definitely not the first time I've heard about people getting compliments after we've been shopping)

"On the way home a random woman in the street approached me to say how good I looked!"

Would you like to have random women (or even ones you know) telling you how good you look?! Book in for your personal shopping trip below, and let's make it happen!

And to complete your summer dressing, check these posts out too:

Summer sale picks - linen menswear pieces

Men's smart casual shoes for 2023