The best short shorts from the Milan and Paris Men’s shows this season
Paul Mescal might be on to something when he showed up at the Gucci men’s Spring-Summer 2025 show in skimpy boxer shorts and an unbuttoned shirt. While the actor has always been an advocate of wearing inner thigh-baring shorts, to see him embrace that on the carpet is something else. And it seemed like it set a precedent for succeeding shows this season, where plenty of short shorts made their way down the runway.
At Gucci alone, its creative director Sabato de Sarno’s fifth collection was overrun with men’s bottoms with shorter hems. Come to think of it, men’s shows have always tinkered with how short they can cut it when it comes to, well, shorts—especially for Spring-Summer collections, which are expected to hit stores during warmer weather.
But this season’s fixation with quads-forward shorts is more of a continuation of last year’s crusade to get more men to wear them. Remember when Pedro Pascal showed up at the Met Gala last year in a Valentino red coat and underneath it, he was showing his calves on full display? Or when Jacob Elordi went to the Valentino men’s Spring-Summer 2024 show in unconventionally scant shorts?
If anything, what they were doing then were anthropological trials on whether or not we are ready to see more men’s thighs interrupted only by a few inches of fabric. So salute to these men for paving the way for this season’s truly shocking short shorts.
And if you yourself, reader, are looking to go into short shorts territory, here are a few style tips straight from the men’s Spring-Summer 2025 shows.
Dsquared2
This is not your usual leather shorts. They come with metal eyelets and matching leather lace.
Emporio Armani
Look beyond the harness and see how good this leather shorts is with double belting and an option to fold to make it even shorter.
Martine Rose
This is some tailored shorts with a touch of sports: rounded-off hem slits reminiscent of retro running shorts.
Gucci
The iconic Gucci Horsebit belt aside, this pair of shorts look roomy and airy enough for boys with big thighs.
Bianca Saunders
This skimpy, skin-tight pair of shorts is not for the faint of heart.
Acne Studios
Get daytime music festival ready with these unexpected leopard print shorts—boots encouraged.
LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi
The translucent white shorts of every gay guy’s wet dreams. Peep the slashed detail on the waistband, too!
Wales Bonner
While this is technically a full collab look with Adidas, you have to commend Grace Wales Bonner’s command of technical fabrics. And this coordination in the palest of pink!
Ami
A tailored pair of shorts in a sumptuous fabric is always an automatic yes for me.
Our Legacy
Only second to cutout blue denim shorts as the best denim shorts of the summer.
Zegna
He wore suede short shorts on the Zegna show—my kind of tongue twister.
Pronounce
Is that a latex inseam-barely-there pair of shorts styled with plaid boxer shorts underneath? Loves it.
Commission
“The perfect off-duty look does not exist.” Then explain this pinstripe short + twisted gray hoodie combo.
Erl
If you think boardshorts can be sluttier, this may be your jam.