Good shorts are not automatically expensive and we feel strongly that this needs saying more often. The category has a reputation for being either cheap looking or eye wateringly overpriced, and the truth is neither extreme is necessary. What we’ve pulled together here are the shorts that genuinely look like they cost more than they do. The cut is right. The fabric has enough weight or movement to feel considered. The details are not trying too hard.

We’ve been particularly drawn to tailored styles that work equally well with a blazer or a simple vest, and to casual options that have something slightly more interesting going on than the standard. A better waistband. A more flattering inseam length. A colour that feels intentional rather than default.

Shorts are one of those pieces where a small upgrade in quality makes a visible difference, and that difference is exactly what we’ve been hunting for here. These are not compromise purchases. They are the ones where you tell someone where you got them and they are genuinely surprised by the answer. Price is not the same thing as value, and these shorts prove it.