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The easiest way to wear swim shorts with shirts is to pick tailored or hybrid swim shorts with a 5 to 7 inch inseam and pair them with a linen or camp-collar shirt. Quick-dry fabric lets you go from sand to lunch without changing. Below you get eight outfits to copy, selection rules, and short safety and packing notes.
TL;DR:
- Choose hybrid shorts with a hidden elastic waistband, functional fly, fabric that dries quickly, a liner, flat pockets, and a 5 to 7 inch inseam.
- For dressier settings, replace slides with loafers; espadrilles and woven sandals suit shore to street outings, while low profile sneakers work for travel days.
- Keep prints on the shirt and shorts solid; build around sand, navy, olive, or light blue, then add one accent color.
- A wet shirt offers far less UV protection than a dry one, so reapply sunscreen, avoid marshy shorelines, heed warnings, and shower after swimming.
- Pack two shorts, one linen or camp collar shirt, one tee, one pair of shoes, and one accent piece in a palette of two neutrals.
Pro Tip: Change one item to change the formality. Swap slides for loafers and a casual poolside look becomes a dinner look.
Look for performance or hybrid shorts with a hidden elastic waistband and a functional fly, so they read like chino shorts rather than board shorts. That one detail is what lets them sit comfortably under a collared shirt.
Run through this checklist before you buy:
If a pair passes all five, it will work with every shirt below.
Your shirt does the styling work, so choose it first and match the shorts to it.
For color, build around neutrals such as sand, navy, olive, or light blue, then add one accent. Prints work best on the shirt, with solid shorts underneath. Our swim trunk styling guide goes deeper on pairing tones.
Footwear sets the tone more than anything else you add.
Skip athletic trainers and heavy outdoor sandals. They fight the polished shape you built up top.
Wearing a shirt in the water changes your sun exposure, so plan for it.
The CDC notes that a wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one, and tightly woven fabric protects better than loose weaves. Reapply sunscreen on exposed skin, and consider a UV-focused option such as this SPF sunscreen for your face and neck.
In pools, a clean, chlorine-resistant shirt is generally fine if it meets the facility’s dress code, according to CDC swimming guidance. In natural water, a wet shirt can hold parasites that cause swimmer’s itch, so avoid marshy shorelines and heed posted warnings. Shower right after you get out. Pack a spare quick-dry shirt and rinse salt and chlorine promptly.
Five pieces can make a surprising number of outfits when the palette stays tight.
Stick to two neutrals plus one accent and everything matches everything. Roll linen rather than folding it, and hang it in the bathroom while you shower to loosen wrinkles. For more outfit math, see our carry-on resort outfits.
Clean lines and honest fabric age better than any trend, and attention to detail is what we build into every L’ANIMAL piece. When you’re unsure, simplify: one quiet short, one good shirt, one pair of shoes that fits the evening. If the outfit works with the shirt untucked and tucked, you chose well. Let the fit do the talking and keep the pieces few.
— Lital
We design men’s swim shorts and cover-ups with the same detail and quality as our women’s line, so the looks above are easy to build in one place. Browse our men’s shorts to find your inseam and fit, then add a layer from our cover-ups collection. Start with the shorts, and pick your shirt to match.
Usually yes, if the facility allows it. In pools, a clean, chlorine-resistant shirt that meets the dress code is generally fine. In natural water, shower right after, because a wet shirt can hold the parasites behind swimmer’s itch.
Hybrid swim shorts blend quick-dry swim fabric with the look of everyday shorts. They typically have a hidden elastic waistband and a functional fly, so you can wear them in the water and then straight to lunch.
If your swim shorts have a built-in liner, you need nothing else underneath. Avoid cotton briefs, which hold water and chafe when wet.
Technically yes, but regular shorts get heavy and slow to dry. Swim shorts with quick-dry fabric and a liner are more comfortable and keep their shape better.
