Introduction

Yesterday we detailed two trending swimwear styles that are set to become popular with, most likely, athletic men who want to show off the results of their hard work in the gym and dedication to a clean diet. Tighter swim briefs and trunk shorts have had a certain stigma attached to them in the past, but designers such as Versace and Michael Bastian, along with silver screen icons such as Daniel Craig, have turned them into a viable option for style-conscious gents, both young and old. Today, we take a look at a couple of styles that are sure to appeal to a wider audience. Flattering, slim-cut swim shorts (similar to your tailored shorts) have ecome the go-to for the modern male over the past couple of summers, yet for SS13 we are seeing a move towards styles that are noticeably longer or shorter than we have become accustomed to. So, are you ready to embrace short swim shorts? How about a pair of throwback board shorts?

Short Swim Shorts

Short swim shorts seem to be the most popular option with both designers and the high street for men’s swimwear this season – and they are indeed the FashionBeans team’s favourite among the trending styles. Although we have recently identified short shorts as a common fashion mistake, claiming they lack masculinity, short swim shorts offer a clear distinction between your tailored shorts and swimwear, yet still retain an essence of versatility that allows you to go from beach to bar, and back again. We have previously recommended that your tailored shorts should finish around an inch or two above the knee. These new short swim shorts tend not to extend past mid-thigh, which has other advantages: helping show off athletic figures and well-built legs as well as drying quicker than traditional board shorts. At Milan’s SS13 fashion week, Dolce & Gabbana were a huge proponent of short swim shorts. Their models wore shorts that finished just above mid-thigh and came in both colourful, mosaic patterns and floral, foliage prints. In addition, the shorts were often finished with leather belts, making the garments look more like shorts as part of an outfit rather than something solely reserved for swimwear. Likewise, Michael Bastian showcased some well cut, block-coloured versions within his SS13 collection, which ranged from timeless neutrals to bolder, seasonally-appropriate hues of yellow and lilac. Bastian chose to pair the shorts with open shirts for a relaxed, beach vibe, yet he also dressed the lilac pair up with a white button-up funnel neck, again emphasising their versatility. Finally, it seems short swim shorts have already filtered down to the high street stores, with H&M featuring them prominently within their SS13 Beachwear campaign. Finishing mid-thigh, they are shown in shades of yellow, green and blue, complete with minimal detailing and accent colour pocket linings: