Italian Cotton Short

Our take

Todd Snyder's Italian Cotton Short is the elevated-basics version of a chino short — garment-dyed Italian cotton in muted, lived-in colors, cut a touch trimmer and shorter than mall-brand shorts. Owners love the rich faded tones, the soft broken-in hand straight out of the bag, and the fact that it photographs and wears more like designer menswear than a Gap short. The honest caveats: the garment dye crocks and transfers early (light colors onto pale furniture, dark colors onto white sneakers and bag straps), and the color keeps fading with washing, so the piece you love at month three looks noticeably lighter by season's end. The slim 5-to-8-inch cut and trim seat also don't suit thicker thighs, and the construction — clean but not heroic — is ordinary for the price.

The details

Material

Mid-weight garment-dyed Italian cotton (often with a touch of stretch in some makes), soft and pre-broken-in.

Fit

Trim, slightly tapered cut with a 5-to-8-inch inseam and a slim seat — runs lean, so size up if you carry muscle in the thigh.

Quality

Good cloth and clean finishing, but the garment dye crocks and fades early and the construction is standard — solid, not built like the price suggests.

Best for

Trimmer builds who want an elevated, lived-in cotton short with designer-menswear color and don't mind paying up for fabric over construction.

Care

Wash cold inside-out, alone or with like colors for the first few washes to limit crocking, and hang or tumble low; expect continued fading as part of the garment-dyed look.

See it compared

Faherty vs Todd Snyder · Todd Snyder vs Officine Générale