Target — Goodfellow & Co. vs Old Navy: which short wins?
Both land in the budget tier — the Target — Goodfellow & Co. Linden Flat-Front Chino Short at $22, the Old Navy Built-In Flex Rotation Chino Short at $25, just $3 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Target — Goodfellow & Co. | Old Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $22 | $25 |
| Material | Lightweight cotton poplin with a touch of added spandex for give; thin-ish and prone to wrinkling. | Soft-washed cotton-blend twill with a little spandex for the Built-In Flex stretch — light, casual, comfortable rather than heavy or rugged. |
| Fit | Flat-front straight-ish cut with a mid rise, available in 7"/9"/11" inseams; runs true-ish but sizing is inconsistent between colors and batches. | Slim, straight cut offered across a range of inseams (roughly 5" to 10"); generally true to size but slightly trim through the thigh. |
| Quality | Basic budget construction — fine out of the box, but colors fade and the cloth softens and can pill at the seat after a season. | Budget — comfortable stretch and clean enough out of the box, but the cloth thins, the color fades, and the seat and waistband loosen within a season or two. |
| Best for | Everyday warm-weather wear, yard work, and anyone who wants a cheap stock of multiple colors without caring if they last. | Casual summer rotation, comfortable stretch, and cheap stocking-up across inseam lengths. |
| Care | Cold wash and tumble low or hang to slow fading and keep the thin cloth from wearing out; expect some wrinkling. | Cold wash and tumble low or hang to slow the fade and keep the stretch from going slack. |
Three dollars separates two budget chino shorts that share the same fundamental lifespan — roughly one to two seasons before fading, seat wear, and fabric thinning become obvious. The Gap is narrow enough that the decision turns entirely on fit preference and whether built-in stretch matters, not on any meaningful difference in construction quality or durability.
- The case for Target — Goodfellow & Co.
- The Target Goodfellow short wins on price and color-range accessibility, making it the more defensible choice for stocking up on multiple pairs as semi-disposable warm-weather basics.
- The case for Old Navy
- The Old Navy short wins on comfort stretch and inseam variety, with the spandex-blend twill offering a more forgiving fit through the hip and thigh, particularly for buyers who find flat-front cotton poplin stiff and restrictive.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the Target Goodfellow short if the goal is maximum pairs per dollar and stretch is not a priority — at $22, it delivers an honest flat-front cotton basic and nothing more. Step up to the Old Navy short if a slimmer cut with built-in flex and a wider inseam selection matters, especially since it routinely goes on sale near $15, at which point the stretch and fit range represent a clear win over the Target option at full price. At both items' regular prices, the $3 gap buys real but modest utility — stretch and inseam choice — not durability, so neither purchase warrants treating the shorts as anything other than a one-to-two-season item.
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