How long should swim trunks be?
We believe the ideal length of swim trunks is 5 inches in inseam length – just enough to show off the quads. For comparison, the Bather Trunks (our overall winner) is 5.5 inches. Of course, you can go as short as a 3-inch inseam or about 7 inches, which reaches just above the knee for most people. If you’re looking to think a little deeper about what this relates to Yours Body, it is a question of proportion. As a general rule, the hem should hit somewhere between mid-thigh and just above the knee: short enough to avoid the dragging feeling of a longer cut, long enough that you’re not raising eyebrows at a hotel buffet.
How we test and review products
Style is subjective, we know – that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audiences prepare. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the most affordable suits, or the most must-have menswear drops of the week, the perspective of GQ recommendations is built on years of practical experience, an insider’s awareness of what’s what and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything at every price point.
Our staff isn’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and we know the hallmarks of quality clothing – from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ recommendations draw on our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. The bottom line: GQ wouldn’t ask you to wear it if we didn’t.
How do we make these choices?
We make every effort to cast as wide a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options in three key categories: quality, SuitableAnd price.
To start this process, we enlisted the GQ recommendations braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the people involved have worked in retail, delivering clothes to people; Others have worked hard for small-batch menswear labels; Everyone spends too much time thinking about what hangs in their closet.
We’re relying on that collective experience to guide our search, which includes a mix of household names, indie favorites, and artisan imprints on the genre’s bleeding edge. We then narrow the assortment to the selections that have received the highest scores in quality, fit, and price.
In most of our buying guides, our team claims to have first-hand experience with most of our picks, but some of them are brand new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tallied the votes, collected anecdotal evidence, and came up with a list of what we believe to be the best in this category right now, ranging from tried-and-true stalwarts to modern disruptors, affordable beaters to wildly expensive (but wildly worth it) designer riffs.
Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there is sure to be an excellent version for you on this list. (Read more about GQ’s testing process here.)
production credit
by photographs bowen fernie And Natalie Piserchio
Styled by tyler austin
grooming by laramie Using Revive and Oribe
