"My husband is one of the cheapest—I mean, most frugal—men alive. He loves to shop at discount stores and swears that their clothing items are just as good as higher-end brands. Spoiler alert: they aren’t. When shopping for men’s clothes, it can be hard to sort through the not-so-great selection to find things worth buying. And when it comes to finding the best shorts for men, there’s an added level of convincing your partner that it’s time to upgrade those years-old basketball shorts in the first place.
That’s why I was absolutely ecstatic when he found a pair of athletic shorts he absolutely loved that were only $32. Here’s where we found them and how I convinced him that spending a little more on clothing is sometimes worth the investment—plus, how I’m introducing him to the world of finer fashion.
An Honest Review: The Best Athletic Shorts for Men
The Details
So, the magic shorts: the DSG Men’s 6″ Rec Shorts from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Launched in 2019, DSG is Dick’s in-house brand of athletic gear and apparel and is designed to offer quality at an affordable price point. The DSG brand also has kids and women’s apparel.
My husband is extremely picky, so once he decided he liked these particular shorts, I bought him three more pairs in different colors. As an added bonus, some were even on sale (and still are!). Truth be told, I think he has five hanging in our closet right now.
Comfort and Style
The DSG Rec Shorts have a loose fit, an elastic waist and a 6-inch inseam for an above-the-knee look. There are 34 different color and pattern options, ranging from tropical prints to plain colors like teal, red or burgundy.
The fabric also has a water-repellent finish, making them ideal for workouts or hotter temperatures. And if your guy is insistent on shorts with more storage, they also make a cargo short version, though I’m trying to keep this a secret from my cargo-loving hubby.
My main complaint about the magic shorts is they can look a bit like swimming trunks if you’re not careful about how you style them. But we live in Florida where swimsuits are commonplace year-round, so that isn’t a dealbreaker for us. Also, both the shorts and liner are polyester, which I usually shy away from, but that doesn’t seem to bother my husband. After owning and wearing them for a while, my husband is a firm believer that these are one of the absolute best pairs of shorts for men that you can buy.
Beyond the Shorts: My Husband’s Style Journey
Cleaning House—Literally
They say you can’t change who you marry. But let’s be honest: You can change what they wear. My husband’s wardrobe has come a long way since we met 15 years ago in New York as fresh-faced 20-somethings. I still remember the first time I helped him clean out his closet. First to go back then? Those early-2000s jeans with embellishments and back pocket flaps. Yuck.
These days, we do a complete audit of his wardrobe a few times a year. He tries on almost every item. We toss everything that doesn’t fit well or is worn or stained. Then, we make a list of where the holes in his wardrobe are and place several big online orders.
One thing I’ve learned about my husband is that he absolutely will not go to a new store and try on a dressing room full of clothes. Online ordering and returning is the only way I can get him to try new brands and styles.
Disclaimer: I don’t want to suggest that men can’t pick their own clothes, or that some don’t have an innate sense of fashion. My husband does not, which is why I’m taking the lead on updating his wardrobe. It’s not about gender stereotypes at all. In our house, it’s about taking what we’re good at and leaning into those roles.
Slowly Introducing Higher-End Brands
I know what you’re thinking… a pair of $32 shorts doesn’t exactly qualify as a higher-end brand. But compared to the $8 basketball shorts my husband wore prior, it’s a huge step up.
Next on my list to convince him to try are the ubiquitous T.H.E. Linerless Short from Lululemon, or perhaps even the soft jersey short-sleeve tee from the same brand. My husband lives in athleisure, so these brands will be an easy sell. I may even go crazy and introduce a clothing subscription box for men next.
We have also been leaning into rental services for wardrobe upgrades. We have several black-tie events each year, and instead of buying a tux, we use rental services like The Black Tux, which has everything from traditional to modern tux options. This way, he can try out different styles at a lower price point than what you’d pay for rental at a brick-and-mortar formalwear store.
Has my husband stopped shopping at Walmart for clothes? Not a chance. But after our journey to finding the best shorts for men and other clothing wins, he’s a lot more open to other brands and styles, and I’ll call that a wardrobe win.