Shorts Fit Guide

Shorts should be easy. Too often, they make a grown man look like a schoolboy, a postman, or someone who has given up below the waist. The difference usually comes down to proportion: inseam, rise, thigh width, hem opening, pocketing, fabric, and how much intention sits behind the shape. This guide breaks down the main Far Afield shorts fits in the current range: shorter mid-thigh styles, relaxed drawstring shapes, pleated linen shorts and utility-informed fatigue shorts.

Style Rise Shape Length Waist Best for
Dekk Short Mid to high Broad through the thigh with a clean, open leg Shorter mid-thigh Flat front, elasticated back A shorter short with structure, shape and room through the thigh
Summerhouse / House Short Mid to high Relaxed straight leg Above the knee Elasticated drawstring An easy summer short with a drawstring waist and relaxed straight leg
Double Pleated Short Mid to high Full through the thigh with a shaped leg Knee length Fixed waistband A longer linen short with trouser construction and a fuller top block
Coup Short High Straight fatigue shape with flat patch pocketing Knee length Fixed waistband A sturdier field short with fatigue pockets and ripstop structure

Shorts Fit 01

Dekk Short

A shorter mid-thigh short with a broad leg, a clean waistband and more room than the length first suggests.

New for SS26, the Dekk Short is the shortest short in the current Far Afield range. The proportions take a cue from the kind of easy, sun-faded summer short that appears in old holiday photographs, 80s television and the better corners of contemporary menswear. There is a little Magnum P.I. in there, maybe, but the shape is cleaner and more considered than that reference might suggest. It sits at a shorter mid-thigh length, with a mid- to high-rise waistband, room through the thigh and a broad leg opening that keeps the silhouette relaxed rather than tight or sporty.

What keeps it grounded is the construction. A flat-front waistband gives the front a neater look than a standard elastic short, while elastic through the back keeps things comfortable and flexible. The cotton–hemp version is cut from 300gsm canvas, which gives the shape a bit of structure and texture. The gingham version uses a lighter 200gsm cotton dobby with a woven check and a drier, airier handfeel. Both fabrics give the shape enough body to sit away from the leg rather than collapsing against it. Both are finished with a YKK zip fly, corozo button fastening, slanted front pockets, a coin pocket and a single rear patch pocket.

Rise
Mid- to high-rise
Top block
Clean through the waist with room through the thigh
Shape
Broad leg with an open hem
Length
Shorter mid-thigh length
Waistband
Flat front with elasticated back
Best for
A shorter short with room through the thigh and a cleaner finish at the waist

Shorts Fit 02

Summerhouse / House Short

A relaxed drawstring short with an above-the-knee length, an easy straight leg and several seasonal variations.

The Summerhouse Short and House Short share the same easy fit: an elasticated drawstring waist, a relaxed straight leg and an above-the-knee length. It is the most straightforward summer shape in the range: a house short in the best sense, easy enough to live in, finished well enough to leave the house in.

The Summerhouse is the cleanest expression of the fit, made from lightweight slub dobby cotton with an airy feel and subtle woven texture. The House variations use the same block for more decorative styles, including textured linen versions with appliqué, embroidery and matching pieces from our co-ords collection. Across the shape, the details stay practical: elasticated waist with drawcord, embroidered eyelets, YKK zip fly, slanted front pockets, coin pocket and buttoned rear welt pockets.

Rise
Mid- to high-rise
Top block
Easy through the waist, seat and thigh
Shape
Relaxed straight leg with an open hem
Length
Above-the-knee, low-thigh length
Waistband
Elasticated waistband with drawcord
Best for
An easy drawstring short with a relaxed leg, available in plain and co-ord variations

Shorts Fit 03

Double Pleated Short

A relaxed tailored short with a knee-length cut, double pleats and volume through the thigh.

The Double Pleated Short is cut more like a summer trouser cropped at the knee than a standard casual short. It has a fixed waistband, hook-and-eye closure, YKK zip fly and buttoned rear welt pockets, but the fit is relaxed rather than formal: mid- to high-rise, knee length, and full through the thigh.

Pleats on shorts can go wrong quickly when they add bulk without shape. Here, the double forward pleats have a job. They add shape and ease through the top block, allowing the leg to feel roomy without simply hanging wide. Cut from 270gsm linen, the fabric is breathable and lightly structured at first, then softens, creases and relaxes in the way linen is supposed to. It is the most refined short in the range, but still very much a short. Best worn with the same ease as linen shirts, open-collar shirts and summer-weight knitwear.

Rise
Mid- to high-rise
Top block
Full through the thigh, shaped by double forward pleats
Shape
Relaxed tailored shape with a softly structured leg
Length
Knee length
Waistband
Fixed waistband with hook-and-eye closure
Best for
A longer, more refined short with pleats, volume and linen structure

Shorts Fit 04

Coup Short

A military-inspired fatigue short with a high rise, straight leg, knee-length cut and large patch pockets.

The Coup Short is the closest thing in the range to a field short: high-rise, straight through the leg and cut to a practical knee length. Its large front patch pockets take their cue from military fatigue trousers: flat, simple, accessible and built into the shape instead of hanging from it.

Fatigue pockets have a certain blunt logic. As external patch pockets, they are easy to access, easy to reinforce and straightforward to construct at scale. Cut from 300gsm cotton ripstop, the Coup has a durable, lightly structured feel and the quiet grid texture that gives ripstop its point. Finished with a YKK zip fly, interior button on the fly guard, corozo button fastening, seven 6cm belt loops, buttoned rear flap pockets and signature orange bartacks at the front pockets.

Rise
High-rise
Top block
Room through the waist, seat and thigh
Shape
Straight fatigue shape with flat patch pocketing
Length
Knee length
Waistband
Fixed waistband with corozo button fastening
Best for
A sturdier field short with practical pocketing, ripstop structure and a straight leg

Fit terms worth knowing

Inseam
The inside-leg measurement from crotch seam to hem. Useful, but not the whole story: rise, thigh width and hem opening can change how short a short feels.
Rise
How high the waistband sits. A higher rise can make a shorter inseam feel more balanced.
Thigh room
The space through the upper leg. More room usually means better movement and a less clingy silhouette.
Hem opening
The width of the leg opening. Especially important on shorter shorts: too narrow and they can feel restrictive; wider and they sit with more ease.
Pleats
Folds at the front that add shape and ease through the waist and thigh. Best when they have enough rise and fabric structure to work with.
Drawstring waist
An elasticated waist with cord adjustment. The easy option, provided the fabric, fly and pocketing still feel properly finished.
Fatigue pockets
Large, flat patch pockets associated with military utility trousers and field shorts. Practical, accessible and built into the shape.
Top block
The area around the waist, seat and upper thigh. A fuller top block gives more room to sit, move and tuck without changing the whole leg shape.
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