Most cotton shorts look cheap because they are cheap, and the problem usually shows up the moment you put them on. The fabric goes limp in the heat. The waistband twists. The length sits somewhere between swimming and business casual and commits to neither. We’ve spent enough time in the wrong pair to know exactly what to look for in the right one. Fabric weight matters more than most men realize. A mid weight cotton with a tight weave holds its shape through a full day and doesn’t cling when things get warm. Length is everything too. We’re looking at shorts that hit at or just above the knee, because that is where comfort and proportion actually meet. Flat front construction, clean pockets, a waistband that doesn’t bulk under a tucked shirt. These are the details that separate a short worth wearing from one that spends the summer at the back of a drawer.