In T’s column 1 Piece, 10 Budgets, we share 10 perfect versions of an item in a range of prices. This time, we’re looking at men’s swim trunks, which evolved out of full-body bathing suits in the 1930s. As the first official day of summer approaches, here are the T market editor Jameson Montgomery’s favorites.
The California-based company Quince has a modestly priced pair of swim trunks with a relatively short 5-inch inseam. They’re cut from an Italian-made fabric that’s printed with a subtle wave motif and is resistant to fading and pilling.
This style by the New York brand’s Trunks Surf & Swim comes in a four-way stretch polyester featuring a red-and-white pattern of abstracted sea swells. It has a drawstring closure at the waist, while a back pocket features the label’s retro logo.
In the 1950s, Nancy and Walter Katin started selling canvas boat covers in Surfside, Calif. They pivoted to swimwear when local surfers asked for board shorts made from the same material, though this more modern pair is of nylon.
Armani Exchange offers this pair of trunks with a less tapered leg that, thanks to its white trim, recalls styles popular in the 1970s. They’re made out of a lightweight, quick-drying polyester.
5. OAS, $110
The Stockholm-based brand OAS sells an assortment of resort-ready pieces, including crochet camp shirts and linen trousers. These trunks have stripes that seem to sway slightly, much like the tiled lanes of a lap pool when viewed from above.
The New-York based designer Todd Snyder’s loosefitting board short-style trunks come in a cheeky polka-dot print, but they’re also practical: A buttoned back pocket and key loop prevent belongings from being lost to the surf.
Vilebrequin, which was founded in 1971 by the fashion designer Yvette Prysquel and her car-racing journalist husband, Fred, is known for performance-minded styles like these royal blue trunks in a textured twill, with two eyelets on the back to prevent pesky ballooning.
The idea behind Orlebar Brown’s tailored swim trunks is that they read as regular shorts and are just as appropriate for life outside of the water as in, even if this pair comes with rope drawstrings that add a bit of nautical flair.
Loro Piana carries an assortment of swimwear in sumptuous fabrics. This pair of trunks comes in a textured blend of linen and silk that’s been given the brand’s proprietary Rain System finish, which wicks away moisture and resists wind.
Prada sells these shiny sky blue swim trunks as part of its Re-Nylon program, in which plastic waste collected from the ocean and landfills is chemically purified and recycled into nylon yarn.
