New Arrivals: 16 Swishy Dress Shorts, Low-Profile Frames, and Big-Ass Shirts to Get Excited About This Week
Welcome to New Arrivals, our ongoing tally of the freshest, flyest, can’t-miss menswear hitting the digital shelves right this very instant.
The New Arrivals Hit List
- The Museum-Worthy Swim Trunks: Bather bouquet swim trunks, $100
- The Fancified Shorts: Comme Des Garçons Shirt pleated shorts, $580
- The Low-Profile Frames: Acne Studios “Abello” sunglasses, $370
- The Impossibly Easy Button-Up: Mfpen distant shirt, $210
- The Retro Knit Polo: Abercrombie & Fitch sweater polo, $60
- The Unbeatable Linen Tee: Todd Snyder linen jersey T-shirt, $128
- The New-School Work Pants: Royce Hill Dobby work pants, $295
- The Dialed-In Dad Jeans: Fucking Awesome “Hammerlee” jeans, $179
- The Freaky Designer Clogs: Bottega Veneta “Flash” clogs, $650
- The Killer Leather Jacket: Guess USA Leather varsity jacket, $1,300
Florals You Could Frame
Florals for spring? Not exactly groundbreaking. But when the mercury climbs above a balmy 60-ish degrees, it doesn’t really matter—florals just look right. Which helps explain why menswear’s brightest stars return to the print this time every year, and when you don’t have an imperious fashion editor shooting daggers at you across the table, it’s a whole lot easier to enjoy them. (Fashion editors we may be, but the vibes in our meetings are decidedly more kind-minded, baby!) The Toronto-based swimwear junkies at Bather splash a whole damn bouquet across the front of their trunks, but for a less literal riff on the motif look to Brooklyn’s Connor McKnight: his hand-painted work jacket, made in partnership with Gucci, employs its florals sparingly, lending it all the intrigue of a Braque still life.
Dressy Shorts
In the GQ Recommends universe, the week following Memorial Day means one thing: Short Week Shorts Week, our appropriately abridged ode to the summeriest and calf-baringest of bottoms. Eager to spice up your rotation? As per usual, the Japanese fabric masters at Comme des Garçons have the right idea: their poly-wool dress shorts are cut with so much extra breathing room they could birth a pair of slim-fit chinos. You don’t have to spend big money to shimmy your gams into a pair, though—COS’ sharply-pleated joints come with the same dialed-in fit as their designer counterparts, but cost about as much as a subscription to HBO Max.
Shades That Keep a Low Profile
There’s something downright sexy about a pair of svelte sunglasses that feels extremely fresh right now. They have the power to turn you into an obliviously stylish dad/baseball player, a club-roving techno lover, or even a bleeding edge art dealer. Sure, most acetate sunglasses possess the same superpowers, but few employ them with this much flair.
Shirts Are Jackets Now
Layering becomes a lot trickier once the temperatures start to rise. Add to that the unpredictable/unreliable weather and you could catch yourself in a climate that’s above your lone A-shirt’s pay grade. Allow us, then to reframe your perspective: in the summer, shirts are actually just very light jackets. We’re not talking about overshirts, necessarily. Definitely not—gulp—shackets. We mean regular-ass button-up shirts. The trick is to opt for one that’s roomy enough to allow for some airflow, even another layer beneath. Toss one over a graphic tee or even a polo to add some oomph—and a little billowy drape—to your outfits.
Eager for more GQ-approved menswear picks? Keep scrolling to see all the new releases that piqued our interest over the last few weeks.
Introducing Arnold Palmer, Style God
In case you missed the Masters this year, we’re thrilled to report that golf style—once an oxymoron, or worse yet, a punchline—is all kinds of cool now. You can chalk up the sport’s new swagger to a few factors, but it has a lot to do with old-school links legends like Arnold Palmer, who’s righteous personal style looks totally fresh in the context of menswear’s dirtbag Ivy kick. A tipped cardigan and knit polo are vintage Arnie at his best, but unless you’re actually en route to the greens, you can ditch the two-tone spectators for classic kiltie loafers. Don’t forget to yell “fore!” when you peep your reflection in the mirror.
All Linen Everything
Around this time every year, people start to go a little bit linen crazy. Which makes perfect sense: the breezy fabric naturally lends itself to summer’s looser silhouettes, and its nubby texture is a great way to pump up the visual interest when there’s less layers to go around. Pulling off head-to-toe linen, though, is kind of tricky—wear too much off the stuff and you’ll wind up looking like a retired yogi. Thankfully, the next-gen suiting experts at Stòffa have figured out a workaround: treat the material like a secondary feature, and let the craftsmanship do the heavy lifting. You know who else got the memo? Nicholas Daley, the white-hot British wunderkind behind the raddest linen trousers we’ve seen in a minute.
Working Hard or Hardly Working
If Workwear 1.0 was the sack suit you bought at Brooks Brothers, and Workwear 2.0 was the Carhartt hoodie you bought at Dave’s, Workwear 3.0 sits somewhere between—sturdy, all-American clothes that feel authentic to the source material but won’t invite accusations of stolen valor. Vancouver’s (!) James Coward might offer the purest expression of the genre—the label crafts its impossibly elegant wares from materials like Japanese moleskin and good ol’ cotton twill—but NYC’s Royce Hill and LA’s Carson Wach make a strong case to keep the crown stateside.
Jog Like Justin
Earlier this month, pictures of Justin Bieber jogging around LA went mildly viral, largely thanks to the pop star’s confounding choice of pants: big, baggy jeans you’d otherwise see at a Warped Tour stop in the ‘90s. It’s a great outfit—and one you should absolutely jack this spring. If you’re wary of going full Bieber, treat his get-up less like instruction and more like inspiration: start with a sun-drenched fleece vest from the Japanese repro masters at Visvim and finish with Asics’ Gel-NYC shoes, the sportswear juggernaut’s latest bulwark in the ongoing retro sneaker wars. You could probably clock a few brisk miles in the whole get-up without inspiring too many chuckles, but when you look this fresh doesn’t everyone deserve the chance to ogle you in slow-mo?
Indulge Your Green Thumb
If you’ve clocked a whole bunch of fellas gearing up like they’re ready to water a patch of gardenias, you’re not the only one. The gnarliest avatar in the menswear universe right now is your local gardening enthusiast, the guy who spends his downtime volunteering at the neighborhood compost. William Ellery’s verdant cotton hat takes the source material pretty literally, but you don’t need a natural green thumb to lean into the vibe: Bottega Veneta’s hulking rubber clogs will look plenty killer with or without the mulch stains.
Varsity Blues
Varsity Blues, the 1999 coming-of-age movie centered around a small-town high school football team, isn’t exactly high art—but dressing like a ‘90 jock who’s in on the joke feels inexplicably au courant. Guess USA’s battered leather jacket skews more bomber than letterman, but the chenille patches at the sleeves and the sporty ribbed trims get the point across just fine. Add a pair of trefoil-drenched sneakers from Gucci’s monumental tie-up with the Three Stripes, and the gridiron—or, y’know, the Instagram grid—never stood a chance.
Riviera Dreaming
So the sunny days of your dreams are still a little bit away—big whoop. A prolonged bout of gloomy weather shouldn’t stop you from dressing for the forecast you deserve. Throw on a full-placket polo in a groovy geometric print, slip into a pair of nubby linen-blend trousers with a crisp center pleat, and manifest spring’s actual arrival through the sheer enormity of your fits.
Go West—Like, Really West
Menswear is on a serious western kick these days, and the rootin’, tootin’ wave shows no sign of ebbing. Until now, we’ve largely recommended sticking to one ranch-ready piece at a time, but, frankly, we’re happy to eat our words. If you’re itching to really go for it…really go for it. Wythe’s easy, breezy tencel shirts are a great place to start; Ernest W. Baker’s buffed calfskin zip-up boots are an even better place to stop.
All-In on Stealth Wealth
By now, the secret’s out on the whole “quiet luxury” hoopla. But brands like Lemaire and The Row have been riding that wave long before Lydia Tàr and the scheming siblings on Succession coaxed it into the limelight. Maestros and media scions aside, the underlying principles might as well represent the quintessential hack to effortless style: understated pieces in elevated materials rendered in classic silhouettes. If you can look past the whole stealth wealth brouhaha, what’s not to like?
Or Dive Straight Into the Deep End
Swim trunks aren’t just for swimming, and they might look even cooler on dry land. The characteristically vivid prints typically found on an excellent pair of trunks are particularly well-suited to spring, but the fun shouldn’t stop there. Paired with a loud button-up, retro jacket, and some very un-serious hard-bottoms, they offer a maximalist rejoinder to stealth wealth’s discreet styling—and provide a viable alternative when you feel like making some real noise.
When in Doubt, Wear Head-to-Toe Denim
Spring will always be a great time to go all-in on groovy colors and wild-style prints, but it’s also the best time to get really into denim. That might mean a stiff pair of selvedge jeans or a honky-tonk western shirt or just a gloriously faded cap—but why not all of the above? The Canadian Tuxedo is a fail-safe style hack, but true head-to-toe denim has never looked better, and it demands even less brain power to put together (unless you’re unreasonably particular about the infinite shades of blue). Call it the Midas touch of Glenn Martin’s Diesel or an ongoing fascination with cowboy style, but we’re looking at the world through indigo-soaked lenses right now, and the view is spectacular.
And Don’t Forget to De-Stuff Your Suiting
Tailoring is enjoying a moment, but we’re glad to report that it’s not exactly the #menswear resurgence skeptics were bracing for. We’re talking blazers, dress pants, and derbies—all amicably divorced from each other and their usual contexts. Try pairing crisp trousers with ratty graphic tees, tuxedo jackets with jeans, or, heck, polished hard-bottoms with baggy basketball shorts. The lack of social activity during the height of the the pandemic may have spurred suiting’s grand return (at the very least, it deflected a circa-2012 tailoring repeat), but we’re not limiting our swankiest threads to formal occasions any more—and neither should you.
Muddy Waters
The coolest color you aren’t wearing enough isn’t a color at all: it’s a murky gloop of natural tones—dusty beiges, mossy greens, washed-out browns—that promise to lend your outfits a lived-in, slightly artisanal feel. The eco-minded fabric experts at Older Brother employ a litany of rarified dyeing techniques to get the exact shade of their Made-in-LA garms just right, but the raddest expression of the idea comes from Boris Bidjan Saberi, whose ongoing tie-up with Salomon yields trail-ready runners that look like they’ve already slogged through hell to make it to your front door.
Nip-Baring Knits
On the red carpet and in the NBA tunnel, elite-level dressers like Timothée Chalamet and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been foregoing their shirts with abandon, strutting their stuff with nary a button-up to shield them from the paparazzi’s flash. If shirtlessness feels like a tall order, consider the next best swerve: a gauzy see-through knit that lets you enjoy the breeze without putting your love handles on blast. How gauzy and see-through is up to you: Corridor’s Pima cotton tank is dense enough to cover your nips; Our Legacy’s sheer sweater vest offers passersby a tantalizing peek.
The Wild Ones
Gaudy, we’re thrilled to remind you, is good. But it feels especially great right now, with brands of all stripes doing up their house signatures—’90s-indebted overcoats, chore jacket-like cardigans—in animal prints that’d make Dorothy gasp in delight. Slip on a pair of spotted pony hair loafers from the arch Danes at Vinny’s or cram your tchotchkes into Stüssy’s cowhide print tote bag, a quilted Chanel clutch for the downtown set. Either way, your plain ol’ white tees and blue jeans will look all the more freaky for it.
Return of the ‘Ton
Remember Harrington jackets, those fusty zip-ups style gods of a certain era (think McQueen in that one photo reblogged a zillion times on Tumblr) couldn’t get enough of? They’re all kinds of cool now, mostly because the brands behind them have shorter memories than you, and they’re brazen enough to disregard the silhouette’s origins entirely. J.Crew makes a ridiculously luxe version crafted from luscious Italian suede, Burberry sells a reliably British riff with plenty of extra hardware, but the real nail in the coffin of the Harrington’s clean-cut reputation might be this shaggy shearling joint from Baracuta, an OG of the genre that’s ready to let its hair down.
Motocrossed Lovers
Fashion and sports have been in loyal cahoots for decades, hopping from arena to pitch to half pipe and back again. For several years now, designers have plumbed the hallmarks of fútbol style for inspiration, but if the latest round of runway shows is any hint a change of scenery is imminent: it’s time to hit the dirt tracks instead. We’re talking logo-splashed leather jackets in vibrant colors, leather pants with moto-inspired stitching and panel details, graphic jerseys with rip-roaring energy—and all of it drenched in Diesel-powered Y2K vibes.
Go for a Subtle Dye Job
From garment dyeing to distressing to sun-fading, a toned-down dye job is a softer, more soothing way to borrow some of tie-dye’s kaleidoscopic antics without sending your closet straight back to the ‘70s (or, uh, 2017). It’s a little bit wabi-sabi, a whole lot of artful, and makes for the kind of one-of-one appeal you’d typically find in well-loved vintage grails.
Crop It!
The Y2kraze shows no sign of loosening its stranglehold on Gen Z, but ‘90s fashion still commands a significant share of the market—and cropped leather jackets are leading the charge. Sunflower’s buttery-soft lambskin zip-up is a perfect distillation of the trend, which steers clear of the hardware-heavy flourishes of classic moto styles. At the same time, brands like Our Legacy and No Maintenance are side-stepping the obvious ‘90s tropes while maintaining the stripped-down silhouette. It doesn’t hurt that the length pairs equally well with low-rise jeans and high-waisted pants, as sure as indication as any that the style won’t be going away soon.
Drip Yourself to Shreds
Call it the Cobain effect or blame it on some misplaced appreciation for the authentically threadbare: pre-worn clothes are cropping up with a weird frequency right now. There’s Marni’s moth hole-ridden sweater vest, Doublet’s trompe l’oeil denim jacket (with pearl strings masquerading as ripped fabric), and Solitude Studios’ swampy shoulder bag. But it’s not just the high-fashion daredevils tearing their clothes to pieces—Gap’s recent collab with The Brooklyn Circus yielded a series of Ivy-inspired goods, including a classic Oxford shirt with fringed hems.
Add a Splash of Orange
The quickest way to make regular ol’ H20 feel like the agua on tap in a ritzy hotel lobby? Toss in a few slices of orange. The quickest way to imbue your outfits with a similar vibe? Reach for the same color. Pair Union’s svelte liner jacket with faded jeans and hiking boots, swap out your sweats for Noah’s slouchy wool trousers, or double-down on the hue with a trippy fleece crewneck from Beams Plus, Japan’s totally rad answer to J.Crew. Anchor it all with Nike’s latest spin on the Zoom Vomero 5, a sleeper-hit silhouette that looks even sicker equipped with an earthy ochre swoosh.
Break Out the Sandals
You know those strappy leather sandals you benched last spring? If the forecast in your neck of the woods looks anything like ours, it’s time to put in a call to the bullpen. Just need some slip-ons that won’t make you feel like a schlump at JFK? Fear of God’s plush suede model, designed in collaboration with the footwear maestros at Birkenstock, will keep your piggies in prime condition from TSA to tarmac. Jonesing for a pair with a little more attitude? Nab a hardware-heavy silhouette from Toga Virilis and watch the heads swivel wherever you wear them.
Elevate Your Sandlercore
In 2023, Adam Sandler…style god? feels a lot more like Adam Sandler…style god! Part of the funnyman’s bizarro flair boils down to his unmeditated approach to getting dressed, but his appreciation for off-kilter layering, wowza pattern-clashing, and the hallmarks of your local rec league—swishy mesh shorts, AAU-hopeful kicks—offers plenty in the way of inspiration. Ditch the shapeless hoodie for a shaggy cardigan and the Uggs for grippy slip-on sneakers, and you’re left with the type of outfit you’ll want to wear from now until April.
Clean Up Your Mac
There’s a virus afflicting your mac coat, and it’s got nothing to do with malware; it’s the floppy epaulets, janky buttons, and bulky pockets designers haphazardly slapped onto the style over the years. The crop of rain slickers we’re feeling right now are just that—slick, streamlined, and ready to pull together your white tees, blue jeans, and black boots like Steph pulling up from three. If you’re not inclined to drop a month’s rent on one, don’t: plenty of GQ-favorite brands sell affordable takes on the silhouette, including Uniqlo U, the Christophe Lemaire-designed sub-label behind some of the buzziest menswear on the planet.
Stay Neutral
You know how your buddy Brent is always jetting off to Joshua Tree to immerse himself in the “restorative powers of the desert”? Embracing dusty, sandy, light brown tones has the same effect on your closet—and it works even better if you wear a whole bunch of ‘em all at once. If you’re not sure where to start, take a gander at the latest version of Alex Mill’s smash-hit button-up, a perennial GQ-favorite the brand just dropped in a not-quite-mocha shade of khaki. Would it look rad with a battered denim jacket? Sure. But it’ll look even better poking out from beneath Sacai’s wild-style riff on the pointdexter-y argyle sweater.
Freaky Textures
Big, bold colors are good. But big, bold colors paired with big, bold textures—like nubby ostrich leather or Issey Miyake’s iconic pleated nylon—are downright transcendent. Whoever said less is more probably never encountered a Lemonhead-yellow western belt or a croc-embossed bag from Luar—and they were definitely worse off for it.
Dad Energy
“When in doubt, dress like your old man” is always a smart credo to orient yourself around, but it rings especially true in 2023. Start with a beefy striped rugby from the new J.Crew, and then lean all the way into the vibe with washed-out jeans courtesy of the neo-workwear savants at Knickerbocker.
Sleeveless Wonders
Sweater vests have been cool again for a hot second, but in 2023, designers are cranking ‘em out in wilder, wavier varieties than ever before. Case in point: The Elder Statesman’s groovy tie-dyed riff, which looks like what happens when a Rothko leaps out of its frame and wraps your torso in a bear hug. Don’t have two grand to spend on top-of-the-line cashmere? All good: the fine people at Banana Republic—yes, that Banana Republic—made one out of responsibly-sourced wool, doused it in a cheery shade of Nickelodeon orange, and only want $200 in return. Pull one over a crisp white tee and let your funky knit do all the talking.
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