In today's newsletter:

— Notes on shorts 

— The last leathers of the season

— Dario's Versace on sale

— A nice Nike ring

FIXATION OF THE WEEK

If there were one thing to remember from this newsletter's Pants Issue a couple of weeks back, it's that a solid pair of pants can be the star of an outfit around which every other item can quietly assemble without fuss. But when it comes to shorts, it’s more complicated, especially amid this year's kick-off of the annual debate over ideal inseams.

By  definition (and per my own preference), shorts are to be short. You might disagree; perhaps you, like some of my colleagues believe the best shorts needn't be more cropped than what Billie Eilish could reasonably be expected to roll up in. If your shorts are actually just culottes, they may very well possess enough personality to carry a look. Let Dior's chopped suit pants and gold-buttoned cargos, Dries Van Noten's snug-as-a-cycler's capris, Ssstein 's big-ass bermudas, or Sage Nation's admittedly irresistible barrel jorts each serve as a case-in-point.

But if your shorts aren't, well, lorts, then the prospect of mastering them becomes more of an art — one that requires the overall outfit composition. The key here? Proportion play. 

When I was a wee bit younger, for instance, I made an effort to don shorts so skimpy with shirts so huge that it would appear to the casual spectator that I was going pantless altogether. I guess I thought there was something transgressive about a man showing so much leg, and enjoyed the un-butch allure of this slightly slutty, vaguely preppy, post-beach-dinner at the crab shack sort of getup. Eat your heart out, Paul Mescal!

While I certainly still appreciate (and frankly take credit for) Prada trying similar juxtapositions — what, with its SS26 business above/party down below styles that saw leather blazers matched with Speedos — I've also come to sympathize with less polarizing approaches to the top-to-bottom ratio than that of my go-to combo of adidas ~5-inchers with XXL PRLs.

Still, the shortness is the point. Leggy lads like myself will always be well off sporting less fabric, especially with pieces that hit about halfway toward the knee, like these denim-ish Studio Nicholson britches or Brioni's pleated pair . That said, as a firm believer in the tennis skirt's universally flattering fit, I’m also a fan of any other garment that so much as hints at that shape on guys and gals of all sizes — ideally with a cotton polo or slouchy tee tucked in; evergreen boat shoes, mules, loafers , or runners on foot.

Now for those who feel protective over their thighs but still want to show shin, any of these dressy medium-length silhouettes by GU, Uniqlo, or Jil Sander can fulfill the desire for  comfortable downstairs temperatures without, in turn, forfeiting on the fancy factor — by either pin-striped, creased, or lined means. And at the end of the tailored-to-technical pipeline, you’ll find Lululemon's or Rier's. 

So, despite my general stance on the superiority of pants over shorts, I've got no stakes in denying the latter’s relevance and appeal. Whether you're channeling the best dressed lesbian you know, or giving an aforementioned Irish actor a run for his money, shorts — even if they’re not really so short — are immensely versatile and full of potential. Just promise me that you'll wear with them either shoes that include regular socks or no socks at all. Whatever you do, you want to keep the line from the leg to the foot pleasingly proportional. And ankle socks just ruin everything.  

EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT OUR EYES ON RIGHT NOW:

Nike's insignia ring is quite the statement. (This newsletter also approves of their  logo-stitched sheer socks, by the way.) 

This suede Zara jacket is a strong contender for a final outerwear purchase before fall. Easy on the wallet, easier on the eyes.

But there’s also strong competition from Lemaire, whose leather-collared overshirt is gorgeous, too — just steeper price-wise…

… And don't even get me started on Bottega Veneta's blouson jacket.

Plaid button-downs are everywhere now, and where better to get such an item than Ralph Lauren's ever-Western-coded RRL?

Though COS makes a nice and affordable alternative; plus, you can order the perfect boxy white tee for underneath in one fell swoop. 

These Oakley sunnies might be only sunnies I'm willing to spend more than gas station prices on. 

Dario Vitale's sole Versace collection is online, and even on sale in some territories.

Since fashion's seizure of Milan Design Week pissed everyone off, I'd like to weigh in with a shout-out to our objectively cool Highsnobiety x Bar Basso merch. Arrividerci!