Sure, we could (and do) talk endlessly about the clothes we love, but for our column Line Item, we ask some of our favorite designers to tell us what they think about the best pieces from their newest collections. Today, the creative director behind Poler Stuff Benji Wagner tell us about the outdoor company's latest innovation—hiking shorts that you can wear right into the water, which they've got available for sale here on their site.
We wanted to make shorts you could wear everyday in a variety of conditions without compromise. No one wants to wear boardshorts in the city; they look ridiculous away from the beach. At the same time, cotton chinos are impractical for doing anything active. We designed our shorts from a fabric that is about 50% cotton so they look nice and matte, along with synthetic to help them dry a bit quicker than cotton, and 3% spandex to give them stretch when you're riding your bike, climbing etc. You can wear them with a nicer shirt and they can pass for chinos, or you can jump in the river with them no problem. They are very versatile. We have two styles, the Camp Vibes short is based on the classic boy scout shorts and is cut shorter. The River Chino is a classic chino short that comes just above the knee. Both styles come in three colors, have a drawstring waist and mesh pockets and drain grommets to allow water to pass through them.