I am tall and skinny, and I understand the need for slim fit work shorts that won’t swallow your legs whole. Not only can baggy shorts feel sloppy, the extra material can be a nuisance on the job. Unfortunately, the options are quite limited for slim work shorts.
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These are my choices for the best slim fit work shorts:
- Dickies Slim Fit Flex Work Shorts (click here to view)
- Mountain Khakis Men’s All Mountain Utility Slim Fit Shorts (click here to view)
- Forclaz Trek 500 Men’s Multi-pocket Shorts (click here to view)
- Topman Utility Cargo Shorts (click here to view)
- Brooklyn Athletics Men’s Slim Fit Cargo Shorts (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Shorts (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Dovetail Maven Stretch Denim Slim Work Shorts (click here to view)
If you don’t love any of those options, later in the article I discuss possible alternatives. Unfortunatley, most workwear brands neglect the need for slim fit workwear.
Most workers prefer a loose, relaxed-fit pant or short, and therefore, many workwear brands don’t create any slim fit bottoms whatsoever. It’s nice to at least see a brand like Dickies create one slim fit work short for you to consider.
Some slim fit work shorts will have a gusset to help improve comfort and range of motion.
In this article let’s discuss your options, and I will talk about what I wear for my work shorts. As promised, I will also discuss other options in case the list above doesn’t do it for you (including a hack that I’ve discovered).
Best Slim Fit Work Shorts
Dickies Slim Fit Flex Work Shorts
Dickies is well-known for providing dependable workwear for a wide range of jobs. And they do make slim fit flex work shorts.
This is the current price of these Dickies slim work shorts available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about these shorts:
| Fit | Yes, these shorts have a slim fit through the seat and thigh. An 11-inch inseam hits just above the knee, making it an optimal length for a wide array of heights. |
| Material | These shorts are made with a 7.25-ounce cotton/poly fabric blend. This is a stretch material which helps ensure freedom of movement despite these being slim fit shorts. |
| Styling | In addition to five-pocket styling with the left back pocket featuring a button closure that is dyed to match the short, there is a multi-use pocket on the right leg for whatever you need to keep close at hand. |
| Care | The moisture-wicking, flexible fabric not only allows for increased ease-of-movement, it is also stain- and wrinkle-resistant, making it exceptionally easy to care for. |
Click here to buy these Dickies slim fit work shorts available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). These work shorts are machine washable.
Mountain Khakis Men’s All Mountain Utility Slim Fit Shorts
Mountain Khakis was founded in 2003 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and is well-known for making versatile outdoor-focused clothes. They do offer slim fit shorts.
This is the current price of these Mountain Khakis slim work shorts available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about these shorts:
| Fit | Yes, this is a slim fit short. It sits slightly below the natural waist. The inseam action gusset provides an additional layer of comfort while maintaining all the function you expect from Mountain Khakis. |
| Material | This lightweight utility short isn’t light on durability. The soft 6.2-ounce, 98% organic cotton/2% spandex blend features triple-stitched seams and bar-tac reinforcements for ultimate adventure readiness. |
| Styling | These shorts feature unique pockets that are deep-drilled to give you plenty of storage space. Front seam angled hand pockets, reinforced rear pockets with a utility pocket on the right thigh. Reinforced pocket bags offer added strength. |
Click here to buy these Mountain Khakis slim fit work shorts available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). These shorts are machine washable.
Other Slim Fit Work Shorts to Consider
- Brooklyn Athletics Men’s Slim Fit Cargo Shorts – Brooklyn Athletics makes clothing for active lifestyles. These slim fit cargo shorts have a drawstring waist. Side utility pockets for storing essentials. These shorts also have a crotch gusset for extra range of motion. Click here to view these shorts (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Forclaz Trek 500 Men’s Multi-pocket Shorts – These hiking shorts might also function well as work shorts. Plenty of storage pockets and a durable fabric that is breathable. Lightweight design won’t weigh you down. Click here to view these shorts.
- Topman Utility Cargo Shorts – These Topman cargo shorts are made with 100% cotton and have a tailored fit that won’t be baggy. Utility side cargo pockets on both legs. Single back pockets. Click here to view these cargo shorts at asos.com.
- *Women’s* Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Shorts – For women, these popular Eddie Bauer Guide Pro hiking shorts can also function as slim fit work shorts. Made with a water-resistant stretch fabric. Side zipper pockets for storing essentials. Average inseam of about 7 inches. Click here to view these shorts (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
What I Wear for Slim Fit Work Shorts
As I mentioned earlier in the article, because I am tall and skinny, I’m always on the lookout for slim work pants and slim work shorts. Although I like the Dickies shorts at the top of the list, I personally needed more pockets.
I wear the Wrangler Authentics Men’s Performance Comfort Flex Waist Cargo Shorts. Here’s what mine look like:
So, why didn’t I include these in the list? Well, they’re not technically slim fit shorts. They are listed as having a “relaxed fit”.
In my experience, these shorts have a reasonably slim fit, and so they are the work shorts I turn to the most. They have a lightweight design, which is what I look for in work shorts. My size 32 weighs less than a pound:
Overall, despite these shorts being listed as a relaxed fit, I have found they fit well on my skinny legs. If none of the options on the list excite you, and you think you might want to give these Wrangler shorts a try, you can view them at Amazon by clicking here (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
Alternatives to Slim Fit Work Shorts
Yes, as we have discussed, your options for slim fit work shorts are limited. That is just the tough reality when it comes to finding slim workwear. It is difficult to find slim fit canvas work shorts.
Although slim fit work pants are also limited, many major workwear brands will make at least one slim fit work pant (to read more, visit our article about the best slim fit work pants). Unfortunately, when it comes to shorts, most major workwear brands neglect slim fit altogether.
Because of that, I want to talk alternatives. I already discussed the Wrangler shorts above that I wear. But let’s discuss alternative options made by major workwear brands. *None of these options are slim fit, but I’m trying to point you to the next closest option.
- Carhartt – It’d be nice if Carhartt had a slim option, but currently as I’m writing this, they don’t. Carhartt mainly has three options when it comes to fits: original, loose, and relaxed. From my experience, relaxed fit is their slimmest cut. No, it’s not a true slim fit, but worth considering if you want to explore options. These ripstop cargo shorts by Carhartt use the relaxed fit (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Duluth Trading Co. – Duluth actually offers slim fit work pants, but not shorts. It’s always worth checking because that obviously can change. Duluth recently changed the name of some of their fits. What used to be a “trim fit” I believe is now called a “standard fit”, and has a sort of straight fit. This is an option worth considering. Click here to view a pair of Duluth standard fit cargo shorts.
- 5.11 – The 5.11 brand is well-known for making tactical workwear, and they do offer several styles of pants and shorts that have a tailored fit. Their tactical base shorts have a design that may work with skinny legs. These shorts have a side utility pocket and are made with a stretch fabric that also has a crotch gusset. Click here to view these 5.11 Tactical Base Shorts (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Wrangler – I’ve also found that the Wrangler Chop Pocket shorts have a rather slim cut despite being listed as a regular fit. No, they aren’t true slim fit, but this gives you another option. They are made with a quick-dry cotton/spandex stretch blend. Here’s something to watch out for though, these are short work shorts – the inseam is only 8 inches, so they finish above the knee. Click here to view these Wrangler Chop Pocket shorts (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Convertible Pants – Okay, here’s a little hack that I’ve found for slim work shorts. In my experience, I’ve noticed that convertible pants that have zip off legs tend to result in a slimmer work short than normal shorts. This probably has to do with the design of convertible pants. For example, check out these Columbia convertible pants (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). The shorts have a reasonably slim fit, and might be worth trying. For more options, visit our article about the best convertible work pants.
One important thing to consider when buy slim fit work shorts is range of motion. Because they are tighter-fitting shorts, I prefer to use a stretch fabric which increases my freedom of movement.
If you like shorts that have some flexibility, visit our article about the best stretch work shorts. If you prefer denim, visit our article about the best denim work shorts. If you prefer cargo shorts, visit our article about the best cargo work shorts.