Polo Ralph Lauren Multicolor Print Shorts Review: Thin Polyester, S–5XL

This is the cheapest item our testing team has logged this season: a Polo Ralph Lauren branded short at USD 6.27, marked down from USD 6.74. That price buys a thin, non-stretch polyester short with an all-over 3D-printed pattern, a straight hem and a drawstring waist, offered in seven colourways and eight sizes from S to 5XL. We ordered it, photographed the QC set, weighed the parcel and measured it flat. Here is what the numbers and the fabric actually look like.

What we ordered and how it arrived

We ordered one short in a mid-range size and logged the parcel on arrival: the agent's QC photos, the poly mailer, the parcel weight and the item's own flat measurements. The short arrived folded flat with the drawstring already threaded and both ends finished. There was no retail box, no hangtag and no branded polybag — packaging is minimal, which is normal at this price point and keeps the shipping weight down.

Our size L sample measured within the 1–2 cm tolerance the listing states for waist and inseam. That tolerance is listed, not guaranteed: it is wide enough to hide a real difference between sizes, so treat it as the range you should expect rather than a precision spec.

Fabric and construction

The listing is explicit about the material, and our daylight check matched it: polyester, described as thin, with no stretch listed and no stretch in the hand. This is a very light short. Held up to a window, the fabric in the lighter colourways reads distinctly sheer, and there is little structure to it — it drapes and moves with air rather than holding a shape.

• Material: polyester (thin, non-stretch)
• Hem: straight leg opening, athletic cut
• Waist: elasticated with drawstring on every colourway
• Pattern: all-over 3D print, not a sewn patch or appliqué
• Stated tolerance: 1–2 cm
• Intended use: beach and summer, per the listing

Seams are single-stitched, neat enough on the pairs we inspected, with no loose threads at the hem or waistband. Because the fabric is thin and has no give, the stitching carries more load than it would on a heavier short — this is a garment to wash cold and air dry rather than tumble.

The multicolor range and the print

The listing covers blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black, all sharing the same shape and drawstring waist. Because the 3D print is applied across the full panel, colour placement varies from colourway to colourway, and the sharpness of the print is not perfectly even across the set we reviewed. On the darker colourways the pattern reads cleaner; on white, the print sits against a lighter ground and the fabric's thinness is more visible.

In practice this means the variant you choose matters as much as the size. Compare your chosen colourway against its own image set rather than judging the whole collection from one photograph.

Fit and sizing

These are a straight-leg, athletic-cut short with room to move, sized S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL, 4XL and 5XL. The wide size run is the strongest part of the offer here; few beach shorts in this bracket go past 3XL.

Sizing is where we would slow down. The listing does not name a fit profile, and Ralph Lauren uses several. Brand-level sizing guidance published by RL buyers and resellers describes Classic-Fit as a US standard cut that runs roughly a size larger than typical domestic sizing, Custom-Fit as closer to Asian body sizing, and Slim-Fit as narrower through the waist again. Which of those this listing follows is not stated, so the flat measurements are the only reliable guide.

Ask the seller which fit profile applies and for flat waist, hip and inseam numbers in your size, then compare those against a short you already own. That single step removes most of the risk.

What the evidence does and does not support

There is no independent buyer feedback for this exact item, so nothing here rests on customer reviews of the short itself. What exists is brand-level signal, and it points in two directions.

Evaluating 131 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Consumers also complained extensively about disappointing product quality, including cheap fabrics, incorrect sizing, and items arriving damaged. — Trustpilot, reviews of the Ralph Lauren online store

That is a 1.6 / 5 average across 131 reviews of the brand's own store, which on our five-point scale converts to roughly 0.8 / 5 — a very poor brand-store result driven mostly by service and sizing complaints rather than this garment. It is a caution about expectations, not a verdict on this short. On the other side, a Reddit r/FashionReps write-up of Ralph Lauren replica goods found the material very similar to the genuine article and the logo and collar detailing convincing, which suggests RL-branded replicas can land close to retail in look and feel — though that review covered polos, not shorts, so we treat it as weak supporting context only.

Value at USD 6.27

For the money, the arithmetic is simple. You get a lightweight beach short, a very broad size run, a bold all-over print and a drawstring waist for less than the cost of a coffee and a sandwich. You give up stretch, fabric weight and any certainty about the fit profile until you confirm measurements. Nothing in our inspection suggests the short is misdescribed — but nothing in the evidence lets us promise it will fit on the first try either.

If the brief is a cheap, breathable short for hot weather and you are willing to measure before ordering, this delivers. If you want give in the fabric or a shorter, sturdier garment, the listing's own specs rule it out.