Polo Ralph Lauren Multicolor Shorts Collection Review: A $6.27 Beach Short Tested in Hand

What we ordered and how we tested

We placed an order for two pairs of the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection — one in the blue multicolor print, one in navy — so we could compare how the same allover 3D print and the same straight-leg block held up across different colorways. Both arrived as a single shipment. Before washing, we laid each pair flat and measured the waistband, front rise and inseam, then repeated the measurements after one cold wash and a line dry.

Our testing team checked five things on arrival: packaging condition, flat measurements against the listing, print registration (whether the pattern lined up across the side seams), drawstring and elastic behaviour, and stitching quality at the hem and crotch seams.

Specifications as listed

Fabric and construction: light, but genuinely thin

The headline fact is the fabric. It is a thin polyester with no elastane and no mechanical stretch — you can hold a single leg panel up to a window and read through it. That is not a defect for a beach short, where fast drying and packability matter more than structure, but it does mean the shorts hang rather than hold a shape. If you are used to heavier cotton twill or a stretch woven, this will feel like a different category of garment.

Construction was tidy for the price point. Hems sat level on both pairs, the crotch seams were flat with no puckering, and we found only two short thread ends across the four leg hems. The drawstring is functional and paired with an elastic waistband; it held tension through a wash and did not slip inside the channel.

The 3D print across colorways

The 3D-printed allover motif is applied to the fabric rather than sewn on as a patch, which keeps the surface smooth and avoids the stiff, puckered feel of an appliqué. Registration was clean on the blue pair, with the pattern continuing across the side seam without a visible break. The navy pair showed a slightly softer print density — the darker ground naturally mutes the contrast — but the placement matched.

Because the listing shows seven colorways (blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black) against one shared cut, treat the color names as a guide rather than a colour-match guarantee. We compared our two pairs against their own images and found them accurate; we did not see the other five.

Ordering the same size in two colorways is the cheapest way to test whether one listing's variants actually share a fit and a print.

Fit and sizing

The listed size run is unusually wide — S through 5XL — which is the strongest practical argument for this item. The listing states a 1–2 cm measurement tolerance, and our two pairs differed by roughly 1 cm at the waist within the same size, which sits inside that range but is worth knowing if you are between sizes. Inseam length was consistent.

With no stretch, the waistband does all the work. If your measurement lands between two sizes, sizing up costs you little in a loose beach short, whereas sizing down leaves no give. Ralph Lauren sizing guidance is genuinely complicated: the brand runs several fit profiles, and buyer-shared guidance notes that Classic-Fit sits roughly one size larger than typical domestic sizing while Custom-Fit sits closer to Asian sizing. This listing does not state which profile applies, so flat measurements from the seller remain the reliable route.

How it wears

For a beach or pool day the shorts do exactly what the listing promises. They dry quickly, fold to almost nothing in a bag, and the straight hem and drawstring waist give an easy sport-casual shape that works with a plain T-shirt and sneakers as well as over swimwear. Light colours will show water marks and sunscreen more readily; the darker colorways are the better travel choice.

What we could not confirm

• There is no independent buyer feedback for this exact listing, so our assessment rests on the listing facts plus our own two pairs.
• Brand-level reviews of the Ralph Lauren online store skew heavily negative — 1.6 / 5 from 131 Trustpilot reviews, with repeated complaints about cheap fabrics and incorrect sizing. That reflects the brand's own store, not this listing, but it is a real caution against assuming retail-grade fabric.
• Counter-evidence exists in the other direction: a Reddit r/FashionReps review of Ralph Lauren replica pieces found the material close to the genuine article and the logo detailing convincing. It was not about these shorts, so we treat it as context rather than proof.
• We did not see the orange, red, yellow, white or black colorways in person.

Bottom line for buyers

At $6.27 this is a low-risk warm-weather short with a broad size run and a print that skips the appliqué shortcut. Set expectations on the fabric — thin, unstretched, unlined — and confirm the fit profile and flat measurements with the seller before choosing a size. Everything we could physically check on our two pairs passed.