The 8 Best Cropped Trousers for Summer

Cropped trousers solve summer's biggest styling problem: how to stay cool without resorting to shorts for every occasion. A trouser hemmed to the ankle or just above, showing a flash of skin or sock, works with loafers, sandals, and sneakers while maintaining the structure that shorts cannot provide.

Uniqlo Smart Ankle Pants are the budget benchmark at under $40. The stretch fabric moves well, the tapered cut flatters most builds, and the elastic waistband versions offer comfort rivaling sweatpants. They wrinkle more than pricier options, but at this price, owning multiple pairs is painless.

COS produces some of the best cropped trousers in the contemporary market. Their wide-leg cropped pants in cotton and linen blends hit the right balance of relaxed and refined. Expect to pay $80 to $150.

For a dressier option, AMI pleated cropped trousers in tropical wool work in offices and restaurants where shorts would not fly. The single pleat provides room through the thigh without adding bulk. These run around $300 to $400.

Lemaire twisted pants deserve mention for their innovative construction. The spiral seam creates a gentle twist in the leg that produces a unique drape and eliminates the flat, lifeless look that afflicts some cropped trousers. They are an investment at $400 to $500 but genuinely unlike anything else.

Stan Ray wide-leg cropped fatigue pant offers workwear credibility at around $80. The cotton sateen fabric is broken in from the first wear, and the OG-107-inspired cut has military heritage without looking costume-y. Shop the full range at https://www.stanray.com.

Fit guidance for cropped trousers: the crop should end between one and three inches above the ankle bone. Any higher and you are in capri territory. Any lower and you just have short pants. With loafers and no socks, the crop creates a clean line that elongates the leg and keeps you cool.