Summer holiday shorts ftw 2025

We just got back from a week at a cabin in Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba (on the Canadian Shield) and I didn't want to leave. We had such a great time that we've already booked again for next summer. It's the first actual vacation-away-from-home we've taken many, many years, and I realized about a week before we left that I had no suitable sweatpants, shorts, hoodies etc for lake wear. 1 huge order to Athleta/Gap/BR/Old Navy later (no time for in-store shopping and Gap and BR are now gone from our city anyways , sadly ) and I netted out (among a couple of other pieces) 2 WONDERFUL pair of shorts that I want to share.

Fabric and fibre purists will not like these, so you can click away right now, lol, but those of you looking for active wear shorts that also have a dressy vibe, these are perfect!

The Athleta ones (second photo ) are described as "poplin", which we typically associate with cotton, but are in fact 100% polyester (recycled fibres, B Corp certified company). I wore them in the car on the way there, and for many other occasions, and they did not wrinkle or lose their body and shape. Beautiful cool , crisp hand-feel, and front slash pockets. They also look great "dressed up" with a loose linen shirt or a "dressier" sweatshirt. They aren't inexpensive ($80 Cdn I think) but well, well, worth it. Long inseam, which for me is perfect .

The Old Navy pair (first photo) were another surprise hit, in what they call a "Bounce Fleece" (no fleecy inside, so that's a misnomer; more of a soft scuba knit) that has a wonderful smooth hand-feel, stitched down front crease, side slits, and slash pockets. Long inseam again, which is my vibe this summer. I ordered the matching 1/4 zip top a few minutes ago I like them that much ! Super inexpensive, but again, a poly blend.

These shorts took me through fat-biking, hiking, regular walks, easy bike rides, and just lounging around . Hope someone else finds these as useful as I did !

And, I'm sorry but the collector applet didn't work even though I was indeed logged in.

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

4 months ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Glad you had a great holiday, LJP! So very necessary and therapeutic these days....

Great that the perfect pairs of shorts for the setting and activities at hand found you! Always good to share fab finds

Here are the links, I think? And they come in other colours:

https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse.....fleece%20s

https://athleta.gap.com/browse.....1&

Suz

Veteran

Great reviews, Lisa. Thank you! Athleta really shines in some areas, doesn't it. Some brilliant items from them over the last few years. I've been very happy with all my purchases there.

Glad you had a good holiday. It is necessary for the soul!

kkards

Sometimes a change in scenery is just what we need to refresh and rewind.
And it sounds like a fab getaway with the right mix of doing and not doing.
And I love the shorts. My favorite skorts are Athleta, they just design for actual women doing actual things, so not surprised the had great shorts.

Kate

Your holiday sounds wonderful.

I love Athleta shorts and skorts, and find they really go the distance while always looking great. I’ve had some of mine for 6+ years.

I like both pairs of shorts you bought but was especially taken with the Old Navy pair. If the color Black Coffee is actually chocolate brown, I’m going to order them.

Sloper

I’m glad you had such a nice trip!

Thanks for sharing the details on the new shorts. Tech fabrics (I.e. non- cotton) have improved so much. I used to shy away from the dreaded “polyesters” but have been very pleasantly surprised with these modern fabrications.

JAileen

These both look really nice. Much nicer looking than my nylon shorts! TBH, I had to look up Canadian Shield. You were way Up North, weren’t you? I’m glad you had a great time.

LJP

JAileen - no , the provincial park we were in is in the Central part of Manitoba . Not terribly far north at all. The Shield actually dips as far south as Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, which are near Manitoba. It was less than a 2 hour drive.

gryffin

Lisa - Those shorts look awesome!! Many thanks for the reviews!! So hard to find nice, wrinkle free, comfortable ones that dress up and down. Your vacation sounds amazing. Glad you had a wonderful time!!

Kate - yes , they are chocolate brown .

Irina

Glad you enjoyed your much deserved vacation break, Lisa.

Lisa

Sounds like a lovely and well deserved vacation! And two excellent new items for your summer capsule too.

Mirjana

How nice that you had a wonderful holiday. Those shorts look very good and comfortable.

Dee

Glad you had some time off to enjoy the great Canadian outdoors, and those two shorts look very neat, practical and stylish. Love that they are a longer length too, May have to check them out.

Helena

Sounds like a great trip Lisa and those shorts look awesome. I have some ON shorts in my closet that have been earning their spot for years ... When they make a winner, you can't beat it!

I think sometimes the Gap company store sites force us to the Canadian sites based on our phone location, which is why they don't want to play with the Collect widget ... Could be wrong but I think that's happened to me too. Fwiw!

Kyle

This is great, and I’m happy you had such a good family vacation. I’ve had similar experiences with some items from Athleta and Old Navy. I find my Athleta barrel pants to be incredibly versatile, comfortable and high quality. And my Old Navy pandemic joggers are indestructible!

Sal

Love these types of shorts. So useful on an active vacation - sounds like a wonderful break and pleased you could get away!

Jaime

Sounds like a great vacation - glad you found the right shorts for the job!

unfrumped

Thanks for the shorts ideas- I keep looking for longer inseams but not necessarily full- on Bermuda.

Many thanks, Lisa. I did order them, and love them. So much so, I just placed an order for the half-zip, joggers, and wide leg pants in the same fabric and color. I won't keep both pants, just the pair I like the best. My love affair with chocolate brown continues!

Janet

Late to this but I’m so glad you had a wonderful vacation, and thanks for the recommendations. I think I’m set for shorts, still, since I don’t seem to be wearing them much these days (ive worn long breezy skirts so much since I’ve been home!), but Athleta has been so good to me lately that it’s good to know they’re doing great shorts now too.

Kate - that's great! I have the half zip in my shopping cart too and must see if it's still actually there. I tend to accumulate things in a cart and half of them are out of stock by the time I decide to order, lol

Just got my haul today, Lisa. I’m keeping the full length wide legs. They’re great and will get a lot of wear.

The joggers and half zip are going back. I bought both of these in Med Tall.

The half zip was still cropped but workable for me. However, even for an oversized look, the half zip was too big, and I found the collar when spread just too bulky.

The joggers were fine and the tall length was perfect—I just didn’t love them.

I’m really going to enjoy the shorts and wide leg pants, so thanks for posting about them.

Good to know about the half-zip. I can see how that would be. I think I'll let it go now

Category