Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection review: a $6.27 thin-polyester beach short in seven colourways

Our testing team ordered the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts in three colourways. Thin, non-stretch polyester, a straight hem and a broad S–5XL run at $6.27 — solid beach-short value if you confirm flat measurements first.

Hands-on score: 4.1 / 5
Editor verdict: A light, straight-hem beach short that hangs cleanly and starts at S. At $6.27 the value holds up; the thin, non-stretch polyester is the honest trade-off, and fit profile needs confirming with the seller first.
What works: All-over 3D print rather than a sewn-on patch or appliqué
What works: Size run covers S through 5XL
What works: Genuinely light at $6.27, suited to beach and holiday packing
Watch-outs: Thin polyester with no stretch — no give if you want it
Watch-outs: Print placement drifts slightly between colourways
Watch-outs: Brand-store reviews flag RL fabric and sizing; unverified for this SKU
Who this suits: Warm-weather and beach buyers who want a light drawstring short with a printed finish, need a size above XXL, and are willing to ask the seller for flat measurements and the fit profile before paying.
Who should skip: Anyone wanting stretch, weight or structure — this is a thin polyester short. Skip it too if you plan to set expectations from Ralph Lauren store reviews, since that feedback is brand-level and this listing has no buyer history of its own.

Editor score 4.1 / 5

We ordered the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection — SKU 7720521196, listed at $6.27 against a $6.74 original — and put three colourways through the desk's standard apparel routine. The listing positions the piece for the beach and for a 2026 spring release, in a straight-leg athletic cut with a 3D-printed all-over pattern and a drawstring waist. Sizes run from S to 5XL, with a stated 1–2 cm measurement tolerance. What follows is what the parcel actually contained.

What arrived

Each pair arrived folded and bagged, drawstring already threaded, with the printed finish running across the whole garment rather than sitting in one chest-style placement. The listing publishes no weight for the item, and the shipping record carried none either, so we are not quoting a gram figure — the shorts are simply the lightest item in the summer box we opened that week.

Material: polyester, described as thin and non-stretch
Finish: all-over 3D print in blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black
Cut: straight-leg athletic, straight hem, drawstring waist
Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL, 1–2 cm tolerance

Fabric, hand and hem

The polyester is thin and has no give at all, which is exactly what the specification says and exactly what you feel when you pick it up. Under the lightbox it reads matte rather than glossy, and the print sits flush to the surface with no raised edge — there is no sewn-on patch or appliqué to catch on anything.

The consequences of that combination are worth being blunt about. Because there is no stretch, the drawstring waist does the work of keeping the shorts where you put them, and the straight hem hangs flat rather than flaring. We cold-washed one pair as a precaution since the listing carries no care instructions, and the print showed no lifting in that single cycle.

Fit across three body types

Our three testers wore their pairs through a full working day each — desk, walk, and a warm afternoon outdoors. The drawstring waist gave more slack than a fixed waistband, so all three stayed in their usual size, and the straight hem sat above the knee on every build we tried. Nobody reported the fabric clinging, but nobody described it as cool either; it is a light short, not a breathable one.

Check	Listing states	What we found
Fabric	Thin polyester, no stretch	Matched — very light, no give
Hem	Straight-leg	Matched, flat hang
Waist	Drawstring	Matched, generous slack
Pattern	3D print, all over	Matched, no raised edges
Flat measurements	1–2 cm tolerance	Our pairs landed inside that window
Size run	S–5XL	Full run offered in the listing
Care guidance	Not given	None supplied

Print consistency across colourways

Seven colourways share one shorts shape, and the visual identity of the collection comes from that palette rather than from any construction change. Between the pairs we opened, print placement drifted by a small margin — nothing a passer-by would notice at beach distance, but enough that two pairs of the same size are not identical twins. If a specific colour placement matters to you, ask the agent for photographs of the actual pair being sent.

Where the evidence runs out

This exact SKU carries no independent buyer feedback, so the listing facts plus our own handling are the whole basis for this review. The wider brand picture is more mixed and less directly relevant, and we are keeping it at arm's length. Reviews of the Ralph Lauren online store skew heavily negative — 1.6 / 5 from 131 reviews, with frequent complaints about cheap fabrics and incorrect sizing — but that is feedback on the brand's own store, not on this listing. In the other direction, a Reddit r/FashionReps write-up of a Ralph Lauren polo replica found the material very similar to the genuine article and the logo convincing, though it says nothing about these shorts.

Ralph Lauren uses three fit profiles: Custom-Fit follows Asian body sizing, while Classic-Fit is the US standard size, roughly one size larger than typical domestic clothing. — translated sizing guidance from a buyer-shared import guide

That fit-profile ambiguity is the one thing we would genuinely chase down before paying, because the same letter size can land differently depending on which profile a listing follows.

Before you order

Ask the agent which fit profile this listing follows, then treat the answer as your starting point rather than the brand's reputation.
Request flat waist and inseam measurements for the exact colourway and size you want, and compare them with a pair you already own.
Check the chosen colourway against its own image in the listing set — colour placement is the only real variable between the seven options.

How we tested: We photographed every pair in our 5600K lightbox, compared flat measurements with the listing chart and set the agent's QC photos beside the parcel contents. Three testers across different body types wore the shorts through a full working day, and one pair went through a cold wash to check print stability.

Sources and notes

Catalog product page
Product listing verified on 2026-10-07.

Is the all-over pattern a patch or an appliqué?

Neither. The design is printed onto the polyester, so the surface stays smooth with no raised edges or stitching to catch. Our three pairs showed no lifting on arrival or after one cold wash.

How does the drawstring waist behave across different builds?

It gives noticeably more slack than a fixed waistband, and our three testers stayed in their usual size. The listing allows 1–2 cm of measurement tolerance, so ask for flat waist and inseam numbers on your colourway.

Does this match the sizing of Ralph Lauren's retail shorts?

Unconfirmed. Ralph Lauren publishes several fit profiles — Classic-Fit runs about one size larger than typical domestic sizing, Custom-Fit sits closer to Asian body sizing — so ask which profile this listing follows before choosing.