What Is Sizing Like at South Beach Menswear?

South Beach runs pretty much true to size. It works on simple alpha sizing — small through to extra large for most of the range — and because nearly everything comes with an elasticated, drawstring waist, it’s forgiving if you fall between two sizes on the waist. The part to actually think about is the leg. These shorts sit short-to-mid, above the knee, and they’re cut fairly slim through the seat and thigh. So if you’ve got footballer’s legs, that’s where you’ll feel it first, not the waistband.

The fit, in plain English

South Beach lives in the holiday drawer — swim shorts, beachwear, a bit of athleisure — and it’s priced to be bought without agonising, which I like. Here’s how I’d sum it up after years of sizing men into pieces like this:

Take your normal size. If you’re a medium in most high-street trunks, you’ll be a medium here. There’s no sneaky vanity sizing going on.
The waist is generous. Elasticated and drawstring means it’ll happily give an inch or two either way. Between sizes? Size down and let the drawcord do the work rather than swimming in fabric.
The leg is the short-to-mid cut. Expect a hem that lands above the knee. Great if you want that modern, leg-flattering look; less ideal if you prefer proper board-short coverage.
Slim through the thigh. Muscular legs may want to go up a size purely for room to move, even if the waist fits.

How I’d actually size a pair

I’ll be honest — I learned the leg thing the hard way. Years back I grabbed a pair of print swim shorts in my “usual” size for a trip to Portugal, didn’t check the cut, and spent the week feeling like the fabric was auditioning to be underwear every time I sat down. Fine standing up, faintly alarming on a sun lounger. Lesson learned: with a slim, short leg like South Beach’s, the waist tells you half the story and the thigh tells you the rest.

So my rule of thumb: size for the waist first, sanity-check the thigh second. If you’re lean, take your standard size and enjoy the clean line. If you’re broad or gym-built, nudge up one and cinch the drawcord — you’ll get the length and room without the waistband ballooning. The one genuine win I’ll take credit for: a plain navy pair sized properly, worn with a rumpled linen shirt open over the top, looked far more expensive than it was. Fit does that. Print does not.

What to buy and how to wear it

South Beach leans loud — palm prints, geo prints, bold block colour — and that’s the appeal. My advice for building a holiday capsule that actually works:

Buy one plain, one print. A solid navy or black earns its keep from beach to beach bar; the print is your bit of fun.
Mind the length with your build. Shorter, leaner frames carry the above-the-knee cut best. Taller lads can pull it off too, just keep the top half relaxed so the proportions balance.
Style up, not down. A camp-collar shirt, leather sandals or clean white trainers, and suddenly poolside trunks read as a considered outfit rather than an afterthought.

Brands worth knowing (and how they fit)

South Beach is a brilliant entry point, but if you want options across every budget, here’s where I’d send you — with a note on how each one sizes, because that’s the whole game.

Marks & Spencer (high street): honest sizing and a wider leg-length range than most. Go here if South Beach’s short cut isn’t your thing and you want a touch more coverage.
Next (high street): the one-stop holiday shop. Consistent, true-to-size trunks in a tidy mid-length that suits nearly every build — low-risk and reliable.
Riz Boardshorts (independent): a British brand making tailored swim shorts from recycled fabric. They size by the waist, so the fit is precise, and they hold their shape wash after wash.
Deakin & Blue (independent): another UK label, genuinely obsessed with fit across different body shapes. My go-to recommendation for anyone whose thighs don’t get on with a slim cut.
Orlebar Brown (luxury): the tailored swim short benchmark. Sized by waist number like a pair of trousers, with side adjusters — the most precise, most flattering fit you’ll find anywhere.
Vilebrequin (luxury): the French icon. Roomier and longer in the leg with a generous cut, so if you’re between sizes here, size down.
Frescobol Carioca (luxury): Brazilian, beautiful, and cut on the slim “Rio” side — muscular builds should size up.

Nail your size before you buy — the honest way

Here’s the thing about buying swimwear online: every brand’s “medium” is a slightly different medium, and squinting at a size guide never quite tells you what your body will do inside the shorts. That’s exactly what Tellar.co.uk was built to fix — and it’s completely free.

It’s the UK’s leading sizing tool: measure yourself once (bust, waist, hip, or just your existing size in a brand you own) and Tellar matches your body to 1,500+ brands instantly. No conversion charts, no guesswork, no more squinting at a size guide.

Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — South Beach, COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Not sure how to measure? The quick how-to-measure guide walks you through it in a couple of minutes.
Shop with confidence — fewer returns, better-fitting buys, and no downloads. It runs straight in your browser.

Alongside the tool there’s the Tellar Fashion Hub: a library of free posts from our stylists covering pretty much every fashion query going. Honest, unbiased, independent and always free — style advice, top picks and best-brand rundowns, no sponsorship pulling the strings.

Stop guessing your size

Match your body to 1,500+ brands in seconds with Tellar — the UK’s free, honest sizing tool. Never squint at a size guide again.

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