The Fashion Crowd Is Having an Adam Sandler Summer—Here's the One Staple It Requires

Buh-bye, bike shorts. There's a newer shorts trend I'm after right now, and it's Adam Sandler approved. I'll just warn you now: This one might seem random and a bit ugly, but it's arrived, and it's here to stay. Lately, I've been seeing long nylon athletic shorts, and they're all I want to wear and shop for while we're still in the thick of summer.

Every time they come up on my social media feed, my mind immediately goes to Adam Sandler and his noteworthy "dad" style. Graphic T-shirts, unnecessarily open-toed sandals, and, of course, basketball shorts are what I see when I scroll through his paparazzi moments. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I want to re-create that vibe. Longer shorts for the win.

The styles that have my attention? They're inspired by traditional soccer and basketball shorts with drawstrings and nylon finishing. While OG sportswear brands like Umbro have been doing this forever, designer pairs from Prada, Staud, and Coperni have emerged, and accordingly, fashion people have been styling the athletic staple in their casual warm-weather 'fits.

Below, shop the coolest athletic shorts that have a fashion-person spin to them, and get inspired by how the style set is wearing them right now.

Woman wearing a basketball shorts outfit.

(Image credit: @himichelleli)

The styling here is impeccable. A rose pinned to the hip, a sheer trench coat, and colorful sneakers—I'm obsessed.

Woman wearing a basketball shorts outfit.

(Image credit: @rubylyn_)

Something about this trend makes me think of galavanting around a foreign destination dressed casually in the daytime with a night look awaiting me in the hotel room. It's a vibe.

Woman wearing a basketball shorts outfit.

(Image credit: @camillecharriere)

I prefer to see these shorts in longer silhouettes, but if you're a minishorts kind of person, there's a style out there that's made for you. This is it.

More pieces that give Adam Sandler vibes:

Adam Sandler on stage at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This is the vision, but we're going to put a fashion-person spin on it.

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Sierra Mayhew
Fashion Editor

Sierra Mayhew is a fashion editor at Who What Wear, bringing a decade of industry experience to the editorial team. Since joining in 2021, she has made her mark by blending luxury and accessible fashion, decoding runway trends, and curating must-have shopping lists. Before joining Who What Wear, Sierra sharpened her skills at Harper's Bazaar and Elle, with bylines in Bazaar.com and collaborated with iconic brands such as Gucci and Ferragamo. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Sierra translates editorial expertise into viral social content, making fashion engaging for a new generation. Her unique perspective is rooted in her love for travel, music, and discovering the hidden gems that make New York City a constant source of inspiration.