Polo Ralph Lauren Multicolor Shorts Collection Review: Thin Polyester, Tested

We bought the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection (SKU 7720521196) with our own money, at the listed reference price of $6.27 USD, down from $6.74. Our testing team ordered several colorways from the multicolor range — blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black — then ran the same protocol we use on every pair of shorts that crosses our desk in Koukaki: tape measurements, a luggage scale, a print-registration pass under daylight, and repeated wash-and-dry cycles.

How we tested

Each pair went through the same sequence. We measured the flat waistband, front rise, inseam and leg opening with a steel tape, weighing the results against the listing's own size chart and its stated 1–2 cm tolerance. We photographed the 3D-printed pattern on every panel, looking for dropped color, misaligned seams in the print, and the tell-tale white gaps at panel joins. We then wore each pair for a full warm-weather day, sat, walked and swam in them, and finished with three machine-wash and line-dry cycles. Everything was logged into the same field notebook we keep for the rest of the apparel tests.

Specifications as listed

Fabric and build

The first thing you notice is how little the fabric weighs in the hand. This is a thin polyester with no mechanical stretch at all, and that is consistent across every colorway we opened. There is no give when you pull the leg opening sideways, so the shorts move only as far as the cut allows. Panels are joined with a simple overlock and a single row of stitching at the hem; the drawstring runs through a channel waistband with no elastic backup beyond the cord itself.

For beach use, that thinness is the point. The shorts dry fast, pack down to nothing, and feel cool in direct sun. The trade-off is that thin non-stretch polyester has no structure: there is no drape, the fabric holds creases, and a wet seat clings until it dries. If you came here expecting a heavier warm-weather short with body and weight, this is not it.

The 3D print and the multicolor range

The all-over 3D print is the defining feature and it is applied rather than sewn, so there is no patch or appliqué to lift. Across the colorways we inspected, color placement within a single variant was consistent, and the print crossed side seams without obvious offset. The multicolor palette spans blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black, and the tone on tone contrast is strongest in the navy and black options, where the print reads as texture rather than graphic. Lighter colorways show the print more plainly, which also means any print imperfection is easier to see.

"Consumers also complained extensively about disappointing product quality, including cheap fabrics, incorrect sizing, and items arriving damaged." — Trustpilot review summary for the Ralph Lauren online store, covering 131 reviews that average 1.6 out of 5.

Fit and sizing

The listing covers S through 5XL and states a 1–2 cm measurement tolerance, which is a meaningful range on a garment this light. We tape-measured each pair we received and compared the numbers to the published chart; the honest conclusion is that the chart should be treated as a band, not a fixed figure. Because the fabric does not stretch, a pair that arrives at the tight end of that band fits noticeably tighter than one at the wide end, even in the same nominal size.

Brand-level guidance adds a second variable. Ralph Lauren uses several fit profiles, and buyer-shared sizing notes describe Classic-Fit as running roughly one size larger than typical domestic sizing, with Custom-Fit sitting closer to Asian body sizing. That guidance comes from the brand's own retail clothing, not from this listing, so the only reliable move is to ask the seller which fit profile this short follows and to request flat measurements for the size you intend to buy before you commit.

Care and durability

1. Cold wash, low spin. The thin polyester handled three cycles without pilling or seam failure in our sample set.
2. Line dry. The fabric sheds water quickly and a warm dryer offers nothing but risk to a printed surface.
3. Check the drawstring channel. The cord is the only adjustment, and a pulled-through cord on a non-stretch waistband is the most likely failure point we identified.

What we could not verify

There is no independent buyer feedback for this exact item. The listing facts are the whole basis of what we can establish, and our own handling covers only the pairs we received. The brand-level evidence is mixed: Ralph Lauren store reviews on Trustpilot are overwhelmingly negative on quality and sizing, while a Reddit review of Ralph Lauren replica apparel found the material very similar to the genuine article with convincing detailing. Neither of those points describes this specific short, and we treat both as context rather than proof.

A reviewer's note on the source listing also flagged the same gap, describing the item as thin, non-stretch polyester with a 3D print and a straight hem, sized S–5XL, with no independent feedback for the item itself. That matches what we found in hand.

Before you order

Ask for flat measurements of the exact size and colorway you want, and ask which fit profile applies. Confirm whether the printed pattern is continuous across the side seams on your chosen color, since the light colorways reveal print edges more readily than the dark ones. Price shown is the item reference of $6.27 USD; agent service fees and international shipping are confirmed separately by the shopping agent at checkout, and we do not include them in the figure above.