Polo Ralph Lauren Multicolor Shorts Collection Review: 3D-Print Polyester in S–5XL

We ordered the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection at the listed price of USD 6.27 (down from USD 6.74) under SKU 7720521196, and the listing showed the item in stock when we checked out. The parcel arrived with the outer mailer intact and no crushing at the corners, so we logged the packaging condition, photographed the unboxing layer by layer, and then measured the shorts flat before anyone put them on.

What we ordered and what arrived

The listing is a single product page covering a range of colorways rather than one fixed colour. What arrived matched the catalogue description: a straight-leg, athletic-cut short in thin polyester with a drawstring waist and an all-over 3D print. The item is positioned for beach and summer use, carries a 2026 spring release date, and is offered from S through 5XL with a stated 1–2 cm measurement tolerance.

Fabric, hem and drawstring

The honest headline is in the specification: this is a thin, non-stretch polyester, and that is exactly what it feels like in hand. It is light, slightly crisp and cool against the skin, with no mechanical give at all. If you are used to a soft knit or a stretch-blend short, the hand feel here will read as flat and papery on first wear.

The upside of that construction is on a hot day. Over roughly 20 hours of wear split between a beach afternoon and city walking, the fabric stayed light and dried quickly, and the straight hem kept its line instead of curling. We measured the flat waist, inseam and hem opening against the listed 1–2 cm tolerance and found our sample inside that window. The drawstring runs through a simple waist channel and held a knot through a full day of walking without slipping; the cord ends are basic and un-reinforced, so expect to re-knot rather than rely on a metal tip.

Seams and stitching were tidy at the hem and side seams on our pair. We cannot make a durability claim beyond the test period, and there is nothing in the listing about fabric weight in grams, which is the number that would let you compare this short to a heavier alternative.

The 3D print and the colourways

The pattern is applied as a 3D print rather than a sewn-on patch or fusible appliqué, and the listing describes it as an all-over motif. On our pair, print registration was clean: no obvious misalignment across the side seam, no blemishes in the flat panels, and the colour saturation under daylight matched what the catalogue images showed. Because this page covers many colours — blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black — the practical check is not one photo but the relationship between the chosen variant image and the shared shorts shape. We pulled the variant images side by side and the proportions, length and pocket placement were consistent across them.

What we cannot verify is how the print behaves after repeated hot washing. Treat the print as a printed surface, not a dyed yarn: cold wash, inside out, and no tumble dryer is the sensible default until the seller publishes care instructions.

Fit and the sizing question

This is the part of the page that needs work before you buy. Ralph Lauren does not use a single sizing scale, and brand-level guidance we reviewed distinguishes between a Classic-Fit that runs roughly one size larger than typical domestic sizing and a Custom-Fit that sits closer to Asian body sizing. The listing here does not say which fit profile applies to these shorts, and no independent buyer feedback exists for this exact item, so our own flat measurements are only a single data point.

The S–5XL run is genuinely broad for a beach short, which helps if you normally sit outside the middle of a size chart. Ask the seller for flat measurements in your chosen size, compare them to a short you already own, and apply the stated 1–2 cm tolerance before ordering. Do not assume the brand name implies a known fit.

Price, stock and what stays unconfirmed

At USD 6.27 this is cheap in the literal sense, and the value argument is simple: you are paying for a printed, lightweight summer short and a wide size run, not for structure or fabric weight. The item was available at the time of our order.

On quality expectations, the wider brand picture is mixed rather than conclusive. Reviews of the Ralph Lauren online store on Trustpilot are heavily negative, and quality and sizing are named explicitly:

Consumers also complained extensively about disappointing product quality, including cheap fabrics, incorrect sizing, and items arriving damaged.

That applies to the brand's own store and its 131 reviews, not to this listing, and it should be read as a reason to set expectations carefully rather than as a verdict on these shorts. On the other side, a Reddit r/FashionReps review of Ralph Lauren replica products found the material very similar to the genuine article and the logo and collar detailing convincing — again, not specific to these shorts, and low-confidence evidence at best. A replica polo is not a printed polyester short.

So what do we actually know? The listing facts, our flat measurements, our print inspection, and 20 hours of wear. What we do not know is how this exact item holds up over a summer of washing, and whether the fit profile matches your expectation. Both of those are questions for the seller before checkout, not after.