The 10 Comfiest, Most Breathable Skorts for Summer (and Beyond)

Available sizes: XXS-3XL

Size tested: L

Of the dozens of skorts I tried, the Athleta Transcend Skort surprised me most of all. When I unpackaged it, I wasn’t impressed with the silhouette (to say the least). It’s long and ruched on the sides and, to be frank, looked like something I would never wear. But then I put it on. The buttery-soft black skirt is so versatile, I cannot emphasize this enough: If you’re looking for a skort that you can run errands in, run to the office in, and run to the bar in, this is it.

It can be worn fully extended to hit right around the knees, or it can be pushed up to be a mid-thigh or mini skirt. No matter how high you push it up, though, it never looks bulky or bunched. And the fact that it has pockets and a breathable mesh gusset on the shorts underneath? I’m swooning.

Of course, no product (or at least very, very few) is truly perfect. My one complaint about this skort is that it has the Athleta logo in white on the back waistband. If it didn’t have that, you’d truly never guess that this is from an athletic brand.

Material: Polyester and spandex
Colors: 4

Originally $50, now $30

Available sizes: XS- XL

Size tested: L

The FP Movement On Point Skort is so breezy and breathable that it barely felt like I had anything on. Of course, that may have also been due to the super short silhouette. Keep in mind, this skort has a flowy dolphin hem, so it lets the shorts peek out from beneath on the sides while being fully covered from the front and back. It’s because of this hem and the breezy, lightweight fabric that this skirt is particularly fab for jogging and running. One more thing: If you’re not into logos of any kind, know that the shorts have a small FP Movement logo.

Material: Polyester and elastane
Colors: 3

Available sizes: XXS-XXL

Size tested: L

The OFFLINE by Aerie Real Me High Waisted Legging is my go-to everyday black legging, so when I saw that the brand debuted a skort in the same buttery fabric, I had to get my hands on it. Like the leggings, this skort fits like a dream. The crossover waistband is wide, so it doesn’t dig in, nor fall down. The material is super lightweight and the shorts are long enough to prevent my thighs from chafing. All wins in my book.

Material: Nylon and elastane
Colors: 2

Available sizes: 24-32

Size tested: 32

A denim skort! Despite being a devoted skort wearer back in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, I’d never see a denim skort (unless it was one of those ones that looked like shorts from the back). While I typically despise non-stretch denim, AFRM nailed it with its Madelyn Mini Skirt, which looks like a true high-waisted mini but features shorts underneath. I particularly love the thigh slit on this skort, though, in my size, I find that it pulls a bit despite fitting overall.

Material: Cotton denim
Colors: 1

Available sizes: 0-14

Size tested: 12

The Lululemon Court Rival High-Rise Skirt feels a lot like the Free People one, only instead of showcasing the shorts on the side, it has extra fabric to conceal them. The skort has a wide elastic band that doesn’t dig in or roll down, and is made of moisture-wicking fabric designed with four-way stretch for optimal comfort and movement.

My favorite feature? The dual-entry pockets that let you store tennis balls from the bottom and items you don’t want to fall out from the top. But that’s not all: The right pocket even has a reinforced cord hole, that I imagine is for weaning headphones through. (Though, I’m not sure who still uses corded headphones, so that may not be quite the perk the brand intended.)

Material: Polyester, elastane, nylon
Colors: 7

Originally $60, now $48

Available sizes: XXS -XL

Size tested: L

Abercrombie & Fitch is another brand that’s really upped their game in the past few years. While they have a few styles that I genuinely love and look forward to wearing this summer, none compare to the Abercrombie & Fitch Pleated Chino Mini Skort.

Thought it gaps a bit in the waist, the soft, lightweight skort has edgy pleating and small belt loops for a ‘90s or early ‘00s skater vibe. Best of all, the shorts, while offering full coverage, feel light the coziest PJ shorts, so this is a genuine delight to wear all day long. (P.S. It looks a lot like the Free People Heartbreaker Skort Taylor Swift was seen wearing recently, but for nearly half the price.)

Material: Cotton and elastane
Colors: 2

Available sizes: XS- XXL
Size tested: L

Craving more cotton in your wardrobe? The Pink Cotton Active Skort is a nice option. The mini silhouette features a flirty slit detail that looks straight out of the ‘90s or early ‘00s. It shows off a peek of the shorts beneath, which have built-in pockets. And since it has a cotton gusset, you can go commando without any concern (should you want to, that is).

Just keep in mind that, since it’s made primarily with cotton (with a touch of stretch), it likely will show sweat lines, so you may not want to get too active (or too hot) in it. I also recommend going a size up as it runs small.

Material: Cotton and elastane
Colors: 5

Originally $85, now $51

Available sizes: XS-XL

Size tested: L

The Adidas Ultimate365 Tour Pleated 15-Inch Golf Skort is longer and more modest but that bright orangey-red color drew me in. Beyond looks, the skort is made with super soft and remarkable lightweight jersey and polyester that has a slight athletic sheen (you know what I’m talking about).

Material: Jersey and recycled polyester
Colors: 3

Available sizes: XS-XL

I love the look of the NikeCourt Dri-FIT Advantage Women’s Pleated Tennis Skirt, which features a flowy skirt overlay that’s long enough to conceal the crotch of the spandex shorts underneath, but not long enough to cover up the hems—but it’s purposeful. It’s a quirky, design-forward silhouette that I could see working to tennis, as well as running to the farmer’s market.

Material: Recycled polyester
Colors: 5

Available sizes: XS-XL

If you like the look of old-school skorts where you can see the shorts from the back—and if you love the idea of light shaping—the Spanx Sunshine Skort might be a solid choice. The new style features a mid-rise with a modest short, making it great for golfers and those looking for more coverage in general.

Material: Nylon and elastane
Colors: 4