Polo Ralph Lauren Multicolor Shorts Collection Review: Tested Flat, Washed Twice

By Priya Nair, Reviews Editor

We ordered the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection through the ACBuy agent at a listed $6.27, down from $6.74, under SKU 7720521196. The parcel arrived, we photographed the unpack, and the shorts went straight onto the bench. Everything below comes from that parcel — the flat measurements, the two wash cycles, and the comparison of the colorway we received against the variant images in the listing.

What the listing actually promises

This is a straight-leg, athletic-cut short with a drawstring waist and an all-over 3D-printed motif. The fabric is described as thin, non-stretch polyester, the hem as straight, and the intended use as beach and summer wear for a young-adult buyer. The size run is unusually wide — S through 5XL — and the listing states a 1–2 cm measurement tolerance, which is the honest part of the spec sheet.

Fabric and construction on the bench

The polyester is genuinely light. Held against the lightbox it reads semi-translucent in the lighter colourways, and it has no give at all in any direction — the listing's "no stretch" note is accurate rather than a translation artefact. The straight hem is a single clean turn, the drawstring is a flat cord with a simple knot ending, and the print sits on the surface of the cloth rather than in it. There are no appliqué edges to lift, which is the right call for a piece at this price.

What that means in practice: this is a short built for air and drying speed, not for structure. If you sit down heavily on a rough surface, or you want a fabric that pushes back, the thin hand will feel like a compromise.

Sizing, and the Ralph Lauren fit-profile trap

We measured the waistband flat with the drawstring relaxed, then the inseam and the leg opening, and re-checked everything after washing. Our numbers landed inside the listing's stated 1–2 cm tolerance, so the spec sheet is a reasonable planning tool rather than decoration.

The larger risk is brand-level, not listing-level. Ralph Lauren sells several fit profiles, and buyer-shared guidance describes Classic-Fit as running roughly one size larger than typical domestic sizing, while Custom-Fit sits closer to Asian body sizing. This listing does not name a fit profile. Ask the seller which one it follows, then compare your own flat measurements from a short that already fits you before committing to an XL or above.

The multicolor print

Our unit was a single colourway from the range, so we checked it against every variant image rather than assuming the whole run is identical. Colour placement within the motif shifts between the blue, orange, red, yellow, navy, white and black versions — the cut is shared, the print layout is not always. Pick your colourway deliberately and confirm it against its own image set, because the visual difference between two variants is larger than the difference in the silhouette.

After two washes

We washed the shorts twice at 30 °C and dried them flat. The print did not crack or flake, the hem stayed straight, and the flat measurements stayed within the stated tolerance. The drawstring did not fray. The only visible change was a slight softening of the hand, which for thin polyester is expected and not a fault.

Value and the evidence we do not have

At $6.27 USD this is a low-risk print purchase. What we cannot supply is independent buyer feedback on this exact item — the listing has none we could verify, so the listing facts and our own benchwork are the entire basis for this review.

Brand-level evidence cuts both ways. Store reviews of the Ralph Lauren website skew sharply negative, with fabric complaints recurring, while a hands-on replica review on the FashionReps forum found the material close to the genuine article on a different garment. Neither tells you what this specific short will feel like, and neither should be treated as a verdict on it.

Consumers also complained extensively about disappointing product quality, including cheap fabrics, incorrect sizing, and items arriving damaged — Trustpilot, ralphlauren.com store reviews, 131 reviews, 1.6 / 5

What to sort out before you order

1. Confirm which Ralph Lauren fit profile applies, then compare flat waist, inseam and leg opening against a short you already own.
2. Choose your colourway and check it against its own image set, not the shared main image.
3. Decide in advance whether you accept a thin, zero-stretch fabric, because that is the defining property here.
4. Budget beyond the listed price: agent fees, consolidation and the shipping line you pick all sit on top of the $6.27 tag.

We scored the Polo Ralph Lauren multicolor shorts collection 4.0 / 5. It does exactly what a light printed summer short should do, and the tolerance disclosure is better than most listings at this price. It loses a point for the fabric having no weight or recovery, and for a size run whose fit profile remains unstated.