A Guide to ASASI's Linen Shorts
Shorts get less attention in most menswear coverage than shirts do, but in Bali they're worn more often than almost anything else in the wardrobe. Here's how ASASI's two shorts lines differ and which to reach for.
Origin Shorts, the Newer Cut
The current Origin Shorts — in Black, Ocre, Hearthstone, Sierra Olive and Ridgewood — replaced the brand's earlier shorts naming and cut. They're built from the same cotton-linen blend as the Origin shirt line, cut with an elasticated waistband and adjustable drawstring, and designed specifically to pair with the matching shirt in the same colourway rather than existing as a standalone piece.
The Earlier Shorts Line, and Why It's Gone
Longtime customers may remember ASASI's original shorts naming — Coca, Monaco, Double Black and similar colour-based names — which has since been phased out in favour of the current Origin naming and cut. The fabric logic stayed consistent even as the naming changed, so anyone who owned the earlier shorts will find the current Origin cut familiar rather than a departure.
Fit and Length
Origin Shorts sit at a length designed to work for both a beach day and a smart-casual dinner without needing to change — not so short that they read as swimwear, not so long that they lose the ease shorts are meant to offer. The elasticated waistband with drawstring means sizing is more forgiving than a fitted trouser, though the product page's model measurements are still worth checking against your own build.
Matching Shorts to a Shirt
The clearest styling win with Origin Shorts is buying into a single colourway across the shirt and shorts together — Hearthstone shorts under a Hearthstone long-sleeve shirt worn open, for instance. It reads as a considered outfit rather than separates thrown together, without requiring any real styling effort beyond matching the tag.
Shorts as a Travel Essential
For anyone packing light, a single pair of neutral Origin Shorts — Black or Hearthstone both work broadly — earns its place in a suitcase faster than almost anything else ASASI makes. They transition between the beach, a coffee run and a casual dinner without a change of clothes in between, which is exactly the kind of versatility a Bali trip rewards.
Caring for Cotton-Linen Shorts
The same care rules that apply to ASASI's linen shirts apply here: cold wash, air dry where possible, and don't expect them to sit perfectly wrinkle-free — that's the fabric doing what it's meant to do in the heat.
Shop the current Origin Shorts range at studioasasi.com or in-store across Bali.
Shorts as Part of a Two-Piece Set
Origin Shorts were originally introduced as part of coordinated sets alongside matching long and short sleeve shirts, and while ASASI now sells the shorts as standalone pieces, that original pairing logic still holds. Buying the shorts in the same colourway as a shirt you already own is a faster route to a considered outfit than treating the two as unrelated purchases.
Comparing Shorts Length Across the Range
Unlike some of ASASI's other product lines, shorts length has stayed fairly consistent across colourway updates — sitting just above the knee, long enough to look intentional rather than brief, short enough to stay genuinely practical in the heat. If you've owned an earlier ASASI shorts colourway, the current Origin cut will feel familiar rather than requiring a size adjustment.
Stay understated.
