You’ve completed the painful but important self-assessment. You’ve given some consideration to the circumstances in which it’s appropriate (and inappropriate) to wear shorts. What now? The next step is to get your credit card out because we’re going shopping. Before you jump in at the deep end, though, it’s worth getting to grips with the basics. The following four styles have proved resilient to the ebb and flow of seasonal fashion and, taken together, should be more or less all you need.

First, your workhorse: a pair of neatly tailored chino shorts in navy. Pick a pair that finish two or three inches above the knee in a cut that complements the shape of your legs. What does that mean, exactly? In a nutshell, it means that if you’re slim, choose a slim fit. If you aren’t, don’t. While you’re here, pick up the same or a similar pair in a neutral shade: beige, stone, sand, écru or whatever the designer felt like calling it. These two pairs have the benefit of going with more or less anything and look especially good with billowy Oxford shirts (see Mr Armie Hammer in Call Me By Your Name). Avoid wearing beige chino shorts with a white polo shirt unless you want to look like the pool boy at a chain hotel.

Shop: Choose your chino shorts here

Next, grab a pair of cargo shorts in olive green. Cargo shorts have been the subject of much derision over the past few years. There were even semi-serious calls to ban them not too long ago for crimes against style. But before you write them off, look at the company they keep. Socks and sandals? Once anathema to fashionistas, now the height of style, thanks to Prada. Crocs? Ridiculed at first, then reinvented by fashion designers such as Mr Christopher Kane. One of the unwritten rules of the fashion industry is that as soon as something reaches the nadir of style, an intrepid designer is sure to pluck it out of the gutter and make it cool again. And so to cargo shorts, which are firmly back in favour with the cool crowd and form a key component of the utilitarian, outdoorsy look being presented by brands such as LOEWE. Fashion is cyclical. When wearing cargo shorts, remember that they are utility shorts and best worn with similarly utilitarian garments. They look awful against the elegant sportiness of a polo shirt, for instance. Regarding length, cargo shorts will invariably finish a little lower than more formal styles, but again, try to find a pair that finish above the knee rather than below it.

Shop: Choose your cargo shorts here

Denim cut-offs are a great choice for weekends in the park and, if you don’t already own a pair, it’s quite easy to make some. Just take some old jeans and cut the legs off with a sharp pair of scissors. Don’t worry about being too neat – frayed ends are all a part of the look. As for how to wear them, we’d suggest channelling the laid-back surf aesthetic by throwing an oversized tie-dyed T-shirt over your denim shorts.

Shop: Choose your denim shorts here

Finally, in acknowledgement of the increasing influence that sportswear is having on the way we dress (yes, that old chestnut) we recommend rounding out your collection with a pair of loopback-cotton jersey shorts. These can look a little slovenly if you’re not careful, so opt for a more refined pair from a designer such as Thom Browne.

Shop: Choose your jersey shorts here