I work full-time at a youth camp and lifeguard and teach sailing extensively throughout the summer. I bought these shorts to wear over my one-piece swim suit. I love them! They are comfortable worn dry as normal shorts, while swimming, and damp after a cool off swim. They dry quickly in the sun/heat after getting wet. I'm 5' 8" 145 pounds and normally wear a size 6 in jeans. I ordered a medium and I have to shimmy a little to get them over my butt, but they are comfortable once on. My co-worker has the same pair and likes the fit. She is 5' 4" 120 pounds and wears an x-small in athletic shorts. She ordered the x-small.The tag advises you to only wash them by hand; however, I have washed and line dried my several times and they are fine.My only complaint is that the white draw string has turned a dingy brown color after so much swimming in a darkly tinted lake, but that is to be expected.