Last week, I received a pair of Rhodie Shorts from the up-and-coming menswear maker, White Summer Apparel. Luckily, as a hobby historian of Cold War Africa, anything with brushstroke camo catches my eye, and these shorts are no exception.
The shorts are a stylish homage to the most iconic image of the Rhodesian Bush War: The brushstroke camo, thigh-high shorts, historically paired with Fireforce webbing kit, an FAL rifle, sneakers, and not much else. An icon of the African Cold War, and in recent years, a popular style for firearm enthusiasts, history bros, and anti-communism appreciators.
WBS's are a modern homage to these, made from a slightly stretchy cotton/spandex hybrid, and along with the traditional jungle green pattern, a new color scheme: "Vice Sundown." Since I have a couple traditionally colored Rhodesian shorts already, I had to explore this Vice Sundown color scheme. Out of the box, the color scheme of the shorts pops like no other. The layout of the shades of blue and purple are laid out nicely, really 
adding an 80's-Noir homage that stands out.
The pattern fidelity is scaled excellently to the original pattern. I have seen other makers of similar short makers, in their effort to show off the entire iconic pattern, scale it down and ruin the overall look. WBS makes no such mistake, the large brush strokes really streaking across seams and keeping things harmonious.
The majority cotton, minority spandex material proves itself comfortable and versatile. While, not a hardy, rugged cotton canvas like a historic Rhodie short, this modern material works excellently with the modern styling of the Vice Sundown color. The stretchy material retains its original shape fine enough, though the waistband did end up getting an inch or so larger after a day of wear. However, after a regular cycle in the wash, the stretch and original waist size returned without issue. The material is flexible and comfortable enough to use as everyday shorts, gym shorts, and even swim trunks.
Design wise, the shorts are faithful to their historic counterpart. The waistband is unstructured, with five belt loops, though I do not advise a belt with this style/material unless you are really trying to embrace the historic Rhodesian style and need a place to put your Browning Hi-Power holster. There are two generously sized back pockets with button fixtures. The shorts feature a 4" inseam and a rise of 12", making them a well-fitting medium-rise short.
Overall, I give the WBS shorts two FALs up, the unique interpretation of these iconic shorts, especially with the Vice Sundown color scheme makes them a versatile, distinctive homage with great casual style potential.