If you follow our Facebook page, you may have seen a great discussion the other day about that problem so many of us face when wearing dresses or skirts in the summer: thigh chafing, a.k.a. “chub rub”. In the words of editor Michelle “the unspoken nemesis of women without a thigh gap”! I know from my friends of all sizes that it’s not only curvy women who have this problem, but it is a sure-fire way to ruin an otherwise lovely day wearing a floaty summer number.
Luckily, there are lots of different solutions. Not all of them work for everyone, but there are cheerleaders for each one!
1. Shorts
These are potentially the original solution to thigh chafe, used by many women over the years! There are many different variations: some women use bike shorts or Spanx, but the downside to these is that they can be quite hot and sweaty in the summer. An alternative are slip shorts and even special anti-chafing shorts, which don’t have the compression factor and are meant to be more comfortable in the heat. Here are some our readers recommend:
- Undersummers Lace Shortlette. Available up to a size 30 in snazzy colours!
- Thigh Society, Anti-chafing panty short. Up to size 24
- All Woman anti-chafing short-leg knickers. Up to UK size 40!
- Jockey Skimmies Slipshort. Up to size 2XL.
2. Bandalettes
If you don’t want the full coverage that shorts give you (and let’s face it, in the middle of summer it’s not so appealing!), a new product called Bandalettes has been launched. They’re like wide garter belts which go around the tops of your thighs, and they have both a lace and plain version, and come in sizes up to a 32″ thigh circumference. I’ve heard mixed things about them – some people swear by them, others have found they roll down.
3. Anti-chafing gel
Want to avoid wearing more layers altogether? Anti-chafing gels are made primarily of silicone – they go on in a smooth gel, and dry to a slightly powdery finish. They reduce the friction on your skin, but they do tend to wear off over time, so you need to re-apply. These gels are used by all sorts of folks including marathon runners! They’re also one of my favourite solutions.
4. Talcum powder
And lastly, good old talcum powder! It’s low-tech but many women swear by it.
So there’s a bunch of options to try if you want to buy something to help. Of course, you could always make your own shorts! I haven’t seen a pattern specifically designed for this purpose – does anyone know of one, and have any advice about which fabrics would be good to use? And do you use any of these solutions? What are your recommendations for the thighed among us?
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I bought a nylon “petti-pants slip” thing and cut the legs off to above the knee. It works well.
So glad I came upon this article! In the winter this is not as much a problem, as I tend to wear tights or leggings under everything to stay warm. In the summer I have used yoga shorts (long length, stopping 4 inches above the knee) for several years. My favorite brands are from Target and Old Navy. They have moisture wicking fabric, so I don’t get too hot, and since I the majority of my cloths are knee or below knee length they work well. Thanks for all the anti chaffing tips! I need to get some of the gels and give them a try!
I’ve been wanting to try sewing my own slip shorts but for now I’ve been wearing the Starter men’s compression underwear. For about $10 a pair, it’s the cheapest option I’ve found. I live in GA where it is super hot and humid, they’re breathable and work well for me.
You guys did not list the BEST Product on the PLANET for chafing..Hands DOWN NO OTHER PRODUCT COMPETES..PERIOD.. Name is GLIDE.. get some and thank me later
As my leggings wear out I cut off the legs at about 10″ and wear them under dresses if it isn’t too hot. When I don’t use those, I either smear unscented Secret Antiperspirant on my inner thighs or Body Glide– an anti-chafe balm intended for runners. I’ve also used the Monostat product, but I find it wears off pretty quickly and requires multiple applications and it’s messy. I like using Body Glide because it’s a stick in a deodorant container. I don’t need to rub it in or touch the balm at all. If it’s a truly hot and hellish day, I’ll apply the Secret to my panty line and under my belly to keep cool and dry.
I’ve recently bought this pattern and hope to sew some up soon. http://stitchuponatime.com/product/womens-boxerwear-boxer-brief-pattern-xxs-xxxl/
On hot humid days here in Florida I find my best choice for anti-chafing is “Anti-Monkey Butt Powder”. I found it years ago when my husband & I rode motorcycles. It has calamine lotion in it. It also comes in a Lady scent but I use just the regular. A little on the inside of the thighs and a little under the bust and I’m chafe free all day!
I cannot even convey how much I love the name ‘Anti-Monkey Butt Powder.’
I can recommend Lush’s “Silky Underwear” it’s like the Anti-Chafting Gel but it’s smells so good!
http://www.lushusa.com/Silky-Underwear-Dusting-Powder/03634,en_US,pd.html
I’m about to head to a beachy area, and my buddy recommended Body Glide to me. Maybe it’s just a Canadian thing, but this stuff seems amazing! I’ve only tried them at home so far, but it seems to just sink into the skin and keeps everything moving smoothly with no chafe. She’s used for anything from jogging to summer dress wearing to beach protection. And this stuff is sweat/water proof! I’ll report back later with my own experiences on the beach this week!
AND I’m back with very little chafing! The Body Glide worked wonderfully and would generally last most of the day – certainly the entire time I was wandering the resort and hanging out at the beach (and definitely after swimming). I’d usually reapply in the evening, mostly ‘just in case’. The one time I had issues wasn’t the products fault buy my own after thinking that the shorts I wore were long enough (they weren’t).
And I’m glad I brought it, because the boyfriend was on crutches the entire time and the Body Glide prevented the crutches from chafing his underarms!
Anyways, I think this product will be opening up the whole world of skirt/dress wearing for me – while I love my Bandalettes, they’re just awkward enough that I don’t want to deal with them in daily wear.
I’ve been using the Monistat gel for years. It works great! I don’t find it wears off too easily. I have a tube in the bathroom and one in my purse!
This is such an awesome discussion! I have made some adapted espresso leggings as shorts that have worked great, as others have done here, but used heat gear fabric from Under Armor that I got from Rockywoods.com. As it is bright red, I can’t wear it under everything, but it breathe really well and feels great.
I found it! http://www.rockywoods.com/Fabrics-Kits/Under-Armour-HeatGear
I may need to get some other colors – it is great stuff, wears well – and has odor control???!
I use solid stick deodorant. Works for me and is cheaper than the body glide stuff.
I have body glide that I use mostly for running. It comes in a stick like deodorant. It is also great for every day use though.
I’ve been there done that with bandalettes. For me they roll up or, so embarrassing, drop down to my ankle mid-stride. Petti-pants wad up in my crotch and I get chafing from them that is worse than the skin-skin chafing. All the shapewear I have tried rolls down around my waist or hip because I have curvy hips with a tiny waist – they’re just not shaped for me. Good old talc has been my fail-safe though when the thermometer hits 45c I find I’m patting more on every 3-4 hours. Reading all of these great responses/experiences, I think I may just have to chase away the ‘too scared to make lingerie’ boogeyman and have a go. Anti-wicking fabric sounds good with lingerie elastic for waist and cuffs so it looks at least a little feminine rather than utilitarian. Now to find the perfect pattern and the courage
I absolutely cannot live without my compression shorts in the summer. I splurge, and go for the under armour brand since they are super comfy and fairly breathable as far as spandex goes since they have the fancy “sweat wicking technology”.
I swear by bandelettes. The only time I’ve had rolling issues is when I gained weight and my main pair at that time had become too small. I do find that they need replacing after around a year of frequent use, but for $15, I can deal.
There’s also Chaffree.com based out of the UK, but they ship elsewhere too. They have anti-microbial and wicking fabric to help with “swamp crotch”. 😀
I use “bike shorts” that are really just my Cake Espresso leggings hemmed to a mid-thigh length. I make these out of activewear fabric/supplex (FabricMart gets these fabrics in fairly regularly on their website) to help with the hot & sweaty factor. They only take about 3/4 yard of fabric and a half hour of time to make. It’s not the most exciting sewing, but they get a lot of wear.
I had high hopes for Bandalettes and tried a pair, but I think that my thigh circumferences changes too much over the length of the Bandlettes, and I had issues with them rolling down.
I’ve tried BodyGlide (anti-chafing stick for runners) and think it’s great for say, walking the dog, or running a few errands, but not so great for work days, when I typically have a bit of a hike to the office to and from my commuter bus stop at the beginning and end of my day. (Of course, I could remember to throw it in my bag and re-apply in the women’s bathroom at work, but eh…)
ME TOO! Except not out of fancy fabric. I”m making my sister some for her birthday this weekend!
The monistat gel is the shiznit. It does wear off and I find, on particularly sweaty days, I may need to reapply every hour or so (I have to carry it in my purse). Bonus, if you end up with chaffing because you ended up doing more walking than you expected, slap that stuff on over the top and it’s very soothing. It does double duty.
Interesting info but I’m surprised not to see any ideas about sewing some! I have made some shorts from my self drafted leggings pattern, just using lingerie elastic at the top, they don’t even need a hem which makes them less visible under tight fitting dresses. I actually prefer the pair that I made from a pull on shorts pattern (any PJ pattern would probably work, just size down if its for wovens) as they are loose fitting. Lose the waistband or casing and just use lingerie elastic at the top. Steph from cake patterns is working on her next collection and there is a skirt pattern that contains a “shorts lining” for chaffing/modesty and can easily be made as a stand alone, though I haven’t tried it yet.
My favorite fabric is a very lightweight nylon lycra blend. I’ve searched high and low for a fabric like this to use for panties and shorts and the best I’ve found is what Joann’s sells as “swimsuit lining”. I wish I could recommend something that everyone could find, but I simply haven’t found the equivalent elsewhere.
Thigh chafe is not only a concern for the curvy. For comfort especially on a sweaty day (and so I can do a cartwheel in a dress if I’m feeling it!), I wear good old fashioned slip shorts not too unlike a “tap pant.” They retain the airy, breezy feel of a skirt and you can make them in a breathable sheer cotton or light silk (china or jersey) rather than a synthetic. The key for me is using wide lace elastic towards the top for the waistband and upper hip so that it doesn’t get bulky about the waist area. Pattern-wise, any simple pant can be fairly easily adapted. Not tight but not too loose either, kind of “city-jogger pant” ease through the hips, crotch, and thighs and smooth at the waist and upper waist.
I swear by the jockey slip shorts. I even keep a pair in my suitcase on the off chance I forget to pack some when I’m travelling abroad.
I’m excited to try some of the options mentioned. For now, I’ve been using Chamois Butt’r, which is primarily used by cyclists. Comes in small tubes too for travel.
I’ve tried anti-chaffing creams, etc. and they don’t last long enough. I’ve been wearing the Jockey slipshorts for several years and am reasonably happy with them. But I’m always on the lookout for a cotton alternative. Has anyone tried The Big Bloomer Company? They sell 100% cotton long-leg knickers for $27.00 a pair (converted from pounds sterling), in white and black only. I’m still a beginner so I don’t think I’m ready for sewing my own. Oh, and the Undersummers lace shortlet is adorable.
I actually like the jockey brand because their not cotton. I sweat a lot around my thighs and I can see cotton getting really heavy and chafing because it absorbs.
I love the deodorant suggestions – will have to try that! I’ve also used Body Glide, another sports product.
Actually, Jan Bones designed a pattern specifically for this purpose, the shortie legging (http://www.sewinglingerie.com/patterns/shortie-legging.html). She makes them and wears them under her skirts all summer. And then she makes a version of her long undies to wear under skirts & pants in winter to keep warm (http://www.sewinglingerie.com/patterns/long-undies.html).
I’ve made some bike shorts from my espresso leggings and added a cuff that were so comfy!! I also made Jan’s shortie leggings, except I forgot that my fabric was a bit firmer. So I would have had greater success lapping the seams and trading the elastic at the leg for a cuff in self same fabric. But, that’s a personal preference. Jan’s patterns may look simple, but they are really well designed and her construction and instructions often contain really great tips! Worth buying any time.
Any girdle pattern would also work. My RTW jockey bike shorts/under things have some powernet across the belly and are sewn just like vintage girdles, just with some softer, more pliable nylon lycra. I bought them a size too big so I wouldn’t have any body part overflowing as it seeks equillbrium when the rest of my skin is being squeezed by the jockey’s. It was a good decision as I don’t show flesh bumps on my thighs.
I’ve been wearing the Jockey skimmies for a couple years now and I swear by them. I’ve tried anti-chafe gels, but they just don’t last long enough. I used to purchase shapewear thigh-shaping shorts in a size larger than recommended so that I could get the anti-chafe protection without the squeezing and muffin-top roll at the waist, but now that Jockey sells Skimmies, I don’t have to. A couple of my pair are falling apart now (the stitching isn’t all it should be at the waist on these pair), and I’ll use them as a pattern for making my own.
Powdered deoderant works perfectly for me, don’t need to buy any fancy garments — just need to apply to armpits and inner thighs in the morning and voila! Chafe-free!
I’m with Laura’s solution, though I’m still a couple of months away from 60. Pettipants — not sure what they are called now or if they are still available, are a sort of culotte (or divided skirt) slip. I found one several years ago and would like to make more, but out of a more comfortable fabric than the synthetic it’s made of. Silk, maybe? It would have to allow the dress or skirt to flow over top without static cling.
They are totally still available. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pettipants
I love Bandalettes! Am actually wearing a pair now at home because they’re so comfy. The wide silicone on the edges really work well for me. Bonus: Shipping all the way from LA (?) to Norway took about a week.
Interesting timing! I just bought some stretch lace to try and make bandalettes, because ordering them from Canada would cost something like $45 – for two scraps of stretch lace. Can’t bring myself to do it. I often wear bike shorts, but I hate how hot they make me. I will experiment and see if I can come close.
In the reviews, it sounds like there’s some sort of gripper elastic in there. Might have to place a Bramaker’s supply order.
I usually carry talcum powder with me as well, but I don’t like the scented kind, and even the unscented seems to have a medicinal smell.
Ginna – you may wish to consider a wicking fabric (supplex feels like cotton) or a cotton for bike shorts. Jan Bones told me she makes her shortie legging in a cotton and wears that under her skirts all summer. It would definitely be cooler!
On the gripper elastic, you may want to try it out by wearing a pair of RTW bike shorts that already have it. I found it leaves marks or blister like burns because it likes to stay in place rather than move. Maybe that’s just my body though… thigh length hems tend to want to move up and down as I move. I think the concept of it is awesome, but it didn’t ever seem to work for my body shape.
Last year I started sewing all my own shapewear and now make my own. I use a pattern from Christine Johnson which is originally a true shapewear underwear pattern. Purchased at Pattern Review as a download. It is based on two layers of knit fabric. I modify this to just one layer. They look and feel like the Jockey version mentioned in this article. Cutting and sewing takes me less than one hour. And I just use fabric that I don’t care for but is still in my stash. For the deep winter -25 days I like them a bit longer, for hot summer days they are a bit shorter.
Thanks for the tip! I love finding out about new patterns to try for shapewear. I have skipped Christine Johnson’s stuff because … the fashion illustration is drawn on a body that it tall and skinny. So I figured they weren’t designed for curves. Good to know someone else has used them and likes them. Here’s the pattern I think you’re talking about, yes? http://www.cjpatterns.com/BodyShaper-816.htm
Jenny, Perfect timing on this article as I am in the process of making two pairs (one black and one champagne) of slip shorts. I like mine looser, like running shorts, and about 5-6″ inseam. I am using Kaufman Radiance fabric (it is 55% cotton 45% silk) which is extremely lightweight and breathable since it is made up of natural fibers. I use narrow French seams with the silky side out and lingerie elastic at the waist. They are SO comfortable! The fabric holds up very well (I made a pair of lakeside pajamas out of it two years ago; they have been through many wash/dry cycles and still look new). I drafted the pattern a few years ago (I think from a pair of pajama capris that fit really well) so I can’t recommend a pattern. I have tried deodorant and talcum, but I still get uncomfortable with those. This has been the best solution for me.
Great tips, thank you!
I usually wear Sloggie underwear (which are a little bit longer then boxer shorts) and I’ve had them for years now but they don’t sell them anymore (made of 95% cotton and 5% lycra perfect for Summer) so instead I use old tights (which I wear during Winter/Spring), I cut them off above the knee and they move upwards then and that works great (I only use sheer tights for this). I’m def going to look for the Banda letter, hope they are available in the Netherlands ☺
I use my deodorant to stop the “rub”. I already have it on hand and do not have to reapply because it lasts up to 24 hours.
Yeah, this is what I do, too. I use the Secret clear gel antiperspirant and it works great!
Wow I’ve never heard that before, I’m def going to try this, thank you!
Same here. Works like a charm.
For those who use deodorant (and find that it lasts), what brand do you use?
Lanacane is great. Another options is Udderly Smooth Chamois Anti Chaffing Cream with Shea Butter. This stuff is also good and comes in a big tub and is cheaper. You can’t feel it when it’s on – very light and it works very well. Many anti-chaff products are marketed to sports people, so we have something in common with the lean and very fit.
I got mine from amazon – I’ve not seen it in the shops.
I personally go for the shapewear short option because I like to smooth out my tummy a bit. But I have been tempted to make my own (just got to get around to it). For a pattern, I would suggest kwik sew who specialise in stretch fabrics. My fabric choice would be a cotton lycra – still breathes comfortably but has stretch for movement and a firm fit and you can get it in varying degrees of density or thickness.
Thanks for the recommendation for the anti-chafing gel. I was looking for something like but I had no idea what it was called.
As an 80 year old woman trapped in a 40 year old body. I am a huge fan of pettipants- like a slip but with separate legs.
Oh man, I thought those would be a good thing for me too. I bought a pair and I tried those and ended up with a WAD of fabric between my legs (the entire inseam wadded up at the crotch curve. BOO!). Then kept doing the “get thee down damn fabric” dance all day. It was funny. I’m glad they work for you though!!!
Ha ha. I love your description. I’m kind of an 80 year old woman trapped in a 50 year old body. I just bought a vintage pettipant pattern on eBay. I actually think they have a kind of retro coolness. At least that’s what I’m telling myself! I’m with you on the bandalettes–I just don’t see how they could possibly stay in place.
I wear the same thing. I don’t love nylon, but occasionally will wear a pair under a skirt. It’s slippery enough that it doesn’t wad up.
I’m so happy to see this issue addressed, especially with the seeming emphasis on skirts and dresses on this site. Thank you for the ideas — bandalettes weren’t even on my radar.