Keep me from literally freezing my a** off

December 1, 2011 6:53 PM

Searching for women's long underwear bottoms that are compatible with an, ahem, "generous" backside. I need an insulating, wicking base layer (not cotton) to wear under my fleece pants and snowpants for snowmobiling in Minnesota, in conditions possibly as extreme as, say, -20 F.

I wear a US women's size 12 or 14, with around a 12 inch difference between my waist & hips, so pants tend to gap at the back. My last few pairs of long underwear have been a disappointment. They mostly stay put for walking and snowblowing, but sitting and crouching while snowmobiling sends them into the dreaded and uncomfortable plumber's butt territory.

My husband's long underwear have a drawstring waist. It seems like this would be the ideal solution, but I have yet to find them in a women's version. Does such a thing exist? (all the Google shopping results so far are pages that have women's long underwear and drawstring pants as separate items, not women's long underwear with a drawstring)

Also, to avoid making this an XY problem - any other long underwear suggestions for my body type?

posted by superna to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

What brand/style/material have your last few pairs been?

I am about your size and am very happy with Ibex or Smartwool merino base layer, but I am only in the Pacific Northwest, nowhere near as cold as Minnesota. But I wear a pair under my jeans all winter, and they stay put about the same as my underwear does, i.e. not riding up or down.
posted by librarina at 7:54 PM on December 1, 2011

Also, how are your sewing skills? Are you comfortable creating a hem and adding a drawstring to an existing pair of pants?
posted by librarina at 7:57 PM on December 1, 2011

I was going to suggest a polypro union suit but it looks like they're difficult to find in ladies' sizes. Something like this.
posted by jessamyn at 7:58 PM on December 1, 2011

Have you tried wearing a pair of underwear on top of the long underwear, to keep them in place? I am your size, and I find that this (big pairs, though- briefs or boyshorts) works for tights- keeps them from riding down or gaping at the crotch. I think it would work for long underwear as well. It would be a cheaper to try it before field-testing a bunch of new kinds of long underwear.
posted by aabbbiee at 8:00 PM on December 1, 2011

Response by poster: The pairs I still have around are Duofold and a store brand that's been washed too much to read the tag, others were Target store brands/not notable brands. Know I need to overcome my cheapness and get a good pair, but want to avoid spending money on repeating the same problems.

Adding a drawstring is an intriguing idea. I do not have a functioning sewing machine, but do a little hand sewing. Maybe I could get a pair oversized so they have enough fabric in the tush and alter them.

I'd consider a union suit, if I could find one friendly to my build and with a "trapdoor". Being a woman already makes me the slowest on the bathroom stops.

Layering granny panties over top might work, and would either amuse or horrify my husband!

Thanks for the ideas!
posted by superna at 8:45 PM on December 1, 2011

Response by poster: On the union suit note, I am only 5' 3", so excess length is an issue, especially in one piece garments.
posted by superna at 8:50 PM on December 1, 2011

I am a woman. I have a giant ass. I have been sooooo pleased with Cabela's heavyweight silk tops and bottoms. I totally thought that Cabela's would fail me as a woman but I love them. I downhill ski in them when the weather is in the mid 20's with only some rainpants over them so they are pretty warm. I even hang out in them in my apartment and I am not one to hang out in my underpants. They even wash well.
posted by Foam Pants at 10:29 PM on December 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

I might not have quite the size difference in hip to waist you do, but most of my pants gap in the back and I am a size 12/14. I buy LL Bean's silk long underwear and the silk seems to let it stretch where it needs to be while not gaping at the waist.
posted by katers890 at 6:42 AM on December 2, 2011

I have similar proportion problems, and I adore these fleece tights from Terramar.
posted by rosa at 1:22 PM on December 2, 2011

Just insert an elastic band in the tube that normally makes up the waste of such garments. Use a safety pin to pull it round. Secure well and you're good to go.
posted by koahiatamadl at 5:13 AM on December 3, 2011

oops: waste = waist
posted by koahiatamadl at 5:16 AM on December 3, 2011

I am super late to this question, but I have a pair of Nike men's fleece running tights that are perfect. There's elastic at the top to keep things cinched in, and the male anatomy sections stretch to cover the female booty. They look like these.
posted by Maarika at 8:01 PM on December 5, 2011

Response by poster: If anyone's wondering: shortly after posting this, I wound up at a Gander Mountain store and discovered their Guide Series women's long underwear bottoms are stocked on hangers, not in packages, so you can actually try them on. And they were on sale :-)

Wore them on several snowmobiling trips last winter and stayed nice and warm. The combination of enough fabric and stretch and a nice wide comfortable waistband keeps them in place very well.
posted by superna at 11:37 AM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]