Ladies (and some gents): What do you wear under your skirt?

January 19, 2006 5:37 PM

Ladies (and some gents): What do you wear under your skirt?

While I'm normally found in jeans and a t-shirt, I do like wearing a skirt once in a while. Now, I don't know if this is only for plus-sized gals or if most women have this problem, but when I do, my thighs will rub together, sweat, and chafe. I usually sidestep this problem by wearing some shorts underneath the skirt, but this isn't an ideal solution--they get too bunchy and bulky. I don't wear pantyhose, spandex shorts just make me feel gross, men's boxer-briefs don't fit me well and typically are too short, and the only long-leg underwear I find online is either the tight body-shaping kind or granny panties.

Is there anyplace that sells nice cotton undies with a leg that comes to around mid-thigh? Barring that, heck, how feasible would it be to start my own small online business selling these suckers? There must be a market for them.

posted by lychee to clothing, beauty, & fashion (30 answers total)

Mormon garments cover the thigh, but that seems like a lot of work just stop a little rubbing. heh.

maybe one of those "body shaper" things available in most lingiere departments?
posted by nadawi at 5:44 PM on January 19, 2006

I wear plain cotton shorts from Cotton Ginny under skirts. They have no pockets, very light seams and edgings, and I don't have a bunching problem if I get ones with decently tight hems. Alternately, I have a pair of shorts made out of powernet that descend past my knee and also don't bunch, but can't be worn under skirts that are only knee length.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:47 PM on January 19, 2006

boy shorts
posted by k8t at 5:49 PM on January 19, 2006

You might try some BodyGlide, you can get it at sports stores -- runners and other athletes use it to prevent chafing. There are also these panties, a bit pricy but if you don't wear skirts that often it might be worth it.
posted by redheadeb at 5:54 PM on January 19, 2006

Over at the Livejournal community Fatshionista there are a number of entries on this topic, which they call "chub rub." (Fatshionista is a great resource for stylin' women of size.)

Personally I wear lycra/spandex bike shorts (the kind without padding). Some big girl shops carry a similar thing as lingerie. (I found mine at Avenue, but I don't see them on their website.) I find that a simple, unreinforced model is most comfortable -- "bodyshapers" are too binding.

Another option is a product called Bodyglide. It's a skin lubricant originally designed for athetes, and it lasts pretty much all day and solves the chafing issue quite well.
posted by ottereroticist at 6:01 PM on January 19, 2006

A friend of mine swears by putting anti-perspirant on the afflicted area in the mornings - it seals the pores and therefore helps with the sweat/chafing.
posted by Lotto at 6:04 PM on January 19, 2006

What you want is called either a split slip, or a culotte slip, I think. I like these kind of slips because they're made out of satin or some other sliky fabric that glides nicely, so I don't feel like I'm adding bulk under my clothes. I also like that it would keep everyone from seeing my undies if a stiff breeze came up. :)
posted by MsMolly at 6:07 PM on January 19, 2006

Cuddl Duds short pants are pretty much what you're looking for. I'll totally vouch for their comfynes.
posted by desuetude at 6:07 PM on January 19, 2006

comfyness, comfiness, whatever.
posted by desuetude at 6:08 PM on January 19, 2006

I wear a Utilikilt. I wear nothing under it.

But, I own no underwear, so I don't have a lot of choice. I'm aware of the abnormality of that.
posted by Netzapper at 6:09 PM on January 19, 2006

Googling "long leg" cotton panties seems to turn up quite a bit. Some "tighties", some not.

Yes, they're pretty "granny".

Here are some cotton ones, though.

Me - I want some good ol' fashioned Days of The Week panties.
posted by ersatzkat at 6:14 PM on January 19, 2006

I swear by Spanx Power Panties.

No, they're not cotton, but they breathe well, much better than regular hose or spandex shorts. Plus, they're comfortable and (I like to think) quite slimming.
posted by peppermint22 at 6:24 PM on January 19, 2006

Thanks all. That LJ community seems like a great resource, and those cuddle duds are the type I'm looking for, though expensive! Ersatzkat, thanks for finding cheap granny panties.
posted by lychee at 6:26 PM on January 19, 2006

Another option is a product called Bodyglide. It's a skin lubricant originally designed for athetes, and it lasts pretty much all day and solves the chafing issue quite well.

awesome. they sell this at the store near where i work. If this works maybe i can finally run again without hating life for a week! THANK YOU!
posted by fishfucker at 6:45 PM on January 19, 2006

I always found bike shorts, foundation garments, and the like a bit too heavy for me. I just needed a bit of something, a tiny wisp of fabric, to keep the chub rub at bay. A pair of old tights trimmed down fit the bill exactly.

When a pair of tights reached the end of their life (which, for me, usually happens when a toe pokes through the footie end), I would put them on (the better to control and predict the effects of trimming) and, using sharp scissors, cut around each leg several inches above the knee. You can adjust the length as you like, but essentially you will be left with a very light-weight version of bike shorts. Bonus: they are are a free by-product of regular tights-wearing; they are already in colors you commonly wear.
posted by Elsa at 6:59 PM on January 19, 2006

Fishfucker—it really does work. Runners tend to use it for thighs and even nipples. I've used it for parts of my feet, since I play racquetball with supremely awful shoes. (Apologies for threadjack.)
posted by disillusioned at 6:59 PM on January 19, 2006

Monistat just came out with this sort of thing- just like BodyGlide, but a bit more powdery. They also have a powder that helps keep moisture at bay. I have used both (BG and the Soothing Care) and like the new Monistat stuff better.
I have found the tight, panty-like biker shorts invariably roll at the seam on the leg-- not cool. I also have used the split-slips, and they, if they have some lacy thing on the edge, can do the same.
Incidentally, even when I was skinny (Irish dancing weight, no less), the "chub rub" still happened to me, so I have a lot of experimental experience.
posted by oflinkey at 7:59 PM on January 19, 2006

I've always been fine with simple baby powder. Often applied before I put tights/hose on.
posted by anastasiav at 8:18 PM on January 19, 2006

Bloomers!
posted by rschroed at 8:33 PM on January 19, 2006

Okay, I'm confused. Do your legs (I presume you mean inner thighs) rub together normally, or just when you wear a skirt? If the latter, what is the skirt doing to cause that?
posted by phrontist at 9:33 PM on January 19, 2006

Could I piggyback here? Would Bodyglide be useful for someone wearing trousers? My husband is carrying a little extra chub on his legs recently and has actually abraded and ruined the inside of his trouser legs from his inner thighs rubbing together (or else Mark's Work Wearhouse has just started making shoddy trousers.)
posted by maudlin at 9:38 PM on January 19, 2006

phrontist, when wearing pants the upper thigh rub isn't such a problem, because the pants get in the way and keep skin from rubbing on skin. It's the skin on skin rubbing that is unpleasant. (This, at least, is what I assume the poster meant. It's certainly what I experience. Actually just the thought of that feeling is making me shudder).
posted by MadamM at 9:47 PM on January 19, 2006

Anyone else immediately think why not just switch to wearing skorts?

I mean, they're like way cooler than regular skirts.

Skorts.

Skorts.
posted by incessant at 11:53 PM on January 19, 2006

Another vote for plain old baby powder. Especially useful for really hot days when you can't bare to have anything touching your skin (or when chafing is so severe it's practically blistering... ouch). I used to carry a travel version of Johnson's baby powder around in my purse to re-apply as neccessary throughout the day.
posted by zharptitsa at 11:54 PM on January 19, 2006

Oh and I second Spanx as well. Spanx has lots of underwear type products and they're all awesome.
posted by zharptitsa at 12:05 AM on January 20, 2006

I found a garter belt more comfortable than pantyhose--but that was sixty pounds ago. I only recently found Diki,a British company that sells full-figured silk lingerie (sold here and at a few other sites) and stockingirl, which sells full figure stockings, but I haven't tried wearing them out yet.
posted by brujita at 2:29 AM on January 20, 2006

I agree with the bodyglide.

Also, I don't think this helps with the ruining of the inside of your pants, becuase that happens from the pants rubbing together - you can't stop that with bodyglide.
posted by dpx.mfx at 6:50 AM on January 20, 2006

"Nothing's worn. It's all in perfect working order."
posted by plinth at 7:36 AM on January 20, 2006

I would definitely try Bodyglide inside the pants. I used it to prevent blisters with a pair of new boots -- rubbed it on the inside of the boot, on the outside of the sock, and on my heel. So I know it works on leather and fabric, as well as on skin.
posted by ottereroticist at 7:42 AM on January 20, 2006

(or else Mark's Work Wearhouse has just started making shoddy trousers.)

MWW was purchased by Cdn Tire within the past two years. I dunno about you, but I've noticed a quality loss. Very sad, that.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:04 AM on January 20, 2006