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The other day, one of my coworkers mentioned hearing that the average woman holds on to her favourite pieces of clothing for twelve years. I remarked that we all should be so lucky, because if I wear a favourite pair of pants twice a week, the inner thigh will be pilly in about two weeks to a month, depending on the fabric. If the pants are crap quality, the inner seam will likely give in about two months. Decently made pants hold up at the seam, but the fabric is no match for the friction of my thighs of doom. The leg will become threadbare and holey after about six months. I have considered five choices to preserve trousers:
1. Buy multiple pairs when I find something I like that fits. This isn't always feasible due to budgetary concerns.
2. Wear skirts instead. Tights seem to be less prone to thigh rub-out. When I go barelegged, I can use deodorant to prevent chub rub and the skin equivalent of pants-holes.
3. Treat favourites delicately. Preserve them for fairly sedentary activities, and don't wear them to work when I'm on my feet and moving for eight hours. This option sucks, because I like to feel good about what I'm wearing at work.
4. I briefly entertained the idea of going back to wearing ridiculously wide legged pants like a 90's candy raver or inept skate kid. I used to wear these type of pants exclusively, and had few problems with chub rub, probably because there wasn't the additional strain of the pant leg being tight against my thigh.
5. The worst one of all: Put patches on the thigh. I'm sure that there is a stylish or subtle way to do this, but I keep having flashbacks to my chub childhood when my mum suggested leather patches on the inside of my already humiliating elastic waisted jeans. I also remember the iron-on patches she did use, and how they made a sort of nylon-y WHOOSH sound when I walked fast. WHOOSHWHOOSHWHOOSH. When I wore those pants or corduroys, it was like a cat bell declaring that a dork was approaching.
A particularly loved pair of jeans are starting to hit the biscuit. I wish it didn't have to be so soon, the wash hasn't even faded too much. I know that I can get another pair, but it means trying them on to make sure they are just right and then breaking them in. If I could find a pair of trousers that were Kevlar/lycra blend, I'd pay out the nose for them to avoid having to deal with the inevitable and untimely demise of cotton pants.
Readers have left 6 comments. No.1 Untitled
this post perfectly captures why pants--that is, when i can find any worthy of adorning my glorious ass-- and i have such a complicated relationship, and why i have such an expansive wardrobe.
i opt for the strategies you outlined in one 1 & 2.
when it does come time to get pants (like when the weather hovers at -45 for several weeks on end) i pray 1)for a sale at the one place that cuts pants to fit me.
2)that they'll have size left
3)they will come in a colour other than black
we deserve better. there's no question. No.2 Untitled
YES!!! And I have soooo bought like 3 of something (when possible) if they are my fave. In fact, I'm upset because I love The Avenue's Denim Lite straight leg jeans (have four pair) and I wanted them in black (they didn't used to come in black) I ordered two pair and when they came, they totally changed the sizing!!! I was so confidant in my always perfect jeans that I washed them before trying them on! I'm screwed now. I guess I'll have to have them altered. Good point about chub rub on trousers. No.3 Untitled
Nooooo! So sad to lose a fave pair of pants to chub rub. I find the problem seems to be with coarser fabrics - cotton, denim, corduroy. With my work pants, if they're a well-lined cotton/acrylic blend, they never seem to fall victim to chub rub, especially if I wear (the much dreaded) hose underneath. Then again, my thighs are not the biggest part of me, either. So maybe I'm just lucky.
Also, the idea of leather patches is horrifying! Might as well just wear leather pants and call it a day. No.4 Untitled
I decided around the beginning of the year that I would buy no pants in 2008 - the torment to my self-esteem isn't really worth it, when I can find skirts or dresses that are more flattering to my shape.
It's difficult, though, because there are days that I am just freezing, and I shovel a pair of jeans under whatever else it is I'm wearing. But that doesn't really make me feel good about what I'm wearing at work.
*sigh* No.5 Untitled
WHOOSHWHOOSHWHOOSH. When I wore those pants or corduroys, it was like a cat bell declaring that a dork was approaching.
ROFLLLLLLl!!! ZOMG I just had SUCH a dweeby childhood flashback. No.6 Untitled
The chub rub thigh wear out is a big part of why I mostly gave up pants. I do have one super cute part of pink cords though. But every time I wear them, when I undress for the day, I hold them up and look at just how sadly thin the fabric has already become. |
