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What to wear under unlined midi skirts

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

What’s not fun to buy: underpinnings! No matter how many I own, I never seem to have exactly what I need.

I have a few unlined midi skirts and struggle with what to wear underneath. I like “slip shorts” or bike shorts to prevent chub rub because I walk a lot for my commute. But some of the skirts are a bit transparent and I believe a slip would be good when wearing those in strong sunlight. I was taught that it’s not good etiquette to have your, umm, crotch silhouette visible through the skirt, so I like something that covers waist to mid thigh.

But a slip doesn’t prevent chub rub, and I can’t imagine wearing BOTH shorts and slip under a skirt in summer. Also, it’s hard to find slips that are swishy rather than skintight “for smoothing.”

So I guess what I need are loose, lightweight shorts with a flat waist?? Does such a thing exist?? What do you all wear under longer skirts?

Shopping

45 replies

Latest reply was from hereforthecake

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I wear unlined midis all the time! All flared. I wear boy shorts or full panties. Very secure and structured. Nothing flimsy.

Anonymous

I wear slips for anything even slightly sheer. These thin fabrics are a huge pet peeve of mine, and I've taken to holding up everything to the light to see how opaque they are. 98% of them fail!

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

The other issue is buttons down the front of a skirt, which gape right over the crotch when I sit down. Irritating!

Kathie

Veteran

My skirts are all lined, or thick enough that this isn’t an issue. But, I do have a couple half slips, on of which is more swishy. It is hard to find them.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

If it was good enough for Princess Diana to show her shape through a thin skirt in about 1980, it’s probably OK for us

Liesbeth

Veteran

I wouldn't purchase anything that you can see through so I don't have a solution. I would wear bike shorts for modesty when cycling. And dark pantyhose in winter.
I do wonder if your etiquette requirement (though I do understand it!) had become superfluous in this day and age and you can suffice with your usual bike shorts?

RobinF

Veteran

I do slip shorts under skirts and dresses. I still own some old slips but can't remember the last time I wore one. I think I would only worry about it if the skirt is quite sheer. Then I would probably wear a slip and shorts together.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

In warm weather, I just wear the skirt (with undies, of course). I don't worry about it. If it is so sheer that it's really see through, I probably wouldn't buy it. But if it just shows an outline in strong light, no problem.

Having said that, I admit to LOVING my J. Crew liberty print midi precisely because it is light cotton lawn lined in cotton lawn. Brilliant.

In cold weather I'm wearing tights under the skirt anyway, so it's not an issue.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

How about the hybrid? We used to call them pettipants.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wom.....gI6LfD_BwE

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I feel the same way you do. Cjh made the suggestion I wanted to offer, though I would’ve called them bloomers. Is there a cool Chinese version?

ETA: etsy has plenty. Besides the above names, they also call them French knickers & tap pants (which I thought were shorter & sexier).
https://www.etsy.com/listing/6.....llery-1-26
https://www.etsy.com/listing/7.....llery-1-31
https://www.etsy.com/listing/6.....llery-1-26 https://www.etsy.com/listing/7.....llery-1-31

Also, how much do you want these to hide? You do layers so well, I wouldn’t be surprised if you came up with a cool & unique way to deal with this

ophelia

Veteran

I hate polyester but bite the bullet and wear slips if the fabric is at all sheer. See-through won’t fly at my job. It kind of ruins the cool cotton skirt effect though.
Vermont Country Store sells 100% cotton slips. When I bought mine years ago, they only offered white. They do not lie as flat or have the slip (ha) of poly, but they feel much better.
I also look for skirts with cotton linings.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

My skirts don’t tend to be sheer, but I have one dress (unworn for the last two years, hmmm) that requires a full slip, so I got a nice one from Commando. I have some vintage half slips that I almost never wear but keep them just in case. Maybe because my skirts are mostly dark and/or patterned, this doesn’t seem to be an issue? Anyway, I wondered if pettipants might be a solution for you.

Diana

Veteran

I wear pettipants like cjh linked up above. Honestly I prefer them to slip shorts for summer anyway, because they’re breezier.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

You all are so wise and helpful! I DO have and love some pettipants that I use for winter- perhaps a slightly shorter version would do the trick!
It is entirely possible I am operating on Victorian etiquette here. Who cares if my silhouette is occasionally visible? We all have legs, after all, no big surprise there.... (face palm)

always trying

Veteran

I have am old black slip in case I ever needed it, but normally I do not by anything I need to wear anything under it.

delurked

Veteran

I’ve got one slip I’ve had for many years. I’m also looking for slips for myself. Sometimes it fits the bill better than anything else. I haven’t found just the right new slip yet, but it is on my radar. I don’t care if people consider them old fashioned. Often they simply make the garment wear better.

Sara L.

Veteran

I occasionally wear a slip but it's usually not because the fabric is sheer but because the skirt fabric is sticking to my tights (in winter) or my underwear (in summer). Like delurked says, some skirts and dresses just lay better with a slip underneath.

JAileen

Veteran

I would definitely wear a slip. I have quite a few, collected over the years. I wear them so the skirt or dress hangs properly, but also for modesty.

nemosmom

Veteran

I have a slip and will reach for it to prevent static (like Sara L mentioned), but if it's hot I'll reach for the slip shorts instead (sweaty chub rub is the worst) and the slip shorts don't usually cause cling.

Echo

Veteran

I agree about pettipants; they prevent chafing and are loose enough to function as a slip. And I always wear a slip with see-through fabrics.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I should add that I do own a couple of half slips -- inherited from my mother. But I rarely put them on.

Christina F.

Veteran

I usually just try to stay away from see through fabrics. If it's only going to be see through in very strong sunlight, it's probably okay - I just mind that my undies aren't of a color that would show through unduly.

I am intrigued by pettipants, though! I hate chub rub, but slip shorts always ride up and aren't comfortable on me.

Phoebe1

I wear half slips a lot. I have a short slip that sees a lot of action, and two longer ones that will see more action as hemlines have come down. All three of these slips are >20 years old, so could stand to be replaced, LOL.

I prefer a slip to anything "shaping" when I want smoothing, and I also need a slip (in the absence of a lining) in the cooler weather when I wear tights, to prevent static cling. Even in the summer, I find that a slip helps under an unlined dress when I have cotton underwear (which I prefer) on, so that the dress doesn't get "caught" on the cotton fabric but rather slides over the silky poly of the slip. I am built in such a way that chub rub isn't really a problem for me.

I think slips may be dying out. It seems like none of the young women in my office wears them. One of them was complaining to me about cling one time and I said, "try a slip" and it was like she had never heard of such a thing, lol.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I like slip shorts, pettipants and slips but probably wear slip shorts the most often, which is still not very often at all.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I do think slips may be dying out, as I just don’t see them for sale. And when I do it’s only full slips, not half. I guess nobody likes buying them!

The Cat

Veteran

When needed, I wear slips or half slips, not only for modesty, but because many skirts and dresses just hang much nicer then. But I agree that going slipless often FEELS more comfortable, in particular on hot days, so I consider the temperature, light (!), occasion and audience.

Regarding Jenni's comment about Princess Diana, I would like to point to the fact that Lady Diana was not yet a member of the royal family, but was working in a kindergarten when she suddenly found herself surrounded by photographers who shoot those famous photos of her wearing a slipless skirt that because of the strong light appeared see-through. It was later reported that she felt embarrassed. So I don't think this is a great example to use in favour of going slipless in public.

RobinF

Veteran

I didn't realize anyone still sold pettipants! I had some that I loved and wore out and didn't realize I could replace.

JAileen

Veteran

A couple years ago I looked for slips at Macy’s but I couldn’t find any. But they had them online:

https://www.macys.com/shop/sea.....yword=Slip

Nordstrom has them, too:

https://shop.nordstrom.com/sr?.....igation-_-

nemosmom

Veteran

Oooh, these??

Natori Benefit Half Slip Shorts

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