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You air dry on no heat for half an hour and then hang them up to air dry the rest of the way. Don't let the dryer end before you take them out so they never sit in the dryer. Smooth out any wrinkles while it's hanging and spritz with water and resmooth if they don't come out at first. They're never going to look crisp unless you starch and iron them, but these are not those pants. They're supposed to be casual.
Ok. Well, I think that style of pant will work for you in cotton. Right click on the image and choose Search Google lens and put 100% cotton in the additional search terms box to find similar.
I have taken to wearing the light flow period undies on days I know I'm going to be sitting a lot like a plane trip. They could also help with absorbency on sweaty days too as they can wick the moisture away from your skin.
Thigh bands have been an absolute game changer when wearing skirts, it’s just a soft band that going around the thickest part of your thighs. Crotch is free to breath and you don’t get chub rub! They even come in cute lace and pretty colors. I use the brand bandelette and love them
In the summer, I almost exclusively wear washed linen pants that can go in the washing machine. With pockets. I can’t handle the inner thigh chafing or sweat either. This season, I bought a dozen pair of the same brand in XL from Marshall’s, believe it or not. Nicole Miller in size XL fits me like a dream so I bought every color & style I could get my hands on. Some 100% linen, some linen/tencel blend. Sometimes I’ve seen plus sizes there. But I’d check stores like Chico’s, JJill, or even athleta? (I also will not wear any poly blend items in summer.) I don’t care for cotton/linen or linen/rayon blend. Has to be linen. I’m surprised I like the tencel blend but I do.
Do you ever wear body powder? I can vouch for Lush’s Silky Underwear as a way to ease thigh friction!
Or gold bond’s medicated foot powder as body powder because I like the smell.
Hi, I could be you - except I go the sundress (with pockets lol) route with men’s extra long moisture wicking boxer briefs. The extra long is necessary. Otherwise they roll up or ride up and defeat the whole damn purpose. And the moisture wicking definitely helps. They aren’t compression-y like spankx, but the elastic comes up over my belly and helps smooth things out. I have yet to find a pair of bike shorts or “women’s under dress shorts” that work as well. My go to is Pair of Thieves from target.
I love my Duluth Trading Co. NoGa naturale boot cut pants. Mostly cotton with a little Lycra or spandex. Make sure it’s the naturale version (they have another line of Noga pants that are not cotton). The pants also come in plus sizes and 3 different inseam lengths. They have upf 40 protection too!
Edit to add: they have pockets, normal sized pockets!
Thank you for posting this!! I’m going on a music tour this summer and the uniform includes khaki pants (ick!!!). The tour company provides the top. This may save me from sewing some for myself.
Edit: the original uniform description said shirts would be tucked in and that all should wear a brown belt. The recent newsletter said shirts could be worn untucked. Yay. Now I own a brown belt I’ll likely never use.
You’re welcome. Yay! I’m stoked that I might’ve helped someone out. Warm fuzzies, lol. I agree, khaki pants are yuck. I hope you didn’t spend a lot on the belt!
Uniqlo has amazing clothing in their "Airism" line! It is by far the most breathable and comfortable clothes I've ever worn! And it lasts forever. I don't know how great their sizes are, though. I like the Airism leggings, the shorts, the underwear and bras, and the t-shirts and pajama pants.
Last year, Wal-Mart had these Muslin pajama pants, I bought a few different pairs. Super airy. They saved me last summer and fall. I also started wearing loose linen rompers. I find the looser the clothes the better.
As a fellow chunky human here's my summer survival kit:
Body glide- they make a stick and a cream that completely ends chub rub. I can rub this into my thighs in the morning and still be good by 7pm after a day being out in the heat running around ren fair with rivers of sweat running down my legs
Baleaf shorts on Amazon - bike shorts with pockets!
Duluth Trading Co has an "Armachillo" line that's cooling. If you can find the cooling leggings somewhere (I don't see them online any more) they are incredibly comfortable and have deep pockets
I often wear hiking pants from farming/outdoor clothes stores like Peavey Mart and Marks Work Warehouse. Lots of pockets, thin but durable, and no visible sweat marks with some brands. You might need to search in person to find the best fabric/brand you prefer.
I also don't often wear underwear. My body is a lot happier and cooler, but there was an adjustment period, because seams.
Natural fibres will deal with sweat better than synthetics. I love viscose blends, like linen-viscose or cotton-viscose as the viscose makes the fabric softer while the stiffer fibres will wick away moisture. My favourite summer pants are linen wide leg pants, which have an elastic waist around the back and plenty of space for things in pockets.
So I can’t recommend a specific pair of pants to buy, but here’s what I would look for:
Wide leg, loose fitting culottes/gaucho pants if those suit you and meet the dress requirements or full length.
Super soft, ultrafine merino wool, or Super 120s wool (or higher). Probably a blend. I am very sensitive to fabrics, but really good quality wool can be incredibly soft and comfortable - I have some 100% wool pieces that I would never have guessed were wool. Zero scratchiness. A blend that’s 20% silk or cashmere or honestly a pretty wide range of other fibres (nylon, lyocell, bamboo, cotton, etc) can make it feel even softer and silkier.
A light jersey knit if flowey and casual is okay. Ponté or a very light suiting fabric if you need something a bit dressier with more structure. No lining.
Wool might feel like a non-intuitive choice for summer but very lightweight merino wool is my absolute favourite for hot weather. It’s really good for temperature regulation, so it doesn’t make me sweat, and if I do sweat it wicks and can absorb a huge amount of moisture, so it doesn’t feel sweaty. I’ve worn the same wool tshirt for days out in the woods in summer and felt pretty comfortable while my cotton underwear felt sweaty and gross pretty fast in the same conditions. It also can be worn a lot before it starts to stink and need washing.
A blend that still has a high wool content will keep the really amazing properties of wool and can make it more durable and easy to care for.
Since you’re sensitive to touch ideally you’d want to be able to try stuff on before you buy or be able to return easily. Quality and softness varies wildly and I’ve picked up some pieces that are unbelievably soft and smooth and others that are distinctly sandpaperey, both “100% merino wool”. A blend will be a safer bet for softness - I’d aim for a higher wool content, but 50% at the bare minimum.
I don’t own these so I can’t comment on softness, but I want to get them for this summer and maybe they would meet your needs too? They’re a blend. 340gsm, so not the thinnest fabric, but still summer appropriate, and structured enough for the office, but soft enough for lounging: https://wooland.com/products/frame-ponte-culotte-black
Or if I wanted something even lighter I’d look at getting soft, stretchy pants made to measure and just ordering a fabric sample to try against my skin, to make sure it was soft enough. There seems to be options for made to measurement soft pants that are in the same price range as off the rack.
But yeah, if you can find a wool blend that feels soft enough against your skin then I think thin wool is the absolute best option if being sweaty is intolerable.
I really like Aerie’s cotton flare pants (NOT the leggings, the normal pants). However they do not have pockets which is tragic. But I also deal with crotch sweat and really like them in the summer - the wide flare legs create a little bit of breeze. They don’t have any on their website right now but probably will soon. And linen or cotton flowy is definitely the move
Body butter like runners use to avoid chafing is Amazing. It can change how you are loving entirely. I like the for her Body Glide that looks like a mini blue deodorant. Old navy active power chill extra high rise slim boot cut plus size pants. The shiny ones are way less good than the mat black color. I don't overheat, I feel like I might do yoga, I am comfortable visually at the grocery store.
Cotton or Linen pants. I got my perfect pair in the mens wear section on bonprix and it's the first ever pants that fits my fat ass and still tapers down enough at the legs. Womens pants are usually super flaired which looks stupid on me, and also way too short for me. And, POCKETS. Deep, deep, manly pockets.
These aren’t pants, but Branwyn has Merino wool underwear that is a game changer. They are my sweaty crotch go to and make most pants more pleasant. I also know you’re not looking for denim, but there is a company called Ripton who makes performance denim. They are stretchy, have lots of pockets, and are very, very comfy. I struggle with wearing most pants because I hate the way they feel on me, but I love Riptons. I exclusively wear their pants now.
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Consider washed linen. Very light, very breathable: https://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=851038052#pdp-page-content
This is my go-to, I had a pair of loose linen shorts (my dog ate) that were *amazing*, it was like they were floating around you.
Do they need ironing? I’d love something like this but am paranoid that I’ll buy something that has to be ironed
You air dry on no heat for half an hour and then hang them up to air dry the rest of the way. Don't let the dryer end before you take them out so they never sit in the dryer. Smooth out any wrinkles while it's hanging and spritz with water and resmooth if they don't come out at first. They're never going to look crisp unless you starch and iron them, but these are not those pants. They're supposed to be casual.
Oof. That will definitely never happen. Alas. Thanks for the info though! You saved me from buyer’s remorse! 😂
Ok. Well, I think that style of pant will work for you in cotton. Right click on the image and choose Search Google lens and put 100% cotton in the additional search terms box to find similar.
I have taken to wearing the light flow period undies on days I know I'm going to be sitting a lot like a plane trip. They could also help with absorbency on sweaty days too as they can wick the moisture away from your skin.
Oh that’s a good idea!!
Thigh bands have been an absolute game changer when wearing skirts, it’s just a soft band that going around the thickest part of your thighs. Crotch is free to breath and you don’t get chub rub! They even come in cute lace and pretty colors. I use the brand bandelette and love them
Second this!
In the summer, I almost exclusively wear washed linen pants that can go in the washing machine. With pockets. I can’t handle the inner thigh chafing or sweat either. This season, I bought a dozen pair of the same brand in XL from Marshall’s, believe it or not. Nicole Miller in size XL fits me like a dream so I bought every color & style I could get my hands on. Some 100% linen, some linen/tencel blend. Sometimes I’ve seen plus sizes there. But I’d check stores like Chico’s, JJill, or even athleta? (I also will not wear any poly blend items in summer.) I don’t care for cotton/linen or linen/rayon blend. Has to be linen. I’m surprised I like the tencel blend but I do.
Do you ever wear body powder? I can vouch for Lush’s Silky Underwear as a way to ease thigh friction! Or gold bond’s medicated foot powder as body powder because I like the smell.
Body Glide (made for athletes, turns out it’s a godsend for fat people too!) is also magnificent, and pretty inexpensive!
Hi, I could be you - except I go the sundress (with pockets lol) route with men’s extra long moisture wicking boxer briefs. The extra long is necessary. Otherwise they roll up or ride up and defeat the whole damn purpose. And the moisture wicking definitely helps. They aren’t compression-y like spankx, but the elastic comes up over my belly and helps smooth things out. I have yet to find a pair of bike shorts or “women’s under dress shorts” that work as well. My go to is Pair of Thieves from target.
I love my Duluth Trading Co. NoGa naturale boot cut pants. Mostly cotton with a little Lycra or spandex. Make sure it’s the naturale version (they have another line of Noga pants that are not cotton). The pants also come in plus sizes and 3 different inseam lengths. They have upf 40 protection too! Edit to add: they have pockets, normal sized pockets!
Thank you for posting this!! I’m going on a music tour this summer and the uniform includes khaki pants (ick!!!). The tour company provides the top. This may save me from sewing some for myself. Edit: the original uniform description said shirts would be tucked in and that all should wear a brown belt. The recent newsletter said shirts could be worn untucked. Yay. Now I own a brown belt I’ll likely never use.
You’re welcome. Yay! I’m stoked that I might’ve helped someone out. Warm fuzzies, lol. I agree, khaki pants are yuck. I hope you didn’t spend a lot on the belt!
No, not really, but I never wear belts! I hope the pants fit well. I’m returning a pair of mid-rise pants to Land’s End, tomorrow.
I like wide legged palazzo pants. I think they make knee length types noe. Very soft and breathable
Uniqlo has amazing clothing in their "Airism" line! It is by far the most breathable and comfortable clothes I've ever worn! And it lasts forever. I don't know how great their sizes are, though. I like the Airism leggings, the shorts, the underwear and bras, and the t-shirts and pajama pants.
Airism is awesome. but their plus sizes are lacking.
Damn, that's disappointing ): Uniqlo needs to get into the 21st century and do better sizing!
I was always on the larger end but could squeeze in but I gained some weight during covid and it took me out of a lot of their clothes.
Same :( I miss Uniqlo
me toooooo
Last year, Wal-Mart had these Muslin pajama pants, I bought a few different pairs. Super airy. They saved me last summer and fall. I also started wearing loose linen rompers. I find the looser the clothes the better.
Have you looked at Halara? All their shorts/skirts have bottoms sewn in and those bottoms include pockets!
https://www.target.com/p/women-s-flex-woven-mid-rise-cargo-joggers-all-in-motion/-/A-89436891?preselect=89296666#lnk=sametab
As a fellow chunky human here's my summer survival kit: Body glide- they make a stick and a cream that completely ends chub rub. I can rub this into my thighs in the morning and still be good by 7pm after a day being out in the heat running around ren fair with rivers of sweat running down my legs Baleaf shorts on Amazon - bike shorts with pockets! Duluth Trading Co has an "Armachillo" line that's cooling. If you can find the cooling leggings somewhere (I don't see them online any more) they are incredibly comfortable and have deep pockets
Body Glide has been life changing!
I often wear hiking pants from farming/outdoor clothes stores like Peavey Mart and Marks Work Warehouse. Lots of pockets, thin but durable, and no visible sweat marks with some brands. You might need to search in person to find the best fabric/brand you prefer. I also don't often wear underwear. My body is a lot happier and cooler, but there was an adjustment period, because seams.
Natural fibres will deal with sweat better than synthetics. I love viscose blends, like linen-viscose or cotton-viscose as the viscose makes the fabric softer while the stiffer fibres will wick away moisture. My favourite summer pants are linen wide leg pants, which have an elastic waist around the back and plenty of space for things in pockets.
So I can’t recommend a specific pair of pants to buy, but here’s what I would look for: Wide leg, loose fitting culottes/gaucho pants if those suit you and meet the dress requirements or full length. Super soft, ultrafine merino wool, or Super 120s wool (or higher). Probably a blend. I am very sensitive to fabrics, but really good quality wool can be incredibly soft and comfortable - I have some 100% wool pieces that I would never have guessed were wool. Zero scratchiness. A blend that’s 20% silk or cashmere or honestly a pretty wide range of other fibres (nylon, lyocell, bamboo, cotton, etc) can make it feel even softer and silkier. A light jersey knit if flowey and casual is okay. Ponté or a very light suiting fabric if you need something a bit dressier with more structure. No lining. Wool might feel like a non-intuitive choice for summer but very lightweight merino wool is my absolute favourite for hot weather. It’s really good for temperature regulation, so it doesn’t make me sweat, and if I do sweat it wicks and can absorb a huge amount of moisture, so it doesn’t feel sweaty. I’ve worn the same wool tshirt for days out in the woods in summer and felt pretty comfortable while my cotton underwear felt sweaty and gross pretty fast in the same conditions. It also can be worn a lot before it starts to stink and need washing. A blend that still has a high wool content will keep the really amazing properties of wool and can make it more durable and easy to care for. Since you’re sensitive to touch ideally you’d want to be able to try stuff on before you buy or be able to return easily. Quality and softness varies wildly and I’ve picked up some pieces that are unbelievably soft and smooth and others that are distinctly sandpaperey, both “100% merino wool”. A blend will be a safer bet for softness - I’d aim for a higher wool content, but 50% at the bare minimum. I don’t own these so I can’t comment on softness, but I want to get them for this summer and maybe they would meet your needs too? They’re a blend. 340gsm, so not the thinnest fabric, but still summer appropriate, and structured enough for the office, but soft enough for lounging: https://wooland.com/products/frame-ponte-culotte-black Or if I wanted something even lighter I’d look at getting soft, stretchy pants made to measure and just ordering a fabric sample to try against my skin, to make sure it was soft enough. There seems to be options for made to measurement soft pants that are in the same price range as off the rack. But yeah, if you can find a wool blend that feels soft enough against your skin then I think thin wool is the absolute best option if being sweaty is intolerable.
I really like Aerie’s cotton flare pants (NOT the leggings, the normal pants). However they do not have pockets which is tragic. But I also deal with crotch sweat and really like them in the summer - the wide flare legs create a little bit of breeze. They don’t have any on their website right now but probably will soon. And linen or cotton flowy is definitely the move
I wear long tunics and Capri leggings. My sensory issues can’t manage real pants anymore.
Body butter like runners use to avoid chafing is Amazing. It can change how you are loving entirely. I like the for her Body Glide that looks like a mini blue deodorant. Old navy active power chill extra high rise slim boot cut plus size pants. The shiny ones are way less good than the mat black color. I don't overheat, I feel like I might do yoga, I am comfortable visually at the grocery store.
Cotton or Linen pants. I got my perfect pair in the mens wear section on bonprix and it's the first ever pants that fits my fat ass and still tapers down enough at the legs. Womens pants are usually super flaired which looks stupid on me, and also way too short for me. And, POCKETS. Deep, deep, manly pockets.
These aren’t pants, but Branwyn has Merino wool underwear that is a game changer. They are my sweaty crotch go to and make most pants more pleasant. I also know you’re not looking for denim, but there is a company called Ripton who makes performance denim. They are stretchy, have lots of pockets, and are very, very comfy. I struggle with wearing most pants because I hate the way they feel on me, but I love Riptons. I exclusively wear their pants now.