Product Review: Say goodbye to ‘chub rub’ with Luvees

“Chub rub”, or a woman’s thighs rubbing together uncomfortably while she walks, is a serious problem for a lot of women. Especially in the summer, this discomfort can cause women skin irritation, rashes, and usually means that they wouldn’t be caught dead outside in a breezy summery skirt. Having what my mother affectionately calls “birthin’ hips,” I experience chub rub myself, and can personally attest that it’s a real confidence killer; you can’t wear lovely summer dresses without being uncomfortable, your jeans wear out around the thighs, and you just generally feel a bit ungainly when everyone else is wandering around unhindered.

It’s not just me with the problem, either — there are countless references to chub rub online, with offered solutions including deodarant, vaseline, Body Glide, and Lycra Shorts. These solutions have been employed to varying success, but luckily, Anita Brody had another idea — Luvees. Luvees are undergarmets made specifically to prevent skin chaffing at the thigh, using silky material inserts to ease resistance. We covered Luvees quite a while back, and since then, the brand has been growing considerably — they’ve been stocked in funky plus-size retailers Torrid, giving them a tremendous market outside of their own online sales. Besides the great idea behind Luvees, they also have a fantastic message to help fight the stigma attached to this problem: “It’s not about the size of a woman, it’s about the shape of a woman.”

We’ve now had the chance to try Luvees out ourselves, and these things are brilliant! Luvees come in two varieties, thigh coveralls that only encircle the upper thigh, or panty coveralls that look more like lacy long-leg shorts. The thigh coveralls are great for low-riding skirts when you need to show a bit more flesh, and the shorts add a wee bit more support and also work well. It’s easy to forget that you’re wearing either variety; the lacy fabric is lightweight and soft, and the variety of available colours can either match your skin tone or your outfit. We took a trip out to the shops in ours for a test-run, and it’s really quite liberating to gallavant around in our favourite flowy skirt without having to worry. You can grab Luvees for $22 or $27 in a variety of colours, and they’ll happily ship internationally, just e-mail order@luvees.com. Luvees might not be the next catwalk craze in lingerie, but just like a beautifully designed support bra, they can give women the inner confidence to be comfortable with their own bodies.