I’ve never been comfortable wearing shorts. This summer has been extremely hot, and often feels like I’ve magically transported to the surface of the sun. But I’m still rocking my capri pants and leggings because no one needs to see me in shorts that are (most likely) riding up my sweaty thunder thighs.
Am I all in my feelings because of my lack of thigh gap? Sure. But I would be open to the idea of wearing shorts if there was a way to keep them from riding up when I walk. With that in mind, I came across an Instagram video from Katrina Bowman that shared a genius hack that solves this extremely common problem.
The video begins with a simple question: “Do your shorts always ride up?” Of course, my answer was “yes!” So, I kept watching. And Katrina–aka “Trending with Tina”–proceeded to share her solution.
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Step one was to turn a pair of shorts inside out and lay the inseam part flat. Next, she advises viewers to grab some flexible polyester boning and cut a piece that’s about an inch shorter than the inseam.
Place the boning inside the inseam, then take an iron-on patch and cut to size. Finally, iron the patch over the boning for about a minute and don’t wash the shorts for 24 hours. Voila! Now your shorts won’t ride up.
This clever trick works because the weight and structure of the boning will keep the shorts pulled away from your leg and toward the ground instead of clinging to your thighs. And the best part is acquiring flexible polyester boning and iron-on patches is super easy and affordable. For less than 20 bucks, you can do this to every pair of shorts you own!
Flexible polyester boning, like this 50-yard package from Amazon, is super inexpensive and versatile. You can use excess boning for creating Halloween costumes, adding structure to dresses, or even reviving a flimsy handbag.
As for the iron-on patches, this 29-piece set with multiple standard colors are sure to work with any pair of shorts you own. Each piece is 4.9 x 3.7 inches, and there are different shades of red, pink, orange, blue, green, gray, white, black, and brown.
With this simple hack and 20 bucks, you can force every pair of shorts in your wardrobe to stay straight and prevent them from riding up. Just be careful how you cut and place the boning so you don’t end up constantly stabbing yourself in the leg.