Saturday, July 16, 2016

Tutorial: How to Keep Shorts from Riding Up!

For as long as I can remember I've hated wearing shorts.  Why? The chub rub. I cannot wear most shorts without them crawling up, so running in them is pretty much out of the question.  Then I started going to boot camp in a warehouse that doesn't have the ac cranked up and I signed up for a couple races for later this summer.  So now, shorts aren't just an option:  They're very necessary.

But how to fix the eternal struggle with the hem crawling up after that first step? Enter the almighty Google.  A few websites had suggestions, and I decided the easiest way to go was this...


Clear silicone caulk.  Yes, the same stuff you use to seal cracks in windows and around tubs and showers.  It's weatherproof, so it should hold up to washing and drying (I wash my clothes in cold water and dry on low if I don't hang it to dry, so no worries there!)  And once it dries it's slightly rubbery providing just enough grip to stay down in the hardest workouts.

Just a note of caution:  Silicone caulk is a skin irritant until it has cured (or dried) which takes approximately 24 hours.  It also gives off some fumes so I recommend doing this in a ventilated area, and since one of those fumes is ammonia I also recommend doing this away from pets.  (Also because while I was working on this tutorial my cat decided to take a flying leap into my photo tent.  So I had to take a break to chase a cat to make sure he didn't get any silicone on him.)

Here's what you'll need:
-Clear silicone caulking, preferably in a squeeze tube. (This is about $4 at any hardware store along with the regular caulk you have to use with the gun, and one tube will be good for multiple applications.)
-A pants hanger that can twist around and a place to hang them 
-A cardboard box you can cut up
-Scrap paper, cardboard or fabric
-Shorts or running skirt that creeps up
-(Optional) Old credit card, piece of cardstock or another scrap piece of cardboard

Time:
10-15 Minutes (Active)
24+ Hours (Passive)

First test out your technique on a piece of scrap paper, cardboard or fabric so you can get a feel for how the silicone flows out of the tube.  (I definitely recommend doing this if the tube has already been opened since the silicone in the tip will have likely dried a little bit.)  I chose a piece of scrap fabric for testing.


I decided to just do a simple flat, linear application rather than a zig zag pattern.  The key is to press down to make sure the silicone can adhere to the fabric well.

Now you need the pair of offending shorts (or even a running skirt with built in shorts.)


Love these shorts, but in one step the gray shorts have completely disappeared behind the purple mesh.  Take them and flip them inside out like so


Now to cut up your cardboard box (I recommend starting with the flaps.)  Fit the pieces of cardboard to each of the legs so they can keep the fabric smooth and stretch it just a little, but not so much that the cardboard bends.  (This will also help flatten the silicone when you smooth it out.)  Now get your hanger. Preferably one that looks like this so you can have full access around your garment.


Now attach the hanger to the waistband of the shorts, hang them up and start applying.  (I hung them on the outside edge of my photo tent.)  I applied the silicone just below the hem, but I put on way too much (you'll see later.)  That being said, I recommend applying the silicone in as thin of a layer as possible ON the inside hem, using an old credit card or a piece of cardboard or cardstock to flatten the silicone and putting your hand underneath the fabric for extra support during application. The silicone grips the fabric well and is surprisingly stretchy so you should not have to worry about it breaking. As you go along flatten the silicone out using your tool of choice.

Soon it should look something like this (only flatter.)

Super simple! It took me maybe 10-15 minutes in total to apply the silicone to both legs of my shorts.  Now just be patient and let it sit for at least 24 hours to fully cure.

Next came my wear testing.  I wore them to my boot camp class that usually has us doing all kinds of jumping, running, lunges and various other vigorous exercises.  I still had to pull the shorts down (and up--the waistband could probably benefit from silicone too!) but significantly less often than before.  I considered the boot camp test a success.  Then I did a run test.  Three miles and again, minimal creeping!  However when lounging in them before my shower and during boot camp doing jumping jacks in front of a mirror I noticed this...


The line of silicone was totally noticeable to the point where the light color of the shorts made my thighs look like puffy marshmallows.  (So this is why you should flatten the silicone as much as possible AND apply it directly to the hem of the shorts.  It should make the silicone less obvious.)

Next test: Washing and drying.  Like I mentioned before, I normally wash all my clothes on cold and dry on low or hang dry.  The tag recommended washing in cold water and drying on low, so I washed them according to the instructions since that's also how I normally wash my clothes.  Here's how they looked afterwards...


Totally fine! It looks just the same as when I first applied the silicone!!!

So there you have it!!  The game changer because now you can wear almost any shorts in the store!  I haven't tried these with loose shorts, just compressive ones but I don't see why this wouldn't work on them as well.  (Anybody want to try and report back?)

2 comments:

  1. I'm definitely going to try this but I think I'll put the shorts hem around a bowl so that I can apply even silicone all the way around. Thanks for sharing

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  2. This is what I have been looking for! Thank you!

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