If you've been layering bike shorts under every dress just to get through the day — there's a better way.
Chafing is friction. Specifically — skin rubbing against skin, over and over, until the surface breaks down. For most women, it happens at the inner thighs because that's where thighs naturally touch during movement.
Heat and moisture make it significantly worse. Sweat reduces the skin's resistance to friction, which is why chafing is a summer problem for most women — and why it gets worse the more you move.
Standard underwear with short coverage leaves the inner thigh completely exposed. That's the design gap. The thighs touch, the skin rubs, and there's nothing between them. The underwear isn't solving the problem — it's just sitting above it.
Related: Irritation, Chafing & Health in our full Underwear Guide
Bike shorts work — in the sense that they put fabric between the thighs and stop the friction. But they were never designed to be underwear. They're a workaround that most women have just accepted as normal.
The problems with layering:
The fix isn't a better pair of bike shorts. It's underwear with enough leg coverage to do the job itself.
This is the most important factor. The coverage needs to extend past where the thighs meet during movement — not just where they touch standing still. A 5-inch leg length covers most women adequately. A 7-inch length provides full coverage through a wider range of movement and body types.
The leg opening should be cut wide enough to sit flat without an elastic band gripping the thigh. Tight leg elastic creates a ridge that rubs against the inner thigh — which adds a new friction point on skin that's already irritated. You want the fabric to end softly, not bite.
Synthetic fabrics grip and generate heat. Natural fibres like bamboo have stretch and recovery — they move with the body rather than resisting it, which significantly reduces friction. Bamboo also wicks moisture rather than trapping it, which keeps the inner thigh area drier and less prone to breakdown.
Anti-chafe underwear needs to function as actual underwear — not just a coverage layer. A wide, floating cotton gusset that's compatible with winged pads means this is one garment doing everything. No layering, no compromises.
A wide fabric waistband with no digging elastic sits flat and stays put all day. If the waistband shifts, the whole garment shifts — and shifting underwear is underwear that's stopped covering where it needs to.
Related: Why Underwear Rides Up | Gusset & Coverage Problems
| Fabric | Friction | Heat | Moisture | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo | Low — smooth and moves with skin | Regulates — keeps area cooler | Wicks and evaporates | Best for chafing |
| Cotton | Low — soft against skin | Breathes reasonably well | Absorbs and holds moisture | Good but gets damp |
| Modal | Low initially — but slippery and shifts | Breathes reasonably | Some wicking | Travels — doesn't stay in place |
| Polyester / Nylon | High — grips skin | Traps heat | Traps moisture against skin | Makes chafing worse |
Bamboo wins for chafing specifically because it addresses all three causes simultaneously — it reduces friction, regulates heat, and wicks moisture. No other common underwear fabric does all three.
Related: Full Fabric Comparison Table in our Underwear Guide
The best underwear for chafing has a longer leg length — at least 5 to 7 inches — that keeps fabric between the thighs so skin never directly contacts skin. It should be made from smooth natural fibre like bamboo that moves with the body rather than gripping and creating friction, with no tight leg elastic that digs in and adds a new friction point.
Inner thigh chafing is caused by skin-on-skin friction — when thighs touch and rub together during walking, running, or any movement. Heat and moisture accelerate it. Standard underwear with short coverage leaves the inner thigh exposed, which is why chafing happens most often when wearing dresses, skirts, or shorts without coverage underneath.
No — bike shorts are a workaround, not a solution. The problem with layering bike shorts under every dress is that it adds heat, bulk, and an extra garment to think about every morning. Longer leg underwear with smooth coverage does the same job in one layer — no shorts, no layering, no extra step.
Bamboo is the best fabric for preventing chafing. It is smooth against the skin, has natural stretch and recovery so it moves with the body rather than gripping, and is thermally regulating so it reduces the heat and sweat that accelerates friction. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon grip the skin and generate friction, making chafing worse.
Underwear needs a leg length of at least 5 inches to prevent inner thigh chafing for most women. A 7-inch length provides more complete coverage and works for a wider range of body types and activities. The leg coverage needs to extend past where the thighs naturally meet during movement — not just where they touch standing still.
Yes — short underwear with tight leg elastic can make chafing significantly worse. The elastic edge creates a new friction point exactly where skin is already sensitised. Synthetic fabrics trap heat and moisture which accelerates skin breakdown. And underwear that rides up leaves the inner thigh completely exposed, which defeats the purpose of wearing anything at all.
The best underwear for chafing in summer combines longer leg coverage with breathable, moisture-wicking fabric. Bamboo is the best choice for hot weather because it is thermally regulating — it actively helps manage body temperature rather than trapping heat. Longer leg styles in bamboo fabric prevent both chafing and the sweaty discomfort that makes it worse in warm conditions.
Yes — a cotton or bamboo gusset is important for both hygiene and comfort in anti-chafe underwear. The gusset should be wide enough to provide full coverage and compatible with winged pads so the underwear works as a complete solution, not just for chafe prevention. A floating gusset that moves with the body also prevents the discomfort of a rigid panel pulling to one side during movement.
Chafing is a design problem. If your underwear isn't covering where you need it, it's not doing its job. That's exactly what Midies was built to fix.
Midies is an Australian women's underwear brand making smooth-fit, breathable bamboo underwear designed for real women's bodies. Our longer leg styles provide genuine inner thigh coverage with a floating cotton gusset — so you get one garment that solves the chafing problem, works with pads, and doesn't require layering anything on top.
Shop Midies | Full Underwear GuideMidies exist because traditional underwear didn’t fit real life. Here’s what you want to know.
What makes Midies different?
We design underwear that solves real problems — chafing, digging, sweating, layering. Everything we make starts with our custom made fabrics that focus on stretch, softness, breathability and quality.
Where are you based?
We’re Australian-owned, shipping locally and to New Zealand from our Brisbane warehouse.
Are Midies sustainable?
Yep. We use oeko-tex® certified fabrics only and compostable garment packaging.
How do I choose between the 5″ and 7″?
The 5″ is your everyday coverage — smooth under shorter hemlines. The 7″ gives full-length confidence and zero thigh chafe - perfect if you're taller or thicker in the thigh.
Do they roll or dig in?
Our smooth-fit waistband sits softly on the waist and while offering moderate support will not dig in. The leg hems are wide and made using a special stretch thread to eliminate any digging. Finding the correct size and length for your body helps to eliminate rolling and riding up.
Are they true to size?
We believe so. We know many women size up when it comes to undergarments - to eliminate digging in and tight waistbands. However we're different. If you’re between sizes we recommend sizing down. Our fabrics are stretchy, designed for you to move freely.
Why bamboo?
Because it breathes, it’s soft, cool, moisture-wicking, and gentle on sensitive skin — no static cling, no synthetic stickiness.
Are they see-through?
Never. Our bamboo fabric is thick enough to stay opaque, even in lighter tones. Our custom bamboo is 250gsm.
How should i wash them?
Cold wash, line dry, skip the fabric softener. Treat them kindly and they’ll stay like new for ages.
What’s flow?
Flow is our leak-proof underwear that looks and feels just like your favourite smooth-fit pair — soft, breathable, and smooth under clothing.
Do they feel bulky?
Flow absorbs up to 15ml (about 3 tampons) without that heavy or padded feel. There are no bulky seams around the inner thigh or under gusset. The Back remains seam free.
Do they smell or trap heat?
No. The outer garment is made from our bamboo which keeps things fresh and cool. The gusset liner is a graphene based fabric designed to eliminate bacteria, which also controls odour.
How should I wash period underwear?
Pre-rinse before machine washing. A simple way to do this, take them to the shower with you and rinse them there - no mess, no wasted water.
What if my size isn’t right?
You can use our try-on guarantee to purchase a size or style that fits better. No need to return your first open pair. Any unopened pairs can be returned for credit or refund.
How long will my order take?
We dispatch quickly (next business day) from Australia — most local orders arrive within a few days, NZ takes a little longer, typically 7-10 days.
Do you offer free shipping?
Yes, on orders over our free shipping threshold $120 within Australia.
We’re all about making comfort effortless — the kind that makes getting dressed feel like a win again. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, reach out anytime. we’re real people, and we get it.
