Sheila Mleziva

ok, I tried the commando thing and was liking it until I had an intensive gardening session on a hot day at the community garden, going commando and wearing just shorts, t-shirt. I sweat like a pig, even in my groin area. Well, it looked like I wet my pants! Yikes.

Thankfully, I was the only one in the garden that day!

If I do go commando, I will try it wearing a skirt.

S Tonin wrote:This reminded me of an article I bookmarked a few years ago about fundoshi (traditional Japanese underpants) for women.  They look like they'd be pretty easy to sew, and a good way of upcycling anything like old t-shirts or bed sheets.

I also saw an article in the (now long-defunct) magazine Craft: about using your favorite underwear as a pattern to sew your own from recycled t-shirts.  It was basically just tracing each panel and adding a seam allowance, and I think the elastic was just zig-zag stitched on.  There are probably like a million different tutorials out there to do it, I think it was a "thing" like 10 years ago when trendy people were all over recycling last year's unfashionable t-shirts.

And here's a free printable pattern for mini bloomers.  You need to create a login with an email address to download the .zip file to get the pattern.

Thanks for the info!

Personally, I like to go commando when I wear skirts, but I stopped doing that in public after I accidentally flashed a kid and probably scarred him for life (it was a calf-length skirt, too, but it got caught on a box I was lifting and it was comedic and mortifying and I still wonder if that kid grew up to think I was some pervert)

OMG, too funny and embarrassing!  

I don't like going without when I wear any kind of pants (except boxer shorts or super loose pajamas) because it's just physically uncomfortable for me, especially the seam of jeans, and also because I need to wash the clothes more often.  With underwear, I typically wear jeans a full week without washing (the jeans, not my bits!).  Without, I don't even like having them on a second day because I don't want bladder infections, which I used to get a lot more of when I was in my "totally commando all the time" phase in my mid-20s.  Everyone's undercarriage is different, though--try it a few times and see if you like it.  

I would rather wash my underwear daily vs my pants so I am tending against the commando thing.

Ideally, 100% hemp would be the best.

Thanks for your great input-  and the laugh!

Nicole Alderman wrote:I searched for "elastic-free underwear." I discovered two things.

(1) The elastic is usually made of latex, which is not plastic and is biodegradable. So, not terrible!

(2) I found 100% cotton underwear, some with drawstrings and some without.

Here's the link to the women's underwear. https://www.cottonique.com/collections/womens-bottoms

Here's the bikini underwear, made of organic cotton, no latex or spandex https://www.cottonique.com/collections/womens-bottoms/products/womens-bikini-2-pack

These might be just what I am looking for, Nicole. Thanks for the share.

Deb Stephens wrote:

Sheila Mleziva wrote:Going commando is not an option. Or is it?

I've been "going commando" for over 30 years

Thanks so much for 'fessing up!  I totally agree with your point of view. We have been sold a 'bill of goods' in not only lingerie but in many areas of 'hygiene'.

Have you ever had any situations over the past 30 years in which 'going commando' caused an issue? Like, hmm, bugs or ticks in the nether regions?

Do you wear pants or skirts?

Thanks.

Tyler Ludens wrote:Can you sew?  Here is a very simple pattern for pants, which can be made to fit using a drawstring:  http://www.renaissancetailor.com/demos_recpants.htm

This has become my favorite pattern for shorts, and it could be modified to make comfy undies for wear under loose pants or skirts.

No, I don't sew but perhaps it is time to start.

Love the pattern you shared. Looks like something I might be able to do.

Thanks much.

Casie Becker wrote:Cotton, linen and silk. Real rubber is both natural and biodegradable though I don't know if that's the standard material in elastics these days. There are actually some people who use ties or buttons on their undergarments.

A quick search on Google for all natural lingerie qickly produces several articles about companies that specialize in this area, such as this one http://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/ethical-lingerie-brands

Some of these companies recycle fabric to keep it out of the waste stream, so you will still need to pay some attention if you want to keep to natural fibers. Others only work with natural materials.  Maybe having particular brand names will help you find a local source,  if you're uncomfortable trusting online shopping for a comfortable fit.

Thanks for the help. I am going through the companies listed at the Good Trade site and haven't yet found a 100% natural pantie. I will keep looking.

I plan on having just a foot path to my yurt in eastern TN.

I am well aware of the delay in emergency services that the foot path will present and I am willing to take that risk.

If you are willing to take the risk, I say, screw the driveway and yea to the footpath.

Benton Lewis wrote:"As far as the Amish- they hire a car and driver to take them to Walmart. Not impressed at all with that."

Things like that are my suspicion.

I think pre petroleum people had to rely heavily on wild game, especially aquatic wildlife in river, creek, lake, ocean etc environments and wild foods. The almost extinct in America American chestnut was also a major wild source of calories as was acorns for some tribes. I've seen acres and acres of what appeared to be wild growing cattails.

Also, they had agricultural staples like corn, beans and squash and before that staples like the eastern agricultural complex. They probably farmed formerly wild underground, calorie heavy crops like duck potatoes, spurge nettle and Prarie turnip.

I've read some tribes around the world in places like Africa, Australia, and Okinawa even today have diets extremely high in cassava and sweet potatoes to sustain them.

The Amish comment is true- I know it for a fact. They also hire a car/driver to take them across state to farm auctions so they can purchase the old farm equipment. I guess it is a compromise they must make as horse and buggy would be a hazard on the interstate. And, not to dis the Amish, but they are over-romanticized. The Amish recipes they have shared contain plenty of Campbell's canned cream soups.

I agree with you on your thoughts as to the pre-petroleum diets. And the fact that high starch foods are prevalent in the diets of the tribes of yesteryear and today. Definitely needed for the high caloric value.

Not all tribes were nomadic, either.  Sure there were the hunter-gatherers but there were also the farmers. I find it all very fascinating. Nature did provide all they needed as far as sustenance and medicinals.

And then we crossed the ocean....

I am currently wearing out my panties which are made of some fake man-made fabric like polyester that is washing into our waterways and polluting the environment and killing the marine life.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/sep/27/washing-clothes-releases-water-polluting-fibres-study-finds

I refuse to buy any more until I can find something that is 100% natural and compostable (is that a word?). The need is somewhat urgent as the current pairs of panties I have are getting threadbare but I will wear them until they are g-strings, if necessary.

Going commando is not an option. Or is it?

Any ideas? Options?

Thanks.

Sheila

Interesting discussion and great to hear about the experiences of those going barefoot.

Any concern about getting hookworm or other parasites from going barefoot?

I currently wear the shoes from vivobarefoot.com and love them. Most comfortable shoes and boots I ever had- and that is even with the bunion I have on my right foot. Vivo recommends some foot exercises that are challenging but kinda fun:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/blog/december-2014/engage-your-feet-with-a-spot-of-toega

I saw some homemade hemp shoes on the internet, even included a pattern but darned if I can find it now.

For those of you who struggle with those dried cracked heels- I read that the cause of that is a type of fungus. But the one thing I found that finally worked for me was Vaseline. And only vaseline brand worked for me. I tried store brands but they weren't as effective. Vaseline doesn't cure it but sure helps to manage it- softest my feet have ever been. I really hate having to use it as it is a petroleum product.