chub rub | Her Philly

Today marks exactly one year since I began chronicling my journey exploring Philadelphia, and I can’t believe how far my little idea has come! When I began writing this blog, I was looking for an outlet to discuss things that were important to me, as a young, 20-something with no kids and a lot of curiosity about my new city. Deciding what to write was (and still is) easy, I document things that I, personally, would click through & read about. I am by no means a fashionista, but I do like shopping. I can’t cook that well, but I love discovering new restaurants. I’m not a wiz with a glue gun, but I like to decorate and get the most out of my small apartment. And while I am past my college years of long nights out at the bar, I am still young, single, and like to explore what the city has to offer. Wrap that all up in a pretty bow & you’ve got Her Philly!

Over the past year I have had some amazing experiences, like attending the Game of Thrones Season 3 premiere and traveling to NYC for Lucky FABB. I have met some bloggers & Philadelphians I consider friends (like Jessie, Melissa, Jade, Karima, & Kory, to name a few), and discovered countless new places to go and things to do around Philly. I am really thankful for the opportunities this blog has allowed me, and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings!

In honor of my 1st birthday, and because we all know I love lists, I wanted to share my Top 10 most shared posts from the past year! Plus, come back & visit me this week for some special surprises and giveaways featuring my favorite Philly things!

10. My experience taking a flying trapeze class during PIFA.

9. Keeping it real with my favorite product to eliminate chub rub.

8. Documenting the most amazing night in Philly.

7. How I built my confidence and learned to love my body.

6. My recap of East Passyunk Avenue’s Crafty Balboa & links to fab Philly Etsy sellers.

5. The first Philly Lady You’ll Love post featuring Luba Patlakh of Fluff Apparel.

4. My third installment of my favorite small apartment decorating ideas.

3. My “everything you need to know” post about Philadelphia Diner en Blanc.

2. My original post featuring some pinspiration on how to organize your small Philly apartment.

1. Seems there is a lot of love for my small city living spaces inspiration posts!

Thanks for the love & support over the past year. I hope you stick it out with me over the next year, I promise we’ll have fun! xx

It’s the middle of July, it’s hot as hell, and I am constantly trying to wear the least amount of clothing possible. Many, many years ago, my summer dressing routine was quite different than what it is now. If I was going on a vacation, or knew I would be walking around for awhile, cool & flowy dresses were out of the question. My thighs, which, yes, are on the bigger side, rub together…a thought that makes spandex shorts sound amazing even on the most sweltering of summer days. If you have never experienced, yes I’m going to say it, “chub rub,” then this may be hard to understand. But if you have, you know my pain. Probably the last time I had a “thigh gap” was when I was an infant, and after trying a few “solutions” to no avail, I thought I was doomed to be the girl in shorts forever.

Until I stumbled upon this little gem:

Secret Shield is a product made by the Etsy shop Skindura. It is a 100% veggie derived natural balm with a twist up top. The application is super simple & leaves ah-mazing results for hours. I literally apply this before I go to work in the morning and, while I am not strolling around all day, it does the trick from 9-5. When I need to run some errands around the city, this is my go-to. If I know I’m going to be out all day – I just throw one in my bag and reapply in the bathroom. Even at the pool or beach (if you need swim inspo, check out my Aerie swim try on and my Amazon swim try on!), I throw one in my beach bag and apply just like sunscreen.

Now in 2021, there are plenty of other products on the market for chub rub (thank goodness!) and I have tried many of them. While MegaBabe’s Thigh Rescue comes in a second for me and I do use it, I will always come back to Secret Shield, 10 years later.

Secret Shield comes in two sizes, 1 oz. & 2 oz., for $12 & $20, respectively. I started with the smaller size in the summer of 2011, and have been using the product consistently EVER. SINCE. Each 2 oz. bar lasts you at least a whole season, and you really do get your money’s worth for the product.

If you are like me, dreading dressing for this heatwave & need some relief, I urge you to try this product. It’s the answer to my summertime prayers. While this post may not have been the most glamorous one I’ve ever written, if I can help even one of my curvy sistas shed the biker shorts & pull out her prettiest dresses this summer, I have done my job.

Happy 1st Birthday Her Philly!

No Thigh Gap? No Problem. {Summertime Solutions}