Have your favorite jeans recently gotten a little snug? Or maybe your go-to work trousers shrunk in the wash. As a professional stylist, I see people have to part with their favorite bottoms far too often. Replacing a tried and tested pair of pants can be a nightmare, and so can dealing with the tailor. Luckily, there’s a way to expand the waist of your pants without the involvement of an expert. So I’m sharing a trick that will loosen up that waistband, no sewing or shopping required.
All you need is a discreet elastic hair tie (no bows or barrettes — unless you’re OK adding a pop of personality to the pant!) and your hands. Slip the hair tie around the button, through the buttonhole, and back around the button, and voila! You’ve got looser pants with very little effort. Need to unbutton your bottoms after a big meal? This will do the trick. Watch the video for the full tutorial, and thank me later.
Mother-daughter duo Alison Bruhn and Delia Folk are the founders of The Style That Binds Us, a fashion platform that offers advice and styling services. Their mission is to give people of all ages the tools they need to feel empowered and uplifted by fashion. Before launching their brand, Alison was an in-demand personal stylist, and Delia interned at Versace and worked on the Barneys buying team.
