Make jeans tighter or wider: these 7 hacks will do the trick
Jeans? Go anytime, anywhere! But what if your favorite trousers just don’t want to fit anymore? Don’t worry, you don’t have to sort out your denim pants right away. These simple tips & tricks will definitely make them fit again:
Widen jeans that are too tight
The good news is that you don’t need a lot of tools to get a slightly too tight fit Jeans wring a few centimeters off. Water and a little muscle power are usually enough. How it works:
Trick 1: Don’t wash jeans too often
A trick that is as simple as it is effective: the longer you wear a pair of jeans without washing them, the wider they become. So that the fabric does not shrink again when washed, the jeans should not be washed in the washing machine but by hand.
Trick 2: Spray jeans with water
The easiest trick to stretch jeans that have become too tight is to spray them with lukewarm water and then stretch them by hand. To do this, lay the jeans on the floor, stand on the ends of your legs and pull on the waistband at the same time. A few centimeters can easily be gained in this way.
Trick 3: Go swimming with your jeans on
Sounds crazy, but it works: put on your too-tight jeans and then sit in the bathtub filled with lukewarm (not hot!) water for a few minutes. This loosens and widens the denim fabric – especially when you alternately bend and stretch your legs. Then place the jeans on a drying rack to air dry or, even better, leave them on until dry. But we only recommend it for midsummer.
Trick 4: Use a waistband stretcher
If the jeans are missing a few centimeters in the waistband, a waistband widener or waistband stretcher can be the solution. This special clothes hanger only stretches the jeans in the waistband and can stretch up to one trouser size. The whole thing works particularly well if the trousers are stretched when they are wet.
Tighten jeans that are too wide
Of course, if the jeans are so big that they slip off your body, you can either take them to a tailor or grab a needle and thread yourself. However, if it is only a matter of a few centimetres, these simple tricks can help:
Trick 1: Wash jeans (too) hot and put them in the dryer
Jeans with a high cotton content can be made tighter by washing hot (from 60 degrees) and by using the heat in the dryer. The effect is intensified if you repeat the procedure several times. Important: With this method, the entire pair of jeans becomes tighter – and shorter. It should therefore only be used if the trousers are both too wide and too long. Caution with stretch jeans: Washing too hot can destroy the fibres.
Trick 2: Tighten jeans at the ankles
A simple household elastic provides a short-term, if not permanent, remedy: Pull this over the hem of the trouser legs and turn up the jeans. The trouser leg of the jeans is narrowed evenly, the elastic band remains invisible in the trouser turn-up.
Trick 3: Wear something underneath
Unfortunately, this method is only suitable for the cold season. Put on leggings or tights under your jeans – this not only keeps you warm, but also cheats the pants a little tighter.
Trick 4: Button Trick by TikTok
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Of course, there are also tips on TikTok on how to make your jeans fit better. We think the trick at the top of the video is particularly good and simple: simply thread the button through the next belt loop and then close it as normal. The jeans are tighter in no time!