How to Stretch the Waist on Jeans

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA

Last Updated: June 10, 2022 References

Your jeans are fitting just a bit too snugly, and now you're stuck facing the prospect of getting new jeans. Never fear, you can stretch out your jeans a bit as a temporary fix, particularly if they just shrunk in the washer or dryer. You can spray on lukewarm water and stretch the jeans with your hands, or you can even hop into the bath with your jeans on. If neither of these stretches your jeans enough, you can also add a small extension in the waistband on either side, which will help them fit more comfortably.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Warm Water and Your Hands

1
Spritz the waistband and surrounding area with lukewarm water. Spray down the area really well. You want the waistband to at least be damp. The water will help stretch out the fibers of the jeans. Be sure to spray both the front and back of the waistband.^{[1]
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- If you don't have a spray bottle, you can just dip the waistband area in lukewarm water, but be prepared to get water everywhere.
- You can also try stretching your jeans right after they get out of the washing machine.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}
2
Stretch the waist with your hands. Button the jeans, then take one side of the waistband in each hand. Pull outward as hard as you can to stretch the waistband of the jeans.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}
- Don't pull on the jeans when they're buttoned, as you can pull the button out.
- Also, grab just below the waistband and at the waistband. Stretch the jeans that way, too. You're trying to loosen up the fibers, so you want to stretch more than one direction.
- Don't grab onto the belt loops, as you can pull them off.
- You can also purchase pant stretchers that will do the stretching for you. You wrap the waistband around the stretchers, then turn the crank to stretch the pants out.
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3
Stand on part of the waistband and pull upward for more power. If your jeans haven't stretched to your liking, you may need more muscle power. Stand on the inside of the waistband and pull up while holding onto the other side of the waistband.^{[4]
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- You can also have someone help you stretch out the jeans. They grab one side, and you grab the other.
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Lay the jeans out flat to dry. Heat from the dryer can make your jeans shrink up again.^{[5]
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Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.} Place them flat on a towel or drying rack, and leave them there overnight to dry out.^{[6]
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- If you must use the dryer, turn it on low heat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Stretching Jeans in a Bath

1
Put your jeans on. Wear your jeans like you normally would. Try to zip and button them up, if possible, as that will help stretch them out farther. You may want to do this without underwear, as you'll be getting in the bath with the jeans on.^{[7]
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- The water will help the jean fibers relax while your body will do the actual stretching.
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Run a warm bath. Fill the bathtub with warm water. Don't use hot, and don't add soap or bubble bath to the water. Just use straight water. Make it warm enough to feel comfortable.^{[8]
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- Hot water can cause the jeans to shrink.
- Don't use soap because then you'll need to rinse them out thoroughly.
3
Hop in the bath with the jeans on. Sink down into the bath while wearing your jeans. It may feel a little weird, but it's an easy way to stretch them out! Make sure the waistband is completely submerged underwater.^{[9]
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- You can achieve the same effect by just wearing the jeans as you normally would without water, but it will take longer.^{[10]
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Sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Let the jeans soak for a good while with you in the bath. Try expanding your stomach or bending at the waist to help stretch out the waistband in the particular.^{[11]
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- Get out when the water cools down.
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Lay the jeans out flat to dry. Shake as much water out of the jeans as you can, but don't stick the jeans in the dryer, as that will just make them shrink up again. Lay them on a towel or drying rack, and leave them overnight to dry.^{[12]
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- If you want to speed up the process a little, you can place them in the washer on the spin cycle, but don't let them go through a rinse cycle.
- You can also hang them up outside to dry on a clothesline.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding a Small Extension

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Cut a small slit along the side seam from the top of the waistband. Cut to the top of the yoke in back, which is the v-shape stitched line across the pants between the pockets and the waistband. You'll cut 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm).^{[13]
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- Make sure to cut right along the seam, which is where the pants are stitched together on the side. You'll have a "V" when you stretch the area out slightly.
- This process will add an extra piece fabric on each side of the waistband, which will make it slightly bigger.
2
Cut and fold a matching piece of fabric. Just pick a sturdy fabric in a similar color. You can buy a small patch at a fabric store if you don't have any at home. Make the fabric twice the length of the cut, plus a little more. Fold it in half, with the folded part at the top. Make sure it stretches across the cut.^{[14]
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- If you want, you can use thick elastic here, instead. Keep in mind it will show if you wear a tucked-in shirt.
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Pin the fabric in place. Stretch out the opening to as far as you want it to go. Place the fabric behind it with the folded part at the top. Use sewing pins to tack the pieces together along both edges.^{[15]
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- To tack the edges in place, hold the fabric pieces together, and insert the pins down through the fabric from the outside of the cut. Come back up through the fabric on the inside of the cut to hold the fabric and pin in place.
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Sew a zigzag stitch along the jean edges. Set your machine to do a wide stitch width and a lowered stitch number. You want a high-density stitch. Run the machine along the cut jean edge, incorporating the fabric underneath as you go.^{[16]
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- Go down one side of the "V" you cut and up the other.
- With a needle and thread, tie a knot in the thread. Run the needle in and out, on the outside of the cut jean edge along the "V," using a basic running stitch.^{[17]
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Cut the excess fabric from the inside. Use fabric scissors to go along the line you sewed, cutting off any extra fabric. Leave at least 0.25 in (0.64 cm) of fabric along the edge so you don't accidentally cut into the area you just sewed.^{[18]
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- Repeat the process on the other side.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I permanently stretch my jeans?

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist
Paul Julch is a Personal Wardrobe Stylist, Speaker, and the founder of Urbanite | Suburbanite, a wardrobe styling business in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 25 years in the fashion industry, Paul works with clients to make getting dressed easier, less time consuming, and more enjoyable. Paul has years of experience in retail visual merchandising - styling windows, displays, and floor sets for Banana Republic, Gap, and Express. He also has experience styling fashion photo shoots and corporate videos. Paul holds a BS Degree in Management from State University of New York at Binghamton, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. He also studied Interior Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Julch, MA

Personal Wardrobe Stylist

Expert Answer

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First, wet your jeans, either by running them through the laundry or by spraying them down with a spray bottle. Button and zip the jeans, then pull the waistband. That way, when the jeans dry, they'll hold the stretched-out shape.