Resize a Too-Big Elastic Belt

I have a fairly small waist and often find that elastic belts are too loose. If the elastic pulls free of the buckle, it is simple enough to cut the elastic, seal the ends with a flame, and rethread it through the buckle. However, that solution doesn’t work when the elastic is fused to the buckle.

When I ordered a tunic from Wet Seal, it came with an elastic and faux leather belt. The belt was cute, but too big and I couldn’t do my usual cutting trick since the elastic was sewn to the rest of the belt. I came up with another solution:

1. I tried the belt on and figured out how much length I needed to lose in the elastic.

2. I laid the belt flat, found the center, and pinched a section into an inverted pleat. I made the pleat big enough to reduce the belt's circumference by the desired amount.

3. I held the pleat shut with binder clips while I hand-sewed two rows of stitches – one on either side of the fold.


Detail of the fold (pleat).


View of the back of the belt. This is the part that shows when the belt is worn.


View of the inside of the belt.
So far, the stitches have held for numerous wearings. Here are a few outfits with the modified belt: