9 Random Items You Can Use to Tailor Your Clothes (No Sewing Required!) (2024)

RD.COM Beauty & Fashion Clothing

Getting clothes altered professionally takes time and money, but these easy tailoring tricks will let you DIY without ever breaking out a needle or thread.

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Hem tape

Stepping on your pant legs? Hem tape is a good alternative to shortening pants and skirts with zero sewing. You can usually buy it at most drug stores, and it’s both strong and long-lasting. With simple instructions on the back, it’s basically fool-proof.

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Duct tape

For heavier fabric, you’ll want to swap hem tape for more industrial duct tape. It’s especially great for hemming jeans, according to rookiemag.com. Turn your jeans inside out, fold the hem over, and then apply two-inch pieces of duct tape to the entire hem. “When you place a piece of tape, make sure the end overlaps with the end of the last piece you put down. This will help the hem stay secure,” says Rookiemag’s Krista Burton.

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Bobby pins

If you’re looking for an immediate solution for hemming, bobby pins can be a lifesaver. According to the blog Man Repeller, bobby pins are perfect for shortening sleeves, pants, and shirts. Just tuck the hem, and fasten as many bobby pins as you need along the edge to keep it in place.

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Fashion tape

Fashion tape is a must for every woman’s closet. For one thing, it’s essential for holding up strapless shirts and dresses, especially if you want to dance the night away. But fashion tape can also work wonders for those awkward gaps that show up in button-down shirts. While a trip to the tailor can make a shirt fit better, fashion tape is a much quicker (and cheaper) solution. And if you have a v-neck top that’s cut too low cut for your taste, fashion tape can make it a bit less revealing.

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Fabric glue

Fabric glue is a more permanent solution when it comes to at-home alterations, and it definitely takes some patience. Fabric glue is particularly useful if you want to DIY any embellishments or patches onto your clothes or costumes. These little fashion tricks will make any outfit look more expensive.

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Waist extenders

Extenders are perfect if you’ve outgrown your favorite pair of pants and don’t want to take a trip to the tailor or buy a new pair. Instead, extenders are perfect for adding an extra inch or two to the waistline and works with any pants that have a button. This is a great trick during pregnancy to accommodate a growing belly.

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Safety pins

Did you just notice a button missing on your favorite cardigan? If so, don’t panic; just grab a safety pin. The trick to making safety pins invisible is to turn the garment inside out while pinning, so only a sliver of the pin is visible from the front. You can also use safety pins to shorten straps that are too long.

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Brooches

If you have a small hole or rip in a sweater, shirt, jacket, or skirt, brooches can be a covert yet fashionable way to cover them up. Plus, if you don’t have safety pins on hand, brooches or small fashion pins will do the trick as well.

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Belts

Of course, belts are great for skirts and pants that are a tad too big. However, they’re great for dresses as well. If you have a dress that is just too long, one way you can make it shorter without getting it professionally altered is by placing a belt around your waist and blousing some of the fabric over the belt. Not only does this add an element of style to your ensemble, but you’ll also be able to drape as much fabric as you need over the belt to make the dress your desired length.