Many people know that you can alter your pants by folding the fabric at the seam to make them smaller, but one seamster got extra creative by expanding their pants with a cool new detail.
The post highlights a pair of red shorts with a blue-and-yellow racing stripe down the side.
The catch? They sewed the racing stripes by hand.
"Favorite shorts too tight? Expand them with racing stripes!" the caption reads.
This is a great way to save money and add your own spin on your wardrobe. Instead of buying new pants when current pairs no longer fit, you just have to find some leftover fabric (maybe from another old piece of clothing) and a needle and thread.
If you're not the crafting type, ask around. You could support a small business or a friend's creativity by paying them to do this — and if you don't need clothes altered, you could also add customization like this when you get sick of your wardrobe.
Plus, reusing clothes like this is a great way to help out the environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the top contributor to textile waste is thrown-away clothing. This clothing is often tossed before it has been fully worn out — wasting the fabric and encouraging the garment industry to create even more clothes.
The process of manufacturing clothes uses copious amounts of environmental resources — it takes more than 700 gallons of water just to make one T-shirt.
By altering your clothes like this seamster did — whether it's to make them fit or just to breathe life into an old piece — you'll save money and work toward a healthier planet.
Commenters on the post couldn't believe the creativity. One said, "I would have had no clue they didn't come like that if you hadn't told me. Great idea!" while another mentioned, "Wow, these are so cute! The color combination is really nice."
Best of all, a few were inspired, with one who said, "I love this idea! Will definitely have to try!"
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