Baggy-bottomed sweaters look awful on my formerly baggy bottom

November 11, 2011 12:58 PM

I've shaped up and lost a number of inches, mostly in the hip area. Yay. But now my sweaters that otherwise still fit are baggy at the bottom. For some reason, the bagginess is most pronounced in the back and they look awful. Is there a way, short of putting the inches back on, to make them more form-fitting at the bottom?

The ones I'm having the most difficulty with are 100% cotton with a traditional ribbed band. A sweater similar to the ones I have can be seen here. I've already put them through the dryer on high, so they've been shrunk as much as possible. My tentative plan is to handstitch a few lines of elastic thread on the backside of the band to reduce the circumference without obvious puckering. But before I try that, I was hoping some of the MeFite knitters and sewers might have a better idea.

posted by DrGail to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

I'm not an expert, but I'm a pretty confident home dressmaker who does a lot of alterations. Without seeing a picture of you in the sweaters, what I think might be going on is that the fullest part of your hips and behind is now lower than it used to be, making the sweater essentially too short in the back - I can't imagine it looking so bad if it were still skimming over the fullest part. Does that sound like it might be the case?

If so (or even perhaps if they just are loose in another way you don't like) Your proposed solution doesn't sound like it would turn out very flattering. At best it sounds like it would create a bag effect, making you look like you had extra volume in your body above that elasticated point. I could probably take in your sweater at the side seams, but that can create its own problems, depending on what's going on with the fit of the sweater all around. You could have a tailor take a look, as sweaters can sometimes be altered and it's hard to tell you what can or should be done without seeing what's going on when you wear it.

Honestly, given that cotton sweaters don't live for ever anyway, I think you should take the opportunity to pick up some new ones.
posted by crabintheocean at 1:18 PM on November 11, 2011

Sorry - additionally on the possible length issue I discuss in my first paragraph, if you're shrinking knitted cotton by washing and drying, you're likely to lose a lot more from the length than the width, and when you wear the sweater it will naturally stretch width-ways as you move, pulling the length even shorter.
posted by crabintheocean at 1:21 PM on November 11, 2011

One of the perks of losing weight is to buy yourself some new clothes! Sweaters can be had for a fairly reasonable price, and your plan does not sound like it would much improve the appearance of your current sweaters.
posted by amro at 1:21 PM on November 11, 2011

A skilled tailor who works with knitwear might be able to alter and and re-block the garment for you. Not all tailors work with knits, but call around! I've had a few sweaters altered in the waist, and I've been happy with the results. I'm top heavy, and I think what you're talking about here is how all sweaters fit me.
posted by peep at 1:33 PM on November 11, 2011

I'm a knitter, and knitting with lots of different fibers has taught me that I hate cotton sweaters. They're great for machine washability but they have this way of stretching into unflattering shapes. There are some great blends, but 100% cotton sweaters are not my friends. (I still buy them for my husband, but he has different sweater requirements than me.)

crabintheocean is right about how cotton stretches. I don't think, barring luck with a skilled tailor, you're going to get what you're looking for from old cotton sweaters. When cotton stretches into a particular shape, it tends to stay in that shape and not bounce back after washing the way wool and other animal fibers do.

So yeah, if it were me, I'd go shopping for new sweaters.
posted by katieinshoes at 1:51 PM on November 11, 2011

I had a couple of sweaters where the investment to repair far outweighed the cost of re-knitting (cashmere).

You may be able to google around and find a re-knitting service. With detailed directions (and measurements) they should be able to fit the sweaters to your new body.

But also, you may take this opportunity to update your wardrobe!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 5:44 PM on November 11, 2011

~cost of replacement~ dammit.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 5:45 PM on November 11, 2011

I've had luck with your elastic plan. Just be careful that you don't make it so snug that it puckers above the ribbing. It might also look best with 3 or more rows of elastic. It's really not much of a chore if you're handy with a needle. It's worth a shot, anyhow.
posted by puddinghead at 7:14 PM on November 11, 2011

Elastic? Belts? Scarves?

Just wear your sweaters in a different way?
posted by BlueHorse at 7:23 PM on November 11, 2011