Learn how to shorten a belt
When stumbling upon a belt the perfect shade of brown to match your newest oxfords, it can seem the stars have aligned in your fashionable favour. However if, upon closer inspection, the belt’s length is too long for your waistline, there’s no need to slink off to the next store disheartened. Shortening a belt yourself can be a quick 30-minute task that you can do with the aid of a couple of simple tools.
Gather up a pencil, ruler, screwdriver, pair of scissors and a sturdy hole punch (not the paper kind, something a little heftier). Before you decide to purchase the too-long belt, make sure it’s been designed with a screw at the buckle end of the belt. The screw will be what fastens the clasp together. Some designs may even have screws that are designed with a tab to unscrew easily.
Firstly, put on the belt to see how much you need to shorten it – most belts have five holes with the pin supposed to be positioned in the middle hole. Placing the belt on a sturdy work surface, use a screwdriver to unwind the screw and unhook the buckle. If you need to shorten the belt by three centimetres, for example, measure down from the buckle-end of the belt and draw a straight line with the pencil. Cut along the line with scissors, reserving the trimmed part.
Place this part over the newly cut end, marking a new hole through the existing one – this ensures the screw will still go through the leather at the same distance from the end as before. Punch in a new hole with a sturdy holepunch or alternatively you can pop down to Hallelujah Shoe Works at the Fortitude Valley train station and the friendly cobblers can punch an extra hole or two for you. Reattach the buckle section and secure with the screw.
Image via Trashness.