Ever wondered how to stretch out leggings? This is something I never thought I will write about, but when my best friends popped the question about her leggings pair, I knew it was a great subject to write about. In this article, we will show you six different ways to stretch out your leggings and you can do any one of these in just a few minutes.
For many people who wear leggings, there may well come a time when you need to stretch them out.
This is especially so with the more popular and reputable legging brands, whereby their leggings will not stretch out over time.
However, when it comes to stretching out leggings, most people worry about tackling the process themselves. This is often due to worrying about damaging the quality of your leggings as a result.
Here we look at how to stretch out leggings, offering expert advice on how to get it right first time. This way, you can be assured of getting much more wear out of your purchase while remaining entirely comfortable each time you put on your leggings.
How to Stretch Out Leggings – Why Stretching Out Leggings is Needed
There are several reasons why people find themselves needing to stretch out their leggings.
- Leggings are the snugger of clothing types and often need a little stretching when first bought.
- Leggings that remain too tight even when worn over a long period and therefore are uncomfortable.
- Leggings that are the more expensive of brands that tend to prevent any stretching out occurring in their design. This means wearers need to consider doing this themselves each time they buy a new pair.
- Leggings that are not stretched that encourage an almost cardboard feel when worn.
What Do We Mean by Stretching Out Leggings?
Though it may initially sound a complicated process, the act of stretching out leggings is actually quite simple to do. The key here is to select a method that is the most practical and indeed safest for your material.
When we refer to stretching out leggings, we mean precisely that – stretching out the material of the leggings to increase the size and, indeed, the coziness of them when worn.
Examples of Why You Would Want to Stretch Out Leggings
You may find that you have bought the best pair of leggings based o your exact hip and waist measurements. These are possibly the pair of leggings that fit you best and are perfect both around the waistband and in length. However, you can’t help but notice they are slightly tight around the thighs or calves. Yet, you don’t want what to change the size you buy. This is where stretching would come into play.
Likewise, you may find that your leggings fit entirely all over. However, when it comes to the waistband, it is a little too snug fitting and is really uncomfortable when you move around in your leggings. Once again, stretching the material of your leggings here will allow you to make them comfortable once again, without compromising on that perfect size.
How to Stretch Out Your Leggings with Ease
1. Wear Your Leggings on a Regular Basis
One of the most basic ways to stretch out your leggings is to simply wear them more often! For some people, the act of repeated wearing is enough to encourage them to mold to your figure and give a bit of stretch to the material. Therefore, if you’re lounging in the home for the day, try wearing your leggings for a couple of hours.
2. Get Active in Your Leggings
Alongside wearing your leggings casually to get that increased stretch, some people prefer to put them on for the heavier of workout sessions. This can mean anything from gym work to doing the chores. Concentrate here on increasing and exaggerating your movement for a more significant effect.
3. Wash Your leggings and Shape Them When Wet
A more accessible way for many to stretch out leggings is after washing them. Once you have put your leggings through the recommended wash cycle, take them out of the machine. Then proceed to pull and stretch them, manipulating them into the shape you require. This means taking great care here, and it can take a little time to achieve, but if you can encourage your leggings when they are wet, they are more likely to respond here.
4. Wash Your Leggings and then Put Them on When Wet
Perhaps the next best thing to shaping them when wet is to actually wear your leggings when wet! If you can manage it, wash your leggings on their usual cycle and then put them on straight away while they are still wet. Then leave them on for around 15 minutes, so they have a chance to stretch to accommodate your shape.
5. Use Weights to Stretch Out Your Leggings
A trick used by many leggings wearers is to encourage them to stretch by using weights. This is best done after their normal wash cycle and when the leggings are fresh out of the machine and still warm.
Place your leggings straight onto a flat surface. This could be the countertop or on an ironing board, for best practice. Then, secure the top of the leggings with the use of weights. This should be heavy enough to hold down the material while securing it. A popular choice here is often that of big heavy books!
Then repeat this same method at the end of the leggings but stretch out the leggings to where you want them to go before placing the weights down here. The continual tension here should encourage a more permanent stretch.
6. Wash Your Leggings in Baby Shampoo
A stretching method claimed by many legging wearers to work wonders is that of washing your leggings in a soapy consistency with the use of a gentle baby shampoo.
Though this will mean handwashing your leggings, rather than putting them through a washing machine cycle. But, the result is not only a clean pair of leggings but one which smells lovely as a result!
This method requires you to fill up a tub or sink with warm water and use a considerable amount of baby shampoo. Yet, rather than wash your leggings, you leave them to soak for around half an hour. Then, once this time is up, you wring out the excess moisture.
Once you have completed this process, you place the leggings on a surface and secure one again with weights at either end to stretch out the material. The idea here is that the baby shampoo will soften the fibers of the leggings, which encourage the material to relax and stretch, but more quickly. Once the leggings are dry, you should find a higher degree of expansion in their make-up.
Now you know how to stretch out leggings, make sure you do it right, and share with us your results.
