Can You Save Your Skirt with a Slack Elastic Waist?

If the elastic runs within a hemmed fabric casing, the fix is a cinch. It can be tightened or replaced by a seamstress for $20 or less.

If the elastic band was created using elasticized thread, which is visible on the underside and tends to give out more easily, the time and the expense of replacing it may not be worthwhile. Fixing this kind of elastic waistband runs $45 on average and usually requires a special machine (though in some instances, a seamstress may be able to repair it by hand). “Even with more expensive clothing, it’s typical that the elastic doesn’t always have the same life expectancy of the garment itself,” says Joseph Hallak Jr., owner of Hallak Cleaners and president of the National Cleaners Association, in New York City.

Either way, compare the original cost of the clothing with the cost of the repair to see which option makes the most sense.

Odds of Revival: 50-50.