How to Alter a Halter Top

Halter tops are great for summer and wear well under items such as jackets, blazers and sweaters. Unfortunately, not all halter tops are made for your body type. Luckily, even a halter top that is not meant to be adjusted can be made to fit perfectly with a little bit of handiwork.

Use a seam ripper to rip out the seam on the neck strap of the halter top. It is easiest to rip out a seam on one of the sides where the neck strap connects to the shirt, however sometimes halter tops are made out of a solid piece of fabric, so this is not an option. In this case, check for a seam in the back of the neck strap and, if there is one, rip it out. If not, use scissors to cut through the middle of the strap.

Try the top on, decide how much shorter you need the strap to be and pin the fabric. Carefully remove the shirt, making sure not to poke yourself with the pins. If you are adjusting a seam in the back of the neck make sure you adjust the same amount of fabric on both sides so the seam remains in the centre.

Use a needle and thread or a sewing machine to stitch the neck strap where you pinned it. If you are hand-sewing, go over your new seam a couple of times to reinforce it so the stitching does not rip out. If you are using a sewing machine, lock the stitches at the beginning and end of the seam by going backward and forward over them.

Cut any excess fabric off. If your seam is in the back of the neck, you may want to fold each side of the neck strap down on the underside of the fabric and stitch it so you do not have awkward pieces sticking out.