How to Fix a Gaping Neckline (With or Without Sewing)

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Make your collar fit better in minutes with these simple ideas

Co-authored by Shaelynn Haning and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: December 3, 2024 Fact Checked

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Quick Non-Sewing Fixes

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Making Adjustments with Sewing

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A gaping neckline can be super frustrating but also super fixable! More often than not, a neckline gaps or sags because the top is too big, your bust is fuller, or the garment is designed to be oversized. Fixing a neckline is easy with or without sewing, and you only need a few quick techniques. Read on to learn what they are!

The Best Ways to Fix a Loose Neckline

Use a safety pin to secure the two neckline fabrics in place on a wrap top or dress.
Secure a saggy neckline in place by putting fashion tape on the underside of the top and your bra strap.
Wear a tank top underneath a shirt or sweater that hangs too low.

Section 1 of 2:

Quick Non-Sewing Fixes

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1
Pin the neckline with a safety pin if you’re wearing a wrap top. Wrap tops and dresses are very stylish but often hang open or pull apart, which could expose part of your chest. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix this in a pinch with a safety pin. Hold the gap together where you want to secure it, then use your free hand to insert the safety pin on the inside of your top. Thread the pin back through the front of your top and secure it on the inside of your neckline.^{[1]
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- The safety pin shouldn’t be visible from the outside. If it is, take the safety pin back out and try again.
- Wrap tops have a front closure that's formed when the two sides cross over your chest. It might be secured by a tie, button, or stitching if it's a faux wrap.
- This fix only works for wrap tops or dresses, as it may be too noticeable on other styles.
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Use fashion tape to attach the neckline to your bra if you wear one. Fashion tape is a strong double-stick tape that sticks to fabric. To use the tape, cut 2 strips that are 3 to 4 in (7.6 to 10.2 cm) long. Stick one side of each piece of tape to the top of your bra strap. Then, adjust your neckline to where you want it to sit and press the fabric down onto the fashion tape.^{[2]
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- As image consultant Elle Monus advises, fashion tape works best for wide or low necklines and wrap shirts and dresses.
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Pair the gaping top with a camisole or tank top for a quick cover-up. When asked how to make a neckline more modest, Monus said to trust the old standby: a cami or tank top. Layering a top or dress with a gaping neckline over another top makes the gap look like a style choice. Pick a v-neck cami if you’re wearing a wrap top where the two sides cross over your chest so the necklines match. For a t-shirt, blouse, button-up shirt, or dress, try a lace or silk camisole for a feminine touch.^{[3]
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- For solid-colored tops, pick a cami or tank top that’s a neutral or complementary color.
- For a printed top, wear a solid-colored cami or tank top that matches one of the colors in the pattern.
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Wear the top as an off-the-shoulder top if it’s too wide. A wide neckline can be really annoying because it will keep falling off your shoulders. However, this can be a cute look if you don’t mind exposing your shoulders. Shift the top to 1 side to expose one shoulder or pull it down off of both shoulders to go for a cold-shoulder look.^{[4]
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- If you’re wearing a bra and don’t want exposed straps, wear a camisole or tank top under the top to cover your straps.

Section 2 of 2:

Ways to Adjust Necklines with Sewing

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1
Sew darts along the neckline to tighten it. Put on your top and pinch the fabric together where it gapes on the inside of the shirt. Pin the gaps and remove your shirt so you can lay it out. Adjust the pins on both sides of the neckline so they’re symmetrical on each side, then flip the garment inside out. Use a hand-sewing needle and thread or a sewing machine to sew the pinned parts of the fabric together from the neckline in a 3 in (7.6 cm) line to create a dart.^{[5]
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- A dart is a fold that you sew into a garment to shape it to your figure. In this case, the darts will pull the neckline together for a better fit.
- Darts are great for fixing a neckline that is too wide or low. Additionally, you can add darts to fix a sweetheart neckline.
EXPERT TIP

Shaelynn Haning
Professional Tailor & Business Owner
Shaelynn Haning is a Tailor & Business Owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shaelynn is the founder of the highest-rated and most-reviewed alterations and tailoring service in Oklahoma, Tallgrass Tailor, employing a team of skilled craftsmen and women from across the country and the world. Shaelynn is a member of the State of Oklahoma Education Careers and Technologies Board and a member of both the Custom Tailors and Designers Association and the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. She is the host of The Sew Show with Shae, an entertaining and educational sewing channel posting weekly videos on YouTube. Shaelynn earned her BS in Apparel Design and Product Development from Marist College.

Shaelynn Haning
Professional Tailor & Business Owner

Fixing a gaping neckline could require work on the shoulder. To fix gaping on a wrap dress, temporary fixes like tape might help. However, adjusting the shoulders for a better fit is a longer-term solution for a flattering neckline.
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Add a cord to the neckline to pull it shut. Use a measuring tape to find the circumference of your neckline (the length of the neckline), then cut a fabric cord that's about 6 in (15 cm) longer than the neckline. Turn your garment inside out, then lay the cord along your neckline. Fold the neckline down around the cord, then pin the fabric into place. Use a hand-sewing needle and thread or a sewing machine to sew along the area where you pinned the fabric in place to create a new neckline around the cord. Leave the edges of the new neckline open so you can adjust the cord as needed.^{[6]
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- When you're ready to wear the shirt, pull the ends of the cord to tighten your neckline, then tie them to secure the neckline in place.
- This fix works best for a neckline that’s too wide or too loose.
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Sew elastic into the neckline to scrunch it together. Cut a length of elastic that's the length of your desired neckline circumference. Turn your garment inside out and lay the elastic along the neckline. Fold the neckline down around the elastic and pin the neckline into place so you know where to sew the new stitching. Remove the elastic, then use a hand-sewing needle and thread or a sewing machine to sew the new neckline. Re-insert the elastic into the new neckline and scrunch the fabric around it. Line up the edges of the elastic and the open holes on either side of the new neckline, then sew them together with the seam on the inside of the neckline.^{[7]
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- If you're not sure how wide you want your new neckline to be, put on your top and pinch the fabric together to eliminate the gap. Pin the fabric in place, then take off the garment and use a measuring tape to measure the circumference of the pinned neckline.
- You'll be able to expand the neckline to put on the shirt, if necessary, since you used elastic.
- Elastic is a good fix for a wide or loose neckline.
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Sew a piece of fabric along the inside of a neckline that's too low. Choose a piece of fabric in a color that matches or complements the top. Cut a strip that’s about 2 to 3 in (5.1 to 7.6 cm) wide and 3 to 6 in (7.6 to 15.2 cm) long, depending on how much of the neckline you want to cover. Slide the fabric or lace down into your neckline and adjust it until you’re happy with its placement. Then, pin the fabric or lace in place and turn the garment inside out. Sew the fabric or lace in place at the neckline, following the top’s natural seam.^{[8]
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- For instance, you might add black lace to a red top.
- This fix works great for a neckline that dips too low, as well as a sweetheart neckline.
EXPERT TIP

Candace Hanna
Professional Stylist
Candace Hanna is a stylist and style expert based in Southern California. With 16 years of experience in the corporate fashion and personal styling realms, she runs Style by Candace, a personal styling agency that focuses on helping individuals find their personal expression through clothing. Her work has been featured in magazines such as Shoutout LA and VoyageLA.

Candace Hanna
Professional Stylist

At the end of the day, wear what you like! Fashion is really about what’s trending, whereas style is really about you. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and focus on your individual style, likes, and dislikes.