• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Modest Man

  • .
  • Start Here
  • Blog
  • About
  • Outfit Ideas
  • Free Stuff
Home / Blog / Clothing and Style / Clothing Alterations

Shoelaces Too Long? How To Shorten Your Shoelaces

Published on May 18, 2022 by Brock McGoff · Clothing Alterations, Shoes May contain affiliate links (what's this?)

Are you dealing with shoelaces that are too long? This post will show you a cheap and easy way to shorten them yourself.

Table of Contents

  • What Supplies You Need
  • How To Shorten Your Shoelaces
    • What You Need
    • Step 1: Measure & Mark Your Laces
    • Tip: Shoelace Lengths
    • Step 2: Remove Shoelaces
    • Step 3: Cut Your Laces
    • Step 4: Measure & Cut Your Tubing
    • Step 5: Insert Lace Into Tube
    • Step 6: Heat & Shrink
    • Step 7: Lace Up Your Shoes
  • Shoelace Shortening Tips
    • Heat Shrink Tubing
    • Granny Knots
    • Use Some Glue
  • Questions About Shortening Your Shoelaces
    • How Do You Shorten Laces Without Cutting Them?
    • How Long Should Shoelaces Be?
    • What Is the Tip of a Shoelace Called?
    • How Do You Shorten Shoelaces Without Fraying?
    • Why Is One Shoelace Longer Than the Other?

Before and After

I recently ordered a new pair of suede bucks. They were perfect except one little thing – the shoelaces were way too long.

Even after double-knotting, the loops looked like giant bunny ears, flopping around with every step.

Not only do long laces look bad, but they get caught on things and are easy to step on. They seem to come untied constantly.

So, instead of buying new shoelaces, I decided to shorten them. After a bit of searching, I found this amazing website dedicated to all things shoelace-related — different knots, types of laces, and even how to deal with excess length.

The whole operation, including a quick trip to the hardware store, took about a half hour, and it only cost $4. Here’s a quick overview of how I did it:

What Supplies You Need

You will need your shoes, a pair of scissors, a measuring tape (optional but helpful), a lighter and at least one inch of heat shrink tubing.

  • Scissors
  • Marker
  • Measuring tape
  • Lighter
  • Heat shrink tubing

Once you’ve gathered your supplies, you’re ready to start shortening.

How To Shorten Your Shoelaces

Follow these step-by-step instructions to shorten your shoelaces in just a few minutes:

What You Need
What You Need

What You Need

You need your shoes, a pair of scissors, a marker, measuring tape (optional), a lighter and at least two inches of heat shrink tubing.

Step 1: Measure & Mark Your Laces
Step 1: Measure & Mark Your Laces

Step 1: Measure & Mark Your Laces

Tie your shoes so the loops are the right size, then use a marker or pen to mark the excess length on both ends (this is where you'll cut the laces).

Tip: Shoelace Lengths
Tip: Shoelace Lengths

Tip: Shoelace Lengths

Shoelaces come in standard sizes like 37 inches. I ended up taking 3 inches off each end of my laces.

Step 2: Remove Shoelaces
Step 2: Remove Shoelaces

Step 2: Remove Shoelaces

This step is easy. Just take the shoelaces out of each shoe.

Step 3: Cut Your Laces
Step 3: Cut Your Laces

Step 3: Cut Your Laces

Cut your laces where you marked them in step 1. Take an equal amount off of each end. My 37" laces were shortened to 31".

Step 4: Measure & Cut Your Tubing
Step 4: Measure & Cut Your Tubing

Step 4: Measure & Cut Your Tubing

Your aglets (tips) should be 1/2 inch long. Measure your tubing and cut it into 4 pieces (each a half inch long).

Step 5: Insert Lace Into Tube
Step 5: Insert Lace Into Tube

Step 5: Insert Lace Into Tube

Fit the loose aglet over the end of your trimmed lace so the end of the lace is flush (no excess lace hanging out).

Step 6: Heat & Shrink
Step 6: Heat & Shrink

Step 6: Heat & Shrink

Use a lighter to shrink the tubing around the shoelace. Hold the lace a couple of inches above the flame; it doesn't take much heat (don't melt the rubber!).

Step 7: Lace Up Your Shoes
Step 7: Lace Up Your Shoes

Step 7: Lace Up Your Shoes

Lace up your shoes using your favorite lacing method, and enjoy your new shorter shoelaces 👌🏼

And that’s it! Now your shoelaces should be the perfect length. Nice job!

Shoelace Shortening Tips

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shortening your shoelaces:

Heat Shrink Tubing

Heat shrink tubing comes in different sizes. If you have round braided shoelaces (like those that come with most dress shoes), you’ll need 4mm tubing.

If you are shortening thicker laces (like the flat laces used for sneakers), go with 5mm tubing.

It also comes in different colors. You can try to match or complement the color of your shoes, or just have fun with it.

Granny Knots

Make sure to avoid the granny knot when tying your shoes. Use the appropriate lace up method for each type of shoe you own.

In general, straight lacing is better for dress shoes.

Use Some Glue

This isn’t totally necessary, but you can use a toothpick to put a little super glue inside the tubing after Step 4 (see above).

This will make your new laces more durable by preventing the tubing from slipping off the end of each lace over time.

Questions About Shortening Your Shoelaces

Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about shortening shoelaces:

How Do You Shorten Laces Without Cutting Them?

To shorten laces without cutting them, try double lacing. With this lacing method, you can thread both laces through one or more pairs of eyelets, shortening your laces by several inches.

You could also tuck extra long shoelace ends into your shoes. However, they can come untucked and trip you as you walk.

You might also want to try double, triple, or even quadruple knotting your shoes. This isn’t the best option as having giant knots sitting on top of your shoes looks sloppy.

Your best (and safest) option to shorten your shoelaces is to cut them.

How Long Should Shoelaces Be?

Shoelaces should be long enough to tie easily but short enough that there is not a lot of excess lace flopping around. Most of the time, you can estimate how long your laces should be by the number of eyelets.

To get a more exact measurement, use this Shoelace Length Approximation Formula from Ian’s Shoelace Site:

Horizontal Spacing × Total Eyelets + 500 (all measurements in mm)

If you don’t want to do the math yourself, you can use this handy shoelace length calculator to find the ideal lace length for your shoes.

What Is the Tip of a Shoelace Called?

It’s called an aglet. (If you listen to this song, you’ll never forget the name of this essential element of shoelace anatomy).

Aglets help prevent the ends of laces from fraying and make it easier to lace up your shoes or boots.

How Do You Shorten Shoelaces Without Fraying?

You can shorten laces without fraying by replacing their aglets with heat shrink tubing after cutting them to the length you want.

Why Is One Shoelace Longer Than the Other?

Throughout the day, when you’re walking around your shoelaces can loosen up a bit. They tend to loosen unevenly, causing one side of the shoelace to be longer than the other.

They also can become uneven if you pull one shoelace with more force than the other when you’re tying your shoes.

Questions? Comments? Leave them below!

Clothing Alterations, Shoes DIY, shoelaces, shoes

Related Posts

Johnston and Murphy Review
Johnston & Murphy Review: Comfortable and Well-Priced
best mens summer shoes
The 9 Best Men’s Shoes for Summer 2023
how to hem jeans and chinos at home
How to Hem Jeans and Chinos at Home
how to hem dress pants on your own
How to Hem Your Own Dress Pants (Without a Sewing Machine)

About Brock McGoff

The Modest Man founder, Brock is an aspiring minimalist who enjoys working out, spending time with his family, discovering new brands and creating great content.

Background: Brock McGoff has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a professional background in digital marketing. He believes that men's fashion is just one facet of self-improvement, and he started The Modest Man to help regular guys feel more confident by improving their appearance.

An east coast native, Brock currently lives in Arizona with his wife and daughter. When he's not working, he spends time with family, training BJJ, reading/listening to books and podcasts, and unsuccessfully trying to decide which movie to stream.

Expertise: Brock has built a men's lifestyle YouTube channel with over 400k subscribers. He's also worked as the creative marketing manager in a men's apparel startup. Brock has been quoted in, mentioned by or featured in publications like Esquire, Huff Post, Men's Health, WWD and Forbes.

More Articles by This Author

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

Join the Club

Never miss a post, plus grab this free guide (instant download). No spam. Ever.

Subscribe Now

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Ask Me Anything Cancel reply

    Got questions? Want to share your opinion? Comment below!

  1. Rob says

    September 14, 2019 at 2:19 pm

    Do not remove or measure the shoe laces. Leave them on the shoe as they arrived. Put on the shoes and tie them as you always do each morning. Once you are satisfied with the length of the 2 loops on each shoe decide how long the unlooped part of the lace looks best and cut off the extra length. Take the cut length and use it as a marker to measure and cut the remaining 3 unlooped laces. Proceed to heat shrinking the 4 cut ends. This approach is a whole lot faster, easier, and accurate but i do thank you for the heat shrink idea.

    Reply
  2. OlliFlamme says

    January 18, 2019 at 3:39 pm

    I had that same solution on mind, but thought I’d Google anyways 🙂

    One needs to get this tip:
    Cut a piece of the heat shrink tubing (HST) the same length as the original lace end.

    And here comes the drum roll:
    Slide the HST over the existing hard end, befor shortening your lace end.

    Then slide the HST until the end, shrink and you’re done.

    With hollow laces, piercing the lace end into the HST is a challenge!

    Reply
  3. dean walker says

    November 25, 2016 at 11:29 am

    you can buy shoelaces for less than 4 $

    Reply
  4. ff says

    December 21, 2015 at 8:15 am

    I used ducktape

    Reply
  5. Chris says

    March 24, 2015 at 8:47 pm

    What color is this for this brand? can’t seem to find that same ones

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Join the Club

Never miss a post, plus grab this free guide (instant download).

No spam. Ever.

Subscribe Now

Top 5 Favorites for Fall & Winter 2022

  1. Thursday Boots Captain – still the best Goodyear-welted boot under $200 (full review here) 🥾
  2. Matte for Men SPF Lotion – because you should be using moisturizer with SPF
  3. Darn Tough Wool Socks – possibly the best boot socks you can buy 🧦
  4. Hamilton Khaki Mechanical – perfect everyday mechanical watch under $500 (Amazon/Jomashop)
  5. Flint & Tinder Waxed Jacket – great fit, perfect weight for fall 👍🏼

Trending Articles

Men over 40 style

How to Dress Well In Your 40s and 50s (and Beyond)

Fashion brands for short men

Where to Buy Clothes for Short Men (2022 Guide)

Seiko 5 SNK805

31 Great Watches For Small Wrists (Updated for 2023)

Best Business Casual Shoes for Men

Top 8 Best Business Casual Shoes for Men (2023 Guide)

Business casual outfits

The Complete Guide to Business Casual Style for Men

Topics

  • Clothing & Style
  • Outfit Ideas
  • Fitness
  • Product Reviews
  • Dating & Confidence
  • Grooming
  • Men of Modest Height
  • Income Reports

Footer

The Modest Man logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Home • Blog • Resources • Contact • Advertise

 

Privacy Policy & Affiliate Disclosure • Terms & Conditions

 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Copyright © 2023 The Modest Man (Registered Trademark)