Expanding waist band construction

 I've been making a pants pattern for a pal for... about .... over a year.  We'd kind of run aground before the pandemic, and ya know how 2020 worked.

So I was happy to hear from her again about continuing work on that pattern. The goal was to make a pair of dress pants for work that had the ability to expand a couple of inches in the afternoon for stomach issues, and snap back when gastric issues had passed.

Coincidentally, these pants needed to have the zipper replaced, and I think the expansion waistband assembly on these Lands End guys jeans may work for her. And myself as well.

from the inside

the center side of the pocket has a continuous lap placket to account for the cut to let the waist relax forward

The elastic is stitched at that point on the outside front waistband and securing about an inch into the slot it runs into on the inside band

The outside band  has elastic around to the side and back waistband

I really think this is the direction we're going to go.