I often make a similar alteration to hatters that tie behind the neck, which doesn’t seem to work for me somehow. It’s pretty easy to do, pin it first and try it on, so you’re certain it’s just right, but the sewing is pretty easy.
If you’re hand sewing it, just try it on before cutting anything off the ties, and if you don’t like it, it’s easy enough to just pull out the stitching and revert back to how it was originally.