Does Nordstrom do free alterations?
Fact-checked 2026-09-07 · every claim links to its source below
What Nordstrom says
- The published list has two columns: regular-price merchandise, and sale, Rack and non-Nordstrom merchandise. The PDF is hosted on Nordstrom's own media CDN and carries a published date of 2022-12-06; it is the list Nordstrom currently links to.1
- Hems: pants or jeans, open bottom or pre-hemmed, complimentary on regular-price and $24 otherwise; original-hem jeans $24 / $30; raw-bottom jeans $15 / $26; skirt or dress plain or vented hem under 72 inches, complimentary / $42.1
- Waist in or out on a split waistband: complimentary / $30. Leg taper: $28 / $38. Thigh in or out: complimentary / $24.1
- Sleeves: suit, sport coat, blazer or raincoat, plain: complimentary / $40. Shirt, blouse or dress: $22 / $28. Move or reset a placket: $30 / $40.1
- Sides: suit, sport coat or blazer, plain non-vented: complimentary / $40; centre seam in or out: complimentary / $30; shirt or blouse sides and sleeves: $32 / $40. Moving coat front buttons is complimentary / $8 each; a machine functional buttonhole is $10 / $15 each.1
- Express alterations are priced: $25 for same-day or next-day, $15 for 2–4 days, and $10 for a basic pant hem at either speed.1
- Garments bought elsewhere are accepted at the higher column, and "Waiver must be signed by customer for all non-Nordstrom alterations." Nordy Club alterations benefits are not eligible on Rack merchandise or merchandise not purchased at Nordstrom, and bridal gowns bought outside Nordstrom are not eligible at all.1
What an independent tailor charges
- A published New York shop list (Alterations.com, NY 10017) prices a suit-jacket sleeve shortening at $65, taking in jacket sides at $65, tapering arms at $65, reducing shoulders at $195 and shortening jacket length at $200; trousers are $30 for a hand-finished hem, $35 to take in or let out the waist and $65 to taper the legs. The shop states an average total suit alteration of $165.2
- A mid-market shop list (Sew Boise, Idaho, dated January 2022) prices a plain trouser hem at $18, tapering a coat or blazer at the sides or back at $40, shortening shirt sleeves at $18–$25, with a $10 minimum invoice, a $10 surcharge per seam set on lined garments, and rush fees of 30% (72 hours), 50% (24–72 hours) and 100% (under 24 hours).3
- Airtasker's US cost guide estimates a hem at $15–$35, a basic sleeve shortening or lengthening at $30–$70, waist work at $25–$50, a two-seam leg taper at $25–$45 and side seams at $45–$85. The page is titled for 2026 but its body is dated March 2022.4
- Thumbtack puts the national average cost of a tailoring job at $73–$232, with hemming or cuffing at $73–$107 and shortening or lengthening sleeves or pant legs at $82–$122. Those are whole jobs booked through its marketplace, not per-seam shop rates, which is why they sit above every shop list here.5
| Alteration | Regular-price merchandise | Sale, Rack and non-Nordstrom |
|---|---|---|
| Pants or jeans: hem, open bottom or pre-hemmed | Complimentary 1 | $24 1 |
| Jeans: original hem | $24 1 | $30 1 |
| Jeans: raw bottom | $15 1 | $26 1 |
| Skirt or dress: plain or vented hem under 72" | Complimentary 1 | $42 1 |
| Pants or skirt: waist in or out, split waistband | Complimentary 1 | $30 1 |
| Pants: taper leg | $28 1 | $38 1 |
| Pants: thigh in or out | Complimentary 1 | $24 1 |
| Suit, sport coat, blazer or raincoat: plain sleeves | Complimentary 1 | $40 1 |
| Shirt, blouse or dress: plain sleeves | $22 1 | $28 1 |
| Move or reset placket | $30 1 | $40 1 |
| Suit, sport coat or blazer: sides, plain non-vented | Complimentary 1 | $40 1 |
| Centre seam in or out | Complimentary 1 | $30 1 |
| Shirt or blouse: sides and sleeves | $32 1 | $40 1 |
| Move coat front buttons | Complimentary 1 | $8 each 1 |
| Machine functional buttonhole | $10 each 1 | $15 each 1 |
| Express: same day or next day | $25 1 | $25 1 |
| Express: 2–4 days | $15 1 | $15 1 |
| Express: basic pant hem | $10 1 | $10 1 |
“Ordered two suits and four shirts, remotely from the US. They fit great and are great quality! Was able to do everything over WhatsApp for measurements, etc. Will definitely visit if I ever make it to Hoi An. Highly recommend!”
“Being a short and stocky person, I could never truly get clothing that fitted properly. "Off the rack" was never an option... As I opened the small box, I got nervous and wondered if I made a big mistake and basically gambled away a fair amount of money. I ordered a 3 piece suit, 2 shirts and had a pair of leather dress shoes. Everything fitted nicely... the shirts were absolutely PERFECT.”
“Very satisfied; incredibly skillful to make clothes fit so perfectly. Beautiful fabric exactly as promised, very neat — would simply love to order from here again!”
“They did such an amazing job, my suit fits perfectly and the craftsmanship is superb! Linda was a great help and she knows exactly what she is doing. I can't recommend this place enough and I will be getting more suits from them in the future guaranteed!”
“Great place to get perfect suit, they send me to Poland with no problems.”
“WOW! Ordered a suit online with Linda. She contacted me by video call to go through the measuring process and once confirmed measurements again, around 4 weeks later a made to measure suit arrived in the UK. Fitted perfectly and I didn't even visit! Fantastic quality and customer service from Linda. Would definitely recommend!”
“Exceptional experience from start to finish. I ordered a fully custom two-piece double-breasted suit remotely from France, Linda and Jennifer guided me through every step with patience and professionalism. The suit arrived in under 3 weeks and the result is flawless: fabric, cut, lining, silhouette, everything is perfect. Nathan Tailors delivered exactly the vision I had in mind. I will absolutely be ordering again. Highly recommended.”
“This was my first time buying suits online so I was a bit apprehensive. However, the online order form was both easy to use and very thorough, and they did a video call with me to make sure of a couple of measurements that were out of the normal range. Two suits and a shirt arrived here in New Zealand in less than two weeks, are well-made, and fit perfectly. I'm thrilled with the service.”
Questions people ask
Which Nordstrom alterations are actually free?
On regular-price merchandise: pant and jean hems, split-waistband waist, thigh, suit-jacket and blazer sleeves, jacket sides, centre seam, skirt and dress hems under 72 inches, and moving coat buttons. Leg tapers, shirt sleeves and buttonholes are charged even at regular price 1.
Will Nordstrom alter clothes I bought somewhere else?
Yes, at the sale/Rack/non-Nordstrom column price, and you must sign a waiver. Bridal gowns bought elsewhere are the exception and are not accepted 1.
Are alterations free on Nordstrom Rack purchases?
No. Rack merchandise is priced from the second column ($24 pant hem, $40 jacket sleeves), and Nordy Club alterations benefits do not apply to Rack items 1.
How fast can Nordstrom turn an alteration around?
Express service is $25 for same-day or next-day and $15 for 2–4 days; a basic pant hem is $10 at either speed 1.
Sources
What Nordstrom publishes
- Alterations price list (PDF) — Nordstrom, 2022-12-06brand-stated
What buyers and the press report
- Men's Alterations price list — Alterations.com Tailor Shop, New York, 2026-09-07third-party
- Alterations Price List 2022 (PDF) — Sew Boise, 2022-01-05third-party
- How much do suit alterations cost? — Airtasker US, 2022-03-08third-party
- How much does tailoring cost? — Thumbtack, 2026-09-07third-party