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Looking or stores and brands that offer complimentary tailoring, for hemming and beyond? Here’s our 2025 update for our list of stores that offer free alterations, plus all the key details. You may not even know that some of your favorite department stores and brands offer them, so read on!
Unfortunately, since I wrote the first version of this post a few years ago, Athleta stopped offering hemming, (here’s the low-down from an employee), Dillard’s began solely providing free alterations for men (uh, thanks, Dillard’s), and Uniqlo has started charging $5-$10 for hemming (which is very reasonable, at least!).
As someone who’s only five feet tall (er, five feet short?) with a small frame who can’t always find petite sizes (it’s getting harder!), I’m familiar with the frustration of frequently having to pay to get a clothes altered (and it ain’t cheap where I live). I don’t want to know how much I’ve spent over the years on getting pants hemmed, for example. (I really should learn to sew.)
Others may have problems finding styles you really like in mid sizes or tall sizes or plus petites (Talbots is a reliable source of plus petites), so tailoring it is!
By the way, if you’re on the smaller side, check out this recent WSJ story, “Vanity Sizing Is Forcing Petite Women Into Kids’ Clothes” [gift link], for tips and commiseration.
(PSA for shorter or shorter-torsoed people: I’ve gotten SO tired of long T-shirts looking weird on me, so for casual tees, I’ve started cutting a few inches off with sewing scissors. The fabric never frays, and usually doesn’t curl up, though it’s clearly cut-off (hey, punk rock — OK, no). And as someone with an hourglass figure too, when the chest of a shirt fitted, longer tees (especially graphic tees) often too tight on my hips, so I cut, cut, cut.
Do you use the free alterations perk at certain stores, or do you really on your trusty local tailor shop?
{related: tips on wearing kids’ clothes when you’re petite}
Tips on Free Alterations on Workwear
Here are two important things to consider regarding free alterations:
1. With some clothing items, such as 100% cotton pieces (not preshrunk, obviously), it may be best to (unfortunately) pass up the free alterations and first wash/dry your purchase before taking it to your own tailor, in case it shrinks. (However, some store will still alter your clothes for free if you bring them back another day!)
2. If you’re getting pants hemmed in person, make sure that the heel height of the shoes you’re wearing is the same as the height of the shoes you’ll regularly wear with them.
{related: a guide to suiting alterations}
7 Clothing Stores That Offer Free Tailoring
Nordstrom
Nordstrom offers free alterations by professional tailors and even provides alterations for clothing you’ve bought elsewhere. Nice!
The retailer does the following, and probably more:
- alter menswear to your body proportions
- add pockets (hooray!)
- shorten pant hems and/or taper pant legs
- remove raw hems (anyone else not a fan?)
- take in waists
- alter vintage pieces
- repair clothing
You can book alterations appointments online; find the nearest store that offers alterations with this search.
Lands’ End
Lands’ End will cuff or hem online orders of pants at no charge, and the service only adds 1 to 2 days to your order-processing time.
Here are the key details for the service:
- Pants that are pre-hemmed by the inch cannot be altered, and some jeans and corduroys can be hemmed but not cuffed.
- Each item will specify online whether it can be hemmed.
- For cuffing, click “cuffed” for a 1.5-inch cuff.
- For 100% cotton pieces, add 0.5″ to your desired length to allow for shrinkage.
{related: the most common tailoring alterations for women}
Banana Republic
As has been the case for a while, Banana Republic’s complimentary alteration service is only available to customers who have a BR credit card, unfortunately. BR will shorten hems on pants, skirts, and dresses in person, and recommends contacting your local store for details first.
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brother does free alterations but for some reason has removed most of the details about them from their website. You can either choose the length option online (for select styles only) or bring your clothes to a store.
Brooks Brothers also has a new Made to Measure service for women, previously only available for men’s suits (um, why?). At four locations (in New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania — sorry, western and southern BB fans), employees help you get the perfect fit for suit jackets, pants, and skirts, with lots of custom options.
You can book store appointments online, and you’ll receive your custom pieces in 3-4 weeks.
J.Crew
J.Crew will hem pants or alter sleeves in store, but the service is only free for store card members, unfortunately.
Lululemon
The brand provides free pants hemming if you have a free Lululemon membership (sign up here). If you bring in a past purchase, you don’t need to bring a receipt or tag (which, y’know, makes sense). Some stores also offer minor repairs like fixing holes and zippers, but as with all Lululemon alteration services, the website advises calling your local store first.
Find out whether your local store offers hemming with the store locator — simply filter by “hemming.” Note that some alterations are sent out to be performed by a “third party,” so YMMV.
Ralph Lauren
For women’s clothing, you can get free alterations at Ralph Lauren, but only on Collection items available in select stores. They’ll ask for your receipt and will return your item in up to 10 days. For Collection styles you’ve bought on sale, you’ll have to pay for alterations (which is pretty annoying, Ralph Lauren).
Readers, do you know of other clothing stores with free alterations? What have your experiences been with stores’ tailoring services, either online or in store?
Stock photo via Stencil
