How to Have a Repair Day
I went to Nordstrom and got it all done.
This newsletter is free thanks to Nordstrom.
Every January, I dedicate this newsletter to Repair Month. It’s a nice break after the deluge of gift guides and online sales in December, and a good time to give what you already own some TLC. Repair Month never has to end, though…
April also calls for it. Spring is here, so you’re turning over your closet again, and it’s all about rebirth, etc. In the past, I’ve encouraged readers to indulge in what I call a “Dress Up Day,” where you find new ways to style the items that have been hiding in the back of your closet, rather than tossing them. To me, “spring cleaning” is really just a way of justifying more spring acquiring.
I also think you can scale down and schedule a simple “Repair Day,” where you run all the errands you’ve been putting off, including a visit to your local cobbler and tailor, and maybe sewing on a button. Half the battle with repair-related tasks is finding five minutes to complete them. So, when I learned that Nordstrom is a one-stop shop for all my repair-related needs, a Repair Day seemed more doable.
It turns out that Nordstrom is the largest employer of tailors in North America. Between Nordstrom NYC and the Nordstrom Men’s store, there are 29 tailors currently on staff. They offer alterations and tailoring services for garments you’ve purchased at the store, as well as for ones you haven’t. At the Columbus Circle men’s store, there’s also a Shoe Care area in the basement filled with Jason Markk tools, where you can sit and get your sneakers and leather shoes taken care, oftentimes in just 20 minutes, depending on the condition. And if you want to spruce up something you already own, there’s an in-store personalization service on the fourth floor of the women’s store.
On a recent Wednesday, I got on the subway during my “lunch break” and headed to Nordstrom with a bag full of things that needed fixing. My first stop was to see a tailor, and I was introduced to a woman named Lita, who wore a sharp green suit with a thimble pin on it. I instantly trusted her.
I needed help with a vintage Bottega Veneta gown I found on The RealReal, which I want to wear to my uncle’s wedding in September. It’s about four inches too long, so it needed a hem, and because it’s an unusual knit fabric, I felt like I needed to take it to someone really skilled.
It’s also got a beautiful draped back, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to hook it…
Another tailor came over to try to figure it out, and we were all seriously stumped… But then Lita got it! You actually have to hook the belt inside the dress, around the front. Mystery solved.
I then went to Nordstrom’s personalization studio, where I was able to customize a pair of white AGOLDE denim shorts that I’d found while browsing the store earlier.
I leafed through a binder of all my embroidery options, like I was at a tattoo parlor, and decided to get “SHOP RAT" written on the back pocket. Sadly, the rat emoji wasn’t available. Had I been more prepared, though, I could have sent them the Shop Rat logo file to work with. Next time!
We picked out some fonts together and plugged them into the computer.
And within about 15 minutes, my shorts were ready! Magic.
Last but not least, I went to the shoe department in the men’s store to spruce up my green suede Dries Van Noten sneakers, which I’ve worn to death.
A friendly man named CJ, who has worked at Nordstrom for five years, took care of me. A sneakerhead himself, he says he treats your shoes like he would his own, and I believe him. Later that day, I came back to pick them up, and they were as good as new. He also waterproofed them, which I hadn’t even thought to do, extending the life of my shoes even further.
In about an hour, I’d taken care of everything I’d been meaning to do for months, and then some. I figured out how to wear my dress, I unlocked endless new merch possibilities, and gave my greens a spring refresh. A Repair Day success! ✅
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