The Modest Man had the opportunity to review Nicholas James, a new clothing line for men of modest height. Here’s what we think of the brand and its offerings.
Let’s be honest: Short men get, well, the short end of the stick when it comes to buying clothes off the rack. Likely, you’ll have a good tailor on speed dial to help you achieve your best fit. Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with that. But sometimes, if not all the time, you want to buy something, toss it on and walk out the door.
There are very few brands that cater to men of modest heights. Therefore, we were elated when Nicholas James reached out to let us know they were launching a clothing line for short men. Then, they offered to let us sample almost everything in their lineup. How could we say no?
Read on to learn more about the brand, its offerings, the quality of its clothing, and its fit. Let’s get started.
About Nicholas James
Nick Parker started the brand because he often felt the same frustrations most of us do. At 5’6”, he thought that off-the-rack clothes just didn’t provide a good fit. Additionally, he was unimpressed with the quality and style of the few clothing brands with offerings for short men. In response, he launched Nicholas James in the fall of 2024.
Nick developed a love for golf at a young age, which is evident through his lineup of clothes. You’ll find well-fitting basics to add to your wardrobe, whether you’re a minimalist or prefer a closet full of clothing options. The Nicholas James brand offers a “perfectly proportioned line of versatile clothes with premium fabrics that can be used every day, whether at work, dinner or on the golf course.”
About Me and What I Tried
To start, please excuse my long splint – I broke my wrist at Jiujitsu right before this review. Now, to get a better picture of how things fit, here’s a little more about me. I am at the edge of modest man height at 5’8” and 155 pounds. I have an ectomorph-type body, and my measurements are fairly balanced between my shoulders, waist, and hips. I’m traditionally lean and lanky; however, playing water polo and practicing jiujitsu has added even bulk throughout my frame. Last, like a true ectomorph, I carry height (or length) in my legs. I am a medium in most brands and wear 31” x 29” or 30” pants/jeans.
For this review, Nicholas James sent eight items:
- Merino Wool T-shirt in Grey Heather, size medium.
- Performance Polo in Grey Heather, size medium/large.
- Performance Polo in Ice-Blue Heather size medium.
- Pima Cotton Polo in White and Ice Blue, size medium.
- Cashmere Sweatshirt in Denim, size medium.
- Pima Cotton Quarter Zip in Dark Sapphire Heather, size medium.
- 5 Pocket Pant in Khaki, size 32 x 29.
- Performance Vest in a size medium
- Nicholas James Hat
Now you know about my body type and what the brand sent, let’s discuss sizing briefly.
Nicholas James Sizing
Unlike most brands that use measurements to determine size, Nicholas James finds that weight is a better indicator of size. Therefore, you’ll find that your weight corresponds to size on their website. Also unique to the brand is the hybrid size M/L. While I am a consistent medium across brands (and according to the NJ size chart), I wanted to check out a M/L to see how it fits compared to a medium.
I laid the medium polo I received over the M/L and noticed that the hybrid size offers a little more width through the body. It also has a longer shoulder drop or length from collar to shoulder hem. However, the body length and sleeve lengths are the same. You might find this hybrid size ideal if you need a little more space through the torso but find a large too big.
Performance Polo in Grey Heather ($98) and 5 Pocket Pant in Khaki ($148)
The first items I tried on were the Performance Polo in Grey Heather and the Khaki 5 Pocket Pants. I really, really liked these pants. They are too casual if your work dress code calls for business formal attire. But they are a nice business casual or weekend pant. These pants are soft yet thick, comprising 72% cotton, 26% Lyocell, and 2% elastane blend. I had them folded before I took these pictures, so they are wrinkled, but as the day went on, the wrinkles smoothed out nicely.
Fit-wise, I think they fit slightly on the smaller size. Usually, I wear a 31” waist, which they do not carry at launch. Instead, they sent the 32” waist, which provided a perfect fit. The pants are 29” long, and I find them shorter than other 29” pants I have tried. However, they pair well with my high-top
Up top is the Performance Polo in Grey Heather in the hybrid M/L sizing I aforementioned. The length could not be more perfect for my shorter torso, with the hem hitting about mid-fly. However, the width was too big in the torso, and the shoulder seam dipped past my shoulder bone, not quite achieving that ideal polo fit.
Less-than-ideal fit aside, the fabric is a nice weight that isn’t too heavy or too thin. It is wrinkle-resistant and features a quick-dry blend. You’ll stay cool and comfortable whether you’re in the office or on the greens.
Performance Polo in Ice Blue Heather ($98)
This performance polo is the same as the grey one above but in an ice-blue hue. As you can see, it provides a much better fit through the torso, with the hem still hitting mid-fly. I find the sleeve length to be a tad long for my liking, but that’s my personal preference, and I wouldn’t alter it. I like the light blue color of this polo, and I feel it’s universally flattering regardless of skin tone.
Pima Cotton Polo in White and Ice Blue Stripes ($105)
If you’re looking for an elevated polo shirt, look no further than the Nicholas James Pima Cotton Polo. This is the polo you want to reach for for the office. Nicholas James constructs this polo with a thick yet buttery soft Peruvian Pima cotton. If you’re unfamiliar with Pima cotton, it’s known for its softness, strength and quality. Pima cotton has long staple fibers that are longer than standard or regular cotton fibers. As a result, you get a polo that is silky smooth, durable, breathable and absorbent.
This polo is tailored and refined, from the intricate stitching to the classic fabric tag. The performance polos have a screen-printed tag, while this Pima cotton polo has a classic tag. It’s such a good polo that I hope Nicholas James expands its offerings to solid colors, as it’s only available in three striped colorways.
Merino Wool T-Shirt in Grey Heather ($85)
I am a T-shirt guy through and through. Some guys wear polo shirts on the regular, others prefer button-ups, but I love a good tee. While the polos were great items, this Merino Wool T-shirt was my favorite of the bunch. I could have sized down to a small in this tee since it’s a relaxed fit. But I also think it’s a great T-shirt to wear in an on-trend, oversized fashion. The fabric on this tee is 80% Merino wool and 20% Nylon. It’s thin, airy, and a bit clingy, so if you prefer a thick cotton tee, you might want to pass on this one.
One thing to note about this tee is that if you try to get the perfect T-shirt fit and run into problems with the shoulders, this shirt has a raglan sleeve construction. This means no shoulder seams, so you don’t have to worry about your seam lining up with your shoulder bone.
Pima Cotton Quarter Zip ($135)
For the Nicholas James layering pieces, I had to photograph lay-downs. While I tried on and wore these pieces ahead of this review, I could not model them with my splint. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough stretch to fit the sleeves over my splint, and I didn’t want to ruin these layering pieces.
Think of the Pima Cotton Quarter Zip as the versatile, elevated big brother to a crew neck sweatshirt. The mock neck and quarter zip style is elevated enough to toss over a polo shirt and wear with chinos. Or, try it in an athleisure wear ensemble with a tee, performance joggers and a pair of
This quarter zip was the perfect fit everywhere. The sleeves hit right at my wrist bone and the hem between my waistband and mid-fly. The fabric is soft and has the right amount of stretch, so it moves with you while retaining its shape. I also loved the attention to detail, such as the Nicholas James engraving on the zipper pull and meticulous stitching.
Cashmere Sweatshirt ($398)
The final piece I sampled in the Nicholas James launch collection is the Cashmere Sweatshirt. It’s worth noting that it is also the most expensive piece in the collection at almost $400. As with most pieces in their collection, this sweatshirt’s (sweater’s?) aesthetic is well balanced between weekend and work casual. However, you can wear the luxurious cashmere in elevated work settings. Sure, this sweater isn’t going to replace a suit jacket, but you can certainly layer it under a suit jacket in cold weather.
This cashmere is wonderfully soft and has been sourced from an Italian family that has specialized in cashmere for five generations. It features a raglan style like Nicholas James’ merino wool T-shirt. Again, since it doesn’t have a shoulder seam, you won’t have to worry about shoulder fit with this sweater.
I paired it with the 5-pocket pants, the gray performance polo, and a pair of leather white sneakers for an elevated, casual look.
Performance Vest ($225)
When I initially published this review, the Nicholas James Performance Vest was not available. To be honest, it was one of the pieces I was looking forward to trying the most. I love a good vest–they are perfect for those transitional fall-to-winter or winter-to-summer days when a jacket is too much. When I finally got my hands on the vest, it did not disappoint.
Nicholas James uses 140-gram polyfill, which is the perfect weight for both the transitional season and early morning on the golf course.
The medium steel grey color is the perfect balance, so it doesn’t look so contrasting with light or dark colors. It truly pairs with anything. I wore the vest over the cashmere sweatshirt and a pair of American Eagle jeans for an elevated yet casual look. But you could easily swap out the layering tee and jeans for a polo or button-up and chinos to further elevate your ensemble.
Size-wise, the medium provided me with a perfect fit. However, I think I might have liked to try this vest in their hybrid M/L size so I can wear it with thicker layers.
This might be my favorite Nicholas James piece. I truly love everything about it, from the structured nylon/polyester fabric to the weight and versatility.
Nicholas James Pros and Cons
Like most brands I’ve reviewed, there are pros and cons. I’ve compiled them here to help you determine if Nicholas James is the right fit for you.
Pros:
- Fit. When it comes to clothes, fit is the single-hand, most important factor in looking and feeling your best. With the exception of the pants that I thought were a little small, the brand has absolutely nailed the fit of its shirts and layering pieces. If you’re a man of modest height, you are sure to get a great, consistent fit.
- Quality. Everything in their launch collection was high-end. The fabrics are soft and substantial. Not a thread was out of place, and everything wore and washed beautifully.
- Versatility. If you’re a minimalist or keep a capsule wardrobe, Nicholas James’ launch collection is perfect since you can mix and match the pieces. Truly, you could buy one of every style in this collection, get dressed in the dark, and walk out looking like you dressed intentionally.
- Try Before You Buy. Nicholas James now offers a try-before-you-buy feature that allows you to try up to 6 items at home for 10 days. At the end of your trial period, you send back what doesn’t work out and keep what you love. This feature is a great alternative to shopping in-store.
Cons:
- Limited Offerings. I fully understand that this is an initial launch collection. However, I feel like there could have been more color and style variations. Everything was either blue or gray.
- Price Point. The limited items in this collection come at a higher price point. Nicholas James’ Cashmere Sweatshirt is a case in point. Not many other brands catering to short men have 100% cashmere sweaters. However, if you compare it to Todd Snyder’s 100% cashmere crew, this one has luxury pricing. The reality is there aren’t too many brands on the market that solely cater to men of modest height. Therefore, I hope Nicholas James provides future offerings at a lower price point.
Should You Give Nicholas James a Try? Absolutely, Yes!
If you’re wondering if you should add Nicholas James to your rotation of clothing stores to shop from, you absolutely should. Everything in their launch collection is of excellent quality, as well as versatile staples. And we can’t forget about the fit. With the exception of the pants, everything provided a superb fit.
I can’t wait to see what’s next in Nicholas James’s product line. If it’s anything like the pieces I sampled and reviewed, the brand has a long, successful life ahead of it.
Is there anything from Nicholas James that caught your attention? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to sign up for The Modest Man’s newsletter. You’ll get our latest content and reviews delivered straight to your inbox.
