The Modest Man’s Brock McGoff Has a New American-Made Shirt Line for Smaller Gents

The Modest Man’s Brock McGoff Has a New American-Made Shirt Line for Smaller Gents
Have a hard time finding quality shirts short enough and slim enough off the rack?

Lesson number one in starting to dress well: Make sure your clothing fits. Once you realize you've been wearing your shirts a size too large and your jeans have been too baggy, the next step is to refine your wardrobe with either newer, better fitting options or have the ones you have tailored to fit.

However, men of a smaller stature often times can't just tailor an off-the-rack shirt. Why on earth would a men's small have the same size pocket as a men's extra large? Why would the button placket be the same width, for men who are dramatically different widths themselves? You know how bulkier guys look silly with skinny ties, and smaller guys look like they're wearing clown ties with a 3″ tie? That happens with the rest of our clothing too, but to the untrained eye, it's hard to pinpoint why somethings off, but we do know it's off.

If you're a guy of smaller proportions than what is available off the rack, you've been left to fend for yourself. Either trying to make boys' XL or XXL fit, or you're paying the tailor tax to have the sleeves shortened and sides slimmed on men's smalls. But that shirt still won't look right, because now, even though it fits better, the proportions may be way off. The collar is too big, the pocket is too big, and the list goes on and on.

These were the exact frustrations my good friend Brock had when he started his site The Modest Man. A resource for men of a smaller stature for learning how to dress properly for their size as well as scouring the landscape for brands that offer great clothing for those sizes. He's built an amazing community of sartorially inclined gentlemen who love to share wisdom on brands and ideas.

As a project to continue to help the community, Brock has put together a line of 3 shirts, completely designed from the ground up to be the perfect fitting shirt for modest men. No detail was overlooked, from the chest pockets being scaled down and moved up slightly, to the collar dimensions and button placement.

But beyond being perfectly sized, these are beautiful and impressive shirts in their own right. Made of premium Japanese cotton and hand sewn in Chicago, not only will these shirts fit, they'll be the best damn shirts you own.

The shirts come in three versatile colors. The Jason, a textured gray broadcloth; The Elijah, a classic blue chambray; and The Aziz, a natural white brushed twill. Named after famous actors of smaller proportions Jason Schwartzman, Elijah Wood, and Aziz Ansari, these are incredibly versatile shirts that look as great casually with jeans as they do paired with chinos.

Brock McGoff standing next to a forest
Brock McGoff wearing a gray shirt
Brock McGoff wearing sunglasses posing for a picture, with Shirt and Clothing

Shirts of the same quality by brands like Brooks Brothers, Gitman, Taylor Stitch, New England Shirt Company, and Thom Browne retail from $150 all the way up to $400. That's because typical brands have a 100% markup if they're direct to consumer, and if they sell through a retailer you can expect to pay a 200%(!) markup. Because Brock is doing this as an extension of The Modest Man not a separate business, he's able to considerably reduce the mark up. Each are available with free shipping and free returns for $98, the cost of many shirts from J.Crew, which are neither made with the same quality materials or American craftsmanship.

Trunkist by Modest Man size chart

If you're interested in hearing more about what Brock has learned on this journey, watch his video where he dives into how he came to the pricing.

Brock is selling his shirts through the website Trunkist, a pre-order site that guarantees fulfillment and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee on everything they sell. So even if you've been burned before by ordering clothing online that didn't end up fitting, you won't pay a cent unless you're happy.

I invite you to check out what Brock's created and encourage supporting a member of our community. If you happen to fall outside of the size range of these shirts, please keep them in mind to share with anyone you think would love them.

Hope you guys have a great weekend!

Andrew Snavely

Andrew founded Primer in 2008 and brings 15+ years of men's style expertise. Known for his practical, relatable approach to style and self-development, he has been a recognized speaker at conferences and has styled work for top brands. Off-duty, he loves photography & editing, and enjoys road trips with his dog, Leela. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, educated in DC, and living in LA for nearly 20 years, Andrew's diverse experiences shape the relatable and real-world advice that has helped millions through Primer. On Instagram: @andrewsnavely and @primermagazine.