Nick Burkhardt’s look sits right at the intersection of practical Portland homicide detective and reluctant supernatural investigator. He doesn’t wear a flashy superhero suit; his silhouette relies on functional Pacific Northwest layers, weathered leather, and the everyday police gear he wears while working cases.
Because most of the outfit consists of street clothes, the distinction comes down to getting the specific garment cuts right and bringing along the right investigative props. Without his badge or a Wesen book, you risk looking like you threw on an ordinary jacket on a chilly afternoon.
The Jacket and Shirt Layers
The brown leather jacket is Nick’s most prominent garment throughout the series. His jacket has a relaxed, slightly rugged cut rather than a slim moto styling, with a stand collar or shirt-style collar and minimal ornamentation. Choosing a jacket in dark or medium brown with a matte finish will match his onscreen look much better than stiff, glossy leather.
Underneath, Nick relies on casual layering suited to Portland’s damp climate. Start with a light blue undershirt or crewneck tee, followed by a dark button-down shirt worn open or buttoned halfway up. A soft cotton or twill button-down in charcoal or black keeps the palette grounded and allows the lighter crewneck collar to show at the throat.
Jeans and Footwear
For bottoms, Nick sticks to straight-leg or slim-straight dark denim. Steer clear of heavy fading, distressing, or modern skinny cuts; he dresses for police footwork, so standard blue or dark wash jeans fit the character’s pragmatic routine.
Thread a sturdy brown leather belt through the loops to match the jacket’s tone. On his feet, Nick wears dark brown or black work boots with a low heel and lug sole. Service boots or plain-toe work boots match the Pacific Northwest detective setting and stay comfortable when you spend hours walking around a convention center.
Police Badge and Duty Gear
Nick’s everyday police equipment grounds the outfit as an active homicide investigator. A belt-mounted leather holster and a replica police badge pinned near the belt or hung on a neck chain immediately identify his role in the Portland Police Department.
When carrying a costume pistol, always check your venue’s prop policies beforehand. Conventions and public events typically require realistic toy firearms to have a blaze orange tip, and many security checkpoints will tag or zip-tie prop weapons to ensure they cannot fire. If you plan to take photos with the sidearm, keep your finger off the trigger and stash it inside the holster whenever you are navigating crowded corridors.
The Wesen Journal
What separates Nick from any generic TV cop is his Grimm heritage, and carrying a book about Wesen sells that connection immediately. Throughout the show, Nick spends late nights in his family trailer leafing through heavy, handwritten grimmoires filled with sketches of Blutbaden, Hexenbiests, and other creatures.
A leather-bound or antiqued reference book functions as the definitive character prop. If you are handy with distressing, you can age the paper edges with dilute tea or sketch creature notes into the margins to make it look like an authentic family heirloom hauled straight out of Aunt Marie’s trailer. Carrying it under one arm gives you an instant pose for photos that ties directly into the supernatural side of the show.
Hair and Grooming
Nick maintains a neat, low-maintenance detective haircut: short on the sides with slightly textured length on top, styled back or casually parted with a light matte pomade. He generally keeps a clean-shaven face or faint five o’clock shadow, especially during high-stress cases.
