OOTD-CW - 26 August 2026 · Real Men Real Style Community

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6d (edited) • OOTD 👔

OOTD-CW - 26 August 2026

Today is a busy day with client and partner meetings, plus a backlog of client work. It's also the first trial run of a new suit by Michael Andrews Bespoke. I used their semi-bespoke process, which differs from a full bespoke process by eliminating the trial garments but still allows for as many refittings as is necessary. I had exhaustive measurements taken in June for a three-piece suit, all with the help of my style consultant, Chris Modoo. Chris actually designed the waistcoat himself for the outfit based on my preference to often use the waistcoat as the outermost garment. I also ordered a few bespoke dress shirts as part of the process to see how these would come out.

The suit (and shirts) arrived while I was in Greece and I eagerly tried everything on. The fabric is the best part. I knew I wanted a Prince of Wales check (Chad Smith gets me here) and the charcoal with blue overcheck just the pattern for me. It's midweight but nearly as airy as a fresco. Litle details like a ticket pocket and working cuffs for the jacket feel special. The shawl collar on the vest is a great customization not seen on many business vests, but not uselessly ornate (not work today).

The slacks fit like a dream. The jacket fits well, but might be just a bit tight across the mid torso. Its internal design is fantastic, including an internal balance strap addition to allow me to carry lots of stuff in my internal pockets without distorting the drape or harming the lining. Chris suggested wearing it a few times as jackets tend to loosen up a bit on their first few wears. The vest was too tight and will be resized. The shirts were so horribly undersized I could not button the top button. Although the process is new to me, I knew enough to expect the first round to be a bit misfit. The first clothes from a tailor working with me for the first time will always be the poorest fitting. MAB offers a very simple process of free shipping back to them and sending it back out to me.

I mixed in some oxblood and burgundy with the outfit and work a pin collar shirt... with sleeves that are clearly too short (the jacket sleeves fit perfectly). I've attached a few extra pics of the suit.

Michael Andrews Bespoke Trial Wear

Today’s outfit centers on the first trial wear of my Michael Andrews Bespoke suit: a charcoal Prince of Wales check with a blue overcheck. Oxblood, gold, and white accessories add warmth while allowing the bespoke tailoring to remain the focus.

Suit — SJ-018 and SL-027 (Michael Andrews Bespoke): My first commissioned bespoke suit, cut from matte charcoal wool with a subtle blue Prince of Wales overcheck. The jacket features lightly roped shoulders, high armholes, 3.6-inch notch lapels, charcoal horn buttons, working cuffs, twin vents, flap pockets, a ticket pocket, and a full lining with dedicated wallet, card, and pen pockets.
The high-rise trousers have inward pleats, side adjusters and suspender buttons, two-inch cuffs, and a medium break. Both pieces remain flagged pending fitting review; today is specifically a trial wear to assess their movement, balance, and fit together.
Shirt — DS-038 (Savile Row Company): A custom-size 16 white cotton-twill shirt with a pin collar and rounded French cuffs. Its crisp, highly formal design provides a clean field beneath the patterned suit.
Undershirt — US-022 (Sene): A made-to-measure white crew-neck undershirt in Peruvian Pima cotton and elastane. Its heavier fabric and excellent fit provide a smooth, unobtrusive foundation.
Tie — NT-075 (Brunati Como): A bespoke seven-fold silk-shantung tie in burgundy with small white polka dots, handmade in Italy and personalized with my JCC initials on the keeper. The matte slub texture and self-lined construction add depth without competing with the suit; worn with a tight half-Windsor knot.
Collar Pin — TA-007 (Savile Row Company): A gold-plated collar pin with distinctive dreidel-shaped ends. It lifts the tie knot neatly between the pin-collar points and introduces a warm metal accent.
Suspenders — SB-009 (Kirby Allison): Burgundy-and-white London-dot silk Y-back braces with silver hardware and black calf-leather button loops. They repeat the tie’s color and dot motif while remaining concealed beneath the jacket. No matchy-matchy seen here today!
Pocket Square — PS-035 (Fort Belvedere): A 17-inch white Italian linen square with hand-rolled burgundy X-stitch edging. Worn in a crisp presidential fold, showing primarily white with a restrained burgundy border.
Footwear — DSh-021 (Cobbler Union): The Marco oxblood Derby in size 10.5, Goodyear welted from top-grade European calfskin. Its wine-red hand-burnished finish darkens toward the toe and heel, linking naturally to the burgundy tie and braces.
Socks — DSo-086 (Fort Belvedere): Lightweight over-the-calf cotton socks in navy and blue shadow stripes, size large. Their matte, hand-linked construction quietly repeats the suit’s blue overcheck.
Cufflinks — CL-025: Medium oval cufflinks with opaque deep-blue centers and brushed gold borders. The blue reflects the suit overcheck, while the gold coordinates with the collar pin and watch.
Dress Watch — W-009 (Mido): A business-formal automatic watch with a brown sunburst dial, polished rose-gold-tone case, and brown leather strap. Its warm palette bridges the gold accessories and oxblood shoes.
Ankle Watch — W-001 (Apple): A 46mm slate-titanium Apple Watch with a black elastic-mesh band. It is worn on the ankle solely for health and activity tracking and is not part of the visible sartorial composition.
Wedding Ring — R-001 (Ellie’s Jewelry): My platinum-and-diamond wedding ring. Its cool metal provides a subtle counterpoint to today’s warmer gold accents.
Pen — P-006 (Montblanc): The high-gloss black Meisterstück 149 fountain pen with platinum trim and an 18K medium nib, currently filled with Iroshizuku Kon-peki. Its flagship proportions and formal presence suit a client-facing leadership day.
Business Card Case — BCC-004 (Fort Belvedere): A business-formal oxblood leather bifold with turquoise interior and silver clasp. It reinforces the footwear’s oxblood color while adding a discreet interior contrast.
Briefcase — CRY-002 (Carl Friedrik): The chocolate-brown Palissy Double in smooth Italian vegetable-tanned vachetta leather, with brushed-silver hardware and two zippered compartments. Its structured attaché profile accommodates a 15-inch laptop and complements the outfit’s warm leather story.
Wallet — WL-001 (Montblanc): A black full-grain calfskin bifold from the first-edition Extreme Collection, finished with a carbon-fiber print. It remains a discreet business-formal carry piece.
Fragrance — FR-024 (Tom Ford): Oud Wood, a woody-spicy composition of cardamom, pink pepper, rosemary, oud, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka, vanilla, and amber. Applied lightly, it complements the suit’s formal presence and the outfit’s warm leather accents.
Sunglasses — EW-004 (Randolph): Concorde aviators with polished gold metal frames, bayonet temples, and polarized gray teardrop lenses. The “Dr. Cole” engraving distinguishes this pair; they are for travel outdoors rather than the video meetings themselves