This is the first time I've ever had seasonal allergies and the daily onslaught has built up to fatigue. I hate taking unnecessary time off but spent the morning resting up a bit and trying some seasonal allergy meds for the first time. Will restart the day with a client video call and some internal meetings to finish it with progression on our current big project. At the least, the outfit is ready for the day! Navy tailoring with an oxblood-and-brown accessory story for a client video-conference day • Suit — SJ-014, SL-023 (Enzo Tovare): A navy two-button suit in lightweight Super 150s wool, pairing a 42R jacket with size-36 trousers. The slight sheen, roped shoulders, and breathable worsted cloth create a polished business-formal presence without looking heavy on camera. • Shirt — DS-010 (Charles Tyrwhitt): A white non-iron cotton shirt with subtle bird’s-eye twill, a 5.5-inch spread collar, and French cuffs. The crisp white ground provides contrast against the navy suit; it takes 2.25-inch collar stays. • Undershirt — US-002 (Ralph Lauren Polo): A simple white cotton crew-neck undershirt in size XL. It remains discreet beneath the white twill shirt while providing a comfortable base layer. • Tie — NT-040 (Nordstrom): The Walden Geo Jacquard is a low-sheen silk tie in taupe, dark brown, and cream with a small repeating geometric motif. Its warm neutrals connect the navy suit to the oxblood leather accessories without competing with the shirt’s subtle texture. • Pocket Square — PS-005 (Fort Belvedere): A white linen pocket square distinguished by its “U” monogram (funny backstory despite not have a U anywhere in my name). A crisp three-peaks fold preserves the client-ready formality while keeping the suit-and-tie combination visually controlled. • Belt — B-017 (Nordstrom): A flat oxblood genuine-leather belt with silver buckle hardware, tagged size 32. Its color closely coordinates with the shoes and business card case, creating a deliberate leather story throughout the outfit.

I recently picked up the pictured two pair of suede AE Strand Dress Sneakers at a thrift site, but I have not decided on how to style them. I typically keep dress shoes and sneakers as separate pieces but I thought these might be the best crossover shoes that I have seen and figured I would give the Frankenshoe shoe style a try. They are quite stunning to look at in-person. I was hoping to get some styling ideas from all the fashionable gentlemen on here :-). Also, should a get a suede belt to match? Or is that trying too hard 🤷‍♂️.

Today is a Wednesday in the office, followed by a trip into the city this afternoon for a business meeting and a seminar with my son. It is also a warm August day, but I still chose to dress this way very intentionally. For me, getting dressed well is never just about clothes. It is about setting a standard for myself and then doing my best to live up to it. A dark suit, light blue shirt, tie, black shoes, and of course a hat to finish things off. Every piece was chosen on purpose because I believe how I present myself affects how I carry myself. The truth is, if I don’t take myself seriously, how can I expect others to? That doesn’t mean being stiff or self-important. It simply means respecting the moment, respecting the people I’m meeting with, and respecting myself enough to show up prepared in every sense of the word. That is part of intentionality for me. And it is also part of optimism. I get dressed this way because I believe the day matters. I believe the meeting matters. I believe the opportunity to keep learning matters. And I believe how we show up in life matters. What makes today even more meaningful is that I’ll be spending part of it with my son. One of the things I have always believed is that more is caught than taught. He has seen this his whole life — that taking care with how I dress, how I conduct myself, and how I approach my responsibilities is simply part of who I am. And now, seeing him naturally carry himself in a similar way is a reminder that example is a powerful teacher. That encourages me. Because in the end, being intentional is not about perfection. It is about consistency. It is about standards. And it is about showing up — day after day — as the man I want to be. Wishing you all a Wonderful Wednesday!!

Posting as I get a chance so this will include a couple of days ago 8/17. OOTD: Barbour jacket Peter James and Levi’s again. Orvis light weight cotton flannel. (Remember, I only packed a single carry on😉) After a few ferry rides from Oban to the island of Iona we walked the Abby which is the venerated site of St Columba who brought the Christian faith from Ireland to Scotland in the 6th century. His bones were buried in a small wooden structure that was later rebuilt in stone that now is attached to the large Church structure. This small chapel is purported to be the first stone church in Scotland. On the ride back across Mull we stopped at a weaving shop. I was fascinated by the fact all wool colors were natural sheep colors and the only dyes used were flowered and root matter. This inner Hebrides owner explained to me the process of shrinking the wool then “shaving the wool. The difference between their tweeds and Harris Tweeds is 100% of her materials (sheep [see las pic with large grid pattern blanket] and flowers) came from the Isle of Mull (Harris Tweeds, while woven in the Outer Hebrides, are not natural dyes and the sheep can be outsourced from Australia and New Zealand). The natural colors are more authentic to ancient tweeds this way. The loom was a 1956 machine. I’ll do a subsequent post about my birthday 8/18 where we travelled from Oban to Glencoe. Now we are on isle of Skye