Michael Andrews Bespoke

I am neither blessed with the 40 suit/32 inch waist physique of a male model nor cursed with a pear shaped flat butted beer belly of a pregnant guy. Yet it seems that these are the two types that the Menswear industry seems to cater to. Of course I'm sure many if not most of you buy your suits off the rack with some alterations & have physiques that are far from average. The thing is I simply cannot ...have not been able to since shortly after college. I cannot take advantage of a certain purple colored dinosaurs namesakes bi-annual sales, nor a guys-house-o-guys outlet. Nope...due to a combo of genetics & some time in the gym I'm more suited to wear chain-mail, w/a round shield strapped to my back with a battle-axe slung over my right shoulder. Not exactly ideal for meetings in Corporate America.

For many years I had a great tailor...but he was no young pup when I started going to him & most of his staff were also of a past generation. In time he & his partners retired & one of my longest & deepest relationships came to an end. Just finding another tailor is not a no-brainer...while there are many to choose from you really need to find the right fit so to speak.

It was through a combo of Google & guts that I came upon Michael Andrews Bespoke. Something about the website, what it said they were about & the fact that they were on one of my favorite streets at the time Clinton in the LES (due to the success of the business Michael has re-located to Soho) said I need to check this place out. When I came upon the address  I rang the bell & descended down a flight of stairs & found myself in a blue walled labyrinth & thought I stumbled unto a secret entrance to the Bat-Cave. When the door opened I felt like I was transported to small high-end Men's store on Madison Ave.

After a meeting to discuss what I was looking for Michael the owner decided that he was going to need to build me "mock-suit" to figure out how to best work with my "challenges" (not H-back of Notre Dame issues but sloping shoulders & deep pecs are not a good combo for a suit). After some work, trial & error & a lot of patience on Michael & his teams part he totally nailed the suit & it fits like a glove. Aside from it's great fit it is also the attention to detail like working button holes, metal buttons, a checkered interior & winged lapels (suits start at $895 & up...my range including all the extras was on;y $1195) which make MAB suits such a great value while fitting & looking so damn good. I mention these because Michael caters both to those of us who need custom cut & those that do not need it, but want a better fit & things like choice of interior, pockets, buttons, lapels, etc... Michael also does great shirts ($165 & up) with again your choice of collars, cuffs, colored buttons, etc... In addition Michael carries ties, cuff-links, socks, etc...& also does custom shoes out of Italy($850 & up).

I am currently awaiting my new gray "Mad Men" suit (my midnight blue suit is my Bruce Wayne suit) & instead of getting Spring shirts from my usual spots will be going custom. Also of note is the decor of MAB that has a modern upscale Men's club  look which is cooler then most lounges & has a far better stocked bar to mull over which pattern & colors to go with...