Freemans Sporting Club

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For those seeking the quintessential Modern American Dude wardrobe, look no further than downtown, right off Bowery. Owners Kent Kilroe and Taavo Somer (the former, a Canadian entrepreneur; the latter, an acclaimed restaurateur) opened Freemans in 2005, as a place for high-quality, locally tailored alternatives to stale department-store suits. Adorned with leather chairs, vintage motor bikes, and eagle statues, their narrow showroom blends muscular Americana with a fashionable sentimentality. Though there is a notable display of steep sportswear from Deus Ex Machina (biker graphic tees, $50) and FSC itself (leather bomber, $779), it is the breadth of handcrafted suits and blazers that leaves a lasting impression. With minimal padding that allows for casual fits and urban flexibility, the store's suits can be bought ready-to-wear or made-to-measure (around $1,600 for the latter), but you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t snag yourself a bespoke suit ($5,000), made from scratch, in house (there’s a room full of diligent tailors tucked in the back). Have the friendly head tailor Enrique and his team trace your measurements on paper and cut out the cloth (can’t go wrong in Italian black seersucker), all while you enjoy some complimentary Dewar’s. Afterward, those feeling scruffy and unkempt can stroll next door for a salon-quality haircut ($42) at Freemans classic barbershop, if they don’t mind the wait. — Jeremy Bergman

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