If your wardrobe is well-stocked with basics from department stores, you might want to add some sartorial flair to your look. Whether you’re in the market for winter-boots and outerwear or sweat-resistant styles andsunglasses for the warmer months, these stores (which we've ranked by price point) have the coolest and most high-tech threads and accessories that any sharp-dressed man (or not-so-stylish gent) can appreciate.
RECOMMENDED: Best places for shopping in NYC
The best men’s clothing boutiques
Antler & Woods
This two-month-old shop is making waves for its affordable country-road-meets-downtown-cool (and totally Brooklyn) collection. Exposed brick and taxidermy contribute to the masculine vibe, where you’ll find seasonal goods that transition from a relaxing day at the beach to a sticky summer rooftop party. FYI: The best time to snag button-downs ($55) and five-panel hats ($32) is during Rosé Saturdays, when you can sip beer and wine while you shop.
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The Lodge Man Shop
This East Village shop sells scented balm for beards ($28) and “Get Lucky” tobacco-scented candles ($30), which makes the Lodge a must-stop shop for dudes. This Americana spot—all the products are made in the U.S.A.—is all about quirky grooming products and handsome accessories. Highlights include Ebbets Field New York baseball hats ($99), Faribault merino wool scarves ($60) and even bourbon-flavored toothpicks ($9), because all men love whiskey, right?
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Only NY
At this breezy, laid-back store (the first retail location from the Harlem-based line) the small but well-curated selection means nothing feels inessential—unless, of course, you count the vintage fabric fanny pack ($38). The offerings, all from the Only NY brand, blend a streetwear sensibility with outdoorsy references for an idiosyncratic style. Skateboards ($50–$55) hang alongside an annotated, vintage bird poster, while T-shirts ($32) and sweaters ($56) bear graffiti patterns or renderings of ducks in marshes. The resulting look manages to combine modernity with your dad’s closet.
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Topman
This popular British import offers runway-fresh clothes at reasonable prices in the basement of its U.S. flagship. While some of the items give us costume-vibes (we’re looking at you, denim short sleeve shirts with metal-studded collars ($68), you’ll be hard-pressed to find a slim black suit for $300 elsewhere in the city (upgrade to tweed for $500). Stop in to buy top-drawer essentials on the cheap—boxers ($15) range from classic navy with white dots to tongue-in-cheek selections such as an ice-cream-cone print with a waistband reading “Lick me” in cursive. Beat the hot weather with tanks ($14), tees ($36) and shorts ($60) or warm up if there’s a chill with tapered sweatpants ($62).
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Brooklyn Industries
A reliable destination for wardrobe staples since 1998, this Gotham-based urban-apparel retailer now has loads of locations throughout the city. At the spacious Union Square flagship, descend to the whitewashed brick basement to find the brand’s specialty—sleek nylon messenger bags ($84)—along with a host of graphic tees ($28–$78), shirts ($40–$80), jackets ($60–$118) and sweaters ($50–$78). The focus may be on neutral basics, but a little digging will turn up items with a bit more panache.
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Dave’s New York
Presaging the craze for all things heritage, this family-owned store has showcased brands like Carhartt since 1963. The store’s focus on everyman-priced classic brands (Schott, Levi’s) attracts faux frontiersmen, in addition to a construction-crew clientele. Pick up a pair of Red Wing boots ($139–$289) near the entrance, before grabbing a classic Wrangler Western shirt ($30) or a slick navy-blue flight jacket ($95) from the Army-approved Alpha Industries line.
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Supreme
The cult streetwear brand—equally beloved by skate rats and rap stars—channels a stream of punkish pop culture through both its threads and flagship digs. A big-screen TV in the front window plays selections such as Bruce Lee videos, while inside, funk music bumps on the speakers and comic-book-style art adorns the walls. Supreme’s famed baseball caps are a steal at $44 each and come in a variety of crayon colors. Once your head is spoken for, slip your feet into a pair of Converse All-Stars ($60) or Vans lace-ups ($66). Playful graphic T-shirts plastered with swear words also run as cheap as $32 each and mirror the collection of rainbow-bright skateboards ($140–$160) on an adjacent wall.
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Cadet
Created by former Club Monaco fit specialist Raul Arevalo and his partner Brad Schmidt, this military-inspired brand’s foxhole-size East Village location (the original’s in Williamsburg) is decorated with scattered war paraphernalia (uniform hats, eagle statues, a West Point atlas). The store’s line of casual threads includes soft cotton T-shirts ($44) with designs both simple (striped) and unique (a star-encircled portrait of General Adelbert Ames). A hoodie with a notched button collar ($98) and the clean, simple lines of a white oxford shirt ($128) evince Cadet’s close attention to detail.
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Onassis
Natural materials—raw-wood shelves, paper globe lanterns—dominate this open, airy store, the New York brand’s original location. The beach-ready, preppy clothes evoke Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, minus the aristocratic pricing. Shorts ($58–$78)—ever the scourge of male shoppers—are well-cut here, neither too short nor too long. Muted colors abound, from faded sweatshirts ($98) to striped T-shirts ($48). This is also the place to get affordable accessories, including a classic belt ($50) or a fringed linen scarf ($58). Don’t be surprised if a salesperson asks if you want a drink—there’s a small café in the back of the store.
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Alter
A timeless, masculine style holds court at this store, with threads dapper and traditional enough to suit a modern-day Paul Newman. Independent brands are the shop’s bread and butter—a single rack near the front holds button-downs, patterned tees and trousers, while shoes such as oxfords and loafers line the shelves. Punch up a straitlaced look with one-of-a-kind accessories: Alter’s in-house, Skittles-colored belts in solid reds, purples and greens ($38); fashionably rounded Spitfire sunglasses ($45); and Rothco black biker gloves ($26).
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Ministry of Supply
This high-tech fashion e-tailer creates the type of clothing you didn’t realize you needed but still do. After opening stores in Boston and San Francisco, the brand (cofounded by three MIT students) makes Soho its third home on July 17. Styles like NASA heat-regulating Apollo dress shirts ($98) and custom-blend, high-performance nylon and Elastane Aviator shorts ($98) that wick away sweat and water are life-changing for any guy who wants to look good regardless of the weather. Menswear nerds will feel right at home, nabbing pieces such as sweatproof crewneck tees ($38) and No Show pressure-mapping socks ($18) that cushion and ventilate. (Bye-bye, stinky feet.)
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Bonobos Guideshop
Not-so-style-savvy gents are lucky there are multiple Bonobos Guideshop’s in town. And the brand just added another key ‘hood to its roster: Flatiron. The online retailer opened its largest outpost yet—4,000 square feet—but like the rest, you can’t actually walk away with anything in-store. Instead, guys can try on products—from suit jackets ($368) and dress shirts ($98) to denim ($98) and knits ($98–$108)—during a one-on-one fitting with a personal stylist, then order styles online with speedy, gratis delivery. And, in keeping with tradition, there will be beer, wine and more chinos ($88) than you can count.
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Paola Hernandez
With the geometric-print trend becoming a dominating presence in style for guys, this Williamsburg spot is the place to go for cutting-edge fashion. Streetwear connoisseurs of all genders can grab styles from this New York designer’s new minimalist brick-and-mortar, where menswear items such as navy leather oxfords ($250), knitted crewneck sweaters ($190) and red straight-leg trousers ($180) light up the room.
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Gentry
The American work-wear brand famous for popularizing overalls opened a retail store that focuses on denim, carpenter pants, knits and outerwear for men. In addition to the namesake collection, the shop also carries brands with a similar attention to craftsmanship, including Mister Freedom and Stone Island. A wooden porch at the entrance conjures images of a 1920s general store, and the interior fits the bill with dark-oak floors and vintage brass lighting fixtures. Dudes will look dapper in cotton button-down shirts with metal buttons ($195), wool-and-canvas vests ($295), waxed canvas field jackets ($395) and classic five-pocket jeans ($195) from the house label.
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