An aesthete through and through, Frederick Egan Castleberry has a true appreciation for beautiful things and always looks good, no matter what he's doing. And the guy does a lot. He describes himself as “the creative director/part-time CEO/sales associate/photographer/designer/unpaid intern at F.E. Castleberry,” a made-to-measure clothing label. He epitomizes the brand's ethos, which is luxury with a relaxed, rebellious attitude. “It's the product of a bygone New York and the blurred line between upper class opulence and downtown irreverence,” he says. He's definitely got an appreciation for the finer things, but not because they're fancy but because they're well-made and will last. You might have caught the Ralph Lauren alum on the debut season of Stylish With Jenna Lyon on HBO Max. Personally, I've always appreciated Fred's manifesto, “The better you dress, the worse you can behave.” Any bad behavior aside, Castleberry is an old school gentleman, so we were eager to catch him on the way to his atelier in New York City's Greenwich Village to see how he starts his day.

I’m waking up without an alarm these days.

Like most people, I imagine, this year has really interrupted my sleep cycle. In 2020, I decided to ditch my alarm altogether. I wake up to the light, usually around nine am.

I aim for seven to eight hours of quality sleep.

I really prize my rest. It's the number one factor in staying healthy, right? So I never rush it.

Sometimes I’ll use a silk eye mask.

It's currently stashed on top of my nightstand. Along with the book Stealing Rembrandts—a history of stolen artwork and the enthralling stories behind the thieves who stole them—along with a glass of water and a wireless charging pad.

The first 15 minutes of my day is me just trying to get out of bed.

The next 45 minutes is me firing up the coffee machine, enjoying a hot shower, followed by a two-minute cold shower. Then having my coffee moment while reading/meditating.

I use the quiet time to mentally prepare for the day.

I spend 30 minutes, sipping coffee and reading sacred texts—usually my Bible—and in prayer/meditation.

Each morning I brew four to six cups of coffee.

I love my Technivorm Moccamaster. It's a beautiful machine and a joy to operate. I take my coffee black. Always. At a coffee shop, I'll just take a black Americano.

I only eat breakfast on the weekends, at best.

When I do, I love sausage, eggs, hash browns, and a bottomless cup of coffee. There's a spot around the corner from my atelier in Greenwich Village called Joseph Leonard that does this extremely well.