It’s a peculiarity of the fashion calendar that talking in November about a spring collection that won’t hit stores until March can be considered “looking back.” But by the time SS11 is available for retail, it will have been at least a full 6 months after we could have gotten our first glimpse, via trade shows, fashion week or, for most people, the internet.  The web’s instant gratification only seems to exacerbate the already-short attention span of the industry.  But if you buy into the argument of fashion as art — which, admittedly, is an argument with two pretty solid opposing viewpoints — then there’s something to be said for digesting a little bit, sitting back and giving everything you see some time to breathe before making a judgment, dismissing it and moving on to the next one.

So with that in mind, let’s talk about Loden Dager SS11.

At the time, I liked the collection for its simplicity and wearability — two things that I appreciate in the face of outlandish, over-designed menswear.  And I still do admire that and the subtle details, like pop-over shirts (shown in the photo at top).  I also thought the collection made good use of color (without the patterns and stripes LD presented last spring), and more light fabric, like the linens seen throughout.

Plus, I’m always a sucker for a good rolled pair of shorts.

Back in September, GQ.com called the collection “Lower East Side meets rural Peru,” which struck me as a bit odd, mostly because I always assumed “LES meets rural Peru” would really look like this.  To me Loden Dager in this incarnation looks more like when punky kids start to grow up.  Keep the zippers and the occasional leather piece, but tailor it a bit and throw in some pastels.  In other words, make it clean, but not too clean.

The more time has passed since I first saw it, the more I’ve grown to really like the collection for that reason.  Maybe it’s because I’m in my twenties and still somewhere in the middle of a transition from the sartorially carefree days of college to a (hopefully) more mature style, but this range speaks to me as something I could and would really wear.  It’s more about a feeling than it is about a statement piece.  In the midst of the Bands of Outsiders and Rags and Bones of Fashion Week, a well-edited, idiosyncratic and not terribly loud collection like this one could have easily been lost without taking the time to revisit it after the dust has settled.

Hey, if there’s one good thing to be taken from the Americana/heritage circle jerk dominating menswear today, maybe it’s the importance of looking back, instead of always looking forward — even if, in this case, looking back only means a few months.

See the rest of Loden Dager SS11 here and here.  Photos via GQ.com.

T Magazine, the New York Times’ style title that is also sometimes confusingly called The Moment, published an online editorial yesterday called Common Thugs.  Ostensibly tied to the ludicrous and highly-publicized “Stop the Sag” campaign, the photos addressed the resurgence of baggy clothes among high-end menswear designers, referencing early 90′s hip-hop and classic streetwear shapes.  Really, it takes clothes like this to show how much skinny jeans and cropped suits have saturated the market in recent years — enough that these saggy shapes in streetwear really look like a throwback.  More photos from the shoot below.  For credit information, visit T Magazine.

Seeing as the Junya Watanabe show in Paris this season took place on June 25, this post is indeed pretty late.  But, frankly, I had other shit to do in the interim, like appearing in street style videos and you know, going to work.  So I’m going to adhere to the golden adage of “better late than never” with this post, especially because it’s a collection that I enjoyed so much.  I’ve never really been moved by Junya’s clothes before, and admittedly haven’t been as avid a follower of his as I have been of say, Viktor & Rolf or Paul Smith.  But, there was something so refreshingly direct and concise about this collection.  In a menswear world where Comme des Garcons sends skull print dresses down the runway and Calvin fucking Klein, he of Macy’s underwear department fame, suddenly wants us to wear crop tops, it’s also kind of nice to see a fully-realized, clear-minded collection that’s actually wearable and still interesting.  Junya himself said it, according to Style.com: “They’re clothes I want to wear next summer.” Nothing wrong with that.  If I were skilled at Photoshop, I’d make a collage of Calvin Klein in one of his crop tops and insert it here.  Maybe next season.  More from Junya SS11 (via Style.com photos) after the jump.

Seriously, though, those striped blazers: sign me up.

And speaking of (capsule), I was reminded today while reading The Black Nouveau of these killer studded loafers from Yuketen that I wanted to post about so badly during the winter show season, but didn’t have imagery to do so.  Thankfully they’ve surfaced at Opening Ceremony, where they’re on sale for a cool $430.  I’m a sucker for unexpected details and these otherwise traditional loafers with a little punkish flair are really doing it for me right now.

Back in February, we got a sneak peek at the fall collection from NYC-based designer Dana Lee out in Vegas at (capsule).  Now, a few months closer to these clothes hitting stores, you can see the AW10 lookbook on the label’s site.  Even though Lee recently noted in an interview with Secret Forts that she’s not too concerned with creating “head-to-toe” looks, it’s not hard to imagine leaving the house on a crisp October day dressed like the models here — especially artist Mat Bushell (above), who embodies that downtown, Ginsbergian nerdy-cool in these shots.  These pieces are the basics that provide a solid foundation to any wardrobe — simple enough to be worn season after season, but with enough character to keep you from getting bored.  See some more from Dana Lee after the jump.

Listen, as the proud owner of a pair of acid-washed, elastic waist jeans that resemble nothing more than a pair of maternity pants for men, I’m clearly a big supporter of taking some fashion risks.  But I will admit that the current penetration of leopard print into the world of menswear has given me pause.  Much love to Steven Tyler, but this is a trend I can’t 100% endorse — minus a few exceptions.

Leopard print for men is certainly nothing new.  Countless illustrious men throughout history have donned the skin of this elusive animal, from Dionysus to Alexander the Great, from Dali to Amber Rose.  But it does seem to have some new life behind it.

See exhibits A through G, below:

That would be Burberry, Paul Smith, Acne and A Bathing Ape, among others, not to mention recent looks from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen and Jeremy Scott for Adidas, all making use of the Official Fabric of Menopause.

But just because your spiritual guru does it, doesn’t mean you should, too.

Leopard print runs the greatest risk of making you look like an aging, drug-addled rock star since leather pants hit department stores in the late ’90s.  There is really no reason for 99.9% of the male population to own a leopard print shirt, jacket or pair of pants.  But, I do think leopard print can work on men in a practical sense is if it’s kept to (relatively) simple accent pieces like the shoes above — of which I’m a pretty big fan.  Trust me, small accessories in leopard print go a long way.  When done well, they can add a little bit of fun and irreverence to your wardrobe without going too far.  And it’s very easy to go too far with a lot of this craziness coming down the runway.

So have some fun with it, but keep yourself in check… or else you might end up looking like this guy:

If there’s one thing I learned from this season’s awesome (capsule) shows, it’s that it takes a very specific type of man to rock the drop crotch.  But, if there are two things, it’s that there is still so much out there in menswear right now really worth getting excited about.  Between New York, Vegas and Paris, plus Compass for footwear and (capsule) Women’s, hundreds of brands came together to build some serious buzz and get some big exposure.  Favorites like Mark McNairy (who we can thank when we’re all wearing digital camo cargo pants) lived up to the hype and relative newcomers like Norse Projects made a big impact on their own.

So since I’ve had all of 5 hours to reflect on the trade show season since (capsule) Women’s wrapped this evening, what better time than now to check off a list of some of my own personal favorites from these last five shows, after the jump.

I mentioned it above, but I’ll mention it again: Norse Projects is sooo good.  Seriously, look at the knits:

And there are more pieces from AW10 that are even better that I can’t find online right now.  An instant fan.

Speaking of knits, if you’re anything like me, you like your cardigans like you like your women: chunky.  In which case, this number from Dana Lee is perfect in its simplicity/chunkiness:

My old fave Stolen Girlfriends Club also makes a compelling case for what they deem “oversized grandpa knits,” of which I am also partial:

And because, why not?  Peter Jensen:

Billy Reid has gotten a ton of attention lately, thanks in no small part to recently being crowned GQ / CFDA’s Best New Menswear Designer in America.  In addition to having one of the nicest sales crews at (capsule), his collection did not disappoint.  This trench is definitely a highlight:

Both Reyn Spooner and Warriors of Radness are doing fun, beach-ready collections, updated for today with strong blasts of nostalgia, albeit influenced by very different periods in American surf history.  See the Mar/Apr “American Issue” of Sportswear International for a look at some AW10 selections from both of those brands.

And then of course, the accessories.  Illesteva, Cutler & Gross and SUPER had some killer, killer shades for fall.  And while I’m not a huge bag-carrying kind of guy, this plaid situation from Jack Spade is pretty tight:

As is pretty much the entire Mismo product line:

And one of my absolute favorites from (capsule) this year is Yuketen, whose footwear range is RIDICULOUS.

Seriously, that picture doesn’t even do justice to how sick their fall collection is.  I mean, I’m talking studded moccasins.  Just think about that for a hot second.  Studded Moccasins.

I’m not much of a womenswear connoisseur, but from what I saw at the women’s show, I’m placing my money on Barlow to make some big moves as a cool-girl clothing line.

Thankfully, this post comes with a moral, and it’s a moral in two parts.

1.) If you missed the winter shows this season, be sure to get yourself to (capsule) in the summer this year.

And 2.) Gentlemen, start saving some cash now for your fall wardrobe.  If the brands previewing at (capsule) are any indication, you’re going to have a lot of shopping to do.

(photos via We Are the Market — check that out for more show highlights)

I’ve long admired Paul Smith for his mastery of some of my favorite aspects of contemporary menswear: splashes of bold color, pattern mixing, and the combination of youthful, rebellious flourishes with classic pieces.  It’s all very British and rakish and punkish.  So, needless to say, I geeked out over the FW10 collection, which had all of these elements I love and more.  Seriously, if I could afford to eat, drink and furnish my wardrobe primarily in Paul Smith, I’d be rather content.

The collection has some killer suits, including a skinny electric blue number, knitwear that I haven’t seen from Paul Smith in past seasons, and enough plaid blazers to satisfy the somewhat irrational attraction I have toward such things.  Naturally, there are some great tweeds and there’s a pretty badass leather jacket, too.  Pairing boots with slim-cut trousers is on-trend for fall, and bringing in some sneakers is a nice nod to the high-low mixing that is still both an appealing and realistic style option for many consumers.  While incorporating color is an area where Paul Smith always really shines, the collection integrates a muted palette well, too, layering on contrasting fabric to keep things interesting.  Enjoy some highlights below.

All photos via GQ.com.

Sometimes in life, you make promises to yourself.  You tell yourself things like, “You haven’t done any Christmas shopping yet, and you’re moving next month, and you just spent an absurd amount of money on iTunes even though you can get all of those songs for free on Hype Machine, and God knows you’re going to be spending a ton of money on booze with all of the holiday parties coming up, so let’s try to be reasonable and not buy superfluous things like a blazer made of sweatshirt material that looks like something from “The Prisoner.”  But then, in some crazy coincidence, you happen to be in Topman looking for a gift for your little brother, and there right in front of your eyes is a blazer made of sweatshirt material that looks like something from “The Prisoner!”  What are the odds, right?

Budgeting doesn’t really fit into embracing the Christmas spirit, anyway.  More pics below.

If you have no self-control either, you can buy it here.

For the past few seasons, Aussie brands like Chronicles of Never and Stolen Girlfriends Club (pictured above ), have been churning out interesting, wearable menswear that is helping to build a name for the country as a style destination.  Like their Scandinavian brethren, most Australian designers favor a skinnier fit, but tend to also throw in bursts of color or irreverent details that are distinctively Australian.  The overall effect is artfully disheveled and effortlessly cool.  While established names like Ksubi continue to build fans around the world, lower-profile labels like Claude Maus are finding niche audiences eager to import a little flavor up from Down Under.

Take a look at some more selections from a few stand-out Aussie designers below.

*Ed. note: So, Stolen Girlfriends Club is actually based in New Zealand.  Apologies…

(Top to bottom: Chronicles of Never, Claude Maus, Popissue, Book Club, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Song for the Mute, St. Augustine Academy)