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)

Gregory’s Got a Groupie has a sneak peek at the new collection from New Zealand footwear label ToBe.  New Zealand’s been getting more respect lately from a style standpoint, with labels like Stolen Girlfriends Club and Cassius Eyewear gaining fans worldwide, and up-and-comers like the difficult-to-Google For Good giving the island nation some more indie cred.

ToBe fits right in with these casual kicks in black and white.  I’m partial to the white hi-top, with a bright blue sole — simple, clean, with enough kick to give it some extra style points.  Check out some more of the collection after the jump.

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)