Traditional menswear like the 40’s zoot suit, and the iconic 80’s Wall street power-suit reflect the all American male—strong, brawny, and hetero-normative even. This nostalgic era of menswear —though still breeding—reminds us of the gassed testosterone running through the veins of our ferocious political leaders, courageous fathers and captivating lovers. Recent men’s street style however, has been massively influenced by the sweeping global new Dandy movement informed by Andre 3000, and Kanye West. Menswear designers most notable among them being The Brooklyn Circus, embodies the preppy, new dandy, and young Black American men like the increasingly popular Madbury Club sharpen this aesthetic with collegiate procession, and urban male swag. But if the Milan shows are any indication, the Dandy could be shelving his pastel bowties, and ultra-plaid pocket squares for bold, post-war cool strong enough to bear the winter brisk, and clearly the test of time.

This season, Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein, Frida Giannini for Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana build upon these themes with biting detail. Shearlings coats, velvets blazers and jewel-toned knitwear anchor the ageless power suit. Fall 2012 will undoubtedly be the celebration of a vigorous, type-A male whose dominance even in immediate recession reigns supreme.

Editors Note: We tried to find more runway images of brothers, but you know how that is.