Cologne for an aspiring young gentleman - Page 2

Tom Ford

well what you're not understanding is that there are many different ways to do a "suit". Btw, seemingly very few people "like" to wear suits, but they instead do so because they have to.

I wear suits because I look good in a suit. I don't think I will be cooler, better looking, or more attractive to women because I'm wearing a suit. I also like tweed. Most people my age could barely spell tweed. But I like it, so I wear it.

I don't really know all that much. I just know what I like.

I suspect what you don't realize is that you do smell like something...even if it's only soap. You may not be able to smell yourself...we get used to smells and don't notice them anymore...but you smell like something to others.

But while fragrances differ in very fundamental ways from clothes, they are similar in one respect--they express something of yourself...or should.

I am a boot and shoemaker, I like the smell of leather. Some leather is tanned with tree bark, and I turn wood as a hobby...I like the smell of wood. I like single malt scotch and peat reek (smoke) and I smoked a pipe (Balkan Sobrannie) for many years...I like the smell of tobacco and whisky and wood smoke. These are aspects of my life and have been for over 40 years. In a very real sense they represent my passions and my attitudes and my day-to-day interests.

I don't think you can choose a fragrance based on an event. For one thing, many of the better fragrances will last 6-8 hours and some will still be there after 24 hours and a shower.

I think you kind of choose a fragrance based on how you feel that day. So if I'm feeling a little anti-social I have an EdT that smells like I've been up all night drinking Lagavulin and playing poker with Humphrey Bogart--Fumidus by Profumum. Or one that smells like sweat and celery (and people either love it or hate it)--Yatagan by Caron. And another that was reputedly favoured by both Humphrey Bogart and Winston Churchill--vintage Tabarome by Creed. One that is all wood smoke and fireplace--Eau du Fier by Annick Goutal. And of course, vintage English Leather...the one I liked the most when I was in college. I've even mixed that with some birch oil to get what I think Russia calf would smell like...seeing as how it was curried with birch oil.

The interesting thing is that you can purchase samples, splits and decants (some of which are not available in the US) on the internet for very little money. That lets you explore your own tastes and work up a selection for seasons or moods or day/night or even situations.

Better yet when Christmas comes around you can give your wife or girlfriend a decant of some famous parfum that would ordinarily cost $600.00 an ounce for less than $50.00 or so. Maybe even give her several.
Edited by DWFII - 10/10/11 at 7:45pm

Go into a shop and get some assistance!

Fragrance is a personal purchase. What works for one person might not work for you. You don't want to drop $100 or more on a fragrance you might not like after wearing just because you read on a forum that it worked for someone else. You need a salesperson to guide you to a subset of their offerings that match what style you are looking for. You can then decide based on which one smells the best to you and what is in your price range.

You also need to try some on. Your body chemistry also influences how a fragrance works with you. It might not smell the same on you as it does on the sample card or on someone else. Ask for some of the take home samples. Wear them for a few days and you'll be able to tell if it's the right purchase for you; both based on your own experience and as well from the feedback from others. The opinion of some hot girl in one of your college classes will be worth more than all our opinions combined. Go out and experience some.

If you wear Creed you have to live up to it.

I'm pretty sure you're going to get it wrong.  So I say get the three you mentioned earlier.  If you're going to screw this up, you may as well not spend too much time thinking about it.

If and when I wear cologne at all it's Truefit & Hill Trafalgar. I chose it because there is a complementary soap, and because it is blue.

 

 

Eh, I appreciate the effort but you'll probably have to spend a few outings smelling around and finding a few that work for you....

my rec's?
Something from Hermes or Chanel are never out of place no matter the event. Try Hermes Concentree D'Orange Vert, it's my go to for anything from class to meetings. basically oranges, herbs, wood and leather.
Maybe try Guerlain's L'Instant? it's a dry warm cocoa powder scent, subtle but sophisticated.


if you find you're interested in niche stuff, then look at theperfumedcourt and order a bunch of samples to try out. also follow the thread Scent Of The Day in the health and body section to see the common/popular ones (amongst a very skewed group though ). Lastly if you're actually interested in this stuff then check out basenotes.net forums...


ps - PLEASE don't be 'that dude', the one who constantly has his nose in the air becuase he wears shirts with buttons to class and a car coat. You'll be secretly laughed at by your peers. the trick is to be just a little different, not alienating.

Fat electrician by État Libre d'Orange.

Please someone tell me this emotionally stunted retarded dogfucker isn't for real.

Creed and CK are nice scents.

Strictly a club scent, it smells like candy bubble gum, i personally don't care for it. But i hear it works for the younger crowd.