Perfumes

[rip]

Above all, it should be discrete.

Sillage, a French word meaning “wake” as in a ship’s wake, is used to describe the trail of a fragrance that remains in a ladies path. A man’s scent should be perceptible, as Luca Turin has said, “only at the moment of a kiss.”

Properly worn fragrance, like a gentleman, always stands aside to allow you to enter a room first.

[uppercase]

I'm reminded how nice the classics can be - yesterday I found a bottle of Habit Rouge by Guerlain - this is a perfume I have used in the past - and it was a pleasure to rediscover this particular scent.

The other scents mentioned in the post are impossible to find in the local stores and would probably have to be ordered over the net. Ofcourse, it's problematic to order a scent if you aren't first familiar with it.

I wonder classic scents - those from the far past - members enjoy?

I recently found a bottle of Eau de Hermes, which I believe it one of the classics formulated some 50 years ago, but the bottle must have been lying around in the store awhile - the scent seemed flat and stale, to my nose.

[alden]

Here are a few tips for tasteful and masculine fragrances:

Spring/Summer

Eau Imperiale, Eau du Coq, Vetiver from Guerlain
Vetiver,Cologne Sologne from Patricia de Nicolai
Eau de Quinine, Wellington from Geo Trumper
Blenheim Bouquet, Duoro from Penhaligon’s
Grain de plaisir, Racine from Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier

Fall/Winter

Tabac Blond from Caron
Knize 10 from Knize
Habit Rouge from Guerlain
Parfum d’Habit, Iris Bleu Gris from Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier
Spanish Leather from Geo Trumper

Most are available via the internet and samples can be requested.

Cheers

[BirdofSydney]

I get a similar feeling, coupled with a slight swelling in my throat when I wear certain scents. I have always attributed it to some type of allergic reaction, but it only happens with certain scents, not with all, and not only with colognes, but also with some deodorants.

You would be quite correct in that assessment, I should think. I occasionally get the same on my chest, though never on my wrists. I do not know why. Applying it to close to the throat after shaving is a sure way to end in tears.

I am presently in the search for something new, a little bit masculine, a little bit, dare I say, exciting. I don't want something sweet and cloying (narrowly rejecting two eaux de cologne by the jeweller Boucheron), nor do I want to be too traditional (I am only 21!). I would like a little sophistication, all the same.

Can any member recommend a more modern take on the traditional notes of leather, wood, maybe tobacco?

Best regards,

Eden

[Guest]

Alden (or anyone), can you explain why Basenotes (the web site devoted to perfume) lists Cuir de Russie by Chanel and Tabac Blond, as women's scents?

[alden]

Tabac Blond began life as a man's fragrance in 1919. Unfortunately it didn't sell very well to the men of that time. Then, as the story goes, a group of adventurous American ladies in the Roaring 20s decided it would be shocking/chic to wear it. So TB was marketed thereafter as a ladies perfume. I have never met a lady who wears it and it would certainly be interesting to do so.

I believe Cuir de Russie has a similar history along with Guerlain's famous Jicky (1889) that was made for men and then was marketed as a woman's scent.

There are women who wear Knize10 as well. In some ways I can imagine Knize on a lady much more easily than I can Tabac Blond given its floral notes.

Fragrances react on people's skin in variety of ways so the distinction between ladies and mens scents is a bit muddled. It depends on how the perfume reacts on you. And to know, you have to give them a try.

[Guest]

Thank you Michael, I did not realize that their classification depended on the marketing. I am now alternating between Truefitt's Spanish Leather and Loewe's Solo ( a new fragrance that was marketed in Romania when I was there) and I love them. Recall that I am a Habit Rouge man, that was always my fragrance and even if I wore something else, I always returned to Habit Rouge. I am not trying to privilege my scents over others, but there is something about Habit Rouge and Truefitt's Spanish Leather that appeals to me (and to my wife), Loewe's Solo too to a lesser extent (though my wife adores it).

[Incroyable]

I have met a woman wearing Tabac Blond. She was dressed in Kiton Donna and vintage Perugia alligator skin shoes with a man's English overcoat draped over her shoulders and a small homburg perched on her head.

It was rather Djuna Barnes and Marlene Dietrich. Chic.

[andrei67]

Knize 10 (1924) is a tobacco/leather fragrance in the same family as Tabac Blond (1919), Cuir de Russie (1924), Bandit (1944), and Habit Rouge (1965).

Knize 10, Guerlain's Habit Rouge and Heritage are those that I currently wear.
But I fear that I did not find that much common in Ten and Habit Rouge. Whereas I feel that Ten is perfect for the fall, Habit Rouge is mostly associated with crispy winter sunny days. (But maybe mine is the one with a new formula - there've been rumours around that Guerlain has simplified some of the scents, hence I cannot find Heritage that smells like my old one)
I am quite intrigued by Tabac Blonde however and would to try to get a nose on it...

[BirdofSydney]

My dear Gentlemen,

I finally settled upon a fragrance, which effortlessly fulfuls my criteria of being mature and classic, and at the same time not too overwhelming for a man of my relatively few years.

My selection was made after about two months of carrying the various cards that department stores proffer in my suit pocket. If after a few days something still appeals, it is certainly a contender. The choice in the end was Gucci Pour Homme, which seems to incorporate a number of the elements of more traditional colognes, but still feels fresh. In particular, wood and leather notes, as well as olibanum and amber, are accompanied by a spicy note, which I understand to be white pepper.

I certainly am extremely pleased with my choice. I wonder if anyone else has tried it?

Best,

Eden

[Master G]

No "Gooch" for this pooch. Oh no. Rather one or t'other of two:

Either the newish Richard James Fragrance for autumn winter: This exuberant fragrance derives its freshness from Italian Bergamot and Mandarin, Fresh Chinese Ginger, Living Green Tea Leaves, and Petit grain Citronnier. Tunisian Rosemary, and Egyptian Basil Oil excite the senses with a peppery – feeling clean.

Or for spring summer, Jo Malone Grapefruit. And again, I quote: I wanted to create a citrus fragrance that was not neat and unassuming but would stop you in your tracks, wake you up in the morning, suit a game of tennis or a day of business and translate easily from day through to evening. Notes of vetiver and rosemary add great warmth to grapefruit and create a more outspoken citrus scent that's very sexy when worn, for both men and women.

Quite so.

[Prince Barry]

The marketing of fragrances really annoy me. There are many fragrances out there that smell fabulous on a man, but because it says 'women's' on the advert, it puts men off.

Going back to Alden's post, I have in my perfume collection, Tabac Blond, Jicky and Cuir de Russie, I wear them all. Another fabulous fragrance from Guerlain that smells great a gent is Mitsouko. It was Charlie Chaplin's signature scent, Sergei Diaghalev (sp?) wore it and Jean Harlow's husband commited suicide after pouring a bottle of it over himself. Apparently he was suffering from impotence!

[Parishow]

[quote="Prince Barry"]The marketing of fragrances really annoy me. There are many fragrances out there that smell fabulous on a man, but because it says 'women's' on the advert, it puts men off.

HERE! HERE!

I had an uncle who was a movie producer at MGM for many, many years, he was schooled in Europe and wore English cut clothes. He was the very essence of a stylish and elegant man. I was always intrigued by the perfume he wore. It was very senusal (If I can say that about another man?). I asked him what it was and he said, for years and years, he found that womens scents were preferred than men's cologne and thus, he wore womens perfumes (using them in small amounts). I took his advise and to this day, I prefer Womens perfumes. For the last several years I have used Lauders Tuscany.

I can only say, that the women I have dated or have worked around, have all remarked how wonderful the 'men's scent I wear is!

[Prince Barry]

Your uncle sounds like a remarkable man.

Must admit, I do have quite a few 'women's' perfumes in my collection that I wear besides the ones that I mentioned above. If the mood takes me, I sometimes even wear Guerlain's Shalimar. Caron's Bellodgia is also a remarkable carnation scent that I wear.

[Incroyable]

Many of the scents I own are actually women's perfumes.

They are richer, I feel.