Unisex Man: born to notshop

I don’t make a secret of it: I’m a crap shopper. Unless I’m with a fellow fragnatic and can talk and explore, I don’t much get the idea of wandering from store to store, perusing product. Shopping’s only good with company, and then only for smells. If I’m in a clothes store, I’ll only be able to cope if I’ve gone in with an express plan to buy. And sometimes, even that fails me. Revoke my gay card, if you must.

Take last week. I had some time to kill and so thought I’d wander up to my local high street and consider getting a black jacket I’d had my eye on for a while. It was a quiet time of day – convenient for worried shoppers like me, as I manage crowds as well as I do the shopping experience itself. Funny how I can switch all this off in a ‘proper’ city, but that’s by-the-by. So, I tried the jacket on, and a sweater, and a pair of trousers. I bought nothing. It seems that all trousers this year are designed for men with the thighs of Kate Moss – seeing as mine are a little more rugby player sized, I have difficulty pulling them up. They fit my waist and butt fine, but my legs feel like they’re constricted enough to survive several sequential transatlantic flights. I don’t imagine fashion is currently being dictated to by fears of DVT, but that’s how it seems. I also decided the sweater and jacket were superfluous and not quite me, and like so often, left empty handed (well, I did buy a couple of books, but that’s not quite included by me in shopping…).

I decided to spend the rest of the shopping trip time in town at my local high end department store, where they seem to be amassing more and more niche brands, alongside selected designer stuff. I had an idea to explore.

Last week on Basenotes, there was a thread about listing your three favourite unisex scents. Well, actually it was worded a little differently to that, but I can’t exactly remember how. But anyway, it got me thinking. Y’see, I wear more unisex than I do men’s stuff, and for me the question seemed a bit, well, wonky. Now I’m not casting aspersions about the post, and we all know the daftness of gender distinction in perfume, but it struck me once again how I find it next to impossible to define my masculinity through perfume.The very idea is replete with effete surfeit. Or something. And besides that, so many supposed unisex perfumes smell fantastic, whilst so many men’s smell substandard. All in my opinion of course (*humbly genuflects*).
There are some men’s fragrances I love – Dior Jules, Hermes Bel Ami, and the more unisexual brethren of the recent past, Dior Homme and Terre d’Hermes. But most men’s stuff I sniff, especially if recently produced, leaves me cold. And this was the idea I wanted to explore – am I being simply prejudiced in my scented likes and dislikes and just going for the more obscure chichi stuff just cos I can? Not that I can necessarily step outside my head and find out, but I thought sniffing a fair few men’s things might help me one way or another.

And a delightful sales assistant came to assist (she lived up to the second part of her job title, even if she failed on the first – as you’ll see), and I played dumb. We went through a whack of stuff – the new Kenzo (ho hum side of humdrum), Narciso Rodriguez for him (better than most new releases but I’d only consider it in the overpriced oil), and a plethora of others that failed to make it into my cache for the day. So many of them did have something in common though – there’s an aromachemical with a raspy nature that rears its head time and time again in so many of these and seems like a replacement for the comic 70s chestwig, now most young blokes are waxing and preening their torsos into a parody of pre-pubescence. It machos up a scent, it gives it testicular bite. It says, ‘I am man, smell me, then feel me, then notice how well coiffed my hair is’. It’s there in Tokyo, Paco Rabanne Black XS and most other things I sniffed (it’s in Clinique’s Happy too). If anyone can tell me what this is, or what combination of chemicals it is, I’ll be delighted to have a name to place on my horror. (Shameful confession – I don’t mind it in the dumbly cheerful Happy, much as I enjoyed watching Keanu Reeves when I was in my 20s.)
My dislike of most contemporary men’s scents is best summed up by one I had the misfortune to sniff – Vera Wang for men. Dear lord – it’s a wailing cacophany of a perfume, hitting you over the head with its plascticised artificiality; a testament to where the wonders of chemistry can go wrong, wrong, wrong; a bag of messy notes into which someone stirred several heaping of fruit and puke and pubes. Don’t ask me for the notes – I just know they were awful and that it OD’ed on the ingredients I hate in so much other men’s stuff.

Finally, the SA secretly sprayed a scent strip and I breathed in happily. It was interesting, quirky, strange – and somehow comfortingly soft at the same time. What was it? Comme des Garcons 2, the one in the silver lie-me-down bottle. She had bloody well unisexed me, hadn’t she? I’d forgotten what a great scent this was, and though I don’t like every element of it (that sumi ink note has a tendency to go acrid on my skin) it was the nearest I was going to get to a perfume purchase that day. Well, tell a lie – I was also taken, momentarily, with Richard James’ Pink Pepper and Cardamom cologne – it had the purest note of the eponymous spice I’ve ever come across, though the lasting quality of the cologne (I mean – duh – it’s meant to be sporty…) was a big zilch.

So help me out here, people – recommend me some men’s stuff that I should try, to help change my mind or alternatively confirm it in its trenchant, erm, trench. Avoid the classics and go for recent stuff that you think is interesting, appalling or, hell, both. I’ll test em and do some mini-reviews next week.

Lovely image of man with testicle chin from http://monsters.co.uk. Check out the work there – tis great. Patty, March, Bryan – sorry about the singular possessive determiner – I liked the image more than I felt a grammatical worry…

  • Rob says:

    Gosh Lee, I think I sometimes feel your plight, hate the mall crowd, and mens scents seem to want to make focus on elements they think seems to define what a man’s scent is. Maybe it’s just personal preference, but I just prefer a little more balance in the composition because I’m not always enthused smelling like a mulch bed, an interpretation of water, or that I want to smell like orange peels on a pile of cedar planks in the desert.

    Unisex always has better balance which is why it seems more appealing to me too. Like many women’s scents, they markedly spike the scent with a lot of girly or floral elements to it, so logically they throw in wood, shrubs, grass, leaves, and dirt to make you smell like how a man should. Where they came up with these conventions one will never know. 😉

  • Gaia says:

    The only manly non-niche scents left in my husband’s wardrobe are Varvatos, Must pour homme and Hanae Mori. All the rest have ended as room sprays.

    More often than not, I prefer unisex scents for myself, and I don’t have one butch bone in my body. I rarely wear pants (other than jeans). They are all shaped weird and unfriendly, so it’s not just you.

  • minette says:

    oh, shoot, how could i forget bois du portugal? it’s gorgeous.

    • Lee says:

      Y’know – I always think this is just like P de Nicolai’s New York, but probably need to resniff it once more for its own merit…

  • minette says:

    you and i would get along great on a shopping trip. as far as go men’s scents… the ones i wear include the original gucci pour homme, m7, kouros, jil sander man (older one, in a boxy brown bottle), chanel pour monsieur, carolina herrera, dolce & gabbana, equipage, bel ami, eau sauvage, declaration, and eau de cartier. i guess the last one is considered unisex. i have the same reaction as you to most of the mens’s offerings… there is something so banal about the “i am man” message – is it a synthetic sandalwood or musk in the base? whatever it is, i can tell immediately that it’s one of “those.” i cannot wear them. i’m not woman enough for them, i guess…

  • JuliaF says:

    What about Marc Jacobs for men? Nice and fig-y with a hint of coconut but not obnoxious in any way. My DH wears it and it’s truly great on him. Not something *insert über-masculine action hero* would wear but who cares?;)

    • Lee says:

      Hey – it’s the uber nature of so many that turns me right off. Marc Jacobs is pretty good when I smell it on paper – for some reason it doesn’t quite work for me on skin.

      Keep sniffing your husband!

  • Robin says:

    Both of the men’s Divine scents, Lalique Encre Noire, Paul Smith Story, Caron L’Anarchiste (or is that too old?), Prada Homme, JPG Fleur du Male, OJ Isfarkand, L’Artisan Fou d’Absinthe.

    • Lee says:

      Divine – of course! But not really dept store stuff…

      EN – I know, I know…. sigh…

      Story – tried it, forgot it, must retry it… a light citrus vet I seem to remember?

      Prada Homme – yep – must retry!

      FdM – neroli horror for me. And milky neroli at that….

      Isfarkand – oh yes.

      Fou d’Absinthe – I must like this – I’ve nearly got thru a bottle

      Thanks R!

      • Robin says:

        Oops…must have missed the dept-store only thing.

        Do try Paul Story again, if you can — light citrus vet is true, but it is really nicely done.

  • Gina says:

    Lee, you make me LAUGH. Here’s a few that I find intriguing: Caron Yatagan, Heeley Cardinal (cedar! so if you hate cedar…), Creed Epicea, Lacroix Tumulte (lovely, but more cedar, but lovely…sigh), and Yohji Homme – this one always screws with me a little. Can’t decide if I love it, when I put it on, sometimes it makes me wish I’d chosen something else. If you don’t have any of these, please let me know – I’d LOVE to send you some. I’ve got full bottles of all. And yes, I know some of them are unisex…but I feel the same way you do about that. I’m still LMAO at “fruit, puke, and pubes”.

    • Lee says:

      I’m happy to put a smile on your face and make you chortle!

      so the scents:
      Yatagan – I own it (all those crazy priced bottles) but as much as I want to like it, too often it’s soup stock on me.

      Cardinal – will sniff (but it’s unisex, you cheater!)

      Epicea – a Creed I’ve never tried (me and modern creedbase are a long way from buddies)

      Tumulte – yep, I agree, lovely, but Gucci Rush feels that cedar slot for me.

      Yohji Homme – is that disconitnued? The one with a coffee note (Alarm is going off)? I’ll find out…

      So I’d love to try the Epi and Yohji!

      :d

      • Gina says:

        I’m so happy to send you some of both. Please send me your address via my email – :d

        • Gina says:

          I forgot to answer your question about the Yohji – yes, it’s discontinued. I found a bottle a little while back, they’re still out there…so if you really love it, you can probably find one. And I absolutely agree with you about Creed. Epicea is really the only one I love.

  • violetnoir says:

    Lee, you are adorable. I don’t really like to shop either. I need to know what I want to buy first, and never liked aimlessly “browsing” around the shops just for fun.

    Rochas Liu, maybe? It smells wonderful on my husband.

    Hugs!

    • Lee says:

      Thank you!

      Rochas Lui is gooood. The neroli blast at first is a little too much for me, but then it’s great. I might spray it on tomorrow. There are bargain bottles all over the place, and although I don’t wear it much, at crazy prices everyone should have a bottle, right?

  • Elle says:

    DH won’t wear scents, except for when I am using him as a guinea pig to test out skin chemistry differences (which means he wears a hell of a lot more white flower and rose scents than men’s scents when he does), so I get all the more masculine scents for myself. 🙂 I actually love a fair number of traditionally masculine scents, as I’m a base notes sl*t and I like the fact that many of my fave men’s scents emphasize the middle and base notes – wonderfully grounded and sensual. Some of the ones I reach for most are Rosine’s Homme, PdN’s Baladin and Pour Homme, Divine’s L’Homme de Coeur, Knize 10 (well, that’s really unisex), Cuiron, Morabito’s Or Black, Dorissima’s Narziss and CdG 2 Man.

    • Lee says:

      See, and being such an elegant fancypants, you went totale niche-ola on me!

      Or Black is now available at much better prices… a blind buy I wonder? I have an unstable relationship with those leather chypres though…

      CDG2 Man again! I’m gonna have to…

  • Anne says:

    Commes des Garcons in the white bottle (don’t think it has a specific name), is everyday wearable. M7, Avignon and Let Me Play the Lion for a more special occasion kinda’ thang. I guess out of all of these only the M7 is the closest to a men’s fragrance, though I do have my own private mini. Oh, another one that probably answers your post best – the original (I think) Jean Paul Gaultier (guy body in tealish/turquoise striped t-shirt). Good stuff!

    • Lee says:

      Le Male? That’s Europe’s version of acqua di Gio – i.e. all over the place… Does have its own charms though.

      M7 – you’re right, but not really in my recent category…

      Thanks!

  • Teri says:

    I feel your pain on the dearth of recent men’s fragrances that really knock one’s socks off. I’ve been doing a little sniffing myself, looking for something for my son. He’s worn Acqua di Gio for years now, but as his 25th birthday approaches, I think he’s ready for something a bit more sophisticated. I have yet to find one that strikes me as ‘him’, but I did find a couple I liked in general. Both have already been mentioned, but I’ll second the recommendations on Divine’s L’Homme Sage and the new Fahrenheit. I would be happy indeed to be trapped in an elevator with a gentleman wearing either of those. 😉

    I may have to turn in my ‘girly girl’ card, because I am not a fan of recreational shopping. When I simply must go to an actual brick and mortar store (as opposed to using the internet), I employ a technique I call ‘guerilla shopping’. I research my objective in advance, calling the store to find out if they have it and where it’s located. That way, when I enter the store I can make a ‘surgical strike’ on the ‘target’, acquire it, and leave. Quick and dirty. lol

    • Lee says:

      Hey, I’m a guerilla shopper too! Nice to meet another. And thanks for those two suggestions, dealt with above…:)

  • donanicola says:

    Oooops supposed to be doing some work so will keep this short and sweet – I third Encre Noir! Yum. Oh and there are the new (sorry, reissued) Givenchys – 3 men’s ones. Liked them but then sniffed EN and they were all but wiped from the memory which I’m sure isn’t fair.

    • Lee says:

      Encre Noir does beat all three of those I think. I’m gonna have to get that one, aren’t I? Not in the crystal bottle though…:o

  • Suzanne says:

    It’s not groundbreaking, but I really like the Burberry London for Men which my husband wears. Notes include port wine, leather, tobacco leaf and oakmoss, so there is a pleasing plummy quality to the scent — and it’s just perfect for autumn. In a way, it reminds me of Ambre Narguile, only Burberry London is much easier on the pocketbook (er, wallet). 🙂

    • Lee says:

      I concur. I compared these two to each other a while back somewhere or the other… – both beauties in my book. Love Burberry London more and more and it shouldn’t have slipped my mind in the original post…

  • Billy says:

    My god, did you get a rancid tester of Vera Wang or something?? My boyfriend used to wear it and I rather liked it on him. Very woodsy; I didn’t get much fruit. It wasn’t my favorite on him, but it didn’t smell like the fragrance apocolypse!

    A couple of my recent faves: Divine L’homme de coeur (Thank you Judith!!!!) and I finally understand the beauty of Cologne Blanche by Dior, although I’m not sure if we’re considering that niche–it certainly has a niche pricetag.

    • Lee says:

      Sorry Billy! Maybe I did. I also like hyperbole over the truth at times (either that or you’re into fruit and puke and pubes but hey, I’m not one for casting aspersions, honest!)

      Well, l’homme de coeur is one of my all time loves but too exclusif for inclusion. And too unisex really.

  • babyline says:

    I’m a big fan of John Varvatos – quite butch but tasty too – lots of complex herbs, spices, leather and amber. Antidote by Viktor & Rolf is rather lovely with a nice slug of sticky cistus – the bottle is a gem too (and I am so tempted to keep picking at the fake molton cap). And I wear Dior Homme all the time (I’m female) – it reminds me of old library books. For some reason I find old library books appealing………..

    • Lee says:

      And that’s fairly mainstream in the States., right? I think it’s only available in one or two places here. Must track it down. thanks.

  • Lee,
    Loved your post.!! I’m just going to come right out and say it–most of the men’s department store stuff is horrid. I’ve discovered this with DH. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

  • March says:

    Dude …. I enjoy watching Keanu Reeves NOW and feel no shame. Ask my daughters how many times I’ve watched The Matrix.

    So much distraction up there in your post — my mind keeps running off in all sorts of directions (your thighs!) Concentrating — at the risk of being flamed here, you’re right. Many/most of the nuance kicked around on Basenotes among various men’s scents is lost on me. If it smells really manly,no matter how nice it is, it’s just … probably not that interesting?

    I’d argue that for anyone with the comfort level, there is nothing more alluring than sniffing an unusual, even feminine, scent on a man. In my (somewhat limited) experience, men tend to “bend” fragrances in the masculine direction anyway, I’m assuming some sort of skin chemistry thing. The man who owns the perfume shop I visit wears Velvet Rope and A La Nuit (not at the same time!) and they are wildly sexy on him, without smelling a thing like they’d smell on me.

    I guess I’ll second (third?) the vote for Encre Noir. If you like Vetiver. I think L’Instant PH, Arpege PH and Prada PH are delish, but seriously, whatever the bottles are marked those are unisex, so I haven’t really completed the challenge. Cumming is fabulous and dirty and a definite possibility (“manly” in a wink-wink way).

    • Louise says:

      Ah March-I was at Art and Flowers the other day-Bill says hi! I think I got a hint about your secret new SL love…but not before Bill insisted on unbuttoning his shirt down a bit and having me sniff the Rope deeply. What a delight…and a bit naughty, too.

    • Lee says:

      My thighs ain’t all that. Only the best part of my body….:”>:d

      l’Instant – I owned and separated from cos it just disappeared on me like no other before or since; Arpege I’ve already mentioned; Prada I need to retry cos all I got from it first time round was sweet barbershop; and that Bill sounds like a saucepot!

  • Isabella says:

    I quite like Divine L’Homme Sage on my guy, as well as Armanin Black Code.

    • Lee says:

      l’Homme Sage – of course, but outside my remit (even though I never defined what that was in the post – the cheek of it!)

      Black Code goes on the list.:d

  • Marina says:

    I enjoyed watching Keanu Reeves when I was in my 20s too. I’ve never enjoyed Happy though. Or Simply. 🙂

  • Divalano says:

    I love the hunt & acquire kick of shopping. Going alone is fun, no one to distract me from my goals, no one to slow me down. And going with a friend is great for the bonus of instant second opinions (a must for scent, glasses, and certain clothes). When I’m too broke to do it for me, I enjoy helping a friend. Too bad you’re so far away, I’d love to shop with you.

    Don’t know what use I can be with mens’ scents. I usually hate it when men wear scent because most mens’ scents are godawful. I had an ex who wore something cheap & mass market, Romeo Gigli, & while I think I liked it at the time, it was probably more that I was into him than his cologne. That, and at least it didn’t make me sneeze. Every other man I’ve dated who wore scent always made me sneeze. Only other thing I can add …. We’ve discussed Dior Bois D’Argent on here & I think you adore it as much as I do. I don’t think that’s intended as unisex, is it?

    • Lee says:

      But shopping in NYC is ubershopping, and doesn’t really count as a negative experience for that very reason…

      Villages or big cities – the only places to shop, really.

      Bois d’Argent is truly beautiful, but I can’t see that as ‘properly male’ (whatever I mean by that) cos of its limited distribution. And hell, it’s as unicycle as anything…

      • Divalano says:

        *whew*
        I suppose this means I can retain my femme card whilst wearing it 😉

        (just hunted & acquired new not-so-femme winter boots online from New Rock & was hoping this didn’t mean I’d have to cut my locks & have a butch December or something)

        I could tell you that my tall, handsome, long haired, big muscled, black wearing, cowboy booted, tattooed carpenter friend R loves something that’s called Bandolino or something like it but it’s discontinued & maybe isn’t called that anyway. Besides, he also wears Allure Homme.

  • sariah says:

    Lee,

    DH got a sample of Aramis Life and surprise, I actually like it(on him). Do give it a try.

  • Divina says:

    Hmm, yes, I wanna play too! Ok.. so no classics. To narrow things down, let’s also say no niche… So, how about the new Fahrenheit? It is quite demanding – not every man can pull it off, but those that can, really, really work it!

    • Lee says:

      Oh, Divina, i’m not one of those men. It seemed awful on me! But then, me and orange blossom have a rocky relationship… And I think the original Fahrenheit is a masterpiece (probably my first scented love). But I’m glad it can work for some… I WILL resniff.

  • Judith says:

    Best new men’s scent, hands down: Lalique Encre Noire. I haven’t even let DH near it, because it’s MINE (I only wish it lasted on me). A couple (not so new) that he likes (and I like on him) are Le Labo Vetiver and Ormonde Man. He WAS fond of SMN Peau d’Espagne (I don’t know if this counts as male or unisex) but then he broke a bottle in the bathroom, and our place continues to smell. . . interesting. He also loves Montale Cuir d’Arabie, but we know what you think of THAT!!

    I love CdG 2. Great scent! (It’s the ink):x Man is good, too.

    • Lee says:

      Le Labo Vet and Ormonde Man don’t count – too niche (and therefore allowed to be a little more leftfield for their market). I love OM – never sniffed the le Labo Vet cos it’s been difficult to get over here. But they’re now available in Liberty it seems…

      Cuir d’Arabie… *backs away* :d

      Another vote for CDG2 Man…:-?

  • Louise says:

    Lee, I have always been a dedicated and frequent solo shopper, but joint sniff-and-seek missions of late have converted me to the joys of companion shopping. I of course loved our shopping/visiting day together-having never experienced another shopper who had the interest and stamina I can have when seeking fragrance-and who was so damn much fun, hon! You also had marvelous instincts about when to take a break-something I lack entirely when obsessed. Similar ventures with gal pals have been delightful here, too. Reminder-you DC gals/guys-remember to join us on Novemeber 11 for our mini-sniffa!

    I really, really don’t get the gender thing with fragrance (or, mostly, in general). My dad naturally smelled of quite sweet spice, so I associate men with whatever scent moves me. Carnation on you certainly made my earth move. I do cross the aisle a lot, and usually just ask the SA (forcefully if necessary)to leave me alone while I test for an imaginary husband. I rarely find anything I like, though I am in agreement with you about the NR for men, and enjoy an occasional hit of Bulgari Black and especially Prada for men-so much sweeter than the “ladies”-which I think often smells best on a guy.

    Back in the day, I remember liking Angel Men on a particular fella, who heated it to a hot coffee and pepper mix in a delightful way. And funny, my boy went through an Old Spice deodorant phase-and smelled great (there’s the sweet spice theme again). And the right Bay Rum can be great. But I can’t stand the whatever guy-stinkum “rasp” you mention that is in many mainstream fragrances-it’s the equivalent of fruity floral in the ladies department-unpleasant and unimaginative.

    Ah-I do remember you on a highly directed search of a great shirt in one London store-are you wearing that pretty thing much? You pretty thing, you.

    • Louise says:

      Oops, got side-tracked. My only suggestion’s a repeat of Anthony’s-the CdG Play 2 men’s-smells great on my son, and I steal it a lot. It’s missing that ugly grating tone, plays nice and long, though very linearly.

    • Lee says:

      I’m going to spray CDG2 all over me again and see what happens. Who knows, it might be love this time.

      The shirt gets worn a lot…

      Oh, and you know how I feel about are shopping trip…:x

    • Nancy says:

      Louise,

      If you show up on the 11th, you’ll be solo shopping. The meet-up is on November 10.

      We’ll post more information, including contact info, as we get closer to the date. (That’s a nice way of saying that we’ll post details as soon as we get busy and arrange the details.)
      n

  • BitterGrace says:

    Wish I could help you, Lee, but my last couple of strolls through the boys’ room have been god-awful. I’d be happy to take a shared shower in Must pour Homme with Dave, but that one’s probably already gotten the thumbs down from you.

  • Anthony says:

    Ok I just had a couple tequila shots so I hope this comes out ok 🙂 A couple man juices I love (and I’m definitely in the unisex camp as well) are Bulgari Aqua, a little more salty sea air with beautiful florals than most aquatics, Comme des Garcons 2 MAN, the crazy incensey resinous vetiver cumin masterpiece, Arpege Pour Homme, gourmand loveliness with velvety soft iris petals, Lalique’s Encre Noire, with its smoky soiled vetiver roots, and scraping the bottom of the barrel of ho-hum newness, Kenneth Cole’s RSVP with its soft woods and grass accord. That’s more than enough department store for a guy to handle but a little part of me loves all of them. (And of course I didn’t mention my favorite Terre d’Hermes because you already have).

    • Lee says:

      Anthony – thank you for your tequila-soaked pearls of wisdom. I’ve never sniffed Bvlgari Aqua or KC’s RSVP, so they’re on the list. Arpege PH – I own and love – an easy no-brainer bargain bottle kind of scent but totally unisex really; CDG 2 Man I enjoy but it goes oh so dry and dark on me; Encre Noire is in my future bottle-wise.

  • rosarita says:

    Well, this is a cliche, but my husband smells wonderful in Burberry Brit. It’s rich and spicy and delicious, and marketed to men, but I’ve swiped a spray on several occasions. Thoroughly enjoyed this post! And, I hate shopping as well, thank goodness for the internet.

    • Lee says:

      Burberry Brit is lovely, it’s true. I favour last year’s London, but they’re a lovely smelling couple. Proper comfort.

  • Maria says:

    Dear Lee, your post has set off funny images in my head. My eyes fell first on the end of the post. I got a most amusing image of you standing in front of my morning class saying, “Singular possessive determiner,” in your lovely (I’m sure) English accent, and setting off an attack of brain explosions among my students. It was enjoyable. Then I misread something else you wrote as “sniffing a fair few men’s THIGHS might help me one way or another.” Well, you can imagine. :d

    I dislike a lot of the contemporary fragrances marketed solely to men. One exception is Cristiano Fissore Cashmere for Men. Yumm. I frequently ask the DH to wear it. I like the Cashmere for Women pour moi.

    I don’t like shopping either. I go with a plan and strictly execute it.

    • Lee says:

      *adds Cashmere to tester list* – though it’s only available via the internet, that one, so I can’t report back as promptly as I’d like.

    • Lee says:

      And I’m up for sniffing thighs any time, as long as they’re half decent. And hell, yeah, I’m a grammar geek. Not that I’ve ever expected any of my former students to sink(?) to my levels…

  • perfumequeen says:

    Hmmm, I’ve mostly encountered appalling lately. Most notably with a horrible incident involving Drakkar Noir. For some WRONG reason my husband thought it would be a good pilfer from his Dad’s medicine cabinent. He applied, well actually marinated in it, came walking in with that “let’s get it on” smile. the smell alone damn near killed me. It was horrible.
    Also, “Je Suis un Homme”…I recieved a sample smelled it and thought :gee, this smells EXACTLY like NASA” which is incidently where my father works. not exactly a pleasant thing, the smell of pocket protecter wearing, protractor weilding government scientists….

    Good….Well, not much lately. I kinda liked Guerlain’s Derby, and Cumming…but I propose we formulate a new smell. leather, cigar smoke, hint of a fine scotch and just a trace of gun powder.

    Fun post, and I’m with you on the being bad at shopping. Bless the internet shopping and the fine ladies at theperfumedcourt, so I can order samples to my heart’s content and not have to explain to an SA at Neim’s why she can’t just spray me for the fifth time as it will irratate the baby….:)

    • Lee says:

      Cumming – I MUST sniff this. Is not available here and I keep putting off a sample as I’m a sadsack. Agree on the Derby. And Drakkar Noir – those power ‘fumes aren’t to be messed with…