Paul writes tech and travel articles for Dappered. This one is about the technology of cologne. Or the travel of scent. Or something.
I’ve never been a cologne guy. Well … that’s not entirely true. I haven’t been a cologne guy for a long time. I was a cologne guy when I was 10. I think it was English Leather. I’d dab when I wanted to be baller. Of course back then, “baller” wasn’t a word. Things change.
The best I dressed was probably straight out of college. I had a job at a litigation services company and I had to look presentable when meeting with lawyers and their suited-up associates. My boss wore a Brooks Brothers suit every day. I didn’t go that far, but I bought my first pair of Allen Edmonds when I had that job, then a few more pairs while there. I haven’t bought a pair since.
After that, I got a job at a web start-up where my boss wore too-big chamois shirts and stone-washed jeans. The technology director was fond of shorts. I tried to hold the line with the Allen Edmonds, but it didn’t last forever. Soon I was wearing boat shoes nearly every day, but I drew the line at pants. My calves didn’t make any cameos at the office. When I wore a blazer, it was assumed I was interviewing elsewhere. Sometimes that was true.
Then I started working at a digital marketing company. My boss wore t-shirts and sneakers. I wore my first collarless shirt to the office at that job.
Descent complete.
Well, almost. Take a year-long road trip and it will change your dressing habits. Clothes go from clean to clean enough. My driving loafers were all that remained of my fashionable past. Now I’m a work-from-home guy. My business interactions are through Skype. Pants are optional on Skype, just need to show a little collar.
Descent definitely complete.
As I said earlier, I haven’t worn cologne in ages. To me, wearing cologne is like cooking at Alinea, at some point, you’ve exhausted all of the stylish/flavor options and need another place to go, so you start experimenting with smells and flavored air. Cologne can add something to a man, but it can also take something away. Done poorly, it’s a mess – a cloud of stank that accompanies you everywhere, engulfing those around you in a bubble of musk, essential oils, and despair. For many, the risks aren’t worth the potential reward. Most people opt out of it entirely.
But what if I opted in? What would it do to my life? Would it change anything? Would it be like the traveler’s towel, where if one is in possession of a towel, it is assumed “he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. … clearly a man to be reckoned with?
Step One: Smell Detox
If I was going to track the influence of a particular smell on my life, then I had to get rid of the other smells already in the mix, mainly my deodorant. Most of time, I smell like the man my man could smell like or the man that buys whatever is on sale at the store when he runs out of deodorant smells like. That had to go, so I bought some smell-free antiperspirant from Tom’s of Maine
I also bought some Old Grandpa’s Pine Tar Soap thinking if the cologne thing didn’t work out, I’d love to smell like pine all day. Claims made on the interweb promised that while its smell was nearly universally hated by the ladies, it washed away clean and fresh and was worth a try. I’m going to have to disagree with much of that statement. While there may be some hints of pine somewhere in the aromatic make-up of the soap, the tar portion is what overwhelms. After using it for the first time, I smelled like I just got off my shift at the vulcanization plant. Not what I’d call a slam-dunk, scent-free win.
Meanwhile, the Tom’s antiperspirant was the best eco-friendly antiperspirant I’ve ever used – it works all day. Others I’ve tried have all quit working somewhere between the 5-minute and 5-hour mark. This one is the real-deal.
Step Two: Pick a Cologne
Step two was easy. A few years after my initial foray into colognery, I became an Esquire subscriber for the first time. At some point, they lodged Creed Green Irish Tweed in my head as the only cologne that mattered. Supposedly, it was designed for Cary Grant. Why that matters to me, I have no idea. I honestly can’t name a single movie he starred it, but if forced to guess, I’d say he had a cameo role in It’s a Wonderful Life. Whatever. I know the guy could wear a suit. And supposedly dukes wear it, it’s got an aristocratic vibe. Maybe that’s what I like about it.
The price almost knocked me over. The best I could find was $90 an ounce. ONE OUNCE! Must be the ambergris. That was too much commitment so I opted for a sample size – 0.08 oz,$12
Soon I’d smell like a new man.
Coming up:
- Will cologne improve my love life?
- Can the right cologne get you upgraded to first class at the airport?
- What will my friends say?
- How many free drinks will I score at the local bar thanks to my new scent?
And there may be more. Everything will be in play when I apply my new, irresistible scent. Got a scenario you’d like me to test? Leave your suggestions for testing out my new scented self in the comments below.
Unless it is some kind of fairy tale magic potion, it will probably just change the way you smell. Some people desperately need to change how they smell, so it can be a good thing.
any recommendations on a manly outdoors scene that misses the sweat and musk smell and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?
I doubt it will change your life, but Green Irish Tweed is definitely the right choice. If ANY cologne can do it, it will be this one.
Caron Yatagan is uber male and relatively cheap.
nautica oceans, polo #1, gap blue… crisp clean smells, keep it light, don’t take a bath in them.
PSA:
do not, under any circumstances, wear polo original/modern reserve anywhere other than a cigar bar or all man event… doing so will leave a wake of destruction a tears! just don’t do it. it’s too much manliness in one bottle, it’s just too powerful… you may move the moon out of orbit or stop the world from spinning.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Creed Aventus lately- any impressions?
Thanks!
Love Green Irish Tweed. For a lesser known but still excellent choice from the Creed line try Silver Mountain Water. Less elegant than GIT, but is a great warm weather scent.
it’s awesome but, it will shatter lives [and noses] in the wrong hands. it is the pinnacle of man smell. tobacco,patchouli, sand bags, Charles Bronson, leather, and Conan the Barbarian all in one bottle…..
its a lot like this without the beer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uNQa5HCUYCQ
You can’t place Cary Grant? Get up to speed. North by Northwest is a good place to start. Also Philadelphia Story or Holiday. You might be inspired to check out other 30s, 40s and 50s cinema afterwards. BTW, It’s Jimmy Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
I bought a sample pack and Green Irish Tweed was the only one I liked. Though most people think it smells very similar to much cheaper cool water cologne which I have yet to try.
Happened to me in a drug store with a girl working there.
Girl : Do you wear cologne?
Me : Nope.
-Do you have a girlfriend?
-Nope.
-You would have one if you wre wearing cologne.
Age? Attractiveness?
I need to smell some Cool Water. I find it difficult to pick out scents at the store though — there’s too many competing in the air.
Great experiment 🙂 Let us know what you observe.
Early twenties, cute, but a bit too much makeup. Maybe she just wanted to sell me some cologne?
Unless you’re talking about me? I’m very handsome.
Cary Grant did not wear GIT. GIT was invented in 85 and Grant died in 86. Creed is infamous for this sort of marketing so don’t believe all the hype. GIT is a great scent. Aventus is overrated imo, bu its supposed to be the panty dropper of all panty dropper cologne’s if you want to believe that sort of thing. If you are getting into fragrance for the first time I would start with the designer scents and avoid the niche. There are a bunch of great designer scents that can be had online for $20-$40. My advice is to go to Macy’s/Sephora/Nordstrom and sniff a bunch of scents and get free samples and figure out what you like and what you are comfortable wearing. For me wearing a great smelling fragrance gives me a boost of self confidence and is the icing on whatever outfit I am wearing that day.
They are similar, but GIT is more subtle, where Cool Water is harsher.
Cool Water is a great summer cologne. Been using it for years with plenty of compliments from the ladies.
I’d also recommend trying just a little bit of the scent, then walk around the mall/store for 10 or more minutes and see how the scent changes over time with your natural oils. This process has changed my decision on multiple colognes.
It’s honestly not that memorable, fades away way too quickly. Go for Himalaya or Imperial or even Silver Mountain Water if you are just starting out with Creed
The women in my local drug store are neither young nor cute, so I had to ask.
I think I could probably pick him out of a line-up if it was black and white.
Hints of fairy tale magic potion, that’s all I ask for. And ambergris.
Ah, I understand. She’s the only cute girl working here. Actually, I never ran into her again.
I don’t care for the smell of Creed. It smells dusty and old, quite frankly.
I’ve gotten a lot of complements on my cologne use. Here are my observations:
1) Put very little on. With a lot of colognes and aftershaves, a single spray is enough for the day.
(examples: John Varvatos, Jean Paul Gaultier (Le Male), etc.)
2) Aftershave wears better than cologne, in that its less overpowering. Still, keep it minimal. A slight dab is sufficient.
3) Typically, I wear cologne for the ladies. Therefore, I try to smell approachable–not masculine. A lot of bad smelling cologne’s focus on a natural scent like sandlewood and ramp it up–I stay away from those.
4) Colognes and aftershaves smell different on different people. Choose something you like, since you’ll be smelling it all day.
Colognes I like: Drakkar Noir (draws a lot of complements–aftershave), John Varvatos (eponymous) (one spray), Gaultier Le Male (one spray), Hermes Terre (afershave), Prada Infusion D’homme (aftershave).
Creed GIT is by far the best scent in my cabinet of ~10 colognes. For being such an excellent smell, it’s also quite versatile. You’ve chosen well.
I can’t even begin to estimate how many times I’ve been complimented on my smell by women, not just in bars/clubs (although that’s the most common) but in many public venues. A good scent goes a long way and if nothing else can at least lead to some flirtatious small talk. Some stand-bys in my rotation: D&G Light Blue, Gucci by Gucci, Guilty by Gucci, and Acqua di Gio. I’ll echo the comment made by earlier commenter though that fragrances smell differently on each person so play around and see what goes well w/ your natural fragrance.
I think a lot of pricier fragrances are more for the wearer than the people around him.
If you are wearing the fragrance to impress others, to get compliments, then some of the best complimented ones are the cheap, aquatic, fresh smelling like Liz Claiborne Curve.
some of the expensive, niche fragrances may smell unique, sophisticated, to the trained nose. But a lot of them are NOT going to be compliment getters.
The author may be interested to read a bunch of reviews on GIT:
http://www.basenotes.net/fragrancereviews/fragrance/26120716
My personal experience mimics that of the first review – I smelt like freshly cut grass for a few hours. But it gets a ton of good reviews however.
wore polo blue a few years ago, but I might make the switch. I’m ok with wrecking a few lives if it truly is all the things that have been mentioned in one bottle. Not sure I would want to wear it to an all mans event either- who knows what could come from that…
why? children could be irreparably damaged
Women love when a guy smells good. Like you said, a lot of conversations have been initiated by asking what cologne I wear or complimenting it.
I picked up L’Instant de Guerlain and have been using it ever since. I get compliments on it all the time.
Colognes are a tricky area, they are a fashion unto themselves. There are multiple factors you have to take into account such as body chemistry, outside temperature, personal preferences. Creed is a major step up but costly to experiment with (I liked Aventus and now that the hype has died down you its a good fragrance) Personally I like John Varvatos Line its classic and not overwhelming. Try a Nordstrom shop since they tend to carry better quality lines for professional men and you can get free samples to try out.
The biggest turn off with Cool Water and other old and very popular cologns like it is the inevitable problem of the probability that you smell like one or two other guys in the same area as you. This is why I try to go to a department store and smell around first and make a heartfelt decision later.
Think about it, scent is one of the senses and women are indeed very sensual creatures. Will it change your life? As in if you are a gross slob with no social skills etc? Probably not, but the right scent, a quality scent that works for you in the right amount, can really help amplify everything else you’ve got going on. Trust me guys, if you don’t use a good cologne it is well worth the $50 that will last you 6 months or so. PROTIP: Consider getting the deodorant that goes with the scent as well at say $20 a pop and maybe the moisturizer or bodywash for that scent too. It will help the scent last longer on you without being overpowering and no sense in having a nice cologne if some generic cheap smelling deodorant sent overpowers it.
It is a classic masterpiece! Beware of some batch/lot variations, though. It may sound weird, but some Creed fragrances are notorious for different batches exhibiting varying scent, projection and longevity. GIT is one of them, but it’s nowhere near the king of batch variations: Aventus. Now *there’s* a cologne (eau de parfum, actually) that can change your life. (if you get a good batch, that is)
If you have one of the good batches/lots, it will last for days. No, really. Aventus does have a bit of an alleged olfactory fatigue factor. You may think that it has faded, but those around you will often tell you it is still there. It is a beast, and it is beautiful, IMO. My current favorite juice. Gotta get a good batch though.
I see that Cool Water has been mentioned here in the comments a bit. It is a *similar* scent to GIT, but GIT changes so much more, and that sweet ambergris (whale puke -LOL) is the killer dry down. Amazing juice! My #2 choice after #1 Aventus in my Creed lineup, then Millesime Imperial in 3rd place.
If you are looking for a cheapie version of GIT, however, I’d actually recommend Aspen over Cool Water. To my nose, it is a little closer to GIT. That being said, to paraphrase/hack a favorite Ferris line: “GIT is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking it up.”
What about a copycat scent?
I think Green Irish Tweed is only the right choice if you’re conservative. It’s excellent, but it’s not for me. I’d have bought Aventus. Oh, wait. I did buy Aventus. That being said, there are tons of great options at half the price. But the price is irrelevant if you love it.
I own it and enjoy it very much, but really, it’s foolish to buy something as personal as cologne (which will become how you smell) based on a name or hype. You’ve got to go and smell things, and then smell some more. Keep track of which colognes you try. Take notes. SERIOUSLY. The trick is to find something that makes you think “Yeah. That fits ME.”
And ambergris indeed. L’Air du Desert Marocain. Oh. My. God. It’s marvelous.
The best way around the high price of houses such as Creed is (as Paul found) to go to the Perfumed Court or similar and buy your choice of samples or decants. A few 5-10mL vials will give you an interesting selection for the season at a fraction of the price of most products.
My current rotation (fall/winter more or less) is Etro vetiver, Montale red aoud, Tom Ford tobacco vanille, Terre d’Hermes, Burberry Brit, Penhaligon english fern.
You should try the extreme version. its incredible..
True but that’s the expensive way to go about it. You could use unscented body wash, deodorant and lotion to achieve the same goal
Another option, but you kinda need to get yourself involved in some fragrance community, in one way or another, to some degree: splits/shares/decants.
Although I have full bottles of Creed’s GIT and Original Santal (got a great deal on them via a BOGO deal and further markdowns via Walgreens online, believe it or not – legit juice, too!), I bought into some *shares/decants* of Aventus, Millesime Imperial and Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille.
In the shares/splits/decants option, someone purchases huge flacons of the juice(s), usually directly from the boutiques (usually in NYC, etc), and then decants it into smaller vials/bottles for a very good/discounted price. Because the larger sized volumes cost less the more you buy in one shot, this is feasible to the splitter. Some of them might make a few bucks in the process, but most if them get just enough to cover their costs (decant bottles, shipping, etc) and do the work basically for free. That’s what makes a great community *great*.