Is cologne manly?
I stopped wearing cologne about 4 years ago, and haven't really looked back. I used to be a devout cologne guy, but I ran out at one point, and just never got any more. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that wearing cologne seems to me just a bit un-manly. Spraying myself so I smell like a pretty flower just doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather have a completely neutral scent than walk around with this cloud of flowery smelling stuff following after me. So, for the past 4 years, other than some quality deodorant and aftershave, I'm off the spray.
Anyone else with me on this? Or, if you are a cologne guy, what's your scent? I'm just convinced that sprays are for women, but I might be willing to change if I find something that smells right.
Anyone else with me on this? Or, if you are a cologne guy, what's your scent? I'm just convinced that sprays are for women, but I might be willing to change if I find something that smells right.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by California Scott on -
There are some great thoughts on here.
Personally, I only use one cologne. I used to have about three different scents that I liked and using them at different times kept the smell fresh to me. However, in the past few years I have gravitated to defining myself with a single scent. Science has shown that scent is the sense most closely tied to our memories and I want people to remember me with a specific (pleasant) scent.
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Permalink Reply by Yankee Cowboy Bob on -
I'm close to what you think on this one, but I mix it up because I feel that I'm being predictable. To keep it in balance, I do not want to have bunches of them like I used to when I was young.
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Permalink Reply by Greg Webb on -
I used to never wear cologne but picked a bottle of Lacoste red up a few years ago (and wear it so infrequently that I'm 3 years into the bottle and only 25% through it) and love how manly it smells. In fact, I was just commenting today on how much I like how it smells and how unique the smells are.
For instance, today while pumping gas a breeze picked up and I caught a waft of it that smelled like pipe tobacco. A few times before it's smelled like campfire... sometimes it just smells musky/musty like you've been out rolling in dirt. Manly!
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Permalink Reply by Sparky Gage on -
I'm a Cool Water guy, too. I let my wife pick it out, and I like it well enough.
My rule for cologne is that it should only be worn with a tie or in the company of that special someone. I don't usually wear it to work and try to go easy on the aftershave. I work in a medical facility and I know that others can be sensitive to fragrances, so I stick to unscented or mild deodorant/antiperspirant unless, again, my wife picks it out. My assistant wears one that his wife picked out and makes me want to hurl.
So my take on cologne is: A man can wear cologne, but a man knows *when and where* to wear it.
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Scott on -
I use cologne everyday. I like colognes with a woodsy fragrance. Currently I have Burberry for men and Taylor of Old Bond Street's Sandalwood cologne.
I do not think that cologne is either manly or un-manly. It is more the person wearing the cologne and not the cologne itself that is manly or un-manly.
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Permalink Reply by Luke Simpson on -
I'm a big fan OF RSVP it has a "Cedarish" quality to it that i like and have gotten complimented on it more than once.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Partida on -
I have two. Before Christmas, I only had one.
They are:
Lacoste Essential - Has a clean scent to it, works well with my natural scent.
Art of Shaving's Sandalwood - More noticeable than I'm used to, but in a good way.
I'm gonna have to check out Bay Rum, love the sound of that one.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Rup on -
Summer/Daytime - CK Escape for Men, Swiss Army Altitude, Old Spice, Zegna Z, Boss in Motion, Creed Green Irish Tweed
Winter/Nighttime - Burberry London, Dolce & Gabbana for Men, Gucci Envy, CK Eternity, YSL M7
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Dart on -
First of all, aftershave is cologne--it's just a shorter-lived version. And in a way, so is deodorant, it's just intentioned for your pits. And honestly, how many men's colognes smell "like a pretty flower"? Not that I'm against pretty flowers, or smelling them, but yes, I prefer a bit more "macho" of a scent, but most men's colognes don't smell like roses. One one hand, we are the ones who assign gender to something like a scent, but culturally and perhaps instinctually there are certain scents that we tend to consider more appropriate for a man or a woman, myself included. But I seriously doubt there is some conspiracy out there to de-masculinize men via high-end fragrance. In fact, if I'm correct, the original "cologne" was a French concoction made for men, not women, and applied at a trip to the barber's, a pretty manly place, even if it does exist in order to make us look better, which some may find unmanly, but call me a dandy I guess, I like looking half-way decent.
Finding a good cologne that suits you, however, can be daunting. It's true, there are a million scents out there and 1/2 of them smell alike, and at $40 a pop for a decent one, it's not something you want to rush into. Never buy a cologne w/out smelling on yourself first, like on your arm, and let it sit for 20 minutes or so and smell again, bec the sent will change (or disappear if it sucks). Sometimes something may smell good in the bottle and not so good on you. If you go to a quality place like Sephora (grab your man bits [ok, figuratively]) and march past all of the make-up and they have a great selection and their employees should be knowledgeable that if you tell 'em some types of scents you like and/or don't like, they should be able to help narrow them down. If you are scent-challenged, bringing a girl along is often helpful, but remember, it doesn't matter how much she may like it, if you don't don't buy it bec you will be stuck wearing it and wishing you hadn't plopped the $ down for it. Or worse, it might give you a headache.
For old school, yeah a bay rum type is nice, and definitely manly.
I'm really picky, but there are some out there I like. At a rennaisance faire last year, there was a booth with various scented oils and you can make your own blend, and I made one that I really like, and it's cool bec it's unique to me! I mixed one called "deep wood," which kind of smells like fresh wood shavings, some lavender (and like CA Scott said, REAL lavender is actually quite manly), with a little vanilla in it. It's a nice but complex blend and it smells great, I like it bec it has some of my favorite scents in it, and it isn't foo foo. But there are plenty of store-bought colognes out there that have good combos. Just don't drench yourself in it. Unless you just sprayed it on, you shouldn't be able to smell it unless you are a foot or two away. That's a mistake a lot of young guys make!
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Permalink Reply by Tyler Jacobs on -
I'm heading out to Sephora tonight with the wife to help her pick out a new perfume. She ran out of her (my) favorite perfume YSL's "Baby Doll" a while back and we're going to venture into something new.
Meanwhile, I'm gonna smell around for something good for me. I use Polo Sport, which is a very nice everyday scent, but i'm always on the lookout for something new - especially since I've been wearing PS on and off for over 10 years now. :)
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