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Women wearing Men's Fragrances?

post #1 of 38
7/8/05 at 2:27pm
Thread Starter 
Hi, I have come here to ask everybody for their opinion on something I have always wondered -- how common is it for women to wear men's cologne? The thing is, I absolutely adore the scent of Fahrenheit, which most would agree is an extremely masculine scent. Well I just purchased Fahrenheit 0 degrees, and I can't decide if it smells at all like the kind of smell a female would ever wear. Maybe this whole question is kind of silly, because I should just wear what I like and not care if it's not "girly" enough, but I still worry about it for some reason. If I don't wear this cologne I could always just give it to my boyfriend to wear, but I just love it so much I wonder how odd it would be for me to wear it myself. Any opinions?

Edited: AWw jeez, I am retarded. I just saw a topic devoted to this on the bottom of the page. I am really sorry for not posting this query there.
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post #2 of 38
7/8/05 at 3:52pm
Well, to give you one example you might find reassuring, my own mother (who is in her mid-50s) has never worn a "women's" fragrance in her life. She used to wear Sport de Paco Rabanne, but when that got too difficult to find, she switched Creed Original Vetiver, Declaration Essence, and Monsieur Balmain, all of which are nominally "Men's" fragrances. Heck she's even been known to wear Envy for men to parties, so....

I gues what I'm trying to say is that yes, women CAN wear men's fragrances very successfully, as long as they stick with something that a)they feel comfortable with, and b)suits their own personal style (and the particular occasion). So, my advice would be: Go for it!
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post #3 of 38
7/8/05 at 6:24pm
I love threads like these. The other day at work a coworker, who knows i love to wear cologne, came up to me asked me how i liked her perfume. I told her i loved it as it smelled extremely floral and feminine. She was wearing paris hilton for men. I would never have guessed in a million years that she was wearing "mens cologne". I have worn it before and it didnt smell, as far as i could tell, anything like on me that it did on her. So i guess what i'm trying to say is that if you wear a mens cologne its going to smell totally different on you, a female, than it does on a guy. Its all psychological i guess. A mens cologne on a woman, and vise versa, is going to have a different impact on peoples perceptions and olfactory sensibilities. I completely ignore gender classifications with fragrance. I wear what i like and wear and own a bunch of "womens fragrances". Scents like 2000 fleurs, spring flowers, be delicious for women, anais anais, the new kenzo summer and a bunch others. I have a lot of mens too but like i just said, i dont let something silly as gender classification by some marketing executive dictate to me what fragrance i'm going to wear.

steve
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post #4 of 38
7/8/05 at 7:32pm
I can't say much about this topic, however, when my fiancee comes over, she rushes after Bowling Green and asks for it by name now ... usually she doesn't pay much attention to the other 100ish other fragrances I have. Heaven knows why she craves this really piney scent! Can't get her to wear Lacoste Original though.
K
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post #5 of 38
7/8/05 at 8:40pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, this is all really helpful for me. I agree that fragrance gender classifications are very silly, but at the same time a lot of men's colognes have strong, powerful scents, and while power shouldn't only be thought of as a masculine quality, I just have trouble imagining someone as diminutive as I am wearing such a strong scent. Fahrenheit 0 degree is a lot lighter and maybe a little sweeter than the original which is why I bought it, but I think the main problem is just I associate this smell with my boyfriend now, and whenever I smell it I think of it as something *he* would wear. But I do absolutely love it, and maybe I'll ask people I know to smell me and if they don't say "why are you wearing a men's cologne?" then I suppose I am in luck.
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post #6 of 38
7/11/05 at 1:02am
hey there.. i love fahrenheit too.. very very much in fact.. and whenever i use it.. i get compliments.. all the time.. but one thing for sure.. compliments are from ladies.. and never from fellow men..

I guess there are loads of fragrances, be it 'male/female' range, as long as u like the scent.. go for it.

I have a 50/50 composition of male/female fragrances.. Faves include - Fahrenheit, Gucci Rush for Men, Bvlgari for MEN.. Issey Miyake for MEN.. Kenzo.. and more..

Its all about WHAT YOU WANT.. right?

Note: I didnt know that there is a 0degree Fahrenheit though...
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post #7 of 38
7/13/05 at 9:30am
When I read that Sean Connery wore Jicky, I decided that a great scent was a great scent and became determined to wear anything I really liked regardless of its official designation. I have since bought and wear, Yatagan, Antaeus, Eau Sauvage, Vetiver (Guerlain), and a couple of the Trumper fragrances.
I really adore Eucris.
I think women can pull this off better than most men but I think that would change if more men tried it. I think florals can be great on guys!
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post #8 of 38
7/13/05 at 9:31am
PS:
And my daughter and her friends all wore Givenchy Pi for a while. Great fragrance, that.
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post #9 of 38
7/13/05 at 11:00pm
  • Xen
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I find nothing wrong with that! Wear what you like... Unless it's stuff like Givenchy Gentleman, Chanel Antaeus.... [smiley=grin.gif]
I think Givenchy Pi works well with ladies, too! But the Fraiche version would be more suitable IMO.
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post #10 of 38
7/14/05 at 12:33am
Interesting perfume article in this week's UK Grazia magazine.

Quoting:'Perhaps the most important rule is that that sweet or girlie us definitely over. Perfumistas ten to wear fragrances containing masculine scents. Taking this 'masculine'trend to the extreme,many glamourous women only wear men's scents. Elle Macpherson has always worn Guerlain's Vetiver. Trudie Tyler(Sting's wife)wears Caron Pour Un Homme.'
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post #11 of 38
7/14/05 at 4:46am
Even though I have Carriere, I like to wear my Gendarme sometimes. If I like a fragrance, I will wear it. I am sure that you could pass someone by without them saying "oh my heavens, she has a man's fragrance on". With most scents it's just too hard to tell.
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post #12 of 38
7/14/05 at 6:00am
Thread Starter 
Hm, this is all very reassuring. Elle MacPherson wears Vetiver, hm? The thing about that one is to me it doesn't scream "masculine" as much as it screams "strong" and "powerful." It's funny because I do think I like men's fragrances in general more than women's fragrances, but Fahrenheit is just such a strong, pungent scent. Although now that I think of it, the first time I smelled it was when I was 19 in a duty-free shop. I remember really liking it without even thinking "hey -- isn't this a mens' fragrance?" until I researched it after the fact. So maybe there is hope for me after all. Although I have to admit the reason I liked it so much is because it evoked the scent of someone, probably a man, perspiring.
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post #13 of 38
7/15/05 at 10:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicomte de K

I can't say much about this topic, however, when my fiancee comes over, she rushes after Bowling Green and asks for it by name now ... usually she doesn't pay much attention to the other 100ish other fragrances I have. Heaven knows why she craves this really piney scent! Can't get her to wear Lacoste Original though.
K

Is bowling green discontiued though? Where can you get some lacost original? I thought about ordereing some lately!
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post #14 of 38
7/16/05 at 10:47pm
Since it is all down to body chemistry, one should wear whatever is most pleasing to him/her. My husband and I both wear L'eau du Navigateur (rum, tobacco, coffee....not traditionally female notes in perfumery!) in winter and I've also worn Green Irish Tweed. I'm dying to get my husband to wear CdG Wood Coffee with me :-)

~Ana
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post #15 of 38
7/18/05 at 11:53am
I just bought KL Homme for myself.. and I love it [smiley=kiss.gif]
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post #16 of 38
7/18/05 at 9:43pm
I'm quite "girly" but have some men's fragrances that you'd have pry out of my dead, cold hands before I'd stop wearing them. Love Opium pour Homme, Lolita Au Masculin, Casran- to name a few off the top of my head.
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post #17 of 38
7/19/05 at 2:33pm
  • Mic
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lille_my

I just bought KL Homme for myself.. and I love it Â*[smiley=kiss.gif]

Soon you will be wearing Obsession......................

Mic.
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post #18 of 38
7/19/05 at 3:46pm
There is something extremely sexy about wearing a man's fragrance when you are wearing some of your girliest clothing (or lingerie). [smiley=wink.gif]
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post #19 of 38
7/19/05 at 4:34pm
Life is too short....if you like a scent & it makes you happy ~ wear it!!!!!!

if they came out with a cologne for dogs and I really liked the smell on me I'd wear it! LOL

I have worn candle on me that I really love the smell of (at the suggestion of a wonderful MUA'er) and its great!
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post #20 of 38
7/23/05 at 7:35am
this seems to confirm a trend:
http://www.chandlerburr.com/articles...rktimespdf.pdf
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post #21 of 38
7/26/05 at 6:12am
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I've talked with with a SA at one of the biggest local perfumery here in Warsaw and she said nobody surprises when women buy men colognes for themself. A lot of women do it now. Women in polish perfume board say they wear Basala, Issey for men, Life Essence ...

Less popular are men wearing women scents:-))) but Black Cashmere, Scent, Nu and Kingdom could change it.
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post #22 of 38
7/26/05 at 8:33am
narcus -- thanks for that thread. I found it an interesting read. Now I want to check out the men's scents listed like Eau Savage.

I wear Guerlain Vetiver, Habit Rouge, and Cartier Declaration, Declaration Bois Bleu plus the cross over scents like Eau de Cartier, Black Cashmere, Nu, Jicky & Mitsouko.
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post #23 of 38
8/17/05 at 2:58pm
I actually PREFER to wear men's frags more than feminine frags. My faves include D&G PH, Perry Ellis Reserve, Curve, Burberry London, Creed OV, & Creed MI.
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post #24 of 38
8/17/05 at 7:31pm
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I have gone on a men's fragrance binge (almost 30 bottles). From soft and airy Caron Pour Un Homme to bold and masculine Kouros and Antaeus -- and everything in between. Dolce & Gabbana and Equipage are two favorites, but I love them all. Some are for wearing when I go out and some I just enjoy sniffing while I'm sitting at my computer working (at home). Tried several of Dior's classic scents for ladies but it was Eau Sauvage Extreme for men that hit the mark. Lolita Lempicka's Au Masculin and Passage D'Enfer were my starters, gorgeous scents and safe choices for the crossover. Then it was no holes barred and the rampage began. Still have several on my "to purchase" list, Fahrenheit being one of them. Luv that brown UPS truck!

JAG [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]
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post #25 of 38
8/18/05 at 10:48am
I love 212 Men for me. (Didn't like it on DH though).
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post #26 of 38
8/20/05 at 11:56pm
I started with Égoïste in 1990 and haven't looked back since!

The men's version of Jaïpur, Lolita Lempicka, Allure, L'Eau d'Issey, L'Instant are better than the women's, IMO.
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post #27 of 38
8/21/05 at 7:57am
I love Cologne by Mugler -- a "unisex" scent. The only two Ormonde Jayne scents I like are Ormonde Man and Isfahan. they're definitely "masculine" scents, and very persistent, to boot.
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post #28 of 38
8/21/05 at 9:32am
I think that the idea of a scent being male or female is quite misleading. I don't think that the classification of scents in this way has always been common practice. It seems to me that this breaking down of fragrances into categories is partly designed to make life easier for the advertising execs. It is much easier to market a fragrance if you cut the demographic down into age, sex, etc. I'm sure there a lot of scents that get looked over by people who don't do their research, based on what the box looks like or who the advertising is aimed at. If half the scents on the market today were repackaged from male to female and vice versa I think it would be surprising how acceptable they suddenly become. I wore my Husbands JPG Le Male a couple of times and loved it.
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post #29 of 38
10/6/06 at 7:27am
I never believed much in a tight boundry regarding fragrance or swallowed what was put in front of me re: advertising(thanks Dad!). As Buyer's we decide boundry, No? I think we should wear what we like and what we compliment.

I used to wear my Daddy's cologne, my Brothers', and my Husband and I interchange fragrance. And, remembering back my Father, a manly man, wore my Mother's Chanel No.5.

I agree with kissandmakeup wholehearted.
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post #30 of 38
10/6/06 at 9:15am
Here's a short list of those frags I know some women to wear:

Polo by Ralph Lauren
Monogram by Ralph Lauren
Vetiver by Guerlain
The Dreamer by Versace
L'Instant by Guerlain
Must de Cartier Pour Homme by Cartier
Fahrenheit by Dior
Vetiver Extraordinaire by Frederic Malle
Passion for Men by Elizabeth Taylor
FCUK Him by FCUK
Acier Aluminium by Creed
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post #31 of 38
11/19/10 at 5:53am
Sometimes I think men's scents smell better than women's in general. But there are definitely a few that I wear (and plan to wear more regularly):

Gucci Envy for Men - this is a beautiful spice scent, lots of incense, etc. I think it's a nicer spice scent for me than most of the spicy scents for women I know (and also wear), like Opium, Coco, etc.

Givenchy Pi - This is the perfect vanilla scent, sweet, but not overly sweet like some women's scents can get.

Obsession for Men - I like Obsession for Women, but I prefer the men's version. It's also sort of the perfect musky, slightly spicy scent, slightly sweet but not overly so. It barely smells like a masculine scent on me.

Other men's scents that come to mind that are nice on women/me:

Chanel Egoiste - Again, a spicy warm scent, musk, spices, vanilla, etc.

Chanel Pour Monsieur - This is nice in summer, but also anytime. It's a great chypre, with oakmoss and mild green and spice notes.

Guerlain Vetiver - soft, warm, grassy, with some nutmeg and woody notes.

Hermes Rocabar - warm, musky, woody.

Dior Eau Sauvage - This is not my favorite, but is perfectly wearable on a woman. It's basically a citrus light chypre. Personally I prefer Diorella, which is very similar, but with an added light peach/floral note.
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post #32 of 38
11/19/10 at 6:09am
I don't like wearing men's fragrances. In fact, I don't have men's fragrances. My husband doesn't like fragrances LOL (yes, yes, that's possible), so we don't have men's perfumes. I have some unisex, though.

Classification in women's and men's? Well, I don't know what to say...I believe that some scents smell way too better on men, and some of them are just too masculine for women.
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post #33 of 38
11/19/10 at 4:26pm
Just as a test, I sprayed on some Givenchy Pi before leaving work today.
Immediately, one of my coworkers remarked on it and said it smelled good, like baby powder (to me it's more vanilla...)
I don't get compliments on women's scents as much...Just sayin'...
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post #34 of 38
11/19/10 at 5:40pm
Mrs. J's most sought out fragrance is Amouage Jubilation XXV. In fact, she just went to the dress shop earlier this week and had the staff dress her to match the fragrance. She's currently engaged in numerous public speaking events and it's what she always wears and reports that every single time, someone brings up just how good she smells. I think she has 25-30 ''lady scents'' so she definitely has choices.

And I want to get her Lyric Man and Epic Man for her winter gifts.
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post #35 of 38
11/19/10 at 6:42pm
I wonder what Must de Cartier for Men smells like? Is it similar to the women's scent? (which I find just a bit too sweet)
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post #36 of 38
11/19/10 at 6:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoshi View Post

I wonder what Must de Cartier for Men smells like? Is it similar to the women's scent? (which I find just a bit too sweet)

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the gender of the scent is in the nose of the smeller.

If you like it, wear it. Pure and simple.
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post #37 of 38
11/19/10 at 6:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

If you like it, wear it. Pure and simple.

Big 2nd. My gf stole a bottle of JPG Le Male from me and wears it regularly. It smells amazing on her, would've never guessed that it's a masculine scent.
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post #38 of 38
11/19/10 at 8:15pm
I love wearing Terer D'Hermes and I know quite a few women who wear it..Also Gucci Pour Homme the old version..Hmm...Love it!
Encre Noir..anoter one I wear(the mens version)...
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