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female fragrances vs feminine fragrances

post #1 of 14
3/7/05 at 7:38pm
Thread Starter 
has anyone noticed the name of this board has changed from feminine to female?? female, feminine, male, masculine: in the context of fragrance, all arbitrary terms underpinned by cultural references. but it is good to see some consistency in the naming of the 2 boards.

http://www.basenotes.net/cgi-bin/for...166661;start=0


I still find it hard to like a strong floral musky scent on a guy even though i know it is probably conditioning. Seems to me it is easier for women to wear so-called men's fragrances than the other way round. or is that simply a prejudice on my part?

AZTEC
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post #2 of 14
3/11/05 at 5:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by aztec

has anyone noticed the name of this board has changed from feminine to female?? Êfemale, feminine, male, masculine: Êin the context of fragrance, all arbitrary terms underpinned by cultural references. Êbut it is good to see some consistency in the naming of Êthe 2 boards.

http://www.basenotes.net/cgi-bin/for...166661;start=0


I still find it hard to like a strong floral musky scent on a guy even though i know it is probably conditioning. ÊSeems to me it is easier for women to wear so-called Êmen's fragrances than the other way round. Êor is that simply a prejudice on my part?

AZTEC


I wouldnt say its prejudice, i would say its conditioning, as you stated, due to the marketing of fragrances. Actually, though, i find musky, dark florals easy for men to wear. ie Pure Poison by dior and ralph lauren Romance and the new flowerbomb. Florals that may not be as easy, (but if a guy likes these then by all means wear them) would be Paris by Yves Saint Laurent and Red Door by elizabeth arden.
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post #3 of 14
3/11/05 at 6:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rosbergs3



I wouldnt say its prejudice, i would say its conditioning, as you stated, due to the marketing of fragrances. ÊActually, though, i find musky, dark florals easy for men to wear. Êie Pure Poison by dior and ralph lauren Romance and the new flowerbomb. ÊFlorals that may not be as easy, (but if a guy likes these then by all means wear them) would be Paris by Yves Saint Laurent and Red Door by elizabeth arden. Ê

I totally agree. To me, perfumes has no gender until you put them into a context. You see the bottle, the name, the ads and we load it with out own values and opinions.

Btw, I just saw you on mua.
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post #4 of 14
3/11/05 at 7:15am
I think it's conditioning as well.

In some places like India men have worn rose attar and jasmine absolutes for hundreds of years (perhaps it's more like thousdands of years,) and they still do today.

I see nothing "un-masculine" about a man wearing a floral fragrance if it suits his skin chemistry. That's me though.

It's amazing to me how many men will shy away from trying on a little floral perfume- if the name even smacks of something feminine, forget it big-time! It's kind of funny if you really think hard about it though.
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post #5 of 14
3/14/05 at 1:37am
Confident feminine women can wear just about anything with the exception of oceanic marine men s scents IMO.

I 'm already not too crazy about men wearing scents, maybe been in america too long but for men it gets more restrictive; who would date a man that wears Coco or Arpege??...not me! LOL
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post #6 of 14
3/14/05 at 5:13am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mylene_Farmer

Confident feminine women can wear just about anything with the exception of oceanic marine men s scents IMO.

I'm curious why that might be. I can't say I can recall a woman wearing an oceanic marine but I think I would find it more interesting than pretty in pink.

Have any gals on the board tried to wear creed erolfa or jean patou voyageur (2 fragrances I love) or any other salty sea sprays? Is there an unwritten rule that this is dangerous ground?

AZTEC
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post #7 of 14
3/14/05 at 6:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mylene_Farmer

Who would date a man that wears Coco or Arpege??

Um....I would.
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post #8 of 14
3/14/05 at 10:40am
Aztec, I haven't tried the two you mentioned. I'm not aware of an "unwritten rule." IMO marines are a category that's hard to do well. I've had allergic reactions to the "sea spray" notes in several fragrances. Perhaps they've gotten a bad rep because of the over-exposure of a few popular scents?
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post #9 of 14
3/22/05 at 3:02pm
ive recently read "perfume: the art and science of scent", and in it, the author argues that there are no inherent genders of fragrance; fragrance genders are created as a direct result of marketing strategies.
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post #10 of 14
3/24/05 at 7:35am
after-lunch.
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post #11 of 14
3/24/05 at 1:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by aztec

Seems to me it is easier for women to wear so-called Â*men's fragrances than the other way round. Â*or is that simply a prejudice on my part? <br><br>AZTEC

I don't think it's prejudice on your part... I'd say it's a social fact! (hello Durkheim [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif] ). Perfume was more or less restricted to the 'feminine realm' for almost two centuries, and the variety in masculine fragrances is (still today) very limited. Â*The culture of perfume is to a large extent a 'feminized' (note: not feminine) culture, and our definitions of masculinity and femininity are constantly framed in that gendered context. It's easier for women to transgress gender boundaries in perfumery, because perfumery is a more familiar terrain to women in the first place.
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post #12 of 14
3/25/05 at 4:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcello


I don't think it's prejudice on your part... I'd say it's a social fact! (hello Durkheim [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif] ).

ah, but here's the rub! If you are AWARE of the social conditioning and yet choose to remain in that conceptual prison, can it then be construed as prejudice?

AZTEC
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post #13 of 14
3/25/05 at 8:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by aztec


ah, but here's the rub! Â* If you are AWARE of the social conditioning and yet choose to remain in that conceptual prison, can it then be construed as prejudice?

AZTEC

I think I see what you mean, but I'm still not convinced about the term "prejudice" in this context. I don't recall anyone using it in reference to aesthetic judgements, and I have a hard time accepting it myself. Are aesthetic judgements "prejudices" because one is aware of the underlying social mechanisms?

It's not an easy question, but much of it comes down to semantics. "Food for thought", as they say.
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post #14 of 14
3/25/05 at 8:24am
Thread Starter 
yes, i think you are correct. every day, every minute we are (to varying degrees) accomplices in the conditioning that surrounds us. it can be quite liberating to make a conscious decision to break a pattern of thought or a preconceived notion. where it gets interesting is in the realm of moral or aesthetic judgements because that goes to the heart of what makes us human. one can "decide" not to be racist or "decide" to try and appreciate abstract art...and then whole new worlds can unfold.

although in the realm of the senses, art and music don't seem to carry the same messages of sexuality as fragrance.

AZTEC
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