Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › Most versatile scents?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Most versatile scents?

post #1 of 30
9/22/07 at 2:01am
Thread Starter 
Which scents do you find most versatile?

With versatile I mean scents that you find suitable for any occasion and feel comfortable in all day, all night, at home, work, parties...

My list would include at least these (might be adding some later)
Bulgari Black
Dzing!
Jicky
Yohji
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 30
9/22/07 at 2:12am
Wow, I'm impressed you find Jicky that versatile. I wish I did. Mostly wear it around the house before bed time.

My list would be:
Bvlgari - Black
Divine - l'Homme de Cœur
l'Artisan - l'Eau de l'Artisan
Comme des Garçons - Odeur 53
Guerlain - Aqua Allegoria: Herba Fresca
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 30
9/22/07 at 2:31am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shifts View Post

Wow, I'm impressed you find Jicky that versatile. I wish I did. Mostly wear it around the house before bed time.



After reading innumerable posts agonizing about Jicky's dirty notes during past years I have always count my blessings: on me it doesn't stink.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 30
9/22/07 at 2:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tigrushka View Post



After reading innumerable posts agonizing about Jicky's dirty notes during past years I have always count my blessings: on me it doesn't stink.

Well, I guess I call it a stinker even though it doesn't really stink on me. But I get very self concious while wearing it, so putting it on and then go to work is a big no no. I've used it among friends without feeling too mental so maybe there is hope for me as well!

Is this the EdT or PdT? I have the latter and really want a bottle of the EdT.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 30
9/22/07 at 3:24am
Terre d'Hermes by Hermes
Rose 31 by Le Labo
Rive Gauche Pour Homme by YSL
Lavender Water by Caldey Island

To name a few...
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 30
9/22/07 at 4:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shifts View Post

Is this the EdT or PdT? I have the latter and really want a bottle of the EdT.

I have both: I prefer PdT but because it's not made anymore (now it's EdP and since so many Guerlains have been reformulated it probably won't be the same), I wear EdT more, or layer the two.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 30
9/22/07 at 4:58am
Chanel No 19, Stella and Stella Rose Absolute are my "safe cards", they are always right.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 30
9/22/07 at 5:09am
These things keep changing for me...so guess I don't really have any.But Jicky edt,Narciso Rodriguez edt,Omnia and Gaultier 2 comes to mind.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 30
9/22/07 at 5:49am
Tabac Blond

There are other scents that I will wear all day (I'm not scared to wear an evening scent to work, for instance), but Tabac Blond is the one I feel makes the day to evening transition the best.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 30
9/22/07 at 6:06am
Good question!

I guess all around - year 'round - years 'round - the "classics" hold up best for me. Of what I own now the Gres' "Cabots" (Cabochard - Cabotine)... Joy always...of the Guerlains I now own LHB and Mitsouko and Habit Rouge - of those I once owned Ode and Shalimar. and of course Jicky (she behaves herself on me)

But living the casual beach life means that some friskier frags that might not transition well in The City do OK here - am thinking stuff like Miami Glow and Fantasy!!
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 30
9/22/07 at 7:19am
I'm not really sure, as i tend to go through many choices and never think of it as either versatile or not, unless i'm suddenly way off... like in a closed meeting wearing miss dior or something...or in winter wearing vetiver frozen...but in general i'd say that the fresh citrus scents are very versatile for me. That might go for the vetivers as well.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 30
9/22/07 at 9:00am
Domenico Caraceni Pour Homme
Czech & Speake No.88
Parfumerie Generale Querelle
Aramis JHL
Azzaro Pour Homme
Caron Yatagan
Editions Parfums Noir Epices
Montale Black Aoud
Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque
Carlo Corinto Vetyver
Patou Pour Homme Privé
Guerlain Derby
Dior Jules
Chanel Antaeus
Hermès Eau d'Hermès
Hermès Poivre Samarcande
Chanel Pour Monsieur
Bulgari Pour Homme
L'Artisan Timbuktu
Mazzolari Mazzolari
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 30
9/22/07 at 9:20am
Chanel no 19
Habit Rouge
Czech and Speake 88
Patou Pour Homme Prive
Parfum Sacre
Jasmin Impeatrice Eugenie
NR for Her, though this one is so "easy going" and unobtrusive that it loses my interest after a while - its too pliable, perhaps
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 30
9/22/07 at 1:13pm
Top three versatile in my wardrobe right now:

NR for her EdT
Stella EdP
Baghari EdP
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 30
9/22/07 at 1:15pm
I'll disagree with Taolady--just to pick a fight -- this isn't a good question; this is a GREAT question.

Versatile, hmmm. If applied in teeny-tiny dots for the earlier portion of the day, Boucheron Femme could waltz through any hour or occasion. It radiates so beautifully. It's not peculiar in any way--doesn't smell like bakery or candy or smoke or melon or animal excretions--just a distinguished, mature, floral/oriental.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 30
9/22/07 at 4:30pm
I like Jil Sander No. 4. As Quarry put it, it's not a fragrance that's peculiar in any way.

On me, Ivoire is a discreet, cool, non-emotional but sophisticated background fragrance. That type of game plan goes over well for most occasions.

Some skin fragrances:
Costes
Sculpture by Nikos
Plain old Rosewater - it smells as good outdoor at a barbeque as it does in the morning or evening. I have to make my own with rose centifolia though because most of the commercial ones are made with rosa damascena, which usually has a dying rose smell on me, like rose swamp water.
Kiehl's Musk is subtle and warm like skin. I can't imagine a place I wouldn't wear it.


I know there's lots more, I just can't think of them.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 30
9/22/07 at 4:31pm
I'd have to say that many of my favorites are not versatile at all.They have very strong personalities and don't play well with others. But here's what I got going down my list.

Balenciaga Cristobal
Chanel 31 Rue Cambon
Different Company Jasmin de Nuit
Diorella
Guerlain Plus Que Jamais
L'Occitane Feilles d'Oranger
Narciso Rodriguez\tfor her edt
Ormonde Jayne Orris Noir
Tocca Stella
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 30
9/22/07 at 7:14pm
Flathorn, beautyhabit.com has an Italian rosewater made from rose centafolia for $9 by Manetti Roberts. I'm not sure what kind of rose I prefer in rosewater, but this didn't suit me. I'll probably just pour it in bathwater and add some salts to use it up. It's nice, it's just not my favorite rose.

I haven't really found a fragrance lately that goes well day and night or anywhere I roam, I generally use citrus and roses, also like orange blossom notes. Those are good during the day, anyway. We live by the beach, too. If anything, I guess it would be Chanel Gardenia, but I don't wear jasmine too often.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 30
9/22/07 at 10:08pm
Thread Starter 
Many thanks for your replies!

What's versatile and what one feels great in no matter where and when, are highly personal: for one it can mean a bigger than life Oriental, for the other a gentle skin musk, for someone else something very avant garde and experimental.

Since my former working place was very hierarchical and male-dominated and was an open space without any privacy, it limited my choices a lot, but now I'm free to wear whatever I want whenever I want!
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 30
9/23/07 at 12:54am
My most versatile frag would have to EL Pleasures. I can wear this year around or day or night. It always smells good on me whether I have exfoliated or not. Another one would have to be Lolita Lempicka. Lolita always smells good on me. I can always count on them in any situation. These are my frags that I know won't turn into something ugly no matter what. I can add TM Alien to this as well now.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 30
9/23/07 at 7:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tigrushka View Post

...but now I'm free to wear whatever I want whenever I want!


We're so happy for you!

Your SotD should be interesting to monitor
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 30
9/23/07 at 11:14am
I have to agree about Jicky. I THINK it's not skanky on me - doesn't mean that's true though - and I wear it anywhere anytime in the summer and Vol de Nuit in the winter. I also find L'Heure Bleu easy to wear at the right time of year (right now it's doing it for me as the weather cools but the light is still warm). I think it might be a little too melancholy in the depths of winter though. I like L'Occitane's Neroli EDP (the rich, warm one) and think that will be joyful in the winter at any time of day, although perhaps applied with a light hand as it's powerful stuff. I'd also be perfectly happy to wear Iris Poudre or Bois des Iles any time of day - to me they're ladylike rather than overtly sexy.

But to be honest, I tend to just say 'stuff it' and wear whatever I fancy each morning, but I don't work in an office so have no concern about invading colleagues' scent space. And if I get a raised eyebrow in the supermarket checkout, yah boo sucks. (You can tell I'm an older gal. I've stopped caring what other people think.)
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 30
9/23/07 at 11:38am
Looks like I'm a bit late...

But I'd like to reply, anyway.

Versatile from my collection:

-Bvlgari Eau The Vert or Extreme
-Shalimar Light
-Kenzo Flower
-Mitsouko
-Valentino V
-Aqua Allegoria Mentafollia

Versatile others:

-Chanel No. 5
-Creed Silver Mountain Water
-Romeo Gigli for Women
-Helmut Lang for Women
-Eau de Cartier
-Bvlgari Eau The Blanc
-L'Artisan Eau de Artisan
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 30
9/23/07 at 1:28pm
I've been thinking about this & it's hard! I have been at home for 2 years now with my daughter & I have forgotten what it's like in an office
I do remember a few assy co-workers who would complain about colognes/perfumes simply for the sake of complaining. They were also the same asses who'd complain about the lighting, the temperature in the building, the food in the cafeteria, etc.

Back then I wore Light Blue as a staple and sometimes a light spray of Hanae Mori or Noa Cacheral just to mix things up . Those scents crossed the lines easily between work/play/evening.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 30
9/26/07 at 9:46am
I find I can wear Cristobal, Roma, Rive Gauche and Mauboussin in most situations.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 30
9/26/07 at 11:57am
Dia
Jaipur Homme EdT
L'Homme Sage
Eau d'Hermes
Fou d'Absinthe
Yerbamate
Santal Noble
Mandarine-Mandarin
Basala
Green Irish Tweed
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 30
9/26/07 at 5:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Divatologist View Post

My most versatile frag would have to EL Pleasures. I can wear this year around or day or night. It always smells good on me whether I have exfoliated or not. .

I have to agree here, i haven't met a woman that didn't smell great while using Pleasures edt. So i guess it's very versatile that way.

Lolita L on the other hand... (on some people)
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 30
9/27/07 at 4:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wordbird View Post

But to be honest, I tend to just say 'stuff it' and wear whatever I fancy each morning, but I don't work in an office so have no concern about invading colleagues' scent space. And if I get a raised eyebrow in the supermarket checkout, yah boo sucks. (You can tell I'm an older gal. I've stopped caring what other people think.)

I could use more of that attitude.

I tend to wear fragrances very sparingly (1mL samples tend to last at least 7 wearings on me) so I haven't gotten any comments from my co-workers telling me I'm making their eyes water - or asking what I'm wearing. Since I work in health care - this seems to be a good practice.

The ones I reach for when I want to know I smell inoffensive (for whatever reason) - Hypnotic Poison, CSP Vanille Amande, Philosophy Falling in Love.

This appears to be a really boring list so I'm hoping this new scent hobby will expand my wardrobe of grab and go scents.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 30
9/27/07 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wordbird View Post


But to be honest, I tend to just say 'stuff it' and wear whatever I fancy each morning, but I don't work in an office so have no concern about invading colleagues' scent space. And if I get a raised eyebrow in the supermarket checkout, yah boo sucks. (You can tell I'm an older gal. I've stopped caring what other people think.)

I think the same way too... but something happened to me the other day. I was testing the Rochas Femme (as I was intrigued by all the reviews on POL). The SA sprayed it on paper for me. All of a sudden, I was sneezing and choking. I can feel my throat literally try to squeeze shut. I don't know what happened, but I had to leave the store as I could not breathe.

Never happened before with any other scents. Now I do believe in perfume allergies.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 30
9/28/07 at 6:55pm
Chanel No 5 Elixir Sensuel
FM L'Eau d'Hiver
FM Iris Poudre
Balmain Ivoire
Chanel 31 Rue Cambon
Tom Ford Private Blend Moss Breches
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Female Fragrance Discussion
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › Most versatile scents?