Orientals to be worn in cold weather?!

Based on my experience with Oriental fragrances I prefer to wear them in cooler weather. I live in a very hot climate, and find that nearly all fragrances perform better in cooler weather.

As you stated, Orientals usually tend to use spices and other ingredients from the East, where it is often hot. But in the main, at least as far as I know, these ingredients aren't necessarily used in the East as perfumes, but more as incense.

Oriental perfumes as a category tend to be rather heavy and and dense and opaque in texture. They make frequent use of sweet substances like vanilla or tonka bean and rich spices. Some of them can be powdery. Many people find these characteristics not well suited for wear in hot, and especially humid, weather. They can become overbearing, even stifling, especially if overapplied. In general, they exude warmth and richness, and that's not what most people are looking for in a summer fragrance.

But there are several sub-categories of Orientals -- woody, spicy, fresh, floral, and so on. Some are lighter and less sweet and more comfortable for wear in warmer weather. I think the recent Eau de Orient variants of YSL's Opium were produced for this reason. Burberry's London is also very spicy but is leaner and more transparent than many Orientals.

No one says that you cannot wear Orientals in hot weather, it's just that most people don't enjoy them as much as they do in cooler weather. Try them, and if you are comfortable wearing them, then do so. There really aren't any rules. Wear what gives you pleasure.

noggs

Oriental scents can be worn in any climates, yet you need techniques and time to adjust the way you apply them for the best result. I live in Bangkok, and it's really warm here. But I do wear every type of fragrance. I usually go soft with heavy ones, such as Paul Smith London, Le Male, Fluer du Male, Jaipur, etc. Of course, I prefer fresh scents on the day out in the sun, and warmer ones in a cooler temperature, but I'm learning how to use each scent properly, so that heavy scents don't just sit on the shelf and ignored.

Many people here wear anything they like, and so far, up to this moment, no Thais have ever choked me with their fragrance, even Le Male! I have smelled floral, Oriental, spicy, and woody scents from both locals and tourists and none had made me feel sick. There are 2 people who could feel oriental scents pungent in warm weather are you yourself and those sticking near you for a long time. Those who just walked past you will find your scent very pleasant, although you wear too much. This is based on my personal experience.

Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. I was once near a group of women wearing veil and I had to walk away quickly. I felt nauseous, as they shot a very strong, floral scent towards everyone surrounding them. They must have had worn 20 squirts of that juice, which I found cheap, but that could be something expensive. I really don't know.

Cloying is the term the two before me have been focusing on. A scent that is cloying will choke you, feel thick in your nose and throat, and make you uncomfortable. This thickness is a basic characterisitic of the Oriental fragrance family. They almost feel like a weight in your nose. This is why the hot summer days tend to blend better with lighter, aromaic type scents (and others of course).

Personally, I use both but stick with the lighter scents more, at least for the day time. There are some that I will use at night that have oriental traits. Like noggs said, it is a personal choice. You do it if you can stand the heat and powerful oriental scents at the same time.

"Orientals" really do not have anything to do with the Orient. In most Asian cultures, people do not scent themselves; instead, they scent their environments. Incense has already been mentioned, for example.

"Orientals" were created by (mostly French) perfumers at the turn of the last century when "Orientalism" was the fad in Europe and America. This was the West's idea of the exotic East, not the reality. Also, "Orientals" generally aim for a Middle Eastern (i.e., Ottoman Empire) ambiance, rather than Japan or China. Something like the attars (or do I mean ouds?), heavy with frankincense and resins.

All that being said, some "Oriental" fragrances are wonderful expressions of abstract art. Some people certainly do wear them any time of the year. However, when the temperature and the humidity go up, some sweet or musky smells can become smothering. (Maybe that is the solution to your question: In the Middle East, it is not very humid, so heavy scents might never get too much.) I generally avoid heavy fragrances in the Summer, except for after dark.

Also consider if the oriental is very strong in amber and musk, which creates a heavy quality.

My opinion is that you should never wear scents based on were they came from, but rather were you are going to use them.

Chocolate and Vanilla are flavors/scents that are orignal from Mexico, but over there, people generally avoid gourmands, scents that are also mainly for winter and cold places.

I live in Brazil, most precisely in a coastal city and I'm really accostummed to hot and humid weather. Most of my fragrances are obviously fresher ones, but I have some gourmands/orientals that I use after dark. It's impressive how fragrances smell better when you test then in a climatized (air conditioning) area compared to the same fragrances tested outdoors... The fragrances gain weight and orientals can suffocate you easily. Furthermore, the mix of heavy fragrance and sweat is a sticky mess...

I suppose it depends what you mean by "hot". I think it's perfectly safe to wear oriental fragrances in cooler summers.

Where I live it's particularly hot and humid in the summer months. I find that after some time an overtly spicy/sweet perfume may either start burning your nostrils or will make you feel uncomfortable and will make you feel warmer. It may be all in the mind, but that's how I feel. And I suppose others feel the same way.

Having said that, I find Burberry London to be quite nice and clean in summer, although Brit is a definite no in summer.

I think it's more about comfort rather than whether they smell nice or not.

RCavs made a point which I never quite thought of - air conditioned environments. I think I'd risk wearing an oriental fragrance after dark if I'm going to be in an air conditioned environment.

While I do think orientals work best in cool weather, I love them so much that I wear them year round, with no ill effect. A smaller application is typically desirable when it's hot.

There's no hard and fast rule about this, and the only way to find out if a particular class of frag will work for you in a particular climate is to try it. Start with a modest spritz, then give a good evaluation after an hour or so to see how you should proceed.

I second Strifeknot. There are no firm 'rules' and it's all down to personal preference and what you feel comfortable in. Experiment a bit and see what you like. But on the bright side I've found summer a great prod to try different things I wouldn't usually even smell. Things that might seem a bit weedy or sharp in a chilly winter rainstorm can feel fresh and perfect in the summer.

Well, there is the one about white shoes and Labor Day, but that's not important right now.