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Grey Flannel

post #1 of 43
3/15/10 at 12:27am
Thread Starter 
For some reason an unopened bottle of Grey Flannel has been in my grandmothers possession for quite some time. Ever since she moved out I was going through my bathroom (used to be hers) and found this. I opened it up and took a whiff and almost passed out. PLEASE correct me if I am wrong but I feel as if this scent should not be worn by anyone under the age of 50. To me it smells like something my grandfather would wear.

I am a 19 year old guy, soon to be 20 in 4 days, and wanted to ask BN if this is something I should actually give a shot? I feel like if I wear it for one day I will be mistaken for my grandfather!
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post #2 of 43
3/15/10 at 12:40am
You won't impress any girls your age with that. I bought it for my father and filled a little vial for myself. I only open it to sniff the violet leaves once a month. It is definitely a mature scent that I won't wear even if my hair turns gray.
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post #3 of 43
3/15/10 at 12:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spray View Post

You won't impress any girls your age with that. I bought it for my father and filled a little vial for myself. I only open it to sniff the violet leaves once a month. It is definitely a mature scent that I won't wear even if my hair turns gray.

Ok good. I see some members here give decent reviews on it but clearly I am much too young for this scent. I'll just stick with the Chanel Allure Sport and Body Kouros I will be getting for my birthday!
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post #4 of 43
3/15/10 at 1:02am
Hold onto it, though. Your tastes will change as the years go by.
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post #5 of 43
3/15/10 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1990 View Post

Ok good. I see some members here give decent reviews on it but clearly I am much too young for this scent. I'll just stick with the Chanel Allure Sport and Body Kouros I will be getting for my birthday!

Those two are definitely sexy to girls your age! In fact, those two will keep you covered year-round.
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post #6 of 43
3/15/10 at 3:12am
Even if it's a classic frag, I keep at as a permanent presence in my wardrobe, although I'm only 26
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post #7 of 43
3/15/10 at 3:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1990 View Post

For some reason an unopened bottle of Grey Flannel ... if I wear it for one day I will be mistaken for my grandfather!

Grey Flannel isn't the issue. Personally I'm one of those guys who are under 50 and find Grey Flannel 'tres chique'. I'm pretty sure You smell what it not is instead of its true nature. No citrus! No musk! No sweets! No fruit! You must see it as a pop song without a singer guitar bass and drum. But, contrary to Your assumption this is clearly possible:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=UCi4...eature=related
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post #8 of 43
3/15/10 at 5:22am
Well, I'm only just into my 30s and it's one of my favourites. Whilst I can understand your thoughts from smelling in the bottle, on me it quickly changes when sprayed on. Nothing "old" about it at all, if we assume "old" in the sense of Old Spice or nan's handbag, as far as I'm concerned.
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post #9 of 43
3/15/10 at 6:13am
Grey Flannel is a masterpiece. I think if you spray a little on and wait a few minutes you may discover the magic that has kept it around for 30+ years. Honestly at your age, you may be surprised at how many compliments you get, and you wont smell like every other teen in your area. Go ahead and push the sprayer a few times and report back after a day or two of wear.
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post #10 of 43
3/15/10 at 6:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wooznib View Post

Grey Flannel is a masterpiece. I think if you spray a little on and wait a few minutes you may discover the magic that has kept it around for 30+ years. Honestly at your age, you may be surprised at how many compliments you get, and you wont smell like every other teen in your area. Go ahead and push the sprayer a few times and report back after a day or two of wear.

Agreed - I've had loads of compliments when wearing GF and a lot from younger people (i.e in their 20s), both male and female.
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post #11 of 43
3/15/10 at 6:36am
Don't underestimate Grey Flannel. I started wearing it when I was around 24, and it was my wife (then girlfriend) who bought it for me. She's loved the smell ever since her teens because, as she states it, "It's classy, clean and masculine".

I don't think it's an old man's scent at all. It's just more sophisticated than a lot of the stuff you see in GQ magazine ads.
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post #12 of 43
3/15/10 at 6:41am
Yep. Pretty hard for a generation raised on Kool-Aid and soft drinks to get used to to the taste of fine dry wines!

Quote:
Originally Posted by merry.waters View Post

No citrus! No musk! No sweets! No fruit! You must see it as a pop song without a singer guitar bass and drum.
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post #13 of 43
3/15/10 at 6:46am
The only thing wrong with Grey Flannel is its name. Definitely not to be worn with a grey flannel suit. Don't be misled by the name it's not an old-man's-scent (you've got to love these basenotes clichés). It is as modern today as it was 30 years ago.

I for one love to wear the so-called 'formal scents' with casual clothes and I definitely avoid wearing formal scents with suit + tie + cufflinks + brogues. It's just too much.

Do NOT overspray, 2 sprays max, then allow GF to get some fresh air for a few minutes before you put your shirt on.
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post #14 of 43
3/15/10 at 7:29am
Some people (including me) think there's no such thing as a "young man's" or "old man's scent." If something old is still around, it might just be a classic. All that is just marketing talk to keep people buying whatever cheap and inferior products they wouldn't keep buying if they tried something really good.

Instead of falling for what other people tell you, why don't you act like a young dude and try something adventurous? Being young is about trying everything. Wear it once and see what reaction you get. If some girl doesn't like it, you can always tell her you got a wild hair up your butt and decided to try something out-there. You might just find that it will attract some young woman with sophisticated tastes, and you might need to find a way to handle that.

The only old-man thing in this discussion is the fear of trying something different!
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post #15 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:08am
Your grandmother is cool as shit, is the reason. Grey Flannel has just left a wild party thrown by a coven of mid 60's feminine leather chypres and wandered out onto a desert hillside to watch the world spin towards the sun. If Comme des Garçons released this tomorrow we'd pay big bucks for it. Wear it, young man.
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post #16 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:29am
Grey Flannel is a classic scent. I wore it quite often, back in my college days, which was 1986-1990. I still wear it. I've gone through 3 bottles since 86. It's in my rotation still and I like wearing it in the fall and winter. I highly recommend this scent for you mike1990. Be original, and state your presence with this one. It's definitely not part of the fruity tooty frags that have flooded the market!
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post #17 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by noggs View Post

Yep. Pretty hard for a generation raised on Kool-Aid and soft drinks to get used to to the taste of fine dry wines!

So true and well said!
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post #18 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:32am
I don't think that it's too "mature" but for someone your age it's very much more "serious." Hang on to it for when you've got more of a need for a dressier scent. It would be at some odds with your usual wardrobe imo.
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post #19 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:45am
My girlfriend in my teens swooned over Grey Flannel. It was by far her favorite.

I agree with the others who say do not be intimidated, embrace it.
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post #20 of 43
3/15/10 at 9:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by innerspark View Post

It's definitely not part of the fruity tooty frags that have flooded the market!

You got that right.

You will definitely NOT smell like a plate of cookies or a fruit danish by wearing Grey Flannel, nor will you smell like suntan lotion either. It's a MAN's scent. Definitely give it a whirl.
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post #21 of 43
3/15/10 at 9:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strollyourlobster View Post

Your grandmother is cool as shit, is the reason. Grey Flannel has just left a wild party thrown by a coven of mid 60's feminine leather chypres and wandered out onto a desert hillside to watch the world spin towards the sun. If Comme des Garçons released this tomorrow we'd pay big bucks for it. Wear it, young man.

And how!
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post #22 of 43
3/15/10 at 10:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by noggs View Post

Yep. Pretty hard for a generation raised on Kool-Aid and soft drinks to get used to to the taste of fine dry wines!

Au contraire! I love my Montrachet just as much as my Mountain Dew, my Cos d'Estournel equally to my Diet Coke!

Mike1990, wear it you feel like you can pull it off, or don't wear it if you can't. IN GENERAL, guys in your age bracket are much more constrained by peer pressure than us old farts. Your loss, but that's life, and it's not a terminal condition - in another 15-20 years, you won't give a flying fajita what other folks think about your fragrance choices.

I like the suggestion to wear it as an ice breaker - that tactic might actually work quite well, depending on the type of folks you run with.
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post #23 of 43
3/15/10 at 10:29am
It's also always worth adding when discussing GF that this one is an absolute steal these days. There's no excuse for anyone not to have this in their collection. I don't wear it very often, but I can't think of a purchase that's represented a better value.
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post #24 of 43
3/15/10 at 10:32am
I would definitely suggest trying it with an open mind. It's one of my favorites and I've worn it since my twenties.
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post #25 of 43
3/15/10 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhinClio View Post

It's also always worth adding when discussing GF that this one is an absolute steal these days. There's no excuse for anyone not to have this in their collection. I don't wear it very often, but I can't think of a purchase that's represented a better value.

Amen. GF was my first fragrance buy; a LT five star at 10 dollars for 4 oz. was just too good to pass up, that's cheaper than cognac!

My only gripe with GF is the thundering level of ionone in the top notes, it's a powder bomb that hovers just on the edge of headache inducing. Once that goes away the scent itself is excellent. I'm with Chassagne Montrachet on this one, GF needs a little time and modest application to reach its potential.
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post #26 of 43
3/15/10 at 10:45am
Strollyourlobster makes a very good point. It appears that often our perception of a fragrance is determined by what is considered fashionable. If CdG or Serge Lutens issued this fragrance, it would be lauded to the skies. Although I am not a massive fan, I can appreciate its complexity and find it reminiscent of other fragrances as it develops (eg Fahrenheit and Antaeus in some respects). I am still surprised at how cheap this is.
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post #27 of 43
3/15/10 at 10:48am
An unopened bottle of Grey Flannel you say? Your grandfather probably thought he's too old for this frag. Honestly, there is nothing staid about Grey Flannel. If it is released today under Frederic Malle or Dior even, it would probably hit the top of the fragrance charts in no time. There's nothing quite like it IMO.

The trick lies in application. Try wearing one spray to your solar plexus under your shirt at least 30 minutes before leaving the house. See what kind of reactions you'll get. Be careful though, you might attract the attention of some hot MILFs or cougars on the prowl with that scent...
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post #28 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:20pm
Nicely Put,It's true
Quote:
Originally Posted by JaimeB View Post

Some people (including me) think there's no such thing as a "young man's" or "old man's scent." If something old is still around, it might just be a classic. All that is just marketing talk to keep people buying whatever cheap and inferior products they wouldn't keep buying if they tried something really good.

Instead of falling for what other people tell you, why don't you act like a young dude and try something adventurous? Being young is about trying everything. Wear it once and see what reaction you get. If some girl doesn't like it, you can always tell her you got a wild hair up your butt and decided to try something out-there. You might just find that it will attract some young woman with sophisticated tastes, and you might need to find a way to handle that.

The only old-man thing in this discussion is the fear of trying something different!
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post #29 of 43
3/15/10 at 8:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

An unopened bottle of Grey Flannel you say? Your grandfather probably thought he's too old for this frag. Honestly, there is nothing staid about Grey Flannel. If it is released today under Frederic Malle or Dior even, it would probably hit the top of the fragrance charts in no time. There's nothing quite like it IMO.

The trick lies in application. Try wearing one spray to your solar plexus under your shirt at least 30 minutes before leaving the house. See what kind of reactions you'll get. Be careful though, you might attract the attention of some hot MILFs or cougars on the prowl with that scent...

LOL! Yes, I agree that Grey Flannel is a classic.
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post #30 of 43
3/21/10 at 5:09pm
I first wore this Classic in my late Teens, and I've been wearing it ever since (I'm 46)
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post #31 of 43
3/21/10 at 11:28pm
Grey Flannel, like Kouros, feels like a perfumery exercise rather than a wearable fragrance.
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post #32 of 43
3/21/10 at 11:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by justaguy View Post

Grey Flannel, like Kouros, feels like a perfumery exercise rather than a wearable fragrance.

That's how I feel about TdH and Ambre Sultan. I love to smell them, just not on me.
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post #33 of 43
3/21/10 at 11:44pm
The key to Grey Flannel is LIGHT application. It should never be over-sprayed.

Applied correctly with no more than a couple of distant spritzes, it's a very pleasant and elegant fragrance. Over apply and it can achieve chemical weapon status.

It's also one that will last and last and last even with a light application. Think carefully about what clothes you wear with it. It won't work with a Metallica t-shirt and ripped jeans for example. It would be like breaking wind in the presence of the Queen.
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post #34 of 43
3/22/10 at 12:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HDS1963 View Post

It's also one that will last and last and last even with a light application. Think carefully about what clothes you wear with it. It won't work with a Metallica t-shirt and ripped jeans for example. It would be like breaking wind in the presence of the Queen.

LOL. Oh man, what I would give just to see the expression on Her Royal Majesty's face when that happens!
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post #35 of 43
3/22/10 at 12:10am
I remember spraying GF on at a department store when I was 16, and telling the SA I really liked it most out of all the ones I had tested. She told me it was for "old men," and led me instead to buy Van Cleef and Arpels (which I didn't much care for at the time). I ended up leaving the store without purchasing anything and wondering about my taste in fragrance. So the GF = "old man" stereotype has been around (unjustifiably, IMO) for many decades now. I now just wear what I like and don't worry about such connotations (and encourage others do the same).
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post #36 of 43
3/22/10 at 1:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JaimeB View Post

Some people (including me) think there's no such thing as a "young man's" or "old man's scent." If something old is still around, it might just be a classic. All that is just marketing talk to keep people buying whatever cheap and inferior products they wouldn't keep buying if they tried something really good.

Instead of falling for what other people tell you, why don't you act like a young dude and try something adventurous? Being young is about trying everything. Wear it once and see what reaction you get. If some girl doesn't like it, you can always tell her you got a wild hair up your butt and decided to try something out-there. You might just find that it will attract some young woman with sophisticated tastes, and you might need to find a way to handle that.

The only old-man thing in this discussion is the fear of trying something different!

I wholeheartedly agree, Jaime! Very well stated.
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post #37 of 43
3/22/10 at 12:31pm
The first time I smelled Grey Flannel I didn't like it. I gave it a second chance, and was glad I did. And although I'm pushing 40, I don't think it's an "old man's" scent. In fact, I had a 24-year-old stripper tell me she liked how I smelled.
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post #38 of 43
3/22/10 at 12:50pm
I get a hint of lilac in it. It's good stuff.
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post #39 of 43
3/22/10 at 5:52pm
This scent is so daring - especially for the time it was launched. It is so unique that it really does not date itself to my nose its a masculine version of Chanel Cristalle edt
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post #40 of 43
3/22/10 at 7:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadis View Post

I had a 24-year-old stripper tell me she liked how I smelled.

Never believe compliments from people who expect a tip.
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post #41 of 43
3/22/10 at 7:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadis View Post

The first time I smelled Grey Flannel I didn't like it. I gave it a second chance, and was glad I did. And although I'm pushing 40, I don't think it's an "old man's" scent. In fact, I had a 24-year-old stripper tell me she liked how I smelled.

I hope that Shadis is a screen name.
Otherwise...40 year old Shadis wearing Grey Flannel in Los Angeles...self incriminating...
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post #42 of 43
3/22/10 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scentimus View Post

its a masculine version of Chanel Cristalle edt

That is a great way of describing Grey Flannel. I totally agree.
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post #43 of 43
3/22/10 at 8:28pm
The best way to wear Grey Flannel is layered with Cool Water. 2 sprays of Cool Water for 1 spray of Grey Flannel. Try it, you'll love it.
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