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Calling All College Guys and Gals! Good Frag/s for Tennis, Bowling, Classroom, Dates!

post #1 of 21
4/24/10 at 8:25am
Thread Starter 
Hi,

My oldest has always been fairly shy or perhaps socially awkward.

He's got the classic engineer/surgeon personality - serious, studious, curious, likes precision. But he's also friendly, kind, a good-looking young man and has a good sense of humor, however you have to approach him first.

I was afraid that he might miss out on the fun/social part of college, which as we all know is about 50% of the college experience. But, this semester he joined the bowling and tennis clubs!

Honestly, that's huge for him.

I'd like to buy him one or two frags. Hopefully, that girls his age (19) find attractive.

I can tell you though that the frag would probably have to be light, not perfumey at all.

Probably, a gourmand would work, maybe something woody, something fresh.

Anyway have at it. As i said, he generally has to be approached first. So, guys what frags have gals asking you what it is? Gals, what scents tend to draw your curiousity?

Thanks.
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post #2 of 21
4/24/10 at 10:12am
There's a sticky in this forum for scents that get you compliments, though i doubt that fragrances work that way. There's no love potion and from your describtion i can't imagine your son wearing a heavy gourmand or something that announces your presence when you enter the room. He should feel comportable with his scent. I guess L'Eau D'Issey pour Homme is pretty save for daytime wear and some women seem to like it, too. If he likes wearing perfume, get him a Creed of his choice.
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post #3 of 21
4/24/10 at 10:40am
What a wonderful parent! Your boy is a lucky kid!

Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger would fit the bill IMO but he might lose a little 'cred' if they find out he's wearing a scent released ~15 years ago. His peers would be able to relate better if he wears something more current like 'Unforgivable' by Sean John.

Anyway, today I received a compliment from a girl for my SotD - Dior Homme. But it may be a little 'perfumey' for some...
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post #4 of 21
4/24/10 at 10:51am
I recently wore some Davidoff Adventure to work and got some nice feedback from a couple young female coworkers.
If you think your son may be having most of his social interactions at bowling or tennis, maybe a nice sporty cologne would be appropriate. Maybe Liz Claibourne Sport or Chanel Allure Sport for those occasions. You shoudn't have to spend more that about 40 or 50 bucks for a nice smelling frag. If your not sure how your shy son will take to cologne, maybe be careful about blowing 100 or more bucks on some top notch Creed or other Niche Fragrance.
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post #5 of 21
4/24/10 at 11:31am
+1 Chanel Allure Homme sport, also Live Jazz by YSL - good for summer!
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post #6 of 21
4/24/10 at 11:36am
after reading the description the first fragrance came up in my mind was Armani He
it's a casual fragrance, easy to wear and inoffensive, and not to mention have seen many girls easily find this scent attractive

for those sport events, how about some nice deodorants?
perhaps your son would use it more often
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post #7 of 21
4/24/10 at 12:26pm
guerlain vetiver & hermes orange verte maybe?
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post #8 of 21
4/24/10 at 1:22pm
Great, versatile everyday scents I'd recommend are Bvlgari Aqva, 212 Men, and L'eau D'Issey. For something very clean smelling that is light and inoffensive: Gendarme or Mugler Cologne. For something a little more formal (maybe good for dates): Versace Pour Homme or Paco Rabanne XS. For something sweeter (and really popular - but not my cup of tea) for going out: Black XS, Armani Code, or Le Male.

Of course there is always Acqua di Gio. It is very popular with the younger crowd, so he wouldn't have anything unique with it. However it is generally still loved by the younger ladies.

BTW, he sounds like me when I was that age. Welcome to Basenotes, and good luck with your search. You sound like a great parent.
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post #9 of 21
4/24/10 at 1:45pm
Based on your description of his personality, I agree with the others who mentioned that he may not appreciate or feel comfortable with a loud gourmand. They aren't very versatile anyway, if he's only going to have a few scents.

Scents that are somewhat sweet but light on their feet are usually hits, from my experience: check out Chanel Allure Homme Sport, Yves St. Laurent L'Homme, Armani Code and Gucci Pour Homme II in this category. Any of these would be at home in the classroom or in a social setting, and girls seem to enjoy them all.

I should tell you that my all-time top compliment-getter is Helmut Lang Cuiron - it's light and versatile but unique and mysterious. Nothing quite like it. However, be warned that this is discontinued and can be difficult to obtain at a reasonable price.

Another consistent hit is Dior Homme. As others have said, it's pretty sweet and strong, but it's on the tamer end of the semi-gourmand spectrum and is very classy, so your son may like it.

Good luck!
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post #10 of 21
4/24/10 at 1:54pm
lacoste original comes to mind when you say tennis. i wouldn't want to smell like a bowling alley though. what about polo modern reserve?
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post #11 of 21
4/24/10 at 1:55pm
depends on price. i would say versace eau fraiche , allure homme sport, and le male are all nice ones and are non offensive and get compliments.

if you want to put down big money i would say creed millesime imperial, virgin island water, or silver mountain water.
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post #12 of 21
4/24/10 at 1:58pm
Versace Pour Homme sounds like it'd fit him perfectly as an everyday scent, and Rochas Man would be a good "date" choice.
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post #13 of 21
4/24/10 at 2:04pm
Well, he needs something all purpose - something sweet, a bit sporty, but with enough depth and weight that it can hold its own during the evenings.
These first two are not my favorite (but I do like them and they are both good) and are well liked by girls.
Givenchy Play - starts out fresh and light with some sweet and smooth citrus, then gets woody and sweet with a touch of gourmand. Smells a bit like a woody, french vanilla latte. Heavy enough for nights but light enough for days and warm weather. A great all-rounder.
YSL L'Homme - Sweet citrus over light violet leaves and tea, if I recall? It's been a long time since i wore this so I can't comment more clearly but it's very safe, inoffensive, and, like Play, well liked by the ladies.

Another scent I think he might enjoy, and which I really do enjoy:
Viktor and Rolf Antidote - a middleweight oriental, starts out with a fresh and sweet citrus accord that quickly segues into light spices and florals, while ending on a slightly musky, woody vanillic base. This is a bit more refined and distinctive than L'Homme or Play, which may make it slightly less appreciable by peers although he may find it more to his style, especially if he sees himself as more refined than his peers. Still though, this is very far from a stuffy, classic, or 'mature' scent.
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post #14 of 21
4/24/10 at 2:34pm
Get him something clean and something a bit more earthy.

Gendarme is nice and clean, like fresh linen. It's a pretty safe blind buy because it's so inoffensive. Cheapest place to buy it is at parfum1.com . They even have an additional 20% off sale going on right now. Look on their front page for the code you need to enter to get the discount. I've bought from them, they're legit.

Terre D'Hermes is slightly orangey and earthy. Also easy to wear at night.

Gendarme review (Pronounced Zhon-Darm)

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post #15 of 21
4/24/10 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CX827 View Post

after reading the description the first fragrance came up in my mind was Armani He
it's a casual fragrance, easy to wear and inoffensive, and not to mention have seen many girls easily find this scent attractive

for those sport events, how about some nice deodorants?
perhaps your son would use it more often

Young women, as a rule, are highly influenced by what they see advertised and what is sold on store shelves. Only those who "think" beyond marketing will react to something unusual. It's not that something like AdG is so superlatively wonderful--it's just that it is so mass marketed to become popular. Truly, it's a very safe, pleasant scent, but you won't stand out from the crowd.

In terms of what is out there for young men, I would recommend Versace The Dreamer. Spray it on and WAIT for the drydown. A fresh, light tobacco scent and not what every young man is wearing. One thread suggested that this might be discontinued, however.

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26121577.html
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post #16 of 21
4/25/10 at 1:29am
^agree,
didnt realize that b4, i find that quite interesting that young female tend to show more interest in neutral scent.
leau dIssey, AdG, and the new trend here is the Essence from Porsche.
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post #17 of 21
4/25/10 at 2:01am
When I was his age, I was pretty much like him.
One thing I hated was being categorized, no matter how right the categorization was.

I also hated it when my mom bought me stuff that is supposed to be personal taste. Not too vocally though.

At any rate, please buy the frags from a shop where replacing and returning is possible, and tell your son it's ok to do so.
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post #18 of 21
4/26/10 at 3:43am
I don't think fragrance is key to a good social life. I think it's the other way around.
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post #19 of 21
4/26/10 at 12:27pm
You can't go wrong with Acqua di Gio, it's great all aruound. It's light and inoffensive + it is liked by almost any woman. The only drawback is it's huge popularity.
I like the recommendations of Chanel Allure Homme Sport for tennis and bowling. For class use, I'd get him 212 men. To go out on a date either Dior Homme or Armani Code (these two are a bit sweeter). YSL L'homme is a bit more formal.
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post #20 of 21
4/26/10 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vladdypwnz View Post

I don't think fragrance is key to a good social life. I think it's the other way around.

Totally agree!! I have found that my fragrances are more or less the icing on my cake of life. They add color to my daily plans but they do not form my social experience. Only my closest friends even know what cologne really means to me (it is truly one of my dearest loves). But its the icing...not the cake. Its the finishing touch to a great outfit that I plan to wear for a night out on the town, but its not my reason for going out.

That said, I recommend Dune Pour Homme (Dior), Live Jazz (YSL), Emporio Armani Night He (Armani; truly underrated), and Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin (Lolita Lempicka). All definitive, unique and good for any atmosphere. Plus they're all pretty different but won't turn up anyone's noses.
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post #21 of 21
4/26/10 at 5:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by timkm1 View Post

Totally agree!! I have found that my fragrances are more or less the icing on my cake of life. They add color to my daily plans but they do not form my social experience. Only my closest friends even know what cologne really means to me (it is truly one of my dearest loves). But its the icing...not the cake. Its the finishing touch to a great outfit that I plan to wear for a night out on the town, but its not my reason for going out.

That said, I recommend Dune Pour Homme (Dior), Live Jazz (YSL), Emporio Armani Night He (Armani; truly underrated), and Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin (Lolita Lempicka). All definitive, unique and good for any atmosphere. Plus they're all pretty different but won't turn up anyone's noses.

I dare to disagree with you on Lolita Lempicka. It makes me retch. Definitely a sample-first sort of deal.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Calling All College Guys and Gals! Good Frag/s for Tennis, Bowling, Classroom, Dates!