Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Kouros: masculine or feminine?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Kouros: masculine or feminine?

post #1 of 45
9/24/10 at 5:32pm
Thread Starter 
Or unisex?

What do you think?
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
post #2 of 45
9/24/10 at 6:09pm
The oldschool members on this board will have a heart attack because of this topic.
And I have to admit that I do find the question weird in this case, to the point that I think it's a joke.

That being said, Kouros is 100% masculine. I think a lot of people agree with that.

What makes you think it's feminine or unisex?
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 45
9/24/10 at 6:30pm
It's quite sweet and heavily floral, but that's offset with a dirty-spiciness. I really don't see what makes it particularly gendered, really, but I find that true of many fragrances.

Of course the old-school powerhouse crowd will come in and say "it's super-masculine!" And if that's what they need to think to enjoy the delightful Kouros, they're welcome to it.

Either way, enjoy it as a great scent and don't worry about it, whoever you are.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 45
9/24/10 at 6:43pm
Masculine.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 45
9/24/10 at 6:46pm
Dosn't get much more masculine than this!
But then again, I also find M7 to be über
masculine, while others find it borderline
feminine, so ...
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 45
9/24/10 at 7:00pm
Wth? Seriously? And I thought people were over reacting saying there has been a string of ridiculous threads lately.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 45
9/24/10 at 7:44pm
This is fun! I don't remember seeing a big "K" thread for a while. I'm gonna say it's 100% feminine
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 45
9/24/10 at 7:54pm
Well, on a less contentious issue, I think we can all agree it smells like urinal puckies.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 45
9/24/10 at 7:55pm
Trick question! It's neither! The correct answer is "disgusting".

Honestly, I don't know how anybody could wear it....but there is no way I could picture a woman pulling this scent off.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 45
9/24/10 at 8:28pm
Masculine
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 45
9/24/10 at 8:30pm
Masculine? Feminine? Barbarian...
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 45
9/24/10 at 8:30pm
I'll say it's Masculine, because they don't usually have urinals in women's or shared rest rooms.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 45
9/24/10 at 8:34pm
To me it's masculine, but I'm a guy and I like it so naturally I'm going to say that.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 45
9/24/10 at 9:19pm
I <3 this thread. Talk about pushing buttons.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 45
9/24/10 at 9:34pm
I could see the opening being unisex, but the drydown is super masculine.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 45
9/24/10 at 11:01pm
Love Kouros and consider it masculine overall, but not 100%. Let's be honest: It's awfully floral, and most of the musk is pretty clean and powdery, similar to the musk in many feminine perfumes made today. The spices, herbs, lavender, woods, and "unwashed groin" quality are really the only factors keeping Kouros in the masculine realm, especially if it's smelled blind. I wouldn't go so far as to call Kouros unisex (come on), but doubtlessly 100% masculine...hardly.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 45
9/25/10 at 12:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzley View Post

Or unisex?

What do you think?

Is this a joke? It's a silly question.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 45
9/25/10 at 1:09am
Unisex, but it's what my dream girlfriend would be wearing, along with a special type of belt.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 45
9/25/10 at 2:09am
Well it is marketed as a men's fragrance, so it HAS to be masculine. Remember, the actual smell of the fragrance should never enter into the equation of determining whether a fragrance is masculine or feminine.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 45
9/25/10 at 2:50am
Some females actually find it feminine, seriously.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 45
9/25/10 at 2:59am
What the hell??

Feminine of course! can't think of a man wearing this, that would be ridiculous!

Most femenine frag only after Yatagan
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 45
9/25/10 at 12:47pm
As far as I'm concerned NO fragrance is absolutely masculine/feminine. The individual nose decides.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 45
9/25/10 at 2:43pm
it's pansexual
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 45
9/25/10 at 2:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzley View Post

Or unisex?

What do you think?

Somewhat more unisex than Quorum, more so if you associate amber and civet base notes with traditional feminine perfumes. Of the pine/artemisia fragrances I've tried, I can picture Yatagan being more popular with women than Kouros.

I'd recommend sampling before giving it to your girlfriend or mother as a gift.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 45
9/25/10 at 3:11pm
I passed by a gorgeous blonde girl who wore something that smelled very similar to Kouros, it may have been a similar scent that just reacted well with her body chem.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 45
9/25/10 at 3:45pm
..........
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 45
9/25/10 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fountain View Post

it's pansexual

This has to be correct. In Jitterbug Perfume, the character Pan (the actual demigod) is very musky and very sexual, just like Kouros.
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 45
9/25/10 at 6:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suppressor View Post

The oldschool members on this board will have a heart attack because of this topic.
And I have to admit that I do find the question weird in this case, to the point that I think it's a joke.

That being said, Kouros is 100% masculine. I think a lot of people agree with that.

What makes you think it's feminine or unisex?

I just asked my Wife to call 911.....Joking of course.....This is masculine all the way!!!
Gary
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 45
9/25/10 at 8:09pm
I couldn't say Kouros is feminine smelling because I have never smelled Kouros on a woman before. I've only smelled it being worn by guys, so of course I think of it as a masculine smelling scent.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 45
9/25/10 at 9:24pm
I was wearing Kouros today and I think YSL missed out on making a "pour femme" version. Pair the basic Kouros accord with an enormous but well crafted floral note to bring the florals into stronger focus ( I'm thinking a big rose would be great in this, but so would tuberose or a skanky orange blossom ) and maybe remove the lavender ( it's already pretty quiet on me anyway ), and I think they would have had a winner on their hands.

It's this kind of thing that makes me wish I knew enough about perfumery to tinker with frags.
Reply
Reply
post #31 of 45
9/25/10 at 9:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suppressor View Post

The oldschool members on this board will have a heart attack because of this topic.
And I have to admit that I do find the question weird in this case, to the point that I think it's a joke.

That being said, Kouros is 100% masculine. I think a lot of people agree with that.

What makes you think it's feminine or unisex?

i agree this leans to the masc side quite a bit and i am putting it mildly i could not see a girl putting this on herself.
Reply
Reply
post #32 of 45
9/25/10 at 10:44pm
kouros smells like a mens urinal , that as man as it gets , that should answer ur question lol
Reply
Reply
post #33 of 45
9/26/10 at 1:58am
Masculine.
Reply
Reply
post #34 of 45
9/26/10 at 6:37am
Can't get any more masculine than Kouros.
Reply
Reply
post #35 of 45
9/26/10 at 7:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JON RODGERS View Post

As far as I'm concerned NO fragrance is absolutely masculine/feminine. The individual nose decides.

+1 Totally agree there.

Regardless of whether something is marketed or advertised as feminine or masculine, any perfume is simply down to the individual who enjoys wearing it. So if a man or woman prefers to buy and use something that is targeted towards their opposite sex, as long as they think it smells good on them and they enjoy it, what the heck
Reply
Reply
post #36 of 45
9/26/10 at 7:56am
Sometimes Kouros is just Kouros.
Reply
Reply
post #37 of 45
9/26/10 at 8:05am
Haven't read any reposes above. I'm guessing it's for shemales? Marsians or aliens? Maybe we should check their genitals?
Reply
Reply
post #38 of 45
9/26/10 at 8:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidBond007 View Post

... i could not see a girl putting this on herself.

Hey, guys, I can't resist jumping into the fray here. I agree that a GIRL probably wouldn't wear Kouros, but I think there are probably some WOMEN that would.

I've sniffed Kouros before, but I haven't tried it on skin. I love the clove and incense but generally struggle with the sharpness of the oakmoss -- but oakmoss is an issue for me in any frag, not just Kouros. I have the same problem with vetiver.

That being said, a number of my favorite frags trend toward the "masculine" end of the spectrum, and I've now decided that, just to be contrary, I'm going to sample Kouros on skin today or tomorrow and report back.

But here are my general thoughts on this issue:

(1) From the perspective of those who aren't wearing the scent (but smelling it), I think categorizing a fragrance as "masculine" or "feminine" has as much to do with the smeller's expectations as with the composition of the fragrance itself. My DH prefers it when I smell "girly," which for me means either Bois de Violette, Sarrasins, or Carnal Flower (although with the cumin, leather, and indolic notes, none of these 3 could be considered a "clean" feminine frag). However, I've received a surprisingly high number of compliments from both men and women in my office when I wear "masculine" scents like Amber Absolute, Avignon, Muscs Koublai Khan, Fumerie Turque, Je Suis Un Homme, and Halston Z-14. Those compliments generally fall into 2 categories: (a) "Oh my God, what are you wearing? It's so different, and it's incredible!" and (b) "That smells really familiar, and I can't place it, but it smells really good!" When they find out that I'm wearing what some/most would consider a men's fragrance, some are a little puzzled and not sure what to do with that (given that they liked it so much), and some are positively intrigued and, if anything, like it even more because it turned their expectations upside down. Interestingly, women tend to be more confused by my fragrance choices than men.

(2) From the perspective of the wearer of the scent, I think it all depends on one's preferences and, perhaps, one's concerns about how others will react to a particular fragrance. I personally don't give a rat's ass whether a fragrance is categorized as masculine, feminine, or unisex. If I love it and think it smells good on me (e.g., my bones dissolve when I smell Avignon on me), I'm wearing it. Period. Full stop. If others are confused by my choices, or a twenty-something young woman asks me after sniffing a sample of Amber Absolute how I can wear something so "strong," I say that the strength and variety of my fragrances reflects my personality -- and, ultimately, I wear what makes me happy.

I am not "typically feminine" in my fragrance choices (by which I mean predominantly -- and stereotypically -- floral, fruity, light musky, and clean). I NEED something dirty in my frags to keep it interesting for me, whether it's leather, skanky musk, amber, incense, smoke, tobacco, etc. If that means that I wear more "masculine" than "feminine" fragrances, so be it.

Sorry for the novella, guys. I just find this conversation (and the one about males who wear feminine fragrances) very interesting.
Reply
Reply
post #39 of 45
9/26/10 at 8:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ExtremeKF View Post

Hey, guys, I can't resist jumping into the fray here. I agree that a GIRL probably wouldn't wear Kouros, but I think there are probably some WOMEN that would.

I've sniffed Kouros before, but I haven't tried it on skin. I love the clove and incense but generally struggle with the sharpness of the oakmoss -- but oakmoss is an issue for me in any frag, not just Kouros. I have the same problem with vetiver.

That being said, a number of my favorite frags trend toward the "masculine" end of the spectrum, and I've now decided that, just to be contrary, I'm going to sample Kouros on skin today or tomorrow and report back.

But here are my general thoughts on this issue:

(1) From the perspective of those who aren't wearing the scent (but smelling it), I think categorizing a fragrance as "masculine" or "feminine" has as much to do with the smeller's expectations as with the composition of the fragrance itself. My DH prefers it when I smell "girly," which for me means either Bois de Violette, Sarrasins, or Carnal Flower (although with the cumin, leather, and indolic notes, none of these 3 could be considered a "clean" feminine frag). However, I've received a surprisingly high number of compliments from both men and women in my office when I wear "masculine" scents like Amber Absolute, Avignon, Muscs Koublai Khan, Fumerie Turque, Je Suis Un Homme, and Halston Z-14. Those compliments generally fall into 2 categories: (a) "Oh my God, what are you wearing? It's so different, and it's incredible!" and (b) "That smells really familiar, and I can't place it, but it smells really good!" When they find out that I'm wearing what some/most would consider a men's fragrance, some are a little puzzled and not sure what to do with that (given that they liked it so much), and some are positively intrigued and, if anything, like it even more because it turned their expectations upside down. Interestingly, women tend to be more confused by my fragrance choices than men.

(2) From the perspective of the wearer of the scent, I think it all depends on one's preferences and, perhaps, one's concerns about how others will react to a particular fragrance. I personally don't give a rat's ass whether a fragrance is categorized as masculine, feminine, or unisex. If I love it and think it smells good on me (e.g., my bones dissolve when I smell Avignon on me), I'm wearing it. Period. Full stop. If others are confused by my choices, or a twenty-something young woman asks me after sniffing a sample of Amber Absolute how I can wear something so "strong," I say that the strength and variety of my fragrances reflects my personality -- and, ultimately, I wear what makes me happy.

I am not "typically feminine" in my fragrance choices (by which I mean predominantly -- and stereotypically -- floral, fruity, light musky, and clean). I NEED something dirty in my frags to keep it interesting for me, whether it's leather, skanky musk, amber, incense, smoke, tobacco, etc. If that means that I wear more "masculine" than "feminine" fragrances, so be it.

Sorry for the novella, guys. I just find this conversation (and the one about males who wear feminine fragrances) very interesting.

Thank you ExtremeKF. We definitely appreciate your input.
Reply
Reply
post #40 of 45
9/26/10 at 8:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig View Post

Regardless of whether something is marketed or advertised as feminine or masculine, any perfume is simply down to the individual who enjoys wearing it. So if a man or woman prefers to buy and use something that is targeted towards their opposite sex, as long as they think it smells good on them and they enjoy it, what the heck

+1,000,000,000,000................................ ..........................
Reply
Reply
post #41 of 45
9/26/10 at 9:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Remember, the actual smell of the fragrance should never enter into the equation of determining whether a fragrance is masculine or feminine.

Kouros is whatever you want it to be.
Reply
Reply
post #42 of 45
9/26/10 at 10:12am
I actually made a thread on Kouros not too long ago and commented seriuosly on its delicate femininity. Its a little more feminine than people give it credit for.
Reply
Reply
post #43 of 45
9/26/10 at 12:37pm
Oh, I'm going to have to slap you upside the head! Sorry, but I've got to for the insolence of your query.
Reply
Reply
post #44 of 45
9/26/10 at 8:39pm
Double post.
Reply
Reply
post #45 of 45
9/26/10 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pappy View Post

I actually made a thread on Kouros not too long ago and commented seriuosly on its delicate femininity. Its a little more feminine than people give it credit for.

It definitely has some feminine notes up top, and I could see my wife wearing Kouros. It's a confounding formulation, but not as dangerous as many would have you believe. Just go easy on application and you'll find that it's very complex. It's better known for its strength than it complexity, and that's the problem....
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive

Features on Basenotes

Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Kouros: masculine or feminine?