Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › I'm at a Crossroads..........
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

I'm at a Crossroads..........

post #1 of 31
10/11/10 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 
Need some advice or opinions. I'm at a crossroads right now. When I started here it was to find a new scent for me...1. Then I went crazy and purchased alot, sold alot and then left with some basic designers and the idea that I'd stick with it. Then I came back and have been active and have found many new ones I like alot. But this has only caused confusion as now I don't know where to go. As many long timers that have written with me know I'm an attorney, wife and 2 kids. I've had some kind people like Chuck W write personally and suggest some scents for my background and age..40. This year I've really liked Chanel Bleu, Halston Man Amber, Bang and Bulgari Man but I always find one reason why I might not want them despite loving the scent...longevity, sillage, etc. I always have some Burberry London on me because it has sentimental value and I love it in Fall. But besides that I'm out there on what is next. I'm not a collector or hoarder so I don't have much. With the kids I'm not spending alot of cash on scents either. So the question is...would it be better to put my eggs in one extra good scent for year round, say GIT(off Luckyscent or somewhere) and know I'll be happy smelling good or like that(with London in Fall too) or buy many others and keep rotating? It just eats at me
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
post #2 of 31
10/11/10 at 11:23am
I sure would have a hard time being happy with just two scents at this point in my journey. Even though GIT is a fine scent, I think, personally, I'd rather take the money and diversify a bit with cheaper designer frags. I love buying minis or even just buying sample lots and using empty atomizers if necessary.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 31
10/11/10 at 11:25am
I share a very similar story as far as my introduction to basenotes and fragrances in general. From my experience I will be satisfied with my line up for about 2 months. Then everything seems boring and I had a hard time wearing some. That's when the itch for something new comes. I now have a few solid staples that will always be in my collection, but for everything else....it will remain a constant rotation.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 31
10/11/10 at 11:27am
Personally i'd find 2-3 that i REALLY, REALLY like and buy them. I've only found the need to spend alot of money on fragrances twice, and they were both two that I absolutely love (A*Men and Pure Malt...to some they're not expensive, but anything over $50 on a fragrance is alot to me). It's really about how much you want to spend and how badly you want certain fragrances.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 31
10/11/10 at 11:39am
I always felt that having a good selection helps. That way the minor flaws in a particular fragrance are not so magnified. More options to suit the mood or occasion too.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 31
10/11/10 at 11:39am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captcrunch View Post

I share a very similar story as far as my introduction to basenotes and fragrances in general. From my experience I will be satisfied with my line up for about 2 months. Then everything seems boring and I had a hard time wearing some. That's when the itch for something new comes. I now have a few solid staples that will always be in my collection, but for everything else....it will remain a constant rotation.

I get like this but I used to be the opposite in my 20s...buy Cool Water, smell good(it was new at the time), rinse, repeat. I kind of long for that but can't settle on anything and I walk around smelling things in stores all the time. I've thought about the decants idea above but I end up with all these samples and it almost becomes too much for me.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 31
10/11/10 at 12:08pm
If you can actually limit yourself to 1 or 2 I think that's the way to go. It's easy, as many here will attest, to go bananas and end up with 50+ frags but I frankly don't have that kind of storage space. I'm also not interested in having all sorts of minis, samples and decants laying about although I realize the practicality of it. My own limit is 8, which includes 7 I have to have at all times plus room for 1 one-off/impulse buy. Hope this helps.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 31
10/11/10 at 12:15pm
I'm kind of the same way. I have 50+ frags I don't like.

What is helping me is having a collection of one house and enjoying the house. This is gives reliability and variety at the same time.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 31
10/11/10 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by blondex199667 View Post

If you can actually limit yourself to 1 or 2 I think that's the way to go. It's easy, as many here will attest, to go bananas and end up with 50+ frags but I frankly don't have that kind of storage space. I'm also not interested in having all sorts of minis, samples and decants laying about although I realize the practicality of it. My own limit is 8, which includes 7 I have to have at all times plus room for 1 one-off/impulse buy. Hope this helps.

Yeah I have a work briefcase with like 10 samples or decants in it. Some thrown in a desk, etc. I'm not even sure what to wear or when. I am pretty straight forward about stuff so I'd rather just have a simple decision some days. Alot of the ones I have them make at Sephora or whatever get thrown out because I didn't like them at all.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 31
10/11/10 at 1:03pm
One possibility to consider- buy more 15ml or 30ml decants. Yes, the cost per ML at Perfumed Court is like buying wine in a restaurant to a degree. If you get hung up on that aspect of it, forget it. But realistically, once you have several scents, it will take quite awhile to go through those decants. I should do it more myself honestly.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 31
10/11/10 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ToughCool View Post

Need some advice or opinions. ... It just eats at me

If once your taste has settled, why not keep the few you yourself adore? The rest would be right just on a sample basis for one or the other contemplating evening. A slow down in rotation could help to readjust fragrances impact to every day life.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 31
10/11/10 at 1:35pm
I thought about this because last year I sampled dozens (a friend & myself ordered loads from TPC & then swopped each others choices) Anyway, after a few months we both felt overwhelmed & confused. I reached a point where I felt I didn't even know what I liked in the end. Olfactory overload !
So... perhaps choose 1 to buy from your recent list of possibles, one that is most different from the stuff you already own. Then take a step back from buying anything else for a while, & if you have any samples floating around use/keep testing them too.
Maybe if you have a break from trying out new things & focus on what you have at the moment, it might help you to prioritise what you really want full bottles of in the longer term :-)
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 31
10/11/10 at 2:04pm
i am trying to streamline my collection as well.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 31
10/11/10 at 2:11pm
Well, I may be at the opposite end of the spectrum. I've got a lot of frags and I don't find myself especially interested in anything that I don't have. I'll do some swapping, mostly to rid myself of ones I hate or have backups of, but otherwise, I am never bored with what I have (I have some niche samples I've never tried too). Sometimes a frag that I have liked bothers me for some reason, and then I just put it aside for a month or two, and reach for it only when I think I might be able to enjoy it again. Also, I've found that lately I don't like a frag for half an hour or so, then it starts to "grow on me." And I rarely use more than one spray to the chest because my sensitivity is good, yet I rarely get nauseated by a frag these days (of course I avoid ones I hate, like Kouros, and don't bother even sampling ones I think I will hate, so that might be part of the reason - I know my limitations now!).
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 31
10/11/10 at 2:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by indigo View Post

I thought about this because last year I sampled dozens (a friend & myself ordered loads from TPC & then swopped each others choices) Anyway, after a few months we both felt overwhelmed & confused. I reached a point where I felt I didn't even know what I liked in the end. Olfactory overload !So... perhaps choose 1 to buy from your recent list of possibles, one that is most different from the stuff you already own. Then take a step back from buying anything else for a while, & if you have any samples floating around use/keep testing them too.
Maybe if you have a break from trying out new things & focus on what you have at the moment, it might help you to prioritise what you really want full bottles of in the longer term :-)

Thanks for the advice. The bolded above it what I get like too because I usually am pretty liberal with what I like to start but then as more testing goes on some fall by the wayside....but then I pickup more to try. So after a bit I'm like "do I really like any of these to wear?" I just have this thought in my head of being dressed nice at work and having a nice scent that I can use and stick with. One that gets nice comments but that I love too. And my wife loves. London does that for Fall but I like at least a few alternatives for all year.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 31
10/11/10 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ToughCool View Post

... "do I really like any of these to wear?" ... nice comments but that I love too. And my wife loves.

First of all you yourself should like it. It would forgive a lot if you once sue me the attorney you are ...

Burberry London - I don't know. Is has to be quite generic, isn't it? Did you ever try something weired just for curiosity? Comme Des Garcons Odeur #53 for instance? Mugler Cologne? L'Artisan Patch?

I would win the case anyhow ...
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 31
10/11/10 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

One possibility to consider- buy more 15ml or 30ml decants. Yes, the cost per ML at Perfumed Court is like buying wine in a restaurant to a degree. If you get hung up on that aspect of it, forget it. But realistically, once you have several scents, it will take quite awhile to go through those decants. I should do it more myself honestly.

Totally agree.

Buy 4 decants of those fragrances you mentioned. Then, you'll have the luxury of being able to enjoy all of them, plus you'll realize what it feels like to 'live' with these fragrances for a while - and then you'll either fall in love with them (so you'll buy a full bottle) or you'll realize you were glad you didn't buy a full bottle.

Have your cake and eat it too, I say!

Oh and BTW, it's nice to have you back posting ToughCool.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 31
10/11/10 at 4:42pm
Hey ToughCool,

Your post got me thinking about why I've stopped posting here and buying frags like crazy. Perfume is no longer important enough to me that it can have me at a crossroads. I'll explain:

For me it wasn't a financial consideration. Life has been good. You see, I've always liked fragrance, and my time with basenotes enhanced my appreciation. I learned to identify notes, went down the niche path, and then pretty much kept "feeding the habit".

At some point I realised that I plain had too many bottles, some of which I didn't care much for.

I went down the streamline - simplify path. I didn't sell any of my 60-70 frags but they're locked up in a cupboard and I'm happier with my rotation of 3.

I have more focus for work and my other passions in life (cycling, friends, and most of all my family). I found that for me perfume wasn't worth all the mental energy demanded of a connoiseur, I relegated fragrance to accessory status. I'm happy to just smell good, designer or niche, it wouldn't matter anymore. I no longer want spend the time going half way across Melbourne to find the latest limited release which has a strong "candied leather" accord. BTW: I haven't even smelled the new Chanel yet

Better balance, happier life.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 31
10/11/10 at 4:54pm
Advice: don't burden yourself with rules. Make sensible choices, but avoid setting yourself up for either/or limitations. Just do what you want to do. It's just fragrance, you know. No big deal.

If cost is an issue, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive fragrances out there that are of very high quality. You don't always have to spring for expensive niches.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 31
10/11/10 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WildThingy View Post

First of all you yourself should like it. It would forgive a lot if you once sue me the attorney you are ...

Burberry London - I don't know. Is has to be quite generic, isn't it? Did you ever try something weired just for curiosity? Comme Des Garcons Odeur #53 for instance? Mugler Cologne? L'Artisan Patch?

I would win the case anyhow ...

I've sampled a ton of niche and non-niche here and my adventures have been chronicled after ordering here. Many strange and wonderful scents. London isn't generic to me though. I think it is great for Fall and it is what I wore on my wedding and honeymoon so it evokes memories.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Totally agree.

Buy 4 decants of those fragrances you mentioned. Then, you'll have the luxury of being able to enjoy all of them, plus you'll realize what it feels like to 'live' with these fragrances for a while - and then you'll either fall in love with them (so you'll buy a full bottle) or you'll realize you were glad you didn't buy a full bottle.

Have your cake and eat it too, I say!

Oh and BTW, it's nice to have you back posting ToughCool.

Thanks so much!1 I may just take this idea on the small decants. We will see. Maybe I can add some of those new ones and ones like TdH I like and haven't had in a bit.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 31
10/11/10 at 6:37pm
I'm defintely of the "less is more" mentality. Personally, I have limited myself to 12 total I will keep at any one time....I think it's a good balance between covering many situations/season while remaing focused on those I truly love
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 31
10/11/10 at 7:11pm
U
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcologneguy View Post

Advice: don't burden yourself with rules.

After a couple of years of Orthodox Samplism, I converted to a radical sect of Wearwhateveryouwantism. I've worn Bleu de Chanel for weeks just for the hell of it. Truly liberating to wear frags like a regular Joe Cologne Owner for a while, and leave my pefumaniac duties behind.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 31
10/11/10 at 7:37pm
For me, it was important to get a handle on notes, accords, and genres. One of the reasons I am fairlly content now is that whenever I read about a new frag, I almost always think that it probably smells similar to something that I already have or have sampled and didn't like much, if at all.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 31
10/12/10 at 4:07am
I'm at a similar place. And I am capping it, just for the sake of some mental peace and to discipline myself. I need to wear the crap I own and put the brakes on my purchases (I am averaging a bottle per week. Yikes). I'm suffering from buying fatigue.

Barry (Jockwithscents) on here does a good thing in occasionally dropping out of sight. I believe these respites are a good thing.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 31
10/12/10 at 5:01am
I've gotten to the point where I feel a bit overwhelmed by my collection. So I've started choosing four different frags to use during the week, and then the rest stay packed in the closet. I change them over after several days. As my father-in-law wisely says, "Shop at home."

If you're able to stick with a couple of scents you love, that's great. Enjoy what you already have and let the duds go.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 31
10/12/10 at 5:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckW View Post

I'm at a similar place. And I am capping it, just for the sake of some mental peace and to discipline myself. I need to wear the crap I own and put the brakes on my purchases (I am averaging a bottle per week. Yikes). I'm suffering from buying fatigue.

Barry (Jockwithscents) on here does a good thing in occasionally dropping out of sight. I believe these respites are a good thing.

I did this about the same time he did and disappeared for awhile..beginning to mid 2009 until recently....because of a crazy health scare I talked about on here and a new baby, etc. It was nice but then I really wanted something different. It starts with looking for one, goes into full blown testing and then confusion on what I want.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 31
10/12/10 at 5:22am
Me too, bought lots of bottles over the last 2 years when i first got into this and now i've bought all the ones i've sampled and liked. I have 2-3 bottles i've got bored with (mostly blind buys when i first started) but very happy with the rest. I probably have enough to last me 5-10 years without another purchase. So from now on i'm limiting myself to a budget of approx £100 a year to spend on samples/decants and a carefully considered single full bottle.
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 31
10/12/10 at 7:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Bon Vivant View Post

I've gotten to the point where I feel a bit overwhelmed by my collection. So I've started choosing four different frags to use during the week, and then the rest stay packed in the closet. I change them over after several days. As my father-in-law wisely says, "Shop at home."

If you're able to stick with a couple of scents you love, that's great. Enjoy what you already have and let the duds go.

I like that "shop at home" concept. I may give that a whirl.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 31
10/12/10 at 7:56am
You obviously love Burberry London. By varying the application, I think it can be just as good all year round. Carry an atomiser though as it doesn't stick around.

I love a number of scents. And I like many others. But it just doesn't make sense to buy full bottles that get worn every other week. So I went the decant route, for the most part at least. And I have my first 'team regulars' with a 'substitute team' as backup, and 'specialists' on the bench. This system has served me well, allowing me to wear stuff I love but leaving enough room for me to explore others at my leisure. I treat fragrances as accessories so you won't find me scouring through eBay listings or flea markets for vintage gems. As there is no single perfect accessory, there won't be any perfect fragrance either. It's an imperfect world after all.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 31
10/12/10 at 8:18am
In a month I'll be 50. Just yesterday I looked into my drawer, saw the miriads of samples from Amouage, L'Artisan, Montale, Parfum d'Empire, so on... and I felt sadness. I've been in the perfume-searching-industry for about 25 years, and how good it would be to be so innocent I was decades ago, when I thought that when I will have the chance here in the once-communist country to try these GREAT NAMES, I'll be happy as hell, jumping about with joy, not being able to decide which Holy Grail to choose to be THE HOLY GRAIL of the Holy Grails. And now here I am, looking sadly at these items, and now at the bottom of my heart I'm sure there is no such thing. And I do feel loosing the enhusiasm from day to day.

I understand you. And I can't say any happy.
Reply
Reply
post #31 of 31
10/12/10 at 9:03am
I think you'd be happy buying Creed GIT and just switching back and forth with Burberry London. GIT is a year arounder, and so different from London. That's actually a really nice two scent combo. Both are also good in about any setting.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › I'm at a Crossroads..........