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Feminine/Masculine Changlings

post #1 of 19
6/21/12 at 10:54pm
Thread Starter 
Many years ago a friend of mine was wearing a lovely fresh and very green scent. I asked her what it was and she said "Eau Sauvage" by Dior. I was very surprised she was wearing what I knew to be a masculine fragrance, but I liked it so much I starting wearing it too. Now days this is not surprising at all, lines have blurred between the feminine and the masculine. Still a lot of fragrances are marketed as either masculine or feminine. Even given the growing market in unisex fragrances.

So here is my discussion question: what masculine fragrances does anyone think would be better off as feminines, and what feminines as masculines?

Okay, discuss!
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post #2 of 19
6/21/12 at 11:49pm
Dior Homme could easily be worn by a woman. I believe Coromandel and Sycomore are marketed to women, although I'd say they're more to the unisex-masculine realm.
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post #3 of 19
6/22/12 at 5:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duke Hunt View Post

Dior Homme could easily be worn by a woman. I believe Coromandel and Sycomore are marketed to women, although I'd say they're more to the unisex-masculine realm.

+1. I wear lots of "masculines" so this interests me. Can I say two things? Firstly, it all depends on personal preference. Secondly, lots of people here ignore gender marketing. That said I do think that there are fragrances which are more butch and some which are more feminine, although again it depends on personal perference whether any man or woman would want to wear them.

Here is my take on it, for what it is worth.....I think that there are masculines which women can wear and enjoy, and there are masculines which, on women take on an androgynous character and are very, very good on women. Very flattering and alluring. I love those ones. There are also masculne fragrances which are only defined as such for purposes of marketing, such as the Dior Homme mentioned above.

I recently tried Xerjoff 1717 Homme which IMO is a beautiful Iris/Leather and is fabulous on a woman. Yesterday I tried Maitre Parfumer et Gantier Eau es Iles, which is also wonderful. It is all great fun.

All of that said there are some which I do find too butch. An example would be Knize Ten. It is fabulous, but any woman wearing that one would need to have balls, so to speak.
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post #4 of 19
6/22/12 at 5:12am
I bought Dior Homme on its release, a friend worked for another company would not believe it was a male fragrance.

Old Spice could easily be a female, in fact rumour has it that it was way back.

Coromandel and Sycomore are both marketed as unisex.

Way back in the early 80s I wore YSL Homme.

I am a gender neutral were fragrance is concerned. Like it, wear it.
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post #5 of 19
6/22/12 at 7:23am
I like EL Azuree - it leans feminine at first, but the dry down is neutral. Bal a Versailles, Mitsouko, and maybe Vol de Nuit are wearable by guys, I think. I agree - Dior Homme is very unisex if not feminine. If it was marketed to women, 90% of the guys that looove it wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
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post #6 of 19
6/22/12 at 8:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foustie View Post

+1. I wear lots of "masculines" so this interests me. Can I say two things? Firstly, it all depends on personal preference. Secondly, lots of people here ignore gender marketing. That said I do think that there are fragrances which are more butch and some which are more feminine, although again it depends on personal perference whether any man or woman would want to wear them.

Here is my take on it, for what it is worth.....I think that there are masculines which women can wear and enjoy, and there are masculines which, on women take on an androgynous character and are very, very good on women. Very flattering and alluring. I love those ones. There are also masculne fragrances which are only defined as such for purposes of marketing, such as the Dior Homme mentioned above.

I recently tried Xerjoff 1717 Homme which IMO is a beautiful Iris/Leather and is fabulous on a woman. Yesterday I tried Maitre Parfumer et Gantier Eau es Iles, which is also wonderful. It is all great fun.

All of that said there are some which I do find too butch. An example would be Knize Ten. It is fabulous, but any woman wearing that one would need to have balls, so to speak.

Xerjoff homme is my SOTD, interesting that you find this one unisex, I find this one very masculine and very similar to Knize ten.
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post #7 of 19
6/22/12 at 9:26am
When it comes to "changelings" it's Dior all the way for me.
I wear Eau Sauvage, Dior Homme and would love to be able to afford Eau Noire,
which I tried whilst in California and loved.
I also find L'Homme Sage by Divine to be very wearable and unisex.
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post #8 of 19
6/22/12 at 4:49pm
Thread Starter 
Dear Duke, I've never sampled Dior Homme, now I must!

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Thanks all for your posts. You've all named some "changeling" masculines that I have never sampled. This is why I love the discussion groups on Basenotes - I get ideas on so many new scents to try!
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post #9 of 19
6/22/12 at 5:39pm
I love Yatagan, which is marketed to men. And there are several other so-called masculines which I wear. But there are a few that seem just too - baritone - for me. (As a musician, I tend to think of fragrances in certain musical ranges.) One of these is the first Gucci for men, the one in the checkered, houndstooth box. It is a great scent, and I do love incense, but cannot bring myself to buy it. Another is M7, which I own. A wonderful fragrance, but very deep-voiced. But it's a very personal thing, and if you feel good in a scent, wear it!
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post #10 of 19
6/23/12 at 12:49am
I think Guerlain Habit Rouge is another one which could be worn by a woman.
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post #11 of 19
6/24/12 at 7:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolina girl View Post

I love Yatagan, which is marketed to men. And there are several other so-called masculines which I wear. But there are a few that seem just too - baritone - for me. (As a musician, I tend to think of fragrances in certain musical ranges.) One of these is the first Gucci for men, the one in the checkered, houndstooth box. It is a great scent, and I do love incense, but cannot bring myself to buy it. Another is M7, which I own. A wonderful fragrance, but very deep-voiced. But it's a very personal thing, and if you feel good in a scent, wear it!

Wow, Yatagan on a girl! Interesting.

This is a limitless subject. I veer toward the very masculine side of the spectrum though I do own a few unisex bottles. However, recently I discovered my first feminine that I love to wear: Shalimar Initial. To me, though it's a bit sweet, it's unisex as there are biting accords (not present in the current formulation of the original Shalimar) that cut into that Shalimar vanilla. Very sophisticated and animalic. It has a very unique sour cream accord that appeals to me tremendously. I get a very distinct Guerlinade from it and see it as a modern, smoother, richer, more oriental descendent of Jicky. Superior longevity too.
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post #12 of 19
6/24/12 at 11:57pm
The masculines I wear are many, but for tops:

Aramis
Eau Sauvage!
Habit Rouge
Derby
Parfum d'Habit
Jardin du Nil
Safari for Men
Canali Black Diamond
Piver Cuir
Arsene Lupin Dandy
Pour Un Homme
Guerlain Vetiver
Equipage
Terre d'Hermes
Eau des Baux
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post #13 of 19
6/25/12 at 12:20am
Funny thing. I was browsing fragrances in Nordstrom's today. When I mentioned to the SA I liked a leather scent, she suggested I go to men's fragrances.
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post #14 of 19
6/27/12 at 9:31pm
I like to wear a lot of more common, cheaper male scents

Old Spice, Elizabeth Taylor Passion Men, Drakkar Noir, Aramis, Tabac and most Vetivers--the familiarity and straightforwardness of these transform on a woman to something bold and niche-like.

Looking for advice on some masculines that I want to try, I posted this list of to-tests to the men's board also:

Givenchy: Insense, Monsieur, and Gentleman
Nina Ricci: Phileas, Signoricci 2
Le 3e homme de Caron
Ho Hang by Balenciaga
Antaeus

I was looking for some detailed impressions of how they come off on a woman. Have any of you ladies tried these? Are they viable as masculine-to-feminine or unisex?
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post #15 of 19
6/28/12 at 2:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duke Hunt View Post

Xerjoff homme is my SOTD, interesting that you find this one unisex, I find this one very masculine and very similar to Knize ten.

Hiya! Sorry. I have just seen this. (The link where you are notified of activity on threads that you have subscribed to doesn't seem to be working for me just now).

This one was a huge surprise to me! Not unisex exactly but here is how it went......Someone gave me a bunch of Xerjoff samples, mainly masculines. I tried them out of interest. With 1717 Homme I couldn't believe it. A little goes a long way so I wore it a couple of times. I was surprised to find that (on me anyway) it wears like a richer, more luxurious version of Chanel Cuir De Russie! Very reminiscent of the Chanel at times, an Iris/Leather rather than a Leather. If I had to choose between them I would choose the Xerjoff but it is just too expensive.

With Knize Ten it is butch leather all the way, no Iris. If you have a look at the reviews of Xerjoff Homme you will see that you are firmly in Alfaroms camp and I am in Darvants!

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duke Hunt View Post

I think Guerlain Habit Rouge is another one which could be worn by a woman.

So do I! I tried it a few months ago for the first time and it really captivated me. I found it to be beautiful. It went fleetingly to the top of my wish list but you know how it goes.....

I have never smelled it on a man but I would love to.
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post #16 of 19
6/28/12 at 6:53pm
I have always loved Cartier's Kiss Of The Dragon.....And Eau De Merveiles by Hermes (any version)!!!
Gary
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post #17 of 19
6/28/12 at 7:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anomie et ivoire View Post

I like to wear a lot of more common, cheaper male scents

Old Spice, Elizabeth Taylor Passion Men, Drakkar Noir, Aramis, Tabac and most Vetivers--the familiarity and straightforwardness of these transform on a woman to something bold and niche-like.

Looking for advice on some masculines that I want to try, I posted this list of to-tests to the men's board also:

Givenchy: Insense, Monsieur, and Gentleman
Nina Ricci: Phileas, Signoricci 2
Le 3e homme de Caron
Ho Hang by Balenciaga
Antaeus

I was looking for some detailed impressions of how they come off on a woman. Have any of you ladies tried these? Are they viable as masculine-to-feminine or unisex?

I wear Le troisiemme Homme, Egoiste, Yatagan, Eau de Coq, Vetiver and my fave Coriolan and I am a Woman with a capital W
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post #18 of 19
6/28/12 at 7:55pm
I admire your style, knit at nite.

Oh, and as far as marketing goes rather than personal taste (since we should all wear whatever we want)
which frags seem like they should really have sex change operations and would thus be more popular:

Arpege, Jicky, and for some reason I think White Linen and Youth Dew should be male, since they're great but have become cliche stately older woman scents.

Every female Chanel I've encountered could be neuter.

Most of the male Diors and Guerlains would be bolder and fresher on a woman and on a man are a little safe, IMHO.
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post #19 of 19
6/29/12 at 1:59pm
Sycomore would be a better masculine (well, I love it and wear it as well)
Egoiste would be a good feminine.
Eau Sauvage would be a better feminine than masculine.
Some masculine Guerlains (Habit Rouge, l'instant extreme) would make better feminines
Dreamer would make a better feminine (don't like it that much though)
Mitsouko would make a great masculine
Jicky also
Bois d'Armenie would make a better feminine
Dior Homme would make a better feminine
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