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who knows about your hobby?

Poll Results: who knows about it

 
  • 9% (8)
    almost everyone who knows me
  • 20% (17)
    most people know me
  • 24% (20)
    a good amount of people, but not a lot
  • 44% (36)
    very few people ; i keep it secret
81 Total Votes  
post #1 of 45
Thread Starter 
i keep it mostly secret. i agreed with my fragrance collecting fb friends that there be no public online discussion about fragrances. but the people who are least judgmental about things, i share it with. but even they don't care soo...
post #2 of 45
People know I love fragrance, but what they do not know is I can almost bought a car in cash if I sell my whole collection.
post #3 of 45
As it's fairly recent with me, i have not had time yet to bore the faces off everyone i know but i do fully intend to. As it is, when I Get talking about it, i see people's faces glaze over, and they stop listening. But when they have the urge to throw something out, they will hopefully remember me, and throw it my way instead.
post #4 of 45
People who know me well know I like perfume, the girls in the stores know I like perfume, everyone who knows me know I like perfume. I don't see it as a hobby though just a love.
post #5 of 45
People who know me well know I'm into perfume, but very few know the extent of it. It's not that I want to hide it--I'd happily be honest about how many bottles I have and talk about it freely--but I don't want to bore people to death.

There are a couple of people I know who would be pretty shocked if they saw my perfume cabinet. I'm ok with that.
post #6 of 45
lt's not that it's a secret exactly, but l wouldn't want to put people off by going on about it, or pretending that it makes me some kind of expert.
The only person who knows the full extent of it is my bf, & he has come to accept my ways, even if he doesn't fully understand them. A couple of close family members are vaguely aware of it, & also some of my work colleagues who have become good friends of mine over the years. There are a couple of them that l can have light discussions with, & one that l've even passed samples on to. They must realise that l have quite a lot of perfume, but they probably have no idea just how much!
post #7 of 45
My girlfriend and Sisters but I do not make a big deal about it.
post #8 of 45
A good amount of people, yet not everybody, usually, it's a safe bet to say: the closest of my friends, family members and co-workers.
post #9 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by teardrop View Post

lt's not that it's a secret exactly, but l wouldn't want to put people off by going on about it, or pretending that it makes me some kind of expert.
The only person who knows the full extent of it is my bf, & he has come to accept my ways, even if he doesn't fully understand them. A couple of close family members are vaguely aware of it, & also some of my work colleagues who have become good friends of mine over the years. There are a couple of them that l can have light discussions with, & one that l've even passed samples on to. They must realise that l have quite a lot of perfume, but they probably have no idea just how much!

Pretty much the same for me. Only my nearest and dearest really know the extent of it, but then it would be difficult to keep it from them as we all live in the same house. My mother in law knows, but then she's the one that got me started on this journey. I don't deliberately keep it a secret. I'd tell anyone who asked or showed an interest. I am aware that it might be regarded as strange - even SAs on the perfume counters look aghast if I tell them how many bottles I own. Still, in my line of work (academia) being slightly odd and having an eclectic range of interests is fairly standard.
post #10 of 45
Most people who know me know about my perfume passion. My fellow students sometimes often ask me for help in chosing fragrance for their relatives for Christmas or other occasion like birthday. My parents also know though my dad has never seen my collection in it's "full bloom"
post #11 of 45
a decent amount they dont understand though
post #12 of 45
A good amount of people, but not a lot
post #13 of 45
Quite a few people know in my case. I wouldn't call it a hobby, as I'm a wearer, not a collector.
post #14 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

... I do not make a big deal about it.

+ 1.
Some know, most don't.
post #15 of 45
It's no secret for me.

Friends know, and after a few dates, anyone I'm seeing knows. It doesn't define who I am, but I definitely don't keep it a secret.

The beauty of friends is that they're people you choose who like you for who you are. If they don't, they're not very good friends, right? My friends are mostly women, and they tend to have good taste even though most aren't really into perfume. Over time, they notice I often smell different, and every now and then, it becomes a topic for discussion. I've had a few friends privately tell me they bought fragrances for their boyfriends after smelling them on me. I think it's funny and flattering.

As for dates, I don't wear enough fragrance to be Cologne Guy, but after a few dates, anyone I'm seeing is going to notice I don't always smell the same. I mean, let's be honest, if I wore a different jacket every time a woman sees me, she's going to notice, right? And she'll eventually ask "How many jackets do you own?!" Scents are the same way. Eventually, I get asked how many 'colognes' I own since I often smell differently (because I wear different things on different days). It becomes a topic of conversation and I enjoy it.

I don't involve everyone in every facet of my life, partly because they're probably not even interested in some parts of it, but I don't keep any of it a secret.
post #16 of 45
My credit card companies.
post #17 of 45
My wife and I are closet frag lovers. People know we wear them, they just don't know how much we have spent on them. We love that both love frags and that we can enjoy them together.
post #18 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kybid View Post

My wife and I are closet frag lovers. People know we wear them, they just don't know how much we have spent on them. We love that both love frags and that we can enjoy them together.

That is awesome. I try to share my fragrances with my husband (as my collex primarily leans toward the masculine), but he always says "I really don't want to smell good for the inmates". I should clarify, he works in a prison, he does not reside in one.
post #19 of 45
I just voted, and saw the results of the poll. I find it surprising that most people keep quiet about it. i can't shut up about it, and when i am with friends, i am smelling what they are wearing, making them smell what i'm wearing, and no matter what the conversation was originally about, somehow, i always end up raving on about fragrance. I can't help it really. Maybe i bore them. Maybe if my collection was huge, and costly, like some people here, I might be a little ashamed to own up to it. I aspire to get to that point.
post #20 of 45
Family and closest friends.
post #21 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scent-imental View Post

I just voted, and saw the results of the poll. I find it surprising that most people keep quiet about it. i can't shut up about it, and when i am with friends, i am smelling what they are wearing, making them smell what i'm wearing, and no matter what the conversation was originally about, somehow, i always end up raving on about fragrance. I can't help it really. Maybe i bore them. Maybe if my collection was huge, and costly, like some people here, I might be a little ashamed to own up to it. I aspire to get to that point.

Good for you! I'm glad some people are into talking about it!

I used to be less talkative about it, but eventually people found out. I supposed if I would have been on a beer-brewing forum, nobody would care, but it was gossip-grade for a guy to be into fragrance, so at that point, I just started putting on a good show. Eventually people realize it's more embarrassing to gawk than to be part of the story, so now I notice a lot of folks around me taking more interest in fragrance, and wearing cooler stuff. Generally, people are fascinated (for about 5-10 minutes) when I do talk about it. After that they get bored.
post #22 of 45
My boyfriend knows, though that's nothing I can "hide" from him since he lives with me. A coworker of mine knows, and she sometimes goes to me for fragrance suggestions or tells me what one she will buy next--she usually goes through one bottle at a time and then will buy a new one when her previous one is used up. But she's pretty easy to talk to about our hobby. My mom knows too, since I give her perfume periodically when I do a clean sweep of neglected perfumes. In all honesty, I don't seek out talking about it with anyone, but if anyone does want to talk about perfume either online or in person, I'm all for it.
post #23 of 45
Fragrance collecting is a bit of a newer thing than the older collection hobbies such as collecting stamps, coins, comics etc.
Even with collecting comics, if you are older, some people see it in a negative way. Even Elvis Presley's daughter (was it Priscilla? I can't remember ) made Nicolas Cage sell his comic book collection. Nick did the right thing in my opinion of eventually telling her to F Off.
post #24 of 45
My GF and buddies know about my collection. I just say I collect fragrances like fine wine. Everyone thinks its interesting and cool.
post #25 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by PalmBeach View Post

My credit card companies.

This!

I tend to keep it secret. I'd say my mom, my sister and two of my closest friends know that I'm into frags. Ofcourse some fellow parfumistas. Hovever I don't want my family and friends to know the extent of my passion. I feel nobody would understand. And it also makes me feel guilty somehow having spent so much on something that 'unimportant'. My mom likes smell, is interested as she used to work in an aroma lab when she was young. However she doesn't own many 'fine' perfumes. She is so pragmatic about it. She has some old and cheap stuff she's been given as a present. Then I made her sample No 19, which she liked a lot and bought. When I bought her insolence edp as a present, which she loves, she immediately gave No 19 to my brother's wife because she didn't 'need it anymore'. This kind of pragmaic, protestant attitude somehow makes me feel bad about adding 2 frags every month to my ever increasing collection. I also feel I spend more time with this hobby than I would like people to know.
post #26 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by gilesjp View Post

My GF and buddies know about my collection. I just say I collect fragrances like fine wine. Everyone thinks its interesting and cool.

Same here. That's the only way I can explain it to people who don't "get it."

I've got a few buddies who totally understand the amount of creativity and art in perfume, and have an appreciation for it like any other art (after discussing it with them). They're usually pretty eager now to try something I suggest, or comment on something I'm wearing.

My other friends who aren't so open-minded get bored when I talk about it so they have no idea how many bottles I have or how passionate I am about "perfume."
post #27 of 45
I can mostly get away with my collection because they are for perfumers reference... !!!
Yes about it being like collecting fine wines, except I have a problem with the latter because I use them up too fast... lol.
However I wouldn't dare elaborate too far. I only show the real damage to fellow enthusiasts and other perfumers.
post #28 of 45
Only those closest to me. I really can't be bothered to explain myself time and time again.
post #29 of 45
Partner - work colleagues - plenty of SA's in stores who know I'm a 'buyer'
post #30 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebor View Post

Only those closest to me. I really can't be bothered to explain myself time and time again.

Same here. People would be alarmed to learn the number of fragrances I have in my collection.
post #31 of 45
Wow - a lot of people are in the perfume closet! Many more than I would have expected.

I don't keep it a secret. All of my friends know I'm a collector and that I am very interested in perfumes. I show the collection to anyone that's interested, but not many are. I've given a few bottles to my father-in-law, who really digs old school masculines.

I don't talk about it to people at work generally, although I don't hide it at all. When I travel with colleagues, and I hit the duty free, the subject inevitably comes up.

For people that don't understand why I have so many, I just tell them that it's like an art collection. I don't wear all of them, but I like to enjoy them sometimes.
post #32 of 45
As an old airline slogan goes: "when you've got it - flaunt it".

I mention my cologne hobby to just about everybody, even the unscented. From my friends to the people working at the fragrance counters, a lot of people know that I love fragrances. Even my job description at my employer is surrounded by cologne bottles.
post #33 of 45
Most people know about my fragrance hobby because I wear so many different frags. Every one at work is always asking me about fragrances. They know that I take great pleasure in wearing them and appreciating the creativity behind the scent. Every bottle of fragrance is a small world onto its own.
post #34 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by rubegon View Post

Wow - a lot of people are in the perfume closet! Many more than I would have expected.

I don't keep it a secret. All of my friends know I'm a collector and that I am very interested in perfumes. I show the collection to anyone that's interested, but not many are. I've given a few bottles to my father-in-law, who really digs old school masculines.

I don't talk about it to people at work generally, although I don't hide it at all. When I travel with colleagues, and I hit the duty free, the subject inevitably comes up.

For people that don't understand why I have so many, I just tell them that it's like an art collection. I don't wear all of them, but I like to enjoy them sometimes.

I have a work colleague, who sits next to me, and always applies his fragrances at his desk. All he owns are masculine designer dreck. That's acceptable to many but when you veer towards the subject of niche, wearing feminine fragrances and the prices of non-designer releases, that's when it becomes a hassle to discuss.

While I have no problem openly discussing perfumes with anyone, most people have been conditioned by society to deem such a hobby as weird for men (especially when they're heterosexual). It's not so much justifying what I wear and why, it's more about not wanting to call someone out on their idiocy (along with the desire to slap them around the face).

All some people want is a quiet life, and proclaiming my interest in fragrances isn't going to bring about world peace.
post #35 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scent-imental View Post

I just voted, and saw the results of the poll. I find it surprising that most people keep quiet about it. i can't shut up about it, and when i am with friends, i am smelling what they are wearing, making them smell what i'm wearing, and no matter what the conversation was originally about, somehow, i always end up raving on about fragrance. I can't help it really. Maybe i bore them. Maybe if my collection was huge, and costly, like some people here, I might be a little ashamed to own up to it. I aspire to get to that point.

I've already bored everyone I know to death....... that's why I'm on here.... someone to talk to who understands.... sniff!
post #36 of 45
Not sure now that 'hobby' is the right word. At best an 'expensive indulgence', but at worst, an obsessive compulsion or even an affliction. 'Perfumes Anonymous' anyone?
post #37 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebor View Post

I have a work colleague, who sits next to me, and always applies his fragrances at his desk. All he owns are masculine designer dreck. That's acceptable to many but when you veer towards the subject of niche, wearing feminine fragrances and the prices of non-designer releases, that's when it becomes a hassle to discuss.

While I have no problem openly discussing perfumes with anyone, most people have been conditioned by society to deem such a hobby as weird for men (especially when they're heterosexual). It's not so much justifying what I wear and why, it's more about not wanting to call someone out on their idiocy (along with the desire to slap them around the face).

All some people want is a quiet life, and proclaiming my interest in fragrances isn't going to bring about world peace.

+1 on what trebor says, completely agree with ^^^^^^^^^
post #38 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaern View Post

Not sure now that 'hobby' is the right word. At best an 'expensive indulgence', but at worst, an obsessive compulsion or even an affliction. 'Perfumes Anonymous' anyone?

Lol... there is one on the dependents section here.... I think we are all on it.
post #39 of 45
Most I know understand that I suddenly like and wear perfume. Do they know of the overflowing cabinets? Of the super rush and absolutely druglike dependency? No! That'd ruin all the fun. Who knows about it? Not even me. I'm in glorious denial.
post #40 of 45
I don't really hide it but I don't really talk about it either. What I hide most of all is the cost, from pretty much everyone I know some things are just better left unsaid.

My close family knows and that's about it. It's not something I'm going to bring up and talk about with people who aren't interested really...I guess I'm just a little shy about it.

I did have a friend Google my name and he found links to this website, I think he was trying to pry about it and kind of poke fun but I just explained it to him as my hobby.

So yea...I don't hide it, but I don't talk about it much outside of my girlfriend who understands and everyone here.


Oh, and most importantly I hide my spending from myself...if I only knew how much I've spent...oh great now I'm thinking about it...oh crap....oh crap....
post #41 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto View Post

Good for you! I'm glad some people are into talking about it!

I used to be less talkative about it, but eventually people found out. I supposed if I would have been on a beer-brewing forum, nobody would care, but it was gossip-grade for a guy to be into fragrance, so at that point, I just started putting on a good show. Eventually people realize it's more embarrassing to gawk than to be part of the story, so now I notice a lot of folks around me taking more interest in fragrance, and wearing cooler stuff. Generally, people are fascinated (for about 5-10 minutes) when I do talk about it. After that they get bored.

Exactly!
post #42 of 45
I could not agree with you more. I definitely hide the cost of this hobby. My family & friends would think I was crazy. But what can I say, I love fragrances and they make me feel wonderful.
post #43 of 45
I chose 'a good amount of people, but not a lot':

Five in my immediate family, my girlfriend (and a few in her family), approx five of my close friends and a few work colleagues. And thankfully, no-one at my local post office.
post #44 of 45
Not everyone, but most people who know me realize how much I love perfume - but it's like so many of you here have said, I don't talk about it much for the most part. A few people are very interested, I think the rest would avoid me like plague if I kept on about it. morrison74, I had to laugh - you're glad no one knows at your local post office
post #45 of 45
It's still somewhat taboo for a hetro male to have a large scent collection. It's one of those silly misconceptions that collecting perfume is OK for a lady but many people find it strange for a man. It's like the stereotype that pink is for girls and blue is for boys. They're just colors pink and blue shouldn't have gender associations.

I'm not embarrassed to say that I owned a badass Fender pink paisley guitar. I had to sell it for financial reasons and I regret that I did that.



I know some others who wouldn't be caught dead with a pink guitar.
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