What makes a scent smell like "old man"

[bigsink]

I do not want to list peoples favorite brands here...but what note is what gives those scents the genuine old man smell?

[mikeperez23]

Please explain what 'genuine old man smell' is?

[Kevin Guyer]

I think that it's a combination of notes. Old man, like old lady, means a heavy, turgid, opaque and powdery presence. Good examples are: Oscar de la Renta pour Lui and Chanel no.5.
Sometimes old is comforting, but it's always old.
I can feel the angry posts coming in already.

[zztopp]

Some say fragrances containing lots of oakmoss and tobacco smell old - I say those two ingredients can impart an aura of sophistication, maturity and level-headedness.

Just dont overspray and you will do fine.

[thenmarcher]

This is an interesting question. For me, somehow I am able to make a distinction between "classic" vs "old man". I don't consider Tabarome an old man scent, however, Bois du Portugal...old man.

TNMA

[oolong]

For me it is any fragrance that does not belong in the "Children's Section".

[tajoh111]

To me old man is Fendi. Every time I spray that I start coughing and thinking of the elderly.

[foetidus]

I do not want to list peoples favorite brands here...but what note is what gives those scents the genuine old man smell?

Well, I'm an old man and I wear Lutens and L'Artisans and Malle and MPG. I guess those are the "genuine old man smells."

[scentimus]

YSL Pour Homme -nothing else smells like eau d' old man like that one!

[ebear]

...however, Bois du Portugal...old man.
TNMA

Funny, that's exactly what my wife says when I use (my sample of) BdP. I hadn't really picked that up. It can seem anachronistic, especially when you're new to it, but I find classy and refined enough to be free of the constraints of mere time.

[narcus]

OLD MAN SMELLS are...

the YOUNG MEN SMELLS of today: Adidas 3; Bond 9; Amouage Gold; Musk Ravageur; Terre d'Hermes; Dior Homme. Just wait till your branch bears fruit!

[fredricktoo]

My old man when he was alive used Mennen Skin Bracer. What does your old man use?

[the_good_life]

I would also like to know what fragrances are worn by...

Old Man River
Gary Oldman
The Old Man and the Sea
dirty old men

Thank you

[fredricktoo]

The Old Man and the Sea - the old man we're trying to come to an agreement now - the sea is another aquatic scent as if there weren't enough already.

[_R$_]

Old Mand and the Sea - He didn't have any money though, I can't see him being able to afford cologne...

As far as old man scents, I simply love 'em! If I smell something and it has an old man vibe whatsoever, I go nuts, and SA's are usually giving me weird looks by this time anyways, so I can't help but gush over something like Santos Concentree... it's so classic!
- Rich

[abg1234]

...

[alpine]

Are you kidding me? Whenever I catch a whiff of Erolfa I always think of Hemingways novel The Old Man and The Sea. Pure salty ocean in a bottle!

Yup, that's what I hate about it! That makes me grown up, which fits and is why I like BdP best! Original Aramis and Polo are good too. And Dunhill 34 (and only 34, the newer ones are too juvenile)

[kbe]

For me it is mostly created by my personal olfactory memory.

When I smell a scent that jogs my memory of some gentleman wearing it who was, in my perception at that time, 'old' (read: 20 years older when I was in my teens--much less as I myself aged) when I logged it into my memory, it is translated today into and 'old man' scent if I get a whiff of it or something similar. Although, it may well be that particular person wearing that particular scent might have been a much younger man than I am today.

[Kevin Guyer]

Maybe younger people fear the wisdom of their elders. Perhaps it's a threat to one of the great joys of life, the thrill of learning from one's own mistakes.

[_R$_]

Maybe younger people fear the wisdom of their elders. Perhaps it's a threat to one of the great joys of life, the thrill of learning from one's own mistakes.

Exactly, we want to have our own fashion, we don't want to dress like our fathers, and neither did yall when you were younger. Part of being part of something new is knowing that your elders will simply hate it; Rap, baggy pants, and piercings being the most common if not slightly dated examples.
- Rich

[the_good_life]

Exactly, we want to have our own fashion, we don't want to dress like our fathers, and neither did yall when you were younger. Part of being part of something new is knowing that your elders will simply hate it; Rap, baggy pants, and piercings being the most common if not slightly dated examples.
- Rich

How come retro is so popular then? Most college students these days look like my mom in 1969. Except Patchouli isn't all that hip these days (or is it?) Anyway, that kind of outward desire for distinction has just become a subroutine of the big consumerism machine (since Woodstock at the latest).

I still think the use of the "old man" phrase is counterproductive, because it's terribly imprecise and obviously subjective. I would prefer a question that asks what makes popular scents from the 70s/80s distinctive or different from the 90s/00s.

And if one by all means needs to connect it to generational issues, "scents of our fathers" sounds a bit more respectful than "old man scents."

but I do want an answer to my question:
"What makes a scent smell like Gary Oldman?"

[narcus]

Except for one of theirs, Etat Libre d'Orange should appeal to the young ones, then (?). Are Tauers young? I don't think so! Any designers? Those big men's wear labels seem rather traditional too. Except for someone who just mentioned today that YSL p.homme is registered as old man in his books, can citrus or acquatic smells be old as such?

For me, violets and lavender, have been old, but not in a bad way. My parents wouldn't use anything to do with those at all because they were house scents of their grandparents & parents. My parents developed preferences of their own and the industrie helped! Then there was Nivea sun tan oil and for me beach was sand plus lavender! Soaps and colognes were brought home from holidays in the Mediterranean, so, jasmin and violets came in packages never seen before with French, Italian, or Spanish text. They smelled different, fresh and exciting! It all had to do with emotional connections, and those change from time to time. The 'age' of a scent depends on impressions stored with it (my 2 c.).

[fredricktoo]

According to musicologists rap is no different than rhythmic poetry. Also when Jim Carrol of basketball diary fame was writing poetry in NYC, Africa Bambatta and others were turning the South Bronx around from being no mans land to being a cultural mecca. Late 60's doesnt seem new. Mtv broadcasting rap after school was premeditated to sell records not to make after schoolers happy.

My father and grandfather wore baggy pants but they called them pleated pants and they didn't need to be held up while walking.

We thought for awhile that not piercing or scarring our tissue was more civilized but young people being the absolute victims of peer pressure are bringing it back.

I don't think Zoot suits were ever really given a chance although Kid Creole and the Cocnuts did make an attempt during the 80's.

Gary Oldman being British and an accomplished pianist, right wing nutcase would probably wear whatever Maggie Thatcher wore.

[bigsink]

The reason for starting this thread was Bois du Portugal... M7...
in my opinion they smelled really - old. I want to avoid this in the future. So I wanted to know if it was a specific note , technique, or blend of notes that cause this.

I dont know if lavender/violet is the cause of old because Burberry Touch has it and its far from dusty/smokey with a hint of sweetness pourt on a tweed sport jacket smelling..

I was with my 10yr old sister and she smelled White Diamonds / Shalimar table and said outloud "eeeeeeewwwwwwww that smells like grandmaaaaa" and I chuckled

[JYvdK]

I might be old, if 40 is old, dunno...

My work collegues think some of my scents are ''old man scents, particulary if I wear my Vetivers ( Lanvin or Guerlain), Eau Sauvage or, Moustache by Rochas, very soapy/powdery....

I do get positive comments on other frags I use on a daily bases as per my current favourite list below;

Are these old man frag's as well now???? Behold......they probably are ,looking at them!!??

[stevolution]

"Old man" to me is Pinaud Clubman. Also, cumin and chilli powder. That smells like a dirty old man.



S

[_R$_]

Ah, citrus is "Old Man" though, examine Eau Sauvage. If I ever wear it, someone always comments how their grandpa smelled like that, and they always loved it!

Bel Ami is definitely my favorite patchouli (which I generally don't like), but this has been verified "Old Man" by everyone I know personally (even my dad). I don't think that patchouli is in, no.

If rap is just rythmic poetry, why don't more middle aged and older people listen to it? I'm not doubting your argument, I'm just saying that we still want to have something that our parents don't like.

Now that the trend is towards boot cut and slim pants with holes already worn in them, I'm struggling to find a previous occurrence in fashion. Other than the cowboys. But I don't think parents would appreciate their daughters running of with some Desperado. A Desperado wearing pants that are almost as tight fitting as hers. Which brings up jeans. For the most part, before the 70's, women didn't wear pants, they wore skirts. Thank goodness that's changed, because it's hard to play competitive sports in skirts. just kidding, it's not that hard

As far as retro goes, we do have a very strong inclination to take fashions from past years, but usually with a twist. Our mini skirts are shorter, our baggy pants are baggier (sans pleats), and our music is louder (Lil' John remixing all those 80's classics...). Unfortunately, our cologne is weaker, our orientals are less complicated, and our perfume is waaaaaay too fucking fruity. I look forward to the day when our kids think that anything that smelled like Britney Spears Curious smells like grandma, so they don't have to suffer through an 8:05 Stat class with one skank in pink sweats and about 10lbs of makeup that decided one bottle of Curious was not enough, she'd better use two this morning.

That being said, I'm not really a fan of perfume at all. The few I like are Chanel No. 5, Burberry Brit, Burberry for Women, and mostly niche stuff after that. "Allure"? More like "No Allure".

I have been told with most of the patchouli scents I've presented to my friends and family are "Old Man", maybe we could include that as an "Old Man" note?
- Rich

[pluran]

That being said, I'm not really a fan of perfume at all.

It's all perfume. Derives from the Latin "per fumum" meaning "through smoke"

[hirch_duckfinder]

Everyone knows old men (anyone over 35) smell of piss. They often also smell of overcooked hospital vegetables and disinfectant. Sometimes their breath smells of unbrushed, rotten teeth and digestive problems. So avoid scents with any of those notes. Until you are over 35.

[levente]

My only comment to this putrid thread is really a question: where is scentemental when we need him?