Bandit: A Women's Fragrance I Enjoy

[pbrmhl]

I'm often an outlier but, at 63, I figure I'm entitled.

This afternoon, I sprayed some Piguet Bandit EdP. About five years ago, knowing it's a "women's" perfume, but having read a lot about its aggressiveness, I bought it blindly (at a much cheaper price than today's). Every time I've used it, I've enjoyed it. Today was no exception.

I have no idea why this is called a women's fragrance, except perhaps that Marlene Dietrich used it. The "dirty" progression from spray to dry-down to linger is very impressive. I hadn't used it for a year or two until today, but I'm going to turn to it much more often. I use another "women's" fragrance, Juliette Has A Gun's "Midnight Oud," also one of my favorites.

I'm confused by gender classifications of fragrances.

 

[PJO]

Huh. Another confused 63-year-old outlier here, of the female persuasion. Aftershaves often stress their “masculine” scents, and some even conspicuously state (warn?) “For Men” on the label. But — with the exception of bay rum, which I will *gladly* leave to you guys — aftershave scents strike me as gender-neutral. My collection includes many of the most popular aftershaves; my favorite is Swiss Pitralon (I assume it smells the same on legs as it does on faces).

Patti

 

[pbrmhl]

Huh. Another confused 63-year-old outlier here, of the female persuasion. Aftershaves often stress their “masculine” scents, and some even conspicuously state (warn?) “For Men” on the label. But — with the exception of bay rum, which I will *gladly* leave to you guys — aftershave scents strike me as gender-neutral. My collection includes many of the most popular aftershaves; my favorite is Swiss Pitralon (I assume it smells the same on legs as it does on faces).

Patti

Patti, I'm also a fan of Swiss Pitralon. I'm also confused by gender divisions on scents. Let's all enjoy scents we enjoy!

 

[Polarbeard]

Times and values change, when I was a young man wearing a sweet and/or flowery scent might have caused other men to feel they had the right to question your masculinity. These days very many of my favourite scents are labelled as unisex. I wear the scents I like because I like them and no-one ever objects, well that's not entirely true. My unfortunately late wife used to inform me when I had put on too much of it.

 

[trashcanmagic]

Times and values change, when I was a young man wearing a sweet and/or flowery scent might have caused other men to feel they had the right to question your masculinity. These days very many of my favourite scents are labelled as unisex. I wear the scents I like because I like them and no-one ever objects, well that's not entirely true. My unfortunately late wife used to inform me when I had put on too much of it.

My guess is that about the same proportion of men have a worthwhile take on masculinity as lawyers have on the finer points of blackwell's theorem

 

[pbrmhl]

My guess is that about the same proportion of men have a worthwhile take on masculinity as lawyers have on the finer points of blackwell's theorem

As a lawyer, I had to look this up. As a philosophy major, I couldn't understand any part of the definition.

 

[PJO]

My guess is that about the same proportion of men have a worthwhile take on masculinity as lawyers have on the finer points of blackwell's theorem

Haha, nicely (if obscurely — I had to read it twice) put.

But while lawyers with any knowledge of Blackwell’s Theorem might best be described by the null set, this thread gives me hope the same is not true of B&B men with a “worthwhile take on masculinity.”

Cheers, gentlemen and — to return to the thread — go enjoy a scent (ANY scent)!

Patti

 

[Ad Astra]

That's fine.

Stetson is a floral, one that T. Sanchez said she'd wear anytime!

AA

 

[Whilliam]

Lilac Vegetal is cloyingly floral, but it's sold as a solidly barbershop brand. I once tried it and dumped it; moreover, I cannot imagine any woman in her right mind wearing it in any form.

 

[Bhugo]

I think manufacturers just target an audience. I think a lot of men’s fragrances that I like would be great on a woman as well. I never had the urge to try any made for women in the past but I may try some that Scott mentioned in the future.....

 

[The Knize]

Well, there is William Blackstone and there is Rao Blackwell. I am not sure I even understand the former, who is clearly law related. I do not even understand what the latter is concerned with.

There are those who would argue that scents have no gender. I would probably argue that most scents do not have gender. This is a classic area of controversy. I think what is considered masculine and feminine in scents has varied a lot of the years. My grandmother, who, if alive would be about 140, wore a lot of lavender. But so do I and it is a traditional barbershop among other types of scent note.

I would say that the classification of Bandit as a feminine scent has caused a lot of folks to be confused over the years. Excellent scent. Someone said, and it could have been on this board, that they would love to meet a woman who wore Knize Ten. I think I would, too.

Take Imaginary Authors line of scents. I think either my wife or I could wear most of them. But I do not think I would wear L'Orchidée Terrible or Violet Disguise. I doubt my wife would wear The Cobra and The Canary. Today I am wearing Falling Into the Sea. I wonder if this one would seem more feminine to me but for the fact that it is a classic beach scent, with a lot of suntan lotion notes. Basenotes seems to list all of the IA scents as unisex except City on Fire as masculine, for some reason. I do not know whether Josh Meyer ever characterizes his scents by gender. (Hi, Josh!)