I need a "manly" cologne, apparently....

[kingfisher]

So, pretty much any cologne that I like, my wife disses are being too "girly."

This morning I put on Castile. She says "You smell like a girl."

I like 1805. Her comment: "It's girly."


So, guys, help me out. The only colognes we kind of agree on at this point are Endymion and T&H Spanish Leather. Unfortunately, I think I'm allergic to something in Spanish Leather. Any ideas for a "manly" cologne for me?

 

[jrhudgins]

T&H Grafton?
DRHarris Marlborough?

 

[withoutink]

Mandom!

 

[Topgumby]

Bay Rum

 

[mr_economy]

John Varvatos Vintage, Tom Ford by Tom Ford, and Rive Gauche Pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent are three decidedly masculine colognes.

 

[dashmaverick]

Stetson

But really... how about Joop, it's definately a unique scent!

 

[rmrdaddy]

90 weight oil??

 

[Klopstick]

Get the sampler from Ogalalla Bay Rum and try the various types. She may like one or she may like them all.

What about Old Spice? Dollar General has a knock off (Ivory Club) you could get for cheap that smells like the original Shulton formula. Plenty cheap to try if you have it in your area.

 

[WhiteKnight]

Spanish Leather by G. F. Trumper should do the trick.

 

[Mr.Max]

Taylor's Mr. Taylor!

 

[mmack66]

Mandom!

Why didn't the thread end here?

 

[kingfisher]

Get the sampler from Ogalalla Bay Rum and try the various types. She may like one or she may like them all.

What about Old Spice? Dollar General has a knock off (Ivory Club) you could get for cheap that smells like the original Shulton formula. Plenty cheap to try if you have it in your area.

Old Spice, although often decribed as a manly scent, actually is quite floral and powdery. Unless her dad wore it (and I don't really know if he did or not) she might even smell OS and say it's girly! Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[StylinLA]

Dabbling around with frags for awhile, I think in spite of the abundance of reviews that we all read and see that would seem to give a fragrance a "masculine thumbs up," it is still a very individual experience. Your wife may have a very discerning nose.

The Penhaligons line is very old school and fairly floral. I like them, but I'm sure some would think any or all of them are girly indeed.

When you start to dissect almost any frag, there are notes in them that could be perceived as feminine.

Some of the perfume heads I PM with at BN seem to think Floris Elite is over-the-top masculine.

Blenheim Bouquet is often referenced as the ultimate male "power" frag. But man oh man, it doesn't last 10 minutes on my skin, and it's constantly reviewed the same way by many.

Knize 10 gets a lot of kudos as "only a man can wear this," but it's a leather scent and you may have issues with the birch tar note that is the heart of leather frags.

I think Caraceni 1913 is pretty masculine in spite of a rose note.

Some of the Creeds for men I can't imagine being thought of as feminine:
GIT, Tabarome, Royal English Leather.

You may have to dig around for some 80's scents- many of which are truly great. The trend since the mid 90s probably jump started by Issey Miyake, seems to be lighter and closer to unisex for a lot of men's frags. Your wife may not like that trend.

The original Polo is a very under rated scent. But it might seem to "dated."

 

[arghblech]

Knize 10 - Leathery and masculine
Creed Green Irish Tweed - The GIT is a crowd pleaser.
J. Peterman 1903 - Woody and dark. Manly almost to a fault.
Caron Yatagan - Weird but very manly. Clint Eastwood/Lee Marvin covered in burns kinda manly.


That ought to get you started.

 

[Chuakar]

Get the sampler from Ogalalla Bay Rum and try the various types. She may like one or she may like them all.

+1 on the Ogallala

My wife likes the original more than anything I've ever used. I like it too.

 

[PCFiend138]

+1 for bay rum, i also recommend sailor jerrys spiced navy

 

[RichGem]

Ogallala Bay Rum in its various incarnations
T&H Grafton
Lagerfeld Classic (might be available to you locally even)

 

[heirkb]

Some of the perfume heads I PM with at BN seem to think Floris Elite is over-the-top masculine.

Elite is pretty disgusting stuff! It's just vile!

In terms of Penhaligon's I'd suggest English Fern. It's such an old man scent (a wonderful one at that) she can't call it girly.

 

[Kouros]

Creed Bois du Portugal.

 

[mr_economy]

One other thing I might recommend is to take your wife with you to a high end department store or even a Sephora. Have her sniff various fragrances until she finds 3-5 that she likes (granted sniffing them on the paper strips is nothing like actually wearing them). Write down the names of those fragrances, then head to Basenotes to research them. You can find the notes that are in them, then look for other fragrances with those same notes, which she should also like.