Thursday, August 6, 2009

That 70's Fragrance

My first cologne, Wild Country by Avon, was a gift from my grandmother when I was around 10 years old. I don’t remember what it smelled like, but I do remember how much fun I had playing with the race car bottle.

When Mr. Peacock started junior high school, I graduated to the Wild Country companion pieces—like soap on a rope, hair and body wash, and deodorant.

You can still find great vintage Avon bottles like pipes, guns and cars...and even a faux plaid thermos on eBay (above).

Avon still makes Wild Country fragrance for men, although I haven’t smelled it, but I know the packaging isn’t as cool as Avon’s novelty packaging during the 1960’s and 1970’s.

In high school, I began receiving more “adult” fragrances as gifts. My mom gave me Halston Z-14. I thought it had the coolest bottle at the time, and boy did I like the smell of that fragrance. The fragrance is still available, unfortunately it doesn’t smell the same to me at all, or maybe my sense of smell has just evolved.

Polo was very popular too! Occasionally on the subway, I’ll get a whiff of that peppery Polo cologne and it takes me right back to high school—and getting into trouble. I haven't smelled the 30th anniversary Polo Modern Reserve fragrance.
I also received a fancy Dopp kit filled with Aramis products one holiday—probably a gift with purchase. Does anyone remember the Aramis man—Ted Danson?!

Interestingly, Aramis is relaunching a handful of their vintage scents (above) from the 70’s to the 90’s including: Aramis 900 (launched in 1973), Devin (launched in 1978), JHL (launched in 1982) and three others. Mrs. Estée Lauder created JHL originally as a custom-blended fragrance for her husband, Mr. Joseph H. Lauder. It’s a citrus, spice and amber blend.

Aramis is calling these vintage scents, The Gentleman’s Collection—"a quintessential collection of fragrances for the modern gentleman". Hmmmm, Mr. Peacock is a modern gentleman. I guess I’ll have to stop by the fragrance counter at Bergdorf Goodman or Saks and see if any of the scents bring back any memories...or could possibly make some new memories.

I'm not really a big fragrance kind-of-guy, but I have my signature scents that I repeatedly purchase over and over again...and use sparingly.
In the summertime I like to wear a bit of Acqua di Parma. I bought a big bottle of it years ago at 10 Corso Como, so whenever I put in on I think of Milano. I like the citrusy, yet herbal lightness of this classic scent.

My “year-round” fragrances are Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet, and Saint Maria Novella’s Vetiver. I’ve always been a fan of the earthiness of Vetiver based fragrances, and I'm always on the lookout for a new Vetiver scent.

My friend Doug gave me a bottle of Armani/Prive Vetiver for my birthday. I’m still undecided if I like it, however the bottle is intersting—a glass cube with “rock” as the lid. It has kind of a moldy/mossy smell, with very light Vetiver notes. I actually like a stronger Vetiver base.

I always think I want to switch to a new scent, but then I’m completely overwhelmed when I go shopping/searching for a new fragrance. The descriptions of the scents are always very seductive and intriguing, but I rarely have the same experience reading a description of a scent and actually smelling it.
They all start smelling the same to me and give me a headache—not very sexy. I’ve been bold a few times and asked strangers what fragrance they’re wearing. Unfortunately, the scents react so differently to your body chemistry.

I actually like scented body washes, soaps and deodorants, because they give you just a hint of the fragrance and aren’t overwhelming—perfect for the daytime.

Do you have a signature scent? Any Vetiver recommendations?

23 comments:

David Toms said...

Some Vetivers you could try are Guerlain's and Carven's. I wear both and they are brilliant, although the Carven can seem a little harsh until it drys down. I love Blenheim Bouquet by Penhalligans as well.

Most old fragrances when relaunched have usually changed from their original formulas, as the ingredients are either too expensive or are animal by-products which cannot be used anymore, so your sense of smell has not changed, the fragrance has. Great post!

The Mistress said...

My signature scent is Jameson Irish Whiskey.

I take home samples from the perfume counter. There’s no cost and there’s enough in a sample that you can apply it for a few days in a row to see if it suits your chemistry.

Anonymous said...

I'm stuck on Terre D'Hermes since it doesn't use musk or lavender. Both annoy me.

Paul Pincus said...

Occasionally on the subway, I’ll get a whiff of that peppery Polo cologne and it takes me right back to high school—and getting into trouble.

ha! i love that. and i know what i mean! ; )

Paul Pincus said...

i meant to type and i know what YOU mean!

xoxo,
-p.p.

ps i must remember to put the pipe down once in a while!

SkitzoLeezra said...

Oh my gosh, when I smell Aramis, ~~swoon~~ it makes me want to say "yes". ;-)
You might like to try Molton Brown's Invigorating Suma Ginseng. It also has that "swoon" factor.

Miss Plumcake said...

I write a good deal about scent and have a specific questionnaire I ask folks to fill out who are looking for personalized recommendations. Normally I charge or you'd already have to be a client of mine, but I'd be glad to analyze you for free and make some suggestions.

thomaspaul said...

Guerlain's Vetiver for sure-to me is the best one that does not cost a fortune, Creed Vetiver is also very nice, albeit a bit pricey.

If you like citrus based you can't go wrong with Hermes eau d'orange verte

Hermes also has a new scent called eau de pamplemousse rose, which is like a new version of eau d' orange-a bit less citrus and a bit more moss.

Pigtown*Design said...

I love Penhaligon's Quercus. But the scent i always come back to is a soap called I Coloniali. It's very hard to find, but a friend in London sends me a couple of bars every so often. It's woody and mysterious.

I first smelled it on a man in a lift in London. I was brash and asked him what it was, and then went out hunting it up. Found it a Heal's and bought about six bars of it.

Paul Pincus said...

ps i use geo f. trumper's wellington and west indian extract of limes .... and creed's green irish tweed, which i believe to be the ultimate.

drew-o-rama.com said...

my mom loves halston and still wears the knock-off version.

i tend not to wear cologne, but when i do i wear monsieur balmain which has a lemony scent. smells "clean" to me.

Rene Schaller said...

at the moment for the summer, I'm in love with erolfa from creed.

Paul said...

I adore the Cote Bastide vetyver aftershave. I've used the same bottle for a couple of years. Last time I bought it I found it at Takashimaya I think. http://www.bodieandfou.com/productdetail.asp?pid=531&cat=6&subcat=62

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

10 Corso Como is on my travel wish list... I like my 'Amazing Grace' by philosophy! Been wearing it for at least 6 years now. Clean fresh scent, like clean laundry feeling! Great week MrP~

xo*

Mr. Peacock said...

Hi everyone....

I have to get over my
hay fever and start
trying some of these
fantastic recommendations!!!!

David Toms-The Carven's sounds interesting! I'm glad it's not my imagination that some older fragrances smell so different now.

MJ-You always put a big grin on my face.

Anonymous-Hermes has some unique fragrances! I never liked lavender either—until last year, and then it suddenly was appealing to me for some strange reason.

Paul Pincus-I guess you got into trouble too! ; ) Creed has so many wonderful fragrances—I'm going to check out the Green Irish Tweed.

Hi Skitzo-What is it about Aramis that makes the gals swoon?!

Plum-That's very nice of you, I'd love to try out your questionnaire, do you have an email?

Thomas Paul-I'm sticking with the Vetiver, but Hermes does make intriguing scents!

Hi Pigtown Design-I love that you were brash and asked a gent what scent he was wearing!

Hi Drew-I like the lemony scents too.

Hi René-Happy summer...A Creed scent is going to be on my holiday list this year!

Paul-Thank you for the link! They're out of stock now, and I like the simple packaging too! I like scented bath gels and after shaves—that's just enough fragrance for me...and I like Takayashimaya too!

Lenorenevermore-Have you been to Fred Segal in LA? 10 Corso Como is sort of like the Italian Fred Segal to me. I haven't smelled 'Amazing Grace' but i'm going to watch for it.

Thanks everyone for
the first-hand information
on good fragrances.
My holiday list has begun early!

Best,
Mr. Peacock

SkitzoLeezra said...

"Hi Skitzo-What is it about Aramis that makes the gals swoon?!"

Because it reminds me of a young hottie!
Perhaps we imagine that we can still smell our youth. ;-)

Anonymous said...

the original gucci por homme was amazing.. you can still find bottles on amazon.

it orange and it smells like redwoods

douglas james said...

Now Tom Ford is introducing 'Grey Vetiver'...of course he's the face of it in the new ad campaign.

ayeM8y said...

I actually have both Guerlain's and Carven's Vetiver fragrance, love them both. I also sometimes wear women’s fragrance like Ginvenchy’s Hot Couture, but my all time favorite scent is Joop.

Anonymous said...

'Cravache' by Robert Piguet; 'Signoricci' by Nina Ricci; 'Pour Monsieur' and 'Allure' by Chanel; 'Jules' by Christian Dior

viagra prescription said...

I didn't know that they made fragrance with the shape of F1 cars. Probably it is quite expensive and It doesn't smell so good.

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