Wife Not Happy-Left Town and Left A Note

[PappyD]

Dear Pappy,

Try these-You need younger cologne.

This was a note from my wife of 27 years. She was heading out of town for a few days. I've been playing around with different aftershaves and colognes since I've been shaving with my new/old school DE razors. A couple of weeks ago she really told me how much she disliked the scent of Old Spice. Historically I've not been a big cologne/AS guy. Maybe a little balm or witchhazel splash...

Now add in at least two more scents- Pinuad Virgin Bay Rum and Sanborns Orange Blossom Splash. According to her, the Pinuad smelled like an old man, and the Sanborns smelled like a soapy old man. Actually, I thought that part was kind of funny.

So, attached to my note were two magazine fragrance samplers- Versace Man, and Azzaro Chrome. "Go to fragrancex dot com and buy these".

Now I'm kind of bummed because I was having fun with the inexpensive scents. I told her I was after that old school barbershop scent. Her comments were more of "You don't want to smell like someone's grandpa" or "I'm not too crazy about xxx either but I don't want to hurt your feelings" and my favorite, "I'm just giving you a woman's perspective-your smell-it's not so good". Yikes!

Has anyone else experienced this kind of reaction from a spouse or partner? I'm a young 52, in good shape, and everything still works so I don't want to jeopardize anything. I guess I'm amazed at how polarizing some of these scents can be! I sent her a text saying "No problem-need to know!" Geez, now my nickname is Stinky.

Any suggestions for scents in the same price range?(<$50 ) Fragrancex has testors(3.7oz) of the AZ Chrome for about $30.

PappyD (OK, she doesn't really call me Pappy...or Clutch, for the record)

[buddydog]

Those old barbershop scents trigger memories and emotions in me also.I hate that smell.....

[PappyD]

A quick reply to my own thread-

Just read through the thread started by mirwalk-

Best Reaction from the Ladies

Good stuff!

[southernmail]

Yikes! Good luck finding scent nirvana for you and your sweetheart.

[Atrin]

Well if you keep buying old people smells you're not gonna smell particularly young are you?

Try some sensual far away M7, outdoorsy natural man Terre d'Hermes, or even some sexy fun Cool Water. They're intelligent scents, young and vibrant without being obnoxious teen.

[jdudley76]

You could compromise and get a barbershop scent that smells really good. Try Brooks Brothers 1818. It's about $50 and you can test it at any BB store.

[xriley]

I think that you may need to pick up some YSL Rive Gauche.

[arghblech]

I'd recommend Guerlain Vetiver or Caron Third Man.

If you are the reckless and dangerous type try Caron Yatagan.

[SGB1963]

Clutch:

I have already been through this with my wife. My wife hates Old Spice and Club Man. What I think might work, IMHO, is going to the store and having her choose the scent she likes the most for you. To make the event totally worth her while, make a stop at the women's fragrance counter and choose what what you like for her. This trip to the mall might cost a few dollars, but it also might make all parties happy. I hope this works. Turns out my wife likes C.O. Bigelow Green Elixer Mens Cologne from Bath and Body Works (BBW), around $18. BBW also sells Bigelow Shave Cream, which is said to be repackaged Proraso. So a trip to BBW is productive for me.

Good luck, and let us know if you find a solution that works for you!

SGB1963

[Go West Young Man]

Colognes are incredibly personal - the same one can make one man smell good and his twin brother reek!

Your best bet is to pick up some beginners samplers, figure out which families work best on you, and then start dabbling around within those families until you find the right scent for you. Or, more like the right 15 scents worn in rotation!

[The Nid Hog]

My guess is that she's using reverse psychology to convince you to buy a big jug of Lilac Vegetal. Don't play hard to get--give your lady what she wants.

[Atrin]

My guess is that she's using reverse psychology to convince you to buy a big jug of Lilac Vegetal. Don't play hard to get--give your lady what she wants.

Because we all know...everyone woman wants her man to smell like the victim of a territorial skunk.


I thought there was a reason the bottle so prominently displayed its French origins...

[Jim]

My guess is that she's using reverse psychology to convince you to buy a big jug of Lilac Vegetal. Don't play hard to get--give your lady what she wants.

As a Man of 52 I would have thought you would be wise to the Willey ways of women by now!
As Chris has said the scent of Old spice is so alluring to the female persuasion that you are making your bride uneasy. All you need to do to turn the situation around is to reassure her that any 23 year old red headed lingerie models that fling themselves at you will be rebuked.

Its all good!

[natchez]

As a Man of 52 I would have thought you would be wise to the Willey ways of women by now!
As Chris has said the scent of Old spice is so alluring to the female persuasion that you are making your bride uneasy. All you need to do to turn the situation around is to reassure her that any 23 year old red headed lingerie models that fling themselves at you will be rebuked.

Its all good!

With my SWMBO I ended up with Polo Black as a daily cologne, mainly because she likes it and it is "youthful" as she put it to me.

I keep some Master Bay Rum and Clubman in the downstairs bathroom and splash on my way out the door, so she is none the wiser. When we spend the day together, it is the Polo. Small price to pay for a woman that never hassles me about the AD

[Uncle Erik]

Why don't you get a couple of sample sets over at the Perfumed Court, then let your wife pick a scent. She'll appreciate the effort.

[StylinLA]

I'm a frag head. I feel your pain. I am aware of the manly "if I like it I'll wear it" attitude. But if you've got a wife and you love her, best to recruit her in the search. Some of the classics we love in here are going to freak out some people; Old Spice, Clubman, Tabac, etc.

If she wants to attack your taste, then she's got to get involved too. Make her help pick out some samples from Lucky Scent or The Perfumed Court.

If you get some scents you both like, it will pay dividends.

Don't buy Lilac Vegetal.

[Topgumby]

Any suggestions for scents in the same price range?(<$50 ) Fragrancex has testors)

I like Testors, the paint thinner is a fantastic fragrance, and has the youthful scent of a twelve year old boy working on his first Revell hot rod.

Seriously, Pappy, at 52 you should be comfortable in your own skin, and if that skin says go forth and grab some "younger" scents to please the bride, then have at it.

My bride likes some of the "classics" (not all of them) and I figure what I do now will override any negative scent associations she has. It may be an old man scent, but she'll learn to love it or I'll kill us both convincing her.

Of course, your testosterone filled rant may vary.

Besides, she says it's time for my nap now.

[Topgumby]

Don't buy Lilac Vegetal.

True.

You don't buy it, you live it.

[mbrossar]

Well, there's always Mandom.

[jlindy]

What you need to do is clean any firearm you may have and reek of Hoppe's for a couple of days. After that the Old Spice have more appeal.