In this article I want to talk about some fragrances that I think you should try and that I also use personally.

There’s a quite a few videos on YouTube that have titles like “Top 10 Fragrances for Compliments” and “Top 10 Fragrances to Smell Sexy.”

Videos like those are alright but I find that usually either regurgitate the same 10 designer fragrances or that the author of the video is just downright lying.

Over the past year I’ve sampled 40+ fragrances, many of those being fragrances that appear on many of these lists.

Of course many of these YouTubers have FAR larger collections than I do, but this article will go through my personal experiences of which fragrances give me the best results in terms of compliments and female attention. I think if you sampled all 10 of these fragrances you’d have trouble finding one that you don’t at least love (not like, love.)

Instead of going through the notes and all that stuff (that won’t even give you a genuine idea of how a fragrance smells) I will simply tell you in laymen’s terms what the fragrance smells like to me.

Prada L’homme Leau (Spring/Summer)

This smells like expensive soap and ginger.

That doesn’t sound that amazing but this is BY FAR my most complimented fragrance. This gets more compliments than anything I own. It’s a fresh fragrance that makes you smell very clean.

I purchased this fragrance because I wanted something for summer but I became disenfranchised with aquatics.

A lot of YouTubers suggest Millesime Imperial, it’s clone Milestone and Light Blue Intense.

I didn’t like any of these fragrances at all.

I actually didn’t run into this fragrance from a review. I sampled the original Prada L’homme (which basically just smells like expensive soap) and decided to give L’homme Leau a blind purchase with advice from a friend.

This is a really great purchase if you’re looking for something for the warmer months that’s not a typical aquatic or citrus fragrance.

Xerjoff Uden (Spring/Summer)

This smells like a lemon creampie with a bit of airy and booziness.

I love this so much. It’s pricey but it’s smell like it’s pricey. This is one of my most favorite fragrances.

I got this after sampling Chanel’s Allure Homme Sport Edition Blanche. That fragrance was great too but it lasted all of 15 minutes on me in it’s entirety. When I saw that a lot of people said that this was similar I blind bought it.

Another problem with Edition Blanche is that some people are reminded of floor cleaner because of the lemon. This is the not the case at all with Uden.

In a world of orange and bergamot top notes this is a very unique fragrance and lasts super long for being citrus based (usually citrus fragrances will not last very long at all.)

I love this fragrance.

Armaf Club De Nuit Intense Man (All Season)

This is a very (seasonally) versatile fragrance.

I bought this fragrance as I was first dipping my toes into fragrances again after a break up.

This fragrance is a clone of Creed by Aventus and even though it’s not quite Aventus (which depending on the batch of Aventus could be a good thing) it’s a really good fragrance. Especially for the pricepoint.

It smells like smoke and pineapple, as silly as that sounds.

A lot of people will recommend Mont Blanc Explorer which is basically a Creed clone as well… except with the smokiness neuteured. To me Mont Blanc Explorer just isn’t quite as fun and sexy despite being more accessible.

I don’t really get compliments off of this fragrance but I find myself in weird (positive) situations wearing this fragrance. I’ve said before in a previous article that I’ve had a woman kissing my neck telling me how good I smelt wearing this. I’ve also had women stand uncomfortable close to me while wearing this fragrance.

I think this is a really safe cheap blind buy for something to wear to the club or a bar. It’s a really nice fragrance and quite sexy.

Rochas Moustache (Fall/Winter)

This is vanilla, amber and moss.

This fragrance is very similar to the fragrance Tuxedo by Yves Saint Laurent. Later in this article I’ll touch a bit more on Tuxedo by YSL.

This fragrance is sweet without being sickingly sweet and has sex appeal.

Therry Mugler Pure Havane (Fall/Winter)

I love this guy. It’s probably my favorite fragrance.

Unfortunately, L’Oreal reformulated this fragrance and butchered the opening (which used to be amazing and have a cherry note) but once it’s done opening it’s amazing.

What you get with this fragrance is sweet honey, vanilla, a little bit of chocolate, and sweet tobacco.

This is super cozy, sexy, and one of my favorite fragrances. Do note this fragrance is discontinued so it will not only be difficult to find, but you’ll also be paying more than retail for it.

The following fragrances I do not have bottles of but I think are worth your consideration. The reason I don’t have bottles of these is because I’m not THAT into fragrances and I just BARELY preferred the fragrances above that would otherwise fulfill their purpose in my wardrobe.

Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme (Spring/Summer)

I think EVERY MALE should try this fragrance. It smells like tonka (which is like coffee but not quite coffee), water, airiness and sweetness. It’s sexy, smooth, versatile and very easy to wear.

Versace Pour Homme (Summer)

Very inexpensive. This is a pretty much a clone of the regular Chanel Allure Homme Sport (not Eau Extreme). It smells citrusy and a bit floral. If you find Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme a little too sweet this is definitely worth a try. With this around the regular Allure Homme Sport is simply not worth the price (I’ve tried both and I actually prefer this despite it being slightly more synthetic.)

Parfums de Marly Layton (Fall/Winter)

Next to Prada L’homme Leau this is my second most complimented fragrance. I only own a decant of this and it STILL gets more compliments than everything I own (except for Prada L’homme Leau.)

It basically smells like apple pie for most of the time you’re wearing it and dries to to an ambery vanilla.

People love this fragrance.

The only reason I didn’t buy this fragrance was because it’s a bit on the pricey side and I already own two Fall/Winter fragrances.

Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo (Fall/Winter)

This is right along the vein of Moustache. Amber, vanilla and moss.

There is one different though.

This has an ambroxan note which gives it a bit of an ambergris smell. This makes it kind of animalic which, to me, makes it sexier than Moustache.

It’s a slightly smoother than Moustache (Moustache doesn’t smell synthetic, Tuxedo is just really smooth.)

Truth be told, I wish I would’ve skipped my Moustache purchase and put the money towards a bottle of this. I wouldn’t call Moustache a clone of Tuxedo but they’re VERY similar. Depending on your tastes you may prefer Moustache but to me Tuxedo is 5% and 10% better.

In fact, the only reason I purchased Moustache was because at the time Tuxedo was rumored to be discontinued (and was priced $350~$400 a bottle… second hand.)

This fragrance is a little overpriced for what it is (it’s around $175 for a 75ml at MSRP) but it’s super sexy, I love it, and, truthfully I wish I had a bottle.

Valentino Uomo Intense (Fall/Winter)

This smells like iris (which makes it smell soapy), vanilla and leather.

It’s sexy.

This is probably the nicest, sexiest, fragrance I’ve ever held to my nose. The only reason I don’t own this is because it feels a bit formal to wear.

I personally don’t think I can wear this with anything but a suit but if you’re not afraid to blur the lines of formality this is DEFINITELY worth a sample.

Out of ALL the fragrances I’ve ever tried these are the ones that have stuck out to me and my VERY picky nose.

An honorable mention would be Acqua Di Gio Profumo. This is my buddies favorite aquatic and I’ll be sampling it soon. He recommended me a lot of these fragrance after trying them himself and he has a HUGE fragrance collection. The original Acqua Di Gio is pretty great in it’s own right and apparently this is that, but better.

 Acqua Di Gio Profumo

 

Short article today and of all things, it’s going to be on belts.

Why belts? Because I feel like, of all things, belts aren’t really talked about by styled influencers and there’s quite a bit to know about them that I had to find out from personal experience.

Belts typically come in 3 different widths (from least wide to most wide):

1. 1.25″
2. 35mm (typically European brands)
3. 1.5″

The wider a belt is the more casual it is. So for example, you’re not going to want to wear a 1.5″ belt with suit pants or dress shoes.

I would recommend getting a belt that is either 1.25″ wide or 35mm for your first nicer belt because it will work with more casual outfits AND with more formal outfits.

In terms of matching you DO NOT have to be 100% spot on with the shade or your belt and shoes unless the occasion is genuinely formal (an occasion where you’d have to have to wear a suit or tuxedo for example.) For formal occasions, I recommend buying belts from the same retailer you bought your shoes from so they are as closely matched as possible.

In any other circumstance if your belt is a shade lighter or darker than your shoes IT DOESN’T MATTER as long as they are 90% similar.

Another thing is, you don’t have to, and probably don’t want to, match your belt with sneakers. The only exception is if you’re wearing leather sneakers that are the usual dress shoe colors (brown, black, walnut etc.) If you have red Air Force 1s for example you don’t want to wear a red belt. It just looks tacky.

Woven belts and cloth belts are fun but I’d just recommend going for a basic no-frills belt. Belts like those aren’t very versatile and only really shine in summer (and shorts.)

When you start buying belts from nicer retailers you will notice sizing goes in inches or cm as opposed to the usual small, medium and large, etc.

To figure out your belt size take your best-fitting belt and measure from the end of the buckle to the hole you use. That’s your belt size. Typically belts are sold in even numbers so if you’re between sizes go to the next size. Some people say you can take your pants size and add 2 but because of things like vanity sizing with pants I find this to be very hit or miss.

You NEVER want to cheap out on leather. It’s one of the few things that (to an extent) scales in aesthetic quality AND durability with prices. I recommend the following brands for belts: Thirteen50, Orion, and Meermin. Costco’s Kirkland brand is also made of real leather and not “genuine leather” if you’re hurting financially. I am personally a fan of Thirteen50.

I try to make articles on things I wish I had articles about when I started my style journey and hopefully this article brought you value.

I find that you can pretty much categorize the biggest ways money is wasted on style in 4 ways. These categories being (in no particular order):

1. Not Taking Care Of Clothing
2. Blindbuying Items
3. Not Buying Items That You Actually Want
4. Buying Things When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

1. Not Taking Care Of Clothing

As an example, I’ve probably wasted around $400~ by not purchasing shoe trees (when I should know better.) This isn’t a HUGE number when compared to how much money I’ve spent on clothing altogether but, it still adds up. That $400 could’ve been a nice dinner.

As another example: polos and chinos are super wash sensitive and shrink easily if you don’t follow the garment care instructions. Just one improper wash cycle could shrink these garments and BOOM! you’re out $70 to $90.

I have an article on taking care of clothing you can read here.

2. Blindbuying Items

This is more popular in the fragrance community than in the men’s style community as a whole.

Blindbuying is basically buying something and taking a gamble (buying a fragrance you’ve never sampled, buying a suit when you don’t know your measurements, etc.)

If you don’t know your size in a brand or you’re not familiar with how an item will work with you you probably don’t want to spend the money on that item.

Generally, you want to do as much research as possible before buying your garments or anything styling-related.

As an example: I blind bought a fragrance from Amazon, Milestone, that had RAVING reviews. I didn’t like it AT ALL. It was a complete waste of money and I’ve decided to just mail it to a pal.

Whenever possible try before buying unless you can guarantee that you can return the item.

3. Buying Items That You Don’t Really Want

This is another big one for me. I’ve found myself buying items that I “like” as alternatives to items that I love in hopes of saving money. This almost NEVER works out.

As an example: I bought a pair of GH Bass loafers instead of just going with Meermin or Allen Edmond. They had this cheap-looking vinyl-y plastic crap all over that I had to remove with rubbing alcohol. Me saving $100 quickly turned into a completely UNFUN DIY project. If you account for labor I ended up costing myself MUCH MORE than $100.

If you are equipped financially ALWAYS pick the quality good over the cheap alternative.

EVERY single time you cheap out you will regret it.

There’s been plenty of times that I’ve bought $20 sunglasses from mall kiosks or Target and almost every single time I say to myself “Wow, I shouldn’t have spent that twenty dollars.”

There has never been a time I’ve bought RETROSUPERFUTURE, Ray-Ban, or Illesteva sunglasses and thought “Wow, I shouldn’t have spent the money on those sunglasses.”

Another thing to consider is that, if you’re anything like me, chances are you’ll just end up buying the item you wanted initially anyway.

I also address this in this article here.

4. Buying Things When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

This is how I wasted the MOST amount of money. None of the other categories even come close. I’ve wasted nearly $20,000 throughout my style journey because of this. Do not go crazy buying items if you don’t know:

• How to size yourself
• What works well with your body
• Very much about style

You want to make sure you have a firm grasp on style and fashion before you start taking out a second mortgage to buy clothes (not literally, don’t do this, it’s very fiscally irresponsible.)

Therein is the value of styling services. I HIGHLY implore you to consider talking to a MEN’S stylist (real ones, not clothing box services), even if not me, before going trigger happy with your purchases. It’s not fun or cheap having to replace your whole wardrobe. If you’d like for me to help you just go ahead and click here and we can chat.