Post by Frank Cierpial

As any self respecting gay man will tell you, creating a harmonious outfit can be a casse-tête. People always ask me “Frank, why does it take you four hours to get dressed for any given soirée?” Well, I will tell you, everything in the outfit has to flow, from the colors, to the texture, to how everything shapes to your body, to the scent that you are wearing. Choosing a perfume or a cologne should be an important decision, not just : “Well, I wore this one yesterday, so I’ll wear that one today”. Whether it is perfume or cologne (eau de toilette for men) really shouldn’t be an important factor, because perfume and cologne are actually two different chemicals comparable to the sun and the moon, it’s not just that perfume is for ladies and cologne is for men. Perfume is stronger scented and cologne is lighter.

I had the awesome opportunity to review four delightful “Eau de toilette” scents created by la maison Detaille. Now, this article was a challenge for me, because I have never before reviewed a perfume, so strategy was hard. The first idea I had was to go into a gay bar and scream in French “Hey! Who wants to smell me?” But, after careful consideration, I decided against that one. So, the plan for this article comes with the strategy of a stylist. I am going to show you my thought process into choosing the perfect perfume or cologne to complete your outfit.

C’est parti !

Remember the blog post that Melissa posted in February about the beautiful woman who liked to drive, but needed to preserve her beauty not having a windshield or a roof on the car? That is the brand that made these scents. So they are from a vintage brand, but can be completely modernized with fashion. Let me explain…

The first one that I tried was called “Escrimeur”. The best way to describe this scent is a garden. It starts out as a strong fresh natural scent with a hint of lemon and brings you to a serene natural smell that I have a really hard time identifying. With a natural smell like this, you will want to apply it with greens and colors that are associated with nature. This specific scent having a natural smell to it would compliment a casual outfit really well. Of course, you can do anything in fashion and you should wear perfume or cologne your own way, but in my opinion this is not a scent that would go with formal attire. L’escrimeur will give you a natural smell to compliment your colors and blend harmoniously into your outfit. Melissa has styled a cozy and chic ensemble for bird watching at the bois de Vincennes. And you thought these styles were only going to be metro-sexual. Touché! :

The second one that I tried was called “Yachting“, and upon putting it on, I expected it to smell like the ocean, but fashion and cosmetic arts have always been surprising industries and, well,  it didn’t smell like the ocean. This soft scent is really nice for the cocktail hour; I would wear it with lighter tones of blue and cool colors, because of its soft nature. Unlike L’Escrimeur it is not specifically a natural scent, so I would avoid dark greens unless it is complimented with a bit of black to calm it down. As it fades the smell gets softer, so just remember that perfume changes its scent after being applied, so It can be hard to imagine this soft smell with hot colors like fierce reds, oranges, and pinks. But, it is a wonderful scent to have, because everybody should have a variety. Melissa has styled a great men’s ensemble for a wine and cheese aperitif on your (hmmm mmm) chic yacht docked on the banks of the Seine. Riiiiiight. 😉

The third one that I tried was called “Par 4” and this is a perfect scent for a dinner party (or an after golf party!) and goes very well with light pinks, violets, and purples. It is described as an “intense, viral, and sensual fragrance”. So, now we can even start moving into deeper colors, and accessorize with some très masculine touches to the outfit (we’re talking mustaches people!). This is really an evening scent in my opinion, like if you’re going out or having a cocktail party on a rooftop terrace or at a trendy bar in the 8th. Melissa, your stylist has styled the perfect metro-male-chic outfit to go with this men’s perfume :

The fourth and final scent that I was given is called “Aeroplane“. It is a strong and at first interesting scent that will take you back, and make you ask that inevitable question “What’s in it”? Even though cinnamon is not one of the ingredients I don’t think, the blend that it has gives it a spicy scent, which will allow you to finally where those reds and warm colors that you have been dying to take out of your closet, right?!? It is a bold smell, so it will compliment the warm colors nicely, and heat you up in the winter. As the scent fades, the strong undertones linger with a sultry hint to help you pick up your feet (or someone else!) on the dance floor all night long. Melissa styled us a trendy outfit just for those high flying nights on the dance floors of Paris!

I don’t know about most scents, but Detaille does an amazing job at color coding their packaging, so if you are shopping Chez Detaille, it would be a safe idea to follow the color theme that they give you on the box of each scent.

For gentlemen (and ladies) the scent that you pick out should be selected once after you have assembled your outfit and needs to be chosen as if it were a pair of shoes. It must complete your carefully styled ensemble, and we all know that the last and most important element in fashion or design is harmony. Everything has to flow and fit together. I am a man, I watch the Euro cup and drink beer, and I also use a color wheel to pick out my outfits. Guys, your masculinity will not be threatened by choosing the perfect scent, and p.s.: the ladies love a man who knows how to dress well.

Anyway, thanks for reading my article on perfumes for gentlemen, I hope I did a good job on bringing you into my mindset while describing them out and I’ll see you all soon, maybe bird watching in the Bois de Vincennes (hmmm probably not) or dancing at one of the trendy clubs in the City of Lights!

10 rue Saint Lazare 75009 Paris  ☎ 01.48.78.68.50.