Casual Friday 
Escada (1999)
DISCONTINUED

Opens with anise, lavender, and a powerful vanilla, followed by an old-school carnation and cinnamon in the mid. A strong cedarwood joins the spicy vanilla in the dry-down. Some people praise/complain about a licorice accord, but I don't get that at all. It's sweet, not a gourmand, but I still found it cloying on hot days. Consider that YMMV as I'm located in the Mediterranean where it's a furnace between mid-Spring and mid-Autumn.

Projection is good, and longevity is excellent.

In my opinion, a lot of online criticism levelled at this flanker of Escada Pour Homme derives from sour grapes because rarity made it expensive. If you want to get an idea of what the opening smells like before shelling out big bucks, get the delightful shower gel. The cheaper Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin has a similar vibe, but is inferior to my nose.

Casual Friday wouldn't exist if it weren't for JPG Le Male's success, but I never cared for Le Male's sweet minty powderiness.

Masculinity Level: Ashton Kutcher could wear this.

Back when I started out on my own as a young man, I remember when Casual Friday being a new release at my local department store and I purchased a FB only seconds after smelling it sprayed on a test card. At that time my access was limited to designer releases available to my market. Casual Friday ended up in my rotation through my early 20's and reminds me of a simpler time in my life.

CF is not the most sophisticated scent and I found it wears too sweet on my skin, especially in the warmer months. But it's got a softness and warmth that evokes a laid back feel. It's masculine, albeit on the softer side, and a gourmand with a slight boozy accord and a dash of anice. The longevity and projection are both fantastic. Just like a powerhouse scent it's easy to overdo, and sometimes that means anything over 1 spray!

Casual Friday was released around the time aquatics became popular and every new fragrance smelled like Acqua di Gio. It's certainly very different from the world of "fresh/beachy/marine/aqua" themes and its popularity likely suffered due to this trend. There is a "Limited Edition" release of Casual Friday that is 100% the same as Casual Friday just in different bottle. The original ceramic bottle is more unique than the green glass Limited Edition one, but that's just my preference.

For the sake of nostalgia I'm thrilled to have it but rarely consider wearing it. My nostalgia comes bubbling to the surface every time I smell it and I start to long for those happier days, gone by.

I'm not crazy over this one, but I do find it to be a great casual day wear scent. The gourmand notes of chocolate and coffee are done pretty well, and the licorice and vanilla notes are couched in there nice and tightly. Sillage and longevity aren't great, but that might be because the bottle I own of this discontinued scent could be at least 17 years old. :^o

Just found a 5ml decant of that long gone gem and it is fresh!!! Missed it so much! I have used it between 1999 and 2006 and it was a superb gourmandish one. Not sweet as Body Kouros and not cloying as Lempicka Au Masculin. Excellent composition. Great longevity and sillage. I don't want to mention about its notes, been written several times. I just can say: sexy as hell.

Please at least send an e mail to Escada and ask for it's re-release! Maybe someday they'll be convinced to rethink about the issue.

Wow, this is amazing. Worth every penny of the ebay prices of $200+. This is niche quality!

Yes, this aniseed-licorice-cinnamon opening is delightfully balanced, and in the drydown I get mainly amber and vanilla added in. Then there is limited development, but this composition is an incredibly rounded and smooth gourmand but brighter, more balanced and with a touch of lightness - never cloying or heavy. A harbinger of later heavier gourmands, this scent is very versatile in cooler weather. Good longevity and projection. A great and unique fragrance but a bit lacking depth and development. 3.75/5.