On formal and casual fragrances

[slpfrsly]

About a year ago, I wrote a thread putting forward some of the merits of separating fragrances by occasion and suitability. The vote was decisive: the overwhelming majority rejected the idea of splitting a wardrobe between formal and informal.

However, I find myself increasingly sure that this divide exists and is significant. Leaving aside the more 'creative' fragrances that eschew tradition, structure, and in a lot of cases good taste or any sort of oflactive appeal (which only seem to be increasing in number and percentage), the majority of designer and renowned niche fragrances slip neatly in to being generally suitable for either formal or casual dress and occasions. The new Acqua di Gio EDP? Casual, clearly, given how loud and synthetic it is. Penhaligon's Sartorial? Safe and demure, the very idea of formality is included in the product design.

Naturally, one man's casual may be another man's smart casual, but by and large I think the distinction is obvious enough - even today, when appropriate dress and a sense of occasion veers increasingly to the informal side of things.

Rather than reiterate the finer details of this topic, or go over the brands that seem to straddle the divide (in my opinion: Creed), I thought I'd ask a few questions that have struck me in the ~12 months or so since I first thought about it. I'd like to read what other people think:

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances?
- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)?
- Does your collection contain more fragrances from one of these categories than the other? In other words, do you own more obviously casual fragrances than formal fragrances?
- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios?

 

[_Nicolas_]

It's a significant divide indeed, but I'd ideally like fragrances versatile enough for all occasions. And I'm quite convinced that "formal" as such doesn't really exist nowadays for most men based on my observations and knowledge of menswear. What is actually meant is "very smart"!

Sartorial is a huge love for me, but actually far more rugged than it initially seems if one ignores the marketing. I can comfortably imagine skinheads (not to be confused with the later, politicised "boneheads") wearing it in the 60s and 70s if it existed in those days!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinhead

 

[hednic]

About a year ago, I wrote a thread putting forward some of the merits of separating fragrances by occasion and suitability. The vote was decisive: the overwhelming majority rejected the idea of splitting a wardrobe between formal and informal.

However, I find myself increasingly sure that this divide exists and is significant. Leaving aside the more 'creative' fragrances that eschew tradition, structure, and in a lot of cases good taste or any sort of oflactive appeal (which only seem to be increasing in number and percentage), the majority of designer and renowned niche fragrances slip neatly in to being generally suitable for either formal or casual dress and occasions. The new Acqua di Gio EDP? Casual, clearly, given how loud and synthetic it is. Penhaligon's Sartorial? Safe and demure, the very idea of formality is included in the product design.

Naturally, one man's casual may be another man's smart casual, but by and large I think the distinction is obvious enough - even today, when appropriate dress and a sense of occasion veers increasingly to the informal side of things.

Rather than reiterate the finer details of this topic, or go over the brands that seem to straddle the divide (in my opinion: Creed), I thought I'd ask a few questions that have struck me in the ~12 months or so since I first thought about it. I'd like to read what other people think:

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances?
- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)?
- Does your collection contain more fragrances from one of these categories than the other? In other words, do you own more obviously casual fragrances than formal fragrances?
- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios?

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances? The same
- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)? No
- Does your collection contain more fragrances from one of these categories than the other? In other words, do you own more obviously casual fragrances than formal fragrances? Don't know. Have thousands of each.
- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios? Not really.

 

[cacio]

I find it easier to find formal perfumes because informal ones tend to go into marine or woody ambers, which I do not like. For that reason I own more formal. No particular trend noticed in the two categories.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I don’t give this too much thought to be honest. I tend to grab what feels right for me to wear.

My wardrobe / collection is pretty versatile and I’ve got the segments you mention covered but I’ve never counted how many of each. I sometimes tailor what I’m going to wear to the situation, casual or smart/formal, but I also have fragrances that work as Swiss Army knives, without the compromise.

If I just had a handful of fragrances this might be a more considered issue for me.

I don’t have an issue finding fragrances I like though, one way or the other.

 

[L'Homme Blanc Individuel]

I don't think about whether a scent is formal or casual. I just smell 'em and I know when I'd wear 'em. It's kind of like how you look at a piece of clothing and know when to wear it. Nobody looks at a pair of swimming trunks and wonders if they should wear it to a funeral. It's just common sense. You'd probably wear a suit, or at least a coat and tie.

I smell something powdery like 1725 or even Royal Oud, and I know it smells dressy, or dapper, so that's how I'd wear it.

I smell something fresh like Chanel Eau De Cologne or playful Hanae Mori H.M., and it smells casual, so that's how I'd wear it.

Some clothes are more versatile, like a white button down shirt. Some fragrances are more versatile, like Gucci Pour Homme II, which easily straddles the line between dressy enough to wear with a suit but casual enough to wear with jeans and a T shirt. In fact, most fragrances in my wardrobe fit into the middle between casual and formal. I don't tend to be very sporty, but I don't wear a suit often either. I tend to be on the nicely dressed side of casual.

 

[StylinLA]

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances? I don't usually shop them based on those categories. If I find something I like, usually after a couple of wearings I mentally classify it fro myself.
- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)? Probably lean more formal though casual is more my life these days.
- Does your collection contain more fragrances from one of these categories than the other? In other words, do you own more obviously casual fragrances than formal fragrances? More formal I would say...though my personal classification would be more like "work.office" than "formal." I really only have a couple I would consider true formal- meaning really dressy.
- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios? I don't shop the mainstream houses a lot. But would generally observe that the trend is away from work/formal scents overall. There are not many very elegant type scents coming out that I see. Sauvage and Bleu de Chanel both seem like pretty versatile scents. Sauvage maybe more casual, Bleu and some of its flankers a skosh more formal.

 

[goutam02]

Instead, I categorize work vs non-work scents. Few like Chanel PM work in both settings. I prefer to only buy work safe scents, as I spend the most time at work.

 

[Ken_Russell]

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances?
From a personal viewpoint and based on individual, subjective preferences alone, a nearly even 50-50 divide, maybe with a minimal preference leaning even more towards formal.

- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)? Fairly same as above, again finding it quite easy and surprisingly pleasant to always (re) discover new highlights in either category.
With little to no strong preference, sometimes not even any logical reasons for this quite even distribution of either.

- Does your collection contain more fragrances from one of these categories than the other? In other words, do you own more obviously casual fragrances than formal fragrances?
So far more formal, but mainly due to finding more favorite classic, vintage and just about any personal favorite style (s) of near ideal fragrances much easier, with more variety, even more affordable among formals rather than casual ones. But always keeping in mind the possibility that this might change, having simply tested to few among the great casual ones before any major changes.

- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios?
Still quite uninformed and unaware about any significant changes as well as the main trends behind each. However also tending to believe (at the risk of having the wrong and/or incomplete opinion, viewpoint on this) that casual scents might be much easier to successfully craft. market, promote in order to become huge bestsellers-along with of course No. 5 tier successes among established formal fragrance style icons.

 

[milkbaby]

What is formal or casual is a cultural issue. In the old country that my parents immigrated from, all men's fragrance was casual as only young men or ne'er-do-wells that were out irresponsibly gambling, carousing, and/or spending their time with sex workers wore fragrance. No man in their right mind would wear fragrance in a formal situation unless they wanted to invite scandal.

Where I currently live in the US, the categories of fragrance (from what I gather having watched many interactions at the men's fragrance counters at department stores) aren't formal and casual; no one ever finds a fragrance to buy then turns around to ask, "but whatever shall I buy for formal/casual occasions instead?" Instead the divide seems to be "that smells good", "that smells bad", and the special subcategory of that-smells-bad of "eww that smells like my dad/grandfather yuck!" which is often voiced by the man's significant other.

My personal divide (not a cultural thing) would be more like the fragrances that are a "dumb reach" basically that I'll wear any time for any occasion versus the fragrances that I need to be in the mood for. However, I don't specifically search for either type, it's only after I've experienced them that they tend to slot into one category or the other. The "dumb reach" ones are a much smaller category because they are the ones that I enjoy the most, and there are a lot more fragrances that I just really enjoy tremendously but do not make my absolute top tier.

 

[Varanis Ridari]

For me it's just mood

What feels formal?

What feels casual?

For me, that really varies but I think drier and less overtly-pleasant feels more formal, since in a formal situation, you're sort of wearing decorum to mask your individuality and desire in general to be taken more seriously. I guess more-happy formal settings like weddings there is a bit of wiggle roam for me.

Causual on the other hand, is more "whatever, I'm just chillin' or getting something done (like an errand)", so you can wear something sweeter or more pleasant, and even maybe more eccentric, although casual also denotes lightness or light applications for me, since it's hard to relax when you're fog-horning 6 sprays of vintage Antaeus.

Bear in mind, not rules, just how I  feel when looking to be one or the other.

 

[Pippin06]

I wear whatever I want whenever I want, so I pay no mind at all to a fragrance being formal or casual. Right now I'm wearing the beautiful Chanel Antaeus with sweatpants and a hoodie sweatshirt.

 

[Renato]

For me, it would be easy sorting formal scents - throw anything labelled "Gentleman" or "Gentlemen", and pretty much anything from Trumpers into a drawer.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Effortless]

- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios?

From mainstream houses specifically I feel 2022 & 23 have sadly leaned more casual. It's not that they're all casual-only, but I find there to be far less releases I could see myself wearing formally. Something like Gentleman Society was very far removed from what I expected.

 

[hednic]

no one ever finds a fragrance to buy then turns around to ask, "but whatever shall I buy for formal/casual occasions instead?"

Actually happen to think in the same way.

 

[PrinceRF]

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances?
- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)?

Yes; I prefer formal fragrances because they tend to be more complex have have richer notes such as woods and leathers that appeal to me.

 

[dogtoe]

I never think whether a fragrance is formal or informal when I buy it, but I have a subset of fragrances I’ve repeatedly worn to formal events, so I have a formal grouping. I also have a set for outdoor work such as lawn mowing, believe it or not (Gucci Sport, CH Sport, Caron Sport). These get showered off whenever the work is done.

 

[Hugh V.]

- Do you find it easier to find formal/non-casual fragrances that you like than casual/informal fragrances?

Yes. I'm looking for a casual, daily fragrance closest to a sports gel or deodorant, but the ones you would normally think of (Bleu/Sauvage) are not casual at all in my opinion. To me their very conspicuous and date night/club-like.

- Do you have a general preference for one or the other (e.g. casual over formal)?

I would rather have a casual fragrance, rather than something that smells like it's for date or "dress up."

- Does your collection contain more fragrances from one of these categories than the other? In other words, do you own more obviously casual fragrances than formal fragrances?

My collection leans way more to the formal side: Halston 1-12, Rive Gauche, Dark Rebel, Grey Flannel, Santos, Matchabelli, vintage Drakkar Noir, Azzaro PH, Gucci Guilty Absolute etc.

Casual for me are only these: Metal Jeans, JV Artisan Blu, and maybe JV Artisan.

- Have you noticed any changes with regard to recent releases from mainstream houses and how suitable they are to wear in (either) formal/casual scenarios?

I'm behind in what's current with recent releases.

 

[Salumbre]

This is a harder question to answer than it looks, and I would have to answer it in the negative.

There are some fragrances I would never wear in a formal setting. Aventus is one, Sauvage another. There are more, of course.

Most other fragrances I would wear anywhere without thinking about it.