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Do you wear perfumes designed for the opposite gender?


Do you wear perfumes designed for the opposite gender? (As a man, wearing a scent designed for a woman; woman wearing a scent designed for a man.)  Favorites?

I do tend to gravitate towards more masculine scents, which is why Tom Ford’s line probably holds so much appeal for me (though most are unisex).

Thanks to Annette for today’s question!

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Marie Avatar

It makes sense that, as women, we are attracted to the scent of colognes…they are designed to attract women, after all! But, even so, I would feel way too weird having the guys around me in class picking up the scent of cologne on ME – I would rather wear a nice perfume that attracts THEM! I also don’t like the idea of departing from my femininity — my perfume definitely plays a large role!

Maureen Avatar

Well, yeah, women are SUPPOSED to like men’s better… My boyfriend wears Zirh Ikon which, basically, can only be found at TJMaxx now, but it goes so well with his body chemistry. I wear Miranda by Fragonard.

Diana Avatar

The only perfume I own that’s marketed strictly to men is Hermes Terre d’Hermes. Otherwise, I wear mainly unisex scents (mostly Serge Lutens) or women’s perfumes like Chanel No. 19 and Ormonde Jayne Champaca that contain more traditionally “masculine” notes, and could very easily be unisex.

Annette Avatar

oooooh – I’m *crazy* about Terre d’Hermès. I haven’t been brave enough to wear it because i find it so sexily masculine that i’m almost afraid i’ll make women swoon around me;-) I’m going to buy Voyage d’Hermès which smells similar and is marketed as unisex. Love it!

tori Avatar

I don’t wear anything beside body mist, but I loveeeeeeeee the smell of men’s cologne. Our fragrance scents either bore or give me a headache.

exotic_ambrosia Avatar

I love Abercrombie & Fitch’s Fierce cologne. It’s their signature scent, the one they use in their stores. When I worked there, many of the girls would spray themselves with the cologne! I still love it because it brings back great memories 🙂 I also love Nautica Voyage cologne 🙂

Aurore Avatar

Absolutely ! My skin tends to accentuate musc and patchouli scents. I usually wear Chanel Chance, I often use Dolce&Gabbana for men since I’m 16. I love D&G l’Amoureux a lot.

Annette Avatar

I bought l’Instant de Guerlain pour homme and happily wore it for a few months until my husband stole it and has since repurchased it for himself! It’s so much nicer than the ‘pour femme’ one. I love the sophistication of Guerlain perfumes. Vetiver by Guerlain is fab too on a woman.
P.S. Thanks so much for choosing my question *big happy face:-))*

Donna Cooper Avatar

Oh Yeah!!!!!!

Chanel Egoiste, Creed Bois du Portugal,Royal Delight, Santal Imperial, Caron Third Man,Guerlain Heritage,Serge Lutens is unisex anyway. Never had anyone say I smelt like a man yet.

Mariella Avatar

I used to, years ago – Vertiable Eau de Cologne Imperial was one of my favourites for its clean, citrusy scent and I’ve always loved the smell of vertiver. But I haven’t worn a man’s fragrance in years. Maybe I should think about it again as the warm weather approaches!

Lea Avatar

I love my girly scents like no other, but I got Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million fragrance (which is for men) and I LOVE it. I feel so sexy wearing it, because it’s not an obvious men’s perfume. I love it, and it lasts all day.

Funnily I also own the female version, Lady Million, and I love that one as well. But 1 Million is probably one of my favorite perfumes.

And I generally love the smell of men’s perfume, but there are only very few I would wear myself.

Jasmine Avatar

Nope,If want the smell of a man I’d tell my husband to come here do I could smell his cologne I like the smell of most cologne period but I wouldn’t wear it on myself

jgoreham Avatar

I wear little to no scented products (don’t mind a scented bath product, though- sometimes I like to use my husband’s body wash, I love it when he has Adidas ones). If I used anything, it’s just a bit of a body mist in very sparse quantities.

Lauren Avatar

Yes! My fiance wears Bvlgari Black, which is a men’s fragrance. I can’t resist stealing a spritz every once in a while. It is a beautiful scent!

Fey Avatar

Armani Code for Men has to be the most brilliant (though a bit of a cliche) workplace perfume. I’d rock guys’ office scents any day. I’m also highly drawn to leather, vetiver, ozone, and smoky notes, most of which are unfortunately nearly exclusive to perfumes for men. I do love sugary, girly perfumes too. Too many male vanilla scents are boozy.

t_zwiggy Avatar

NO, NO, NO! I absolutely HATE male scents. And I absolutely hate if women around me smell like men. It makes me think of them as dirty (not sexy dirty, but like they never wash or shower). Nasty!

Shannon Avatar

I wear men’s cologne, but don’t currently own any . . . ALL OUT! LOL! But, I wear both. I find that men love men’s cologne on me, for some reason. But, I’m currently loving Coco by Chanel, which is more masculine smelling, to me.

Morgan Avatar

I love perfumes, dont’ get me wrong, but my favorites are the semi-masculine scents from Abercrombie! I actually do own a bottle of Abercrombie Fierce (for men) which I wear all the time. I get all sorts of compliments from women on how good I smell, and guys too (even though some know exactly what it is)

Sarah Avatar

During the summer, yes, since they tend to be more on the crisp, citrusy, green side of things and not so sickeningly fruity and sweet (not something people living in a hot and humid climate really go for…). I like more feminine stuff in the winter and spring. Fall tends to go more unisex (looking at you, Bulgari Black…).

Liz Avatar

I got a sample of YSL La Nuit de L’Homme from Sephora and I love it. What I really love is the way the scent fades on my skin. If I had the extra money (and didn’t want to use it on makeup!) I’d probably buy a bottle. Or else I’ll just wait until there’s a man in my life and buy it for him in large quantities. I’m intrigued to try unisex perfumes, though!

Arlee Avatar

Absolutely! I started wearing Axe or Old Spice deodorant just because it worked better and that’s what the guys at my wresting ring used, but after a while I realized it didn’t give me a headache like most overly-flowery, powedery girly scents. As far as cologne goes, I usually wear men’s, with a bit of vanilla essential oil mixed in for a hint of femininity. :3

Amy Avatar

Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male. I just got my bf a bottle and he has to pry it away from me. It smells so sexy, I even like just a half a spritz on me. It fades wonderfully through out the day.

Bozena Avatar

I was starting to wonder if I’m the only women who loves Le Male (on me that is :)). It really smells so sexy, and mixes nicely with other scents. I get many compliments while wearing it.

Stefani Avatar

No. I HATE male colognes. I dont like them alone and I dont like them on guys… I would rather them just be clean and have no fragrence. After all, aren’t we attracted to their pheromones? Why cover that up.

Chynna Avatar

I have a few I like and I wear a lot of unisex scents that are more masculine. I love amber scents, fresh citrus and fruit scents and I’m not really big on florals.

Dandoona Avatar

I absolutely adore Acqua di Gio by Armani, I get tons of ppl asking me what I’m wearing, its so light and fresh…..I also love JPG Le Male as well.But I suggest to all to spritz Acqua and see what I mean lol

Joanne_ Avatar

Usually when it comes to unisex scents I stick with Dolce & Gabbana because the right balance is there. Sometimes companies either make the scent too sweet or too strong and label it unisex when it could’ve been just been specified by gender.

Laia Avatar

I remember that once my Non-verbal communication professor said: “do colours have a penis or a vagina? if not, why do we keep classifying things as male/female?” same can be said about fragances. Now I’m using girly scents but I ADORE Acqua Di Gio. It’s going to be the next one I’ll buy!!! <3

C2keri Avatar

I do. Sometimes there’s nothing like the dark, woody scent of a guy cologne. I find that, if I wear one when I’ll be outside in the summer, that the scent develops really well. I always get compliments.

Jimmie Avatar

I’m a dude and I wear Dior Hypnotic Poison heavily when I go out at night. Nobody ever pegs it as a women’s scent when it’s on me, and I never tell them what it is! Flowerbomb is a bit more obvious but I enjoy the looks that slide across people’s faces when they smell it on me – I don’t wear it often but when I do, I mean business. Then of course there’s Mitsouko, Chanel Sycomore (more a unisex, really) and Shalimar.

Perfumes don’t blow up if you spray them on the “wrong” gendered person. It’s an accessory like any other – enjoy them!

Lucie Avatar

I don’t buy my perfumes based on what gender they are marketed to…most of my favourites are considered unisex (loveeeee Tom Ford as well!). Traditionally ‘female’ perfumes (fruity, floral notes) just aren’t me, but I don’t care for sporty men’s fragrances either….usually. Must confess I am wearing a liberal spraying of AXE at the moment. xD

Harley Avatar

I occasionally wear my father’s colognes. They smell amazingly fresh and clean, I also use them as a way to feel close to him since he died so they smell great and bring back happy memories.

Kenneth S Avatar

I do! Whenever I like it I wear it… I dont think in terms of male or female when I go fragrance shopping! I wear l’eau d’issey by issey miyake in all versions!

meme Avatar

Nope…only long ago when CK came out with that unisex one in the 80’s. None work for me after that. Heard there is a new Kloe and Lamar unisex one out.

Christina Avatar

I absolutely love wearing men’s cologne as the scent transforms on my skin into a very sexy fragrance that… funny enough… men love!

My top men’s colognes (for myself) are
– SEAN JOHN “I am King of the Night”
– FCUK “him” [[ lol ]]
– ALFRED SUNG “Hei”
– BURBERRY “Weekend”
and I think my BECKHAM “Intimately Yours” is a men’s fragrance

the BEST unisex fragrance, for me, was the CK One Summer in the orange and yellow bottle that came out last summer, as a LE.

aloix Avatar

Yes. My ex left behind some Chanel Egoist and Dolce & Gabbana, and I wear them occasionally. I’ve also long loved unisex fragrances. Really, I just wear what I think smells good. Sometimes I’m in the mood for fruity/flowery, sometimes I’m not 🙂

Brittney Avatar

No, but if I did wear a men’s fragrance, I’d definitely pick Hugo Boss’ Orange Man scent. I smelled it at Selfridges in London the day Orlando Bloom was signing bottles and fell in love with it!

Alison Avatar

I’m trying to find this men’s deodorant my cousin uses which smells just gorgeous. Its warm, deep and slightly sweet. I hate a lot of women’s fragrances because they tend to assume we like weak, flowery scents – I like scents with more depth and kick. Its not necessarily that I like all guy’s scents, but I will say that I’ve only found about two perfumes marketed to women that I like.

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