Question:
Originally Posted by Herb Lady [quote author=czesc link=1145847023/0#14 date=1145944968][quote author=Herb Lady link=1145847023/0#10 date=1145930334]From what I've heard, Montreal is rather different culturally from the rest of Canada, so it would be interesting to hear what other Canadians think about this issue.
But I think your views are more in line with Americans of the same age as yourself; it's older American men in some regions who have differing views regarding fragrance.
I live in Montreal now as well but I've lived in 2 other major canadian cities and visited 1 more so Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver and we're all pretty fragrant. Montreal is more nichey, Ottawa is more "safe" citrusy scents, Toronto is more high end designer scents and Vancouver I only visited shortly so I couldnt make a definite say but I definatley smelled alot of frags around downtown.[/quote]
Thanks for the information regarding Canadian preferences. It seemed logical that a country as large as Canada would have regional differences.
I also had no idea that certain parts of the USA were still as conservative as reported above, regarding men's fragrance.
I'd love to hear more about Asia and Australia/New Zealand, from any members there. Also, regardless of the country, is there any sort of specific "fragrance culture" in the gay community? I have no idea what that would be, but am just wondering.
Even for women, there are such expections as to what type of fragrances we should wear, based upon our backgrounds, professions, ages or even geographical locations. But as it's considered more socially acceptable in most of the USA, and probably the world, for women to be passionate about fragrance, I find it interesting to learn more about how all men indulge this passion within their own community. [/quote]
When I moved to Montreal I noticed that most of the salespeople here at fragrance counters are either really pretty 20 something girls or old ladies, while in Ottawa there was ALOT of gay guys working fragrance counters. Here in Montreal I haven't ran into one yet and I've done alot of frag shopping. Idonno if this helps at all it was just an observation I had made. Another thing I could add in is that most of the gay guys in Ottawa really knew what they were talking about when it came to the products and history and just perfume in general, while alot of the fragrance counter girls here just know the basics (like what familyies the featured scents of the week are in and the major notes, if even that) other than that they dont know much. They just spray it on you and tell you that you smell good then smile and act pretty so you buy it ! LOL

Answer:
Originally Posted by Herb Lady [quote author=gooderin link=1145847023/0#12 date=1145938792]Men rarely wear frags in south Louisiana. Usually a man will have a bottle of Acqua di Gio, Cool Water, or something similar in popularity laying about that he received like, three xmases ago.
I buy my boyfriend Creed frags and other stuff that we both like. He is the only man I detect any scent on on a daily basis (and I am around a ton of men every day). Do you think that the heat and humidity of Lousiana has anything to do with it?
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Possibly; however, I think the whole outdoorsy, fishing and hunting lifestyle most of the men lead down here just doesn't go with frags. They are more into having GIGANTIC trucks with Rebel flags displayed across the back. :
I'm one of the few girls I know down here that actually likes a man to wear cologne.
I hate the heat and humidity down here. I've heard that some people think heat and humidity turns your scent "sour" but personally it just intensifies whatever fragrance I happen to be wearing--so that is the only pro of the heat and humidity. I've lived outside of Louisiana for one year and that was in Nevada. I felt like my frags did not last near as long on my skin in that climate.


Answer:
Originally Posted by gooderin
I'm one of the few girls I know down here that actually likes a man to wear cologne.
I hate the heat and humidity down here. I've heard that some people think heat and humidity turns your scent "sour" but personally it just intensifies whatever fragrance I happen to be wearing--so that is the only pro of the heat and humidity. I've lived outside of Louisiana for one year and that was in Nevada. I felt like my frags did not last near as long on my skin in that climate. Just out of curiousity, have other girls there said WHY they don't like men to wear cologne? *Any cologne? *Do they perceive it as too effeminate or is it something else? *


Answer:
Originally Posted by czesc *
When I moved to Montreal I noticed that most of the salespeople here at fragrance counters are either really pretty 20 something girls or old ladies, while in Ottawa there was ALOT of gay guys working fragrance counters. Here in Montreal I haven't ran into one yet and I've done alot of frag shopping. Idonno if this helps at all it was just an observation I had made. Another thing I could add in is that most of the gay guys in Ottawa really knew what they were talking about when it came to the products and history and just perfume in general, while alot of the fragrance counter girls here just know the basics (like what familyies the featured scents of the week are in and the major notes, if even that) other than that they dont know much. They just spray it on you and tell you that you smell good then smile and act pretty so you buy it ! LOL Um, okay. *Not quite what I meant about fragrance in the gay community, but interesting in a "did you get suckered into buying whatever scents the 20-something year old pretty girls showed you after melting you with their flirtatious glances?" sort of way. *Hopefully that just illustrates that an experienced and knowledgeable salesperson, regardless of sexual orientation, is much more useful to the consumer. *
What I really meant is if within the gay community, are there any sort of expectations or etiquette or preferences regarding men's fragrance? *Again, I have no idea if this would even be so, and mean no offense by it at all, but simply wonder if this varies at all from the straight community. * For instance, two of my uncles, whom are gay, wear vastly different fragrances from each other, but both were experimenting with fragrance (and much more interesting ones) much sooner than my heterosexual uncles. * *However, my husband's cousin, who is also gay, is a Mid-Westerner and rather conservative by nature, and his fragrance reflects that. *But I have no idea if that's really a personal preference or a reality of where he lives and works.
I appreciate the honesty and insights here because this is one of those topics where people are understandably curious about others and their customs (Americans are especially curious people), but you don't want to keep asking someone you know the same type of questions, making them feel like they have to constantly be the spokesperson for their entire culture/gender/ethnic background/race/age group/, etc., rather than just being treated as another human being. *
Anyway, I look forward to more responses and again, thanks for sharing!
Herb Lady

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I find this fascinating, hopefully we can have "reporters" from as many Countries as possible. In the northeast US, you're allowed to wear cologne, even on an everyday basis, but its usually boring as hell like ADG, Polo Blue, etc.
When people find something vaguely interesting such as M7, Habit Rouge, etc. they get very weireded out. But it's becoming more acceptable to wear fragrances in general so that's a start at least.
Por Ejemplo: My roomate from maine used to chastize me all the time for loving fragrances. However he secretly got really into it because throughout the year he got Chrome, than Blue Note, now hes gonna get reaction and ADG as well.
So clearly, he's stuck on the boring stuff. but he even knows to wear sum in warmer weather, some in cooler weather!
So as it's becoming less and less important to be ignorant of hygeine to be considered a "true male" i predict colognes will be more and more acceptable to be worn loudly, and often!
However niche fragrances will never be popular, because their not supposed to be! and expensive as well.

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I find there is an age divison noticeable.
- Grandpa: hair groom and shave lotion or a light (no-name) cologne, as everybody uses in their bathroom.
- Daddy: has two or three good label colognes he uses on special occasions. One may have been an xmas gift or from his fiancée, and more than 20 years old.
- The young generation (boys and girls) seem to have a favorite past time: sniffing at colognes on saturdays. They mostly come in groups or as a couple. They also buy, and I assume they have a lot at home. Younger bankers wear colognes regularly under their white shirts and ties. Public traffic between 7 and 9 in the morning: you get an idea of what must be in - dry and peppery stuff seems to project especially well! Loud is a no-no, and these scents are really less noticeable during the day - if at all!
But these strong, manly, individualists also exist: shave lotion maybe, cologne - never.
And if you met them socially - you wouldn't know the difference!
Herb Lady, curious concerning gay preferences: I think gay males are as different from one another as straight men are. So he will choose from the whole palette, or maybe nothing! With a bigger budget than a daddy or husband has to spend on himself, he may buy the more expensive stuff. Some more extrovert types have always been male fashion trendsetters, from camouflage trousers to pink sweaters. Why shouldn't these have been the first to wear Mugler's colognes, or a straightforward female frag? It sounds to me that some in the gay crowd may have things in common with some afroamerican guys: a special consciousness of how they dress and, perhaps, how they smell? It's always good to know where your allies are, Louisiana in this case!
I have friends in Germany and they tell me similar stories, none of them lives in a big city.

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Here in Tampere, Finland, guy wearing fragrance is almost rule, not exception. Almost exclusively Hugo Boss fragrances, Le Male and AdG. But when a guy is actually interested in fragrances, there is something wrong with him. Really sad.

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Can anyone help me with this? *I want to quote two or three posts from other people on this thread, into my post, so that I can respond to what's being reported back. *Is there a way to do that or must I only quote one person/one post each time?
Thanks!
Herb Lady

Answer:
Originally Posted by Herb Lady Can anyone help me with this? *I want to quote two or three posts from other people on this thread, into my post, so that I can respond to what's being reported back. *Is there a way to do that or must I only quote one person/one post each time?
Thanks!
Herb Lady I've never done it, but if I wanted to try, I would run two windows and copy and paste from the 2nd window to my responding reply post.


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Originally Posted by foetidus [quote author=Herb Lady link=1145847023/15#27 date=1146358663]Can anyone help me with this? I want to quote two or three posts from other people on this thread, into my post, so that I can respond to what's being reported back. Is there a way to do that or must I only quote one person/one post each time?
Thanks!
Herb Lady I've never done it, but if I wanted to try, I would run two windows and copy and paste from the 2nd window to my responding reply post.
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Yep. I would right-click on the "quote" link for each quote you want to use, and open a new window for each. Then copy and paste from those into the first. Hope this helps!