Question:
All,
I always looked at cologne/toiletries for face value. Meaing.. I just would smell something in a store and pick it up if i liked it. I started to think about body chemistry, build and frame got me wondering. Based on body type, personality, build, etc. you could probably come up with something that works well with a person as opposed to asking whether something smells good and deriving solely and directly from that (considering other peoples impressions as well). So i ask, can someone make a recommendation based on the following profile for an everyday (signature) scent:
1) 250 - 300lbs.
2) Hairy Index would be a 6 out of 10 (1 being babies butt, 10 being a sweater)
3) 31 years old
4) Polish/Czech decent
5) Typical family man lifestyle (8-10 hours work a day, catch up work on weekend, 2 kids, wife, etc. ... computer engineering job)
6) Northeastern US (Pennsylvania) climate and lifestyle
7) Don't sweat the small stuff personality type
Any more questions are welcome and thank you for taking the time to comment..
Regards

Answer:
I'm sympathetic to what you want to learn in your post, but in my many years of collecting and using fragrances I've found that your initial criteria--see what smells good--is the very best.
I don't think scents correspond to body size and frame at all. Same with personality qualities like "don't sweat the small stuff." Those ideas don't have scent equivalents.
There are scents the seem to please our noses more in certain climates and settings, but the fundamental rule there is the "please our noses" part. Dreadfully, you've got to sniff things yourself and see if the images they call into your mind fit into the puzzle pieces of the settings of your life. Really, you've got to go out, smell, and smell until one strikes you so that you can't get it out of your mind even when you're not sniffing it. One that has gotten recent favorable attention on the forum is Equipage by Hermès.
Otherwise, I repeatedly give the advice to smell all the offerings for men from Guerlain, from Chanel, and from Hermès. Then the same for products by Caron.
Let your nose find the scent in which you want to portray yourself to the world.
--Chris

Answer:
Aqua di Gio - It's like pizza, everybody likes it! Don't be alarmed, it smells nothing like pizza. It fresh, clean and masculine, which is the picture I get from your description. Buy it online. If you go to Amazon and search the health and beauty store, you'll get at least a dozen different sites/prices.
Good luck in your search.

Answer:
Thank you for the feedback guys
Regards

Answer:
I'd say take your wife with you on an afternoon shopping trip. Let anything you are thinking about buying drydown on your skin at least an hour first. Given the season, and the profile I'd suggest sampling:
A vetiver, like one of the Guerlains.
A light oriental like Dior Homme or L'Instant de Guerlain.
A citrus like Dior Eau Sauvage, or Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte.
An aqua like L'eau d'Issey or Acqua di Gio.
This would give you a quick into to the range of possibilities, and what direction to explore.

Answer:
Quote: Originally Posted by ncielieska 4) Polish/Czech decent Though I'm now angry with polish people, I do try to help (I'm from Hungary and today Poland won the right to be the home of the football European Championship in 2012 against Hungary) )
Well, one sweeter, oriental safe bet is Armani Code. One fresh safe bet is Tsar, perhaps the fresh version. None of them would offend anybody, nor owerpower and they do smell good.

Answer:
2 scents came immediately to mind:
Tuscany Per Uomo (for a Man's man, baby!)
Aramis
More modern takes:
Michael Kors
Boss Bottled
Lacoste Pour Homme (silver box)
All these scents are sweet, warm and very masculine.

Answer:
1. L'eau D'Issey (fresh marine/woody) - versatile day/night smart/casual
2. Bvlgari Homme Extrême (smokey/spicy) - more for office, casual outings and occasions

Answer:
Santos de Cartier eau de sport, any version will do though.

Answer:
I don't know, but I think you should definitely stay away from the florals. I think it could be problematic for a larger man. Frankly, if you have a Nordstrons anywhere near you I would stongly suggest you try Hugh Parson's Traditional Blue or 99 Regent St. Fairly modern, very pleasant but not bland or "me too"; they are no nonsense great fragrances that don't do much for anyone just sniffing a card, but when you wear one of them, they drydown to a fantastic affect that works very well for a "not sweating the small stuff" man.
Joe
Proud to be a Polish-American