Alright, so the following dialogue is from two weeks ago, but I still remember most of it. Not a bookstore this time. The scene features me and my co-workers at lunch. (delivery guys)

I apologize for the dirty language in this dialogue, but I want you to read it as it was told. The only thing I changed is the names of the guys.

Nate: hey Derek, what's that smell coming out of your face?

Derek: you like it? that's Old Spice.

Nate: like it my ass! what are you fucking gay? listen to me brother. Real men don't wear no perfumes. Don't start with that metrosexual crap. We men like to sweat and them bitches like to smell it. That's the way it is. Didn't your papa told you?

Derek: actually, I got it from my papa.

<guys laughing>

Howard: hey Derek, don't listen to him, he's dumb as a rock. Problem is not you wearing perfume, it's you wearing Old Spice. Now that's your problem. This shit is for old people. You gotta move on, buy some new fragrance.

Nate: and if you gotta buy one, make sure it's not one of those french gay motherfucker, them fucking tin cans!

Paul: you mean Jean Paul Gaultier, and he can't afford that anyway. Try one of the cheaper ones. David Beckham.

Nate: how come you all know so much? don't you be wearing perfumes for work, I dont like that!

Fame: Nate, shut up. I'll be tin can if you ever get married. And Old Spice aint bad, it's just old. Which one you got Derek?

Derek: that white bottle with the ship.

Fame: I remember that one, I think it's the original. It was also in that movie I think, "Day of the Jackal".

Paul: you and your movies again...

Fred: wait, isnt that half-naked guy doing commercials for Old Spice? I hear they like him quite a lot.

Paul: whatever, he can't sell like David Beckham.

Fred: who the fuck is David Beckham?

Howard: soccer player, english, married that spice girl. Famous all over the world.

Fred: so what's that gotta do with perfumes?

Howard: nothing, just his name. It sells.

Fred: but he ain't know shit about perfumes.

Howard: and you aint know shit about life. You think he's making perfumes? he's got people doing it for him.

Paul: yeah, like Britney Spears, she did the same thing.

Nate: alright guys, Paul is gay.

Howard: and you're stupid. You think aftershave is for gay guys?

Nate: Naaa that's alcohol, kill them little germs if you cut yourself shaving. That's aftershave! not one of them gay perfumes you're talking about!

Howard: news flash, Nate. Perfumes have alcohol too, and aftershaves smell too. I swear it's a miracle you tie your own shoelaces.

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<I'll save you the rest of the "argument"...just a few more insults and back to work, another day in the office.>

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Alright so, how do you guys feel about Old Spice? that's the part I'm mostly curious about, tho you can feel free to comment on the rest as well.

Also, do you think guys should wear perfumes when they go out, or would you consider that an extra? is deodorant enough?

OK, first things first. I adore the guy in the Old Spice commercials. I think they're incredibly creative, and the actor has great delivery.

As for men and cologne? My husband is allergic to many scented products. We use unscented deodorants, unscented fabric softener sheets, and you can forget about scented candles or air fresheners! Long story short, he's never worn cologne or aftershave in the 29 years we know one another. It's so foreign to me that it's a bit of a jolt when I do smell it on a man. It's neither good or bad - just very, very different.

When I was out and about (30+ years ago), the big man's scent was Aramis. Is it still even for sale?

You know how I know you're gay?

You wear perfume instead of cologne.

Seriously, I don't think there's anything wrong with Old Spice. I do, however, think of my grandfather when I smell it. Hope that helps.

I see nothing gay about using colognes. I use Dolce & Gabbana. Smell like a fucking animal with that thing on me. Excuse my language.

I received Old Spice for Christams and, although I haven't worn any such stuff in years, I'm going to start again.

My father worked in a dry cleaners and didn't wear cologne daily. However, I remember as a kid, every Friday night after his shower, my dad would put on Old Spice. He'd sit down to watch the Friday night fights. The entire house smelled like Old Spice. I really got to love that scent, and still do even today. It always reminds me of my dad.

I do think throughout the years though it IS associated with older men.

I like men to wear cologne, especially if it smells good. Scent is all a matter of taste though.

TIS

Nothing wrong w/ men wearing cologne and nothing wrong with Old Spice.

Long as it's not over-applied, of course. A pal of mine at work overdoes it sometimes and you can smell him coming from the other end of the office.

My father used to use Aqua Velva...although that was more an after-shave thing. But I sure liked the way it smelled and used to love watching him pat it on his face!!

My nephew is 16 and picked cologne as one of his Christmas/Birthday presents (born Dec. 25th). I thought that was so CUTE!!!!! Our little boy growing up...

That's the whole point, as I see it. Also, some scents (after-shaves and colognes) are just more overpowering than others.

Old Spice can be a little strong, and it always reminds me of a gay piano teacher I had when I was much younger. He positively reeked of the stuff. Another scent that is too strong for me is Brut. As far as after-shaves go, I have always had very sensitive skin and the stronger fragrances burn the hell out of my flesh. I have always preferred something a little more subtle. My technique for skin preservation is to use ordinary witch hazel first as an after-shave, then when the smell of that subsides (it doesn't last long at all) I apply just a little English Leather on my face. I almost never wear cologne, and any deodorant I use is very lightly scented.

I personally see nothing wrong with wearing a little bit of fragrance, so long as you don't dump a whole bottle of the stuff on you. That's overkill.

I think I used Aramis years ago, but I can't remember exactly. Don't know if it's still being made. Seems familiar, though. Aqua Velva always reminds me of my father.

Signor V.

They come a running just as fast as they can
Cause every girl's crazy bout a sharp dressed man!

Seriously though part of being well groomed is smelling nice and that occasionally includes cologne or scented lotions. The trick is knowing when to use them or not use them and never to over apply them.

I seldom wear cologne, but my girl-crazy sons wear it when they go out. I've never used Old Spice, but remember my dad wearing it.

I love to smell cologne on a man.

This is a no brainer...cologne or aftershave should always be used in moderation!

Cheap stuff always smells cheap!

It should not be used like an air freshner!

use enough that if someone gets close to you then they may get a nice lite fragerance from you.

and PLEASE NEVER use it in place of a shower to cover up Body Odor!

Use the right one and the ladies will tell you right away that you smell nice and don't be surprise to find out that they want to get to know you better.

Women seem to like guys that smell nice are well groomed and dress the same way. Fresh and sharp!!

Kly,

Speaking of girl-crazy girls and of cheap cologne...when I was working at the school (middle school no less) some of the boys would wear the "cheap" stuff and totally reek. After they left the area, My coworkers and I would look at each other and fan the smell away. I'm sure they wanted to impress the girls, but definitely overkill on the application.

TIS

Nice to see how you all remember your fathers/grandfathers using Old Spice, guess that's pretty much why it's got the reputation of elder men's fragrance. of course, having the word "old" in its name doesn't help either.

I used Aramis "Life" a couple of years ago - I liked it, but then again I'm not expert on scents, I find them all to be alright, I can't tell cheap from expensive.

Funny thing is I hardly ever need to buy one, cause every birthday it's one of the usual presents. This year I got Hugo Boss - I've yet to try it, but I think most people like it.

That's one of my nephew's favorites, and I try to buy it for him every now and then for his birthday or Christmas. This year, I tried to shake it up and bought him Chrome by Azzaro. It smelled very nice to me.

I have an embarrassing addiction to cosmetics and scents. Clarins has an enormous distribution center near my home, and they open up their doors for a sale every year near Christmas. I tend to do a lot of my shopping there, because the prices can't be beat. However, I now have bottles of Joy, Innocence, Angel and David Yurman in more-than-sufficient quantities. I also have at least 4 or 5 cosmetic bags filled with various products, some of them never even opened.

I like Attar Bazaar.

Scents can be big triggers for people.
Just like you remember your father or grandfather for the smell of Old Spice.

You also will find that you can set triggers by using the same scents over and over again when a certain thing happens.
Example: would be having your partner wear the same scent during lovemaking. After awhile your sex drive will rise when you smell that scent.

You can also find triggers with sound or by touch. Such as feeding dogs and ringing a bell or your partner stroking your hair or arm a certain way becomes a trigger for your most wanted attention.

and I don't mean stroking yourself off either

I've been using Acqua di Gio by Armani for about ten years now. Once you get used to something, it's hard to switch. Prior to that I used Polo. Back in the '80s I used Paco Rabanne. Anyone remember that stuff?

Man, good old Paco! That's one I haven't heard in YEARS!

I'm an Axe man and just spray it on my chest after a shower (or sometimes instead ). I only like Kilo, and I'm not really a fan of most regular colognes on myself, but the women who get close always tell me I smell good. They don't run after me like the commercials, tho.

It should be 'g*y'.

No, the G word.


(and I don't use the word, but I don't censor it when quoting others)

I mean that I don't use it in the way that Nate's using it. Maybe it's not the word I'm not using, but its offensive use.

Whatever...

Gee Geoff, I would have bet that you were a Basinigole man!

Is Axe sweet or sour? I don't know, I noticed they usually tend to categorize it that way. And I think most girls prefer sweet over sour.

I had to look that up in the Guinea-English dictionary. Yes, that'd be my 2nd choice!

Hey watch it using the word G**nea!!!! You may give someone on here the idea to start another topic titled "The G-Word" "

If by "someone on here" you're thinking of me, then relax, it's not gonna happen

I think the thread I started and the questions I raised are worthy of discussion. I think there are enough mature members in here to make it work.

Fame this conversation in itself is medieval. Old Spice? Are you kidding me - I remember seeing that stuff at a very young age as being a product of my grandad's in his bathroom. This was the late 80's/early 90's - stay away old folkes scents or you will smell like a grandad's cardigan. I'm so shocked this has even been brought up as a topic. Everyone younger than 55 years old would mock another for owning Old Spice in the UK.

The debate on whether a guy should use a scent (or as you've called it perfume) or not - that's another matter. If it's done to attract women the consensus of people I've known echo's the above comments - use in moderation. I've also read of studies where women are more attracted to mens body odours - though I can't profess to know the science behind it - most likely to do with the testosterone or something.

However I like a good scent and my anal (which I do not mean in a physiological sense) hygeine routine includes: my body smelling of chocolate due to the Cocoa Butter I moisturise with, I use a subtle odour anti-persperant and I've got a few options for my perfume; D&G Masculine, JPG, David Beckham, Omega and my personal favourite Kylie for men. For something a bit more subtle but lovely I recomment the latter two.

The old man said that there use to be something called High Karate or Hi Karate?

say the TV spots were very laughable!
A guy running around doing karate chops fighting off the women when they used it!