For the longest time, I only had one fragrance. It’s called Man of Aran. It’s kind of a distinctive one. Sort of cold and dewish and masculine in a poetic way. An ex got it for me once on a study abroad thing in Ireland. I’ve never seen it anywhere Stateside. And I’ve never smelled anything exactly like it either.
Imagine my surprise, therefore, when one day I smelled it wafting up the stairs in front of my apartment. Had another man found a bottle of the stuff and soaked themselves all over the dewy scent from the Emerald Isle? Was I about to meet another man of good taste?
Well, that was halfway the case. It turned out that it was my then girlfriend—now fiancé. She’d got up that morning a little nervous, because she had some important meetings and wasn’t sure how they’d go. She didn’t really need the confidence boost. She’s a fierce person. But what happened that morning was she was getting ready, she saw and took a smell of my bottle of Man of Aran in the bathroom when she was thinking through the more nervy parts of her day. Apparently, her thought process went something like, “That smells good…why not?”
Plus, she said it reminded her of me. It was like I could come and share just that much in the nervy part of the day. Made me happy to hear it.
I understood the thought. There was this time a while back when we were going to go do something terrifying to me on a personal level: hang out with a crowd. Big crowds worry me deeply. It needed doing, apparently, although I can’t remember why.
My then girlfriend—now fiancé—had an idea. She got out this box full of small samples of twenty-four or so hyper-chic fragrances that her fashionista friend gave her. It had things like Chanel Coco Noir and Givenchy L’Interdit in it. My fiancé, who has a good sense for these things, considered the tiny samplers, then she picked one out and told me I should try it.
It was called Tom Ford Black Orchid. It’s dark and satinesque, and it had dramatic overtones of some sweet flower—roses, maybe. It was a powerfully feminine scent.
You know what, though? It worked for me that night. It made me feel closer to my fiancé, and it made me feel more commanding. I’ve worn it a few times since then.
These days, neither of us wear fragrance often. But when we do, we argue over the Pinrose one sitting on our dresser. This isn’t meant to be a plug or anything, it just happens to be a real thing that’s happening. We have a bottle of Secret Genius next to our two jewelry boxes, and when we’re about to go out, it’s a little bit of a race between us who gets to were the Secret Genius. It’s sweet enough to make her happy, and musky enough for me, and flowery enough for the both of us. It wears sweetly on her and flowery-like on me. We can BOTH wear it sometimes, but it somehow feels pleasant that if one of us wears it then the other doesn’t. It gives me a chance to just enjoy an occasional hint of it when she walks past.
So that’s what happens right now. It’s a little battle, but it’s a fun one.
There is such a thing as masculine and feminine scents, but that should be nothing more nor less than one of the factors you consider when you pick what you put on today. There are times when something flowery gives me a better sense of myself and a connection with my own skin. And sometimes my fiancé likes something strong and musky to give her that last ounce of assertiveness.
So we share. Because life is too short to be shy.
Ed. Note: Oliver Blakemore is a published author and a Pinrose MUSE. We're convinced he and his lady will love Pinrose Unisex Fragrances TREE HOUSE ROYAL and CLASS ACT (launching soon). We have recently been informed that CAMPFIRE REBEL is doing well for the two. We'll keep you posted.