Well gents, im gonna end up wearing whatever I want anyways, but i do appreciate the collective wisdom of the group. I have a 1st date with a very attractive 28 yr old university student tomorrow. She's more of a country girl, than city. She asked me out because "the city boys dont get it, and she prefers a country gentleman". Shes from my area, but temporarily living away for school... this is the 5th attempt Lots of wild fire smoke in the air. Temperatures around 32C (89.6F). Most likely a patio dinner, drinks, walk, etc. Eventually i will get called to work and it will end. So which frag to choose (i honestly haven't decided yet)

If you haven't seen this, Sephora has a sampler collection (15 fragrances) for $98, plus you get a redemption certificate for one of the bottles from the 15. The bottles are different sizes and definitely represent different values, but if there's something on the list that you're eyeing already, it might be worth reading the details. I got it so I could pick up D&G The One Parfum, which I was looking to pick up this fall anyway. https://www.sephora.com/product/fathers-day-cologne-sampler-set-w-redeemable-voucher-P522647?skuId=2979011&icid2=products%20grid:p522647:product

Chanel is one of those houses I respect more the longer I’m into fragrances. When I first started collecting, I was chasing everything — inexpensive designers, every hyped designer release, Middle Eastern clones, and eventually niche and artisan perfumery. Going back to Chanel after smelling all of that makes me appreciate just how well put together their fragrances really are. Chanel isn't usually trying to beat you over the head with projection or create the loudest fragrance in the room. Their strength is refinement, balance, blending, and making fragrances that simply smell expensive. Bleu de Chanel is obviously the modern centerpiece of the men's designer line. Some people dismiss it because the blue fragrance category became so crowded afterward, but Bleu de Chanel helped define what a modern upscale blue fragrance could be. I particularly like the Parfum because it takes that DNA in a smoother, richer, and more mature direction. It isn't trying to scream across the room. It smells polished and extremely well composed. The Allure Homme family may actually be the strongest part of Chanel's men's designer catalog for me. Allure Homme, Allure Homme Sport, and Eau Extrême each have their own personality while still clearly belonging to the same family. Eau Extrême especially has become almost a benchmark fragrance because of how effortlessly it combines freshness, sweetness, woods and that creamy Chanel smoothness. Then you have Platinum Égoïste, which is a completely different side of Chanel. Green, aromatic, metallic, clean and masculine without smelling like another modern shower-gel fragrance. This is one of those fragrances that reminds you Chanel existed long before the current blue-fragrance era. And then there is Égoïste, which I think deserves much more attention today. Woody, spicy, and considerably more distinctive than most modern designer releases. It comes from a time when designer houses weren't afraid to put something on the counter that actually had some edges and personality.