Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

What kind of fragrances do you prefer?
Post Reply
User avatar
Sam
M'Learned Friend
Posts: 12017
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:13 am
Location: memphis, tennessee
Contact:

Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Sam »

I was in Las Vegas about a year ago and quickly ran through the Hermes store on the way to getting my bottle of Antaeus at the Chanel boutique. I smelled a few things and my wife was not really into wanting to give opinions. Well, weather is getting cool. i have Antaeus and Coromandel as my only fall/winter scents. I'd like to see if what I recall of the Hermes line is still the general consensus.

I remember wearing Rocobar, Equipage and Bel Ami. For some reason Rocobar rings a bell with me, maybe I wore it the most of those three? Have not tried the Equipage Rose or Bel Ami Vetiver. Eau d' Orange Vert, whatever version, was a great smell but very weak as far as longevity. I never did get a bottle and around the late 70's would wear Givenchy Gentleman, Eau Savage and maybe the original Calvin Klein was coming out.

All I have for summer is Cedrat Boise and then Drakkar Noir seems to be my spring to early fall scent.

Red Vetyver, well, love the smell but I can't smell it on me after 4 hours, maybe 3. So I would replace that with a suitable Hermes

Also, any discount sites for Hermes? I wrote them once about 4 months ago about trying samples and yes, they sent two samples, just of their new feminine stuff and not what I was wanting to try. Instead of an email would calling the boutique work?

I always in the late 70's, early 80's, thought of Hermes and Guerlain as being sorta the expensive, nichey, next-level stuff. Around that time Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta and Halston were coming out with some stuff that was getting into the affordable stores like Macys. I wore one or two of the Guerlains but for some reason, as I recall now, I did not gravitate to them like I did Hermes. One was a green label Guerlain and would have been a summery one.
User avatar
Squire
Squadron Leader
Posts: 18932
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: North East, MS

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Squire »

Don't think I can be helpful Sam but I would like to hear more.
Regards,
Squire
Rufus
Posts: 2370
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:25 pm
Location: Greater Toronto Area

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Rufus »

:-k ](*,) :-k . I don't get it.
Bryan
User avatar
Bargepole
Beam me up Scotty
Posts: 2350
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:07 pm
Location: Cambridge, England

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Bargepole »

Rufus wrote::-k ](*,) :-k . I don't get it.
Sam is trying to talk himself into, or out of, something. Presently it will become clear what that something is.
Michael

People say it's never too late. How wrong they are. --Felix Dennis
User avatar
Sam
M'Learned Friend
Posts: 12017
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:13 am
Location: memphis, tennessee
Contact:

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Sam »

I was thinking Rocobar, or Bel Ami for winter. I wore a sample of Creed Bois du Portugal. Ex never liked it. New wife loved it. Got a tester bottle on order. I kinda like it better than Creeds Royal Oud. But Hermes was always the ultimate get for me in memphis. We had some stores that were the step above say macys (back when there was no Dillards in Memphis) and they had a few Guerlains and Hermes.
User avatar
Nitrox
AC/DC
Posts: 3853
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:28 pm

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Nitrox »

Hey Michael, good to see you. :D
Bruno

"Shhhhhaving cream, be nice and clean
shave every day and you'll always look keen."
User avatar
Ouchmychin
Posts: 1595
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:03 pm

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Ouchmychin »

Why not try to get some sample bottles online or ebay? I have gotten a couple dozen that way and very inexpensive to try new scents. One that surprised me was Givenchy Insense. My daughter found it irresistible. I also liked Gucci (cedar scent) and Guerlain Habit Rouge. Two mild scents that my wife likes are Aqua di Gio and Armani mania. All for less than $50. And since they are edts, plenty for over a year in my rotation. I got to try all the Floris and Trumpers stuff and didn't like a single one of them. I still have a collection that includes Hamman Boquet;Blenheim Boquert; English Fern; Castile; Eau sans Pariel and esprit du Roi (all by Penhalignon); Creed's Santal Imperial and Royal English Leather; and a couple of others. I never think to use them although I like the Boquets and English Fern.
Ouchmychin (Pete)
brothers
Posts: 21513
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by brothers »

That's an impressive assortment Pete.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
User avatar
Sam
M'Learned Friend
Posts: 12017
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:13 am
Location: memphis, tennessee
Contact:

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Sam »

Got some Bel Ami, and a sample of a new one, Bel Ami Vetiver
User avatar
Ouchmychin
Posts: 1595
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:03 pm

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Ouchmychin »

The classic scents seem to be the domain of the senior generation. My son and grandsons have no interest in scents at all, except anti-perspirents. My wife's kids go for those with ads in men's magazines (the "latest".
Ouchmychin (Pete)
User avatar
TRBeck
Soapgeek
Posts: 5358
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 1:59 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by TRBeck »

Bel Ami and the Vetiver flanker are good, although the vintage Bel Ami is really quite something. I like the Bel Ami Vetiver because it seems to have more depth but I enjoy both, although I have never sprung for a bottle of either.

I prefer Equipage as leather is not a go-to note for me. Equipage has just a hint of it amongst the woods and spices. Lovely and smooth as can be, current or vintage formulation. Interested to see how you get on with this one, Sam.
Regards,
Tim

Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
User avatar
Sam
M'Learned Friend
Posts: 12017
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:13 am
Location: memphis, tennessee
Contact:

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Sam »

Equipage on my skin was not as good. Daughter preferred Bel ami and got me that
User avatar
TRBeck
Soapgeek
Posts: 5358
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 1:59 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by TRBeck »

I hear you, Sam. Skin chemistry makes a big difference. Bel ami is one of the all-time greats IMO.
Regards,
Tim

Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
User avatar
Bargepole
Beam me up Scotty
Posts: 2350
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:07 pm
Location: Cambridge, England

Re: Revisiting the house of Hermes - the older stuff

Post by Bargepole »

Alas, Bel Ami WAS one of the all-time greats.

Damn it.
Michael

People say it's never too late. How wrong they are. --Felix Dennis
Post Reply