Perfumes from the 1960s through the 1980s…well, they come with baggage (in many instances, suitcases, trunks and cargo holds full of strong aldehydes and powerful oak moss). Lots of perfumes still exist from the late 19th century and early 20 th century and are beloved and in lucrative production. Earth to perfume trolls: lots of “old” gay men run the fashion, design, perfume and high-tech worlds, producing products that not only drive women wild, but men, too.Īramis is 50 years old (so its first wearers are now, probably, 68 years old and up) and just like being a middle child, being middle aged in the perfume world puts you at a disadvantage in 2014. The Dove article led me to many comment streams off GQ ’s website and the overriding theme was: " what does an old gay man know about driving women wild?” (The article gives Dove’s age as 58.) Again and again, the word “old” was used as an insult (and nothing makes me want to go into a rage à la McDormand more than people using words like “old,” “ugly,” “fat” and “poor” as put-downs. In the article, Dove names "Five Scents That'll Drive Women Wild" they are - Santos de Cartier, Chanel Antaeus, Terre d’Hermès, Roja Parfums Reckless Pour Homme, and today's subject, Aramis. GQ must have a rather unlearned/uninitiated readership…so many GQ articles are written in this style of "XYZ for Dummies" - in this case, the topic is perfume. The second article I read was in GQ: an overly-fawning interview of Roja Dove (conducted by a guy who knows nothing about perfume). (I’m betting some of her “mutated” friends will think twice before accepting a dinner invitation from the Coens! And some of The Mutations may themselves think, when looking at Ms McDormand: “God, Frances…at least use some retinol!” All's fair when criticism of one's looks is concerned.)
And if someone prefers blonde hair to gray? Go for it. I’m so full of fear and rage about what they’ve done.įrances and I part ways here I could care less if others inflate their faces with fillers to the point that their heads resemble basketballs. He literally has to stop me physically from saying something to people - to friends who’ve had work. Everybody is concerned about a smooth face. Something happened culturally: No one is supposed to age past 45 - sartorially, cosmetically, attitudinally. We are on red alert when it comes to how we are perceiving ourselves as a species. These articles have apt connections to the “old-man” perfume that is Aramis (it was first released in 1964 and is regularly disparaged by men, and women, on perfume forums as being “old” fashioned and, thus, un-wearable today).įirst up was an interview with Frances McDormand, talking about aging in The New York Times: I've been meaning to review Aramis 1 for years (it's a classic, and I've never tried it!) Reading two articles back to back last week, randomly, led me to the perfume counter for a fresh Aramis sample.and this review.