The first sensible way is to go to a store that sells fragrances. Spritz some on some test strips and sniff. Of the ones you like, choose two so spray on the inside of your wrist. Walk out and go about your day and see how the fragrance changes over time.
I personally don't buy the idea that fragrances interact with your "skin chemistry." IMO, this is a marketing gimmick masquerading as pseudo-science that sales associates use to make you feel unique and special. But it is true that a scent changes over time.
This change is broken into three stages: top, heart, and base. Top notes are often very "fresh" (citrusy, aquatic, etc). Basenotes are often things like musk and woods. Heart is your journey between these. As the scent evolves, you'll get to smell these "layers."
Depending on the concentration of aromatic oils, a fragrance can go through this journey quickly. Cologne has the lowest concentration, so it disappears quickly. I try to only buy eau de toilette (EdT) and eau de perfum (EdP) because they last longer (more sniffs per dollar)
Smelling something at a counter immediately after spritzing it doesn't give you the full picture, as you're often only gettin the fresh top notes. You want to see what's left on your skin as the scent evolves. So choose two and wear them for a day. If you like, buy. Done!
The other approach is more "hobbyist." Maybe you have a nerdy personality, like me, and want to learn about the subject—smelling different scents, getting a sense of what notes you like, exploring the idea of seasonal fragrances, etc.
If you suspect you're a nerd, then buy Perfumes: The A-Z Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. It has some great introductory chapters and tons of perfume reviews, so you can see what they think before sampling something. This can lead you down rabbit holes.
Claire Vukcevic’s “top ten” guides at Basenotes are also helpful and she has a great fragrance blog called Take One Thing Off. When you sample something, look up the notes at Fragrantica. Try to identify what you like or dislike. Maybe you like the note of rose but hate oud.
As you identify these themes, you'll be more able to home-in on what you like. I've found that I love gourmands, so I'm always interested if there's a vanilla or tonka note somewhere. Speciality shops such as Scent Bar are also be much better than your basic mall stand.
These shops tend to carry more indie and niche fragrances, where I think perfumers can express a bit more creativity. Some stuff can be pretty weird, but this area can also be very fun!!
I also like Twisted Lily, Ministry of Scent, and ZGO Perfumery.
You can join online fragrance communities and forums. There's a pretty vibrant YouTube community where people review perfumes. Luca Turin has a Substack. All of these resources can help you delve into what I think is a very fun hobby adjacent to menswear.
As stated in my original tweet, I think the worse way to choose a fragrance is to choose something that you think will get you laid. Sometimes men use the term "panty droppers" to describe a scent they think will be irresistible to women. This is super corny.
It also doesn't work. Women pick up on the scents that douchebags wear, and if they detect that on you, they will associate you with that type of unpleasant character. It only makes sense to choose a fragrance that *you* like. Wear what makes you happy.
Lastly, I strongly suggest trying to get samples before committing a bottle. Scent is very personal. If you're shopping online, Lucky Scent, The Perfumed Court, and Surrender to Chance sell samples. You can also sometimes get samples from a perfumer's website.
I will leave you with this excerpt by Tania Sanchez, which outlines the journey many people take when they find their taste in fragrances. I think it's also true of clothes, fountain pens, and almost any other hobby.
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I've seen people here suggest Obama was a stylish president. I couldn't disagree more. Outfits like these read better in 2025, but during the slim-fit, Euro style craze of his presidency, Obama was routinely panned for his "frumpy dad style." See Vanity Fair.
His style transformation really came post-presidency. I suspect, but don't have proof, that this is partly the influence of his wife, who is quite stylish. Even his suits look better now. See clean shoulder line + shirt collar points reaching lapels + nice four-in-hand dimple.
Although it's rarely expressed in outright terms, people often use a very simple heuristic when solving fashion problems: they wish to look rich, which is often disguised as "respectable."
I will show you why this rarely leads to good outfits. 🧵
In 1902, German sociologist Georg Simmel neatly summed up fashion in an essay titled "On Fashion." Fashion, he asserted was simply a game of imitation in which people copy their "social betters." This causes the upper classes to move on, so as to distinguish themselves.
He was right. And his theory explains why Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, was the most influential menswear figure in the early 20th century. By virtue of his position and taste, he popularized soft collars, belted trousers, cuffs, Fair Isle sweaters, and all sorts of things.
It's funny to see people imbue traditional men's tailoring with their own prejudices. They assume every man who wore a suit in the far past must be a staunch conservative like them. The truth is much more complicated. 🧵
This bias, of course, stems out of the 1960s and 70s, from which many of our contemporary politics also spring. I don't need to belabor this point because you already know it. The framing is neatly summed up in this Mad Men scene — the rag tag hippie vs man in a suit.
Thus, people assume that men in suits must always be part of the conservative establishment. But this was not always so. The suit was once a working man's garment. When Keir Hardie, founder of the Labour Party, arrived for his first day in Parliament, he wore a suit.
There's no "right" or "wrong" answer here, so feel free to go with your gut. I will then give you my views below. 🧵
In men's tailoring, the area below the jacket's buttoning point is colloquially known as the "quarters" among menswear enthusiasts. Or the "front edge" by actual tailors. These terms refer to the edge of the coat, connecting to lapels.
Some suit jackets have very closed quarters, such as you see on the left. In this way, the jacket forms a Y-shaped silhouette.
Other suits have open quarters, such that the front edge sweeps back on the hips, as you see on the right. This forms an X-shaped silhouette.
We will start with the most formal and work our way down, so that you can adjust things in ways that make sense for you.
The first and most obvious choice is to wear a soft-shouldered suit rendered in a material such as linen or seersucker. Seersucker can even be tonal (pic 4)
However, when it comes to dressing for the heat, it's important to remember that the fabric's weight and weave are more important than fiber. A 10oz tropical wool — known for its open weave — will wear cooler than a densely woven 14 oz linen because it allows air to pass through
Let's first start with some terms. The term oxford refers to a footwear style where the facings have been sewn into the vamp. By contrast, the term derby refers to a style where the facings sit on top of the vamp.
On the left, we see an oxford. On the right, we see a derby.
I believe that men wore tailored clothing best from the 1930s through '80s. If you share this premise, there are certain ideas about how an outfit should be put together, such as how oxfords look best with suits, while derbies go with suits or sport coats