Guide to Men's Cologne

I work in a department store and sell fragrance pretty regularly. The three colognes you listed are solid, however they aren't the same type of smells and I would use each of those for a different occasion.

Cologne is more complicated than you might think. There are certain colognes that smell better on men of different ethnicity, and some that pair better with a season or time of day. Darker and muskier colognes are better for evening wear, in my opinion. Lighter and and flowery/citrusy colognes are best for day. Your age plays a big role in what colognes are best for you. There's a reason Old Spice smells like your great-grandpa and Polo Black smells like your grandpa with money.

HIGH SCHOOL

You probably don't need to be throwing much money at high-end colognes at this point in your life. Most of the females around you are going to enjoy sweeter musky smells, which is why Abercrombie Fierce, Curve, and Pac Sun colognes are popular. The problem with these scents is that they're usually weak in fragrant oils, so they don't last long. After high school, it's time to toss that stuff in the garbage and move on to some better smells.

COLLEGE

It's university time, bitches. If you're college age, stay away from some of the "classics", such as most Polo colors, Drakaar Noir, Cool Water, etc. If you remember your dad using it when you were little, steer clear of it. Don't argue with me on this. You will smell like shit, and younger women won't like it.

Go for names like Lacoste, Diesel (Only the Brave), Versace, Gucci, Calvin Klein (Euphoria is great), Kenneth Cole (Mankind is their newest and best, IMO), Dior, etc. Names you probably recognize and would probably wear clothing from. These brands have insane amounts of money, and typically end up producing some really great smelling fragrances. Even if you don't particularly like Diesel, they're going to have a lot of money to make something that appeals to the nose.

There are plenty of other good ones too, just naming some off the top of my head that are popular among men, and very popular with women. Mont Blanc Legend is also a great cologne, as others have pointed out.

The reason I dislike some of the "classic" colognes for this age group is because they came from a different time when certain smells were popular. They usually end up being too sharp on the nose for younger females, heavy with tobacco, leather, and bitter wood scents, and not really practical for daily use. That, and it will remind most girls of their dads, which is not a good thing. Scent is powerful. Use it to your advantage.

If you're looking for a good, versatile, everyday cologne that can be worn both day and night, I recommend Aqua De Gio. Marketing aside, there's a reason it's so popular. It's citrusy but still warm and masculine, making it good for year-round wear. It smells good no matter what you're wearing or what time of day it is. Incredibly versatile fragrance that can be worn by young college guys and it can carry you clear into your forties.

Armani Code is also a huge seller, and I recommend this for evening events or formal wear. It's darker but very smooth with hints of vanilla and cedar. In my opinion, you can't go wrong as a man by having Aqua De Gio and Armani Code. Both of those colognes will make you smell great to the majority of women, and they tend to have a higher concentration of fragrant oils, which means the cologne will last longer without fading away. This is important when you're spending good money on a fragrance.

Gucci is spicy and darker, which tends to be their thing with colognes. Black pepper comes to mind when I smell Gucci stuff. I would wear it if I were throwing on a suit, or going out for dinner in a nice restaurant. I probably wouldn't wear Gucci during the day or to the office or something, simply because it's bold and strong. Get this if you don't wear cologne often, only for special occasions. They're trying hard to appeal to the guy in his thirties who's a little classier and dresses up more.

Don't buy Chrome. I don't recommend it. I haven't had a woman under forty that hasn't wrinkled her nose at the smell. I've been getting a lot of the "women say they like it" argument when it comes to their cologne of choice. That's totally fine. I'm glad that the women in your life like the smell of whatever cologne you're wearing. My opinion is this: there aren't a whole lot of colognes that are absolutely foul and offensive smelling. Sure, your girlfriend might say she likes Chrome. But has she ever smelled anything else on you to compare it to? Are you sure she isn't just happy you don't smell like BO and pasta sauce like you usually do?

I also recommend Clinique Happy for Men to guys that don't like strong smells or most colognes. It's light, very citrusy, and makes you happy when you wear it.

MY COLOGNES

I have a few, which I alternate between. Use this as a guide or a starting point if everything seems overwhelming.

Light, citrus. Daytime and everyday use, year-round

• Lacose Essential. Really solid cologne choice, especially if you're just getting into colognes. It's got a slightly woodsy smell, but it's not pungent or overpowering. Very smooth and women tend to like it. Versatile enough to wear at all times of the day due to the darker undertones. This cologne is really Essential.
  
• Clinique Happy. For those days that you don't want to smell like cologne, but you want to smell pleasant. Very citrusy and smooth, so you don't smell like cleaning supplies.
  
• Dior Homme Sport. This cologne isn't light and citrusy, but it's not dark or really warm. Very spicy but still light and bright. I wear this during the day when I need to impress or dress up. Great, versatile cologne. I highly recommend it if you have a little more money to spend.

Warm, mellow. Daytime/evening use, nicer clothing, fall

• Calvin Klein Euphoria. Great warm smell, slightly woodsy and romantic smelling. I wear this when I know a woman is going to be close to me, as it's not strong enough to really smell from a few feet away. It's definitely one of my favorites.

• Kenneth Cole Mankind. The best scent this company has ever put out, in my opinion. It's manly smelling, but appeals to women. I highly recommend this as a starting place if you're looking for something darker.
  
• Armani Code. Great cologne, like I described above. Smooth and velvety, pairs great with suits. It's my go-to suit cologne.

Dark, sweet, musky, woodsy. Used for dates, nights out, or suits. Fall and winter, or special nights out during summer

• Diesel Only the Brave. Women go nuts for this cologne, and I use it when I really want to grab their attention. However, it's a young man's cologne, and if you're over thirty something else would probably be a better choice. The reason for that is the sweetness, which is very present on the nose. It's woodsy, but sweet. One of my favorites, and women usually get that wide-eyed look when they just meet you and get a whiff. It's a strong cologne, so use sparingly.

• Gucci (dark bottle). A nice change if I'm getting tired of my other scents. Black pepper comes to mind with this cologne. In my opinion, this is not a seductive cologne that will make women swoon. It's more manly/power cologne. I use it when meeting clients, giving presentations, and anywhere where the male presence is strong.

Note that you don't need all of this shit. Two colognes should suffice for your needs.

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