Alykhan Velji Smells Good. You should, too.

 Tiffany threw a lovely media reception at Teatro last week. Over cocktails and appys, we drooled over some amazing jewelry, caught up with each other and sniffed Alykhan Velji. Or was that last thing just me?

When Aly and I hugged to say hello, I commented on how great he smelled. This launched a conversation about cologne and how much we love it when a man wears it and wears it well. (One of my all-time favourite scents for men is John Varvatos Vintage, and John Varvatos Classic is great, too.)

We thought a blog post about men’s cologne would benefit our male readers, as well as our female readers looking for Christmas ideas. To that end, Aly – who’s an interior decorator, TV and radio show personality, magazine contributor and more — has answered some questions for all Toque Girl readers.

Why do you think men should wear cologne?

First and foremost, to smell good! I think cologne has changed so much, it is not Old Spice, BRUT or Stetson any more. The scents are now more layered and there are so many different ones out there. Trying to figure out your scent is the best part. Also, wearing cologne doesn’t mean you have to soak your clothes in it, it is all about subtlety.

How do you apply yours?

I always spray my scent of the day after a shower, my scent determines what I am going to wear that day. Sounds a little strange, but it really helps me decide. The more spicy scents mean a more sophisticated ensemble while a fruitier scent means a little more preppy.

What are your favourite scents?

I used to love wearing fruitier scents such as Happy by clinique and Le Male however, I am now in LOVE with more spicy and woody scents. It may be the change of the weather.

Terre D’Hermes
Japon Noire- Tom Ford
Incense Kyoto, series 3- Comme des Garcons
L’eau D’Issey- Issey Miyake

 Where do you shop for cologne?

I love going to see Margo at Holt Renfrew. She is so knowledgeable and knows so much about each fragrance. She is definitely the one to go and see.

Any tips for how to choose a scent (for yourself and/or for someone else)?

I always think it is really hard to buy a fragrance for someone unless you already know what they wear. The best thing is to get samples and let them try each one first. Each person’s body chemistry is different, so a scent that smells great on one person could smell quite different on another. The small samples are great!

If you are buying for yourself, obviously you need to go out and smell different ones that are out there. Also, knowing if you like fruity or spicy scents will really help you in narrowing down the choices. Lastly, it is all about how the cologne smells on you so be sure to try it on, walk around the store for a while and see how the smell is after 20 minutes or so. Some fragrances are quite the investment so be sure to pick the right one.

***** 

There you have it. There are no excuses for not smelling good, friends.

~Michelle