The Obtainer - 9/23/22, Friday
↦ What We're Wearing Into Early Fall
Friday,September 23rd Edition
How much is too much to spend on cologne? I think this question has a lot of different answers, depending on how often you wear a fragrance, your salary and whether or not you display your cologne bottles in view of houseguests.
- Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
What We’re Wearing
Transitional Weather
Climate change or not, dressing for the unpredictable weather of late September, early October and even November can be tricky. You know those cold-to-hot-to-cold days of early autumn. Seemingly sweltering and almost shivering all in the matter of days and sometimes hours. So how do you handle such dubious meteorological scenarios? By pulling on a few smart, cozy and altogether versatile layering pieces.
They're the kind of pieces that mix and match with much of what you already own. They also make killer travel essentials. Of course, once the chill sets in permanently, you'll be glad your wardrobe is stocked with such resourceful items. From a pair of durable military-inspired field pants to a versatile denim overshirt that can be worn solo or as a light jacket, they're solid staples that will serve you well all the way to next Spring.
Your Early-Fall Fit
Clockwise, from top left:
Heritage Black Bay GMT Pepsi watch,$4,100 by TudorHickory striped denim overshirt,$200 by Gitman VintageU crew tee,$19.90 by UNIQLONo. 222 harness buckle belt,$125 by BillykirkHacienda sunglasses,$181 by The Resort Co.Cotton crew socks,$18 (for 3-pack) by J.CrewWhisky suede derbies,$423 by ParabootHerringbone field pant,$290 by RRL
Making the Case for ...
High-End Cologne
Earlier this week, I wrote about fragrances on Valet.—about the benefit of building a fragrance wardrobe. But even if you stick to just one signature scent, I say it’s worth investing in a quality bottle. Why? Because fragrance is an invisible part of our personal style, and it has a powerful effect on how people see and remember you.
Like with booze or cars or well, anything really, you get what you pay for. When you buy the cheaper colognes, they’re typically formulated with mostly alcohol and fillers. Those evaporate quickly, leaving little on the skin to develop. You see, a good fragrance will have top notes (the notes that you smell right away), middle notes (the notes that appear after around 30 minutes), and base notes (which will linger for several hours). With a lesser cologne, the mid and base notes are usually missing. And without that alchemy on your skin, the scent never develops and it’s all but indistinguishable by the time you reach your destination.
High-end fragrances, on the other hand, contain a higher percentage of fragrance oil, meaning the perfume lingers a lot longer on your skin. Are you paying for the branding of a luxury label? Sure, that’s a part of it. But these fashion and fragrance houses also put more effort into crafting their colognes with rare, and often expensive, ingredients. They’re mixed and perfected by prestigious perfumers (noses, as they’re known in the business). And yeah, the bottles are usually better looking too. Since these are bottles that sit out for a while in your home, shouldn’t they look good too?
Take this bottle of Ombre Leather from Tom Ford. Housed in an all-black flacon, the matte glass and leathery label add a sophisticated textural quality. And the fragrance inside is an eau de parfum—which means it has nearly double the perfume oil that the standard eau de toilette. The scent itself is masculine and leathery, with hints of warm spices and smoke. It smells rich. The big 110ml bottle will cost you $210. That’s a lot of money for something that gets spritzed into thin air. But it starts to make more sense when you do a little math.
According to BaseNotes, a leading online fragrance guide, a 110ml bottle will provide 1,400 sprays of cologne over its lifetime. At $210 a bottle, my Tom Ford Ombre Leather costs about 15 cents per spritz. I typically shoot about five sprays when I apply cologne, so that’s 75 cents for the average application of cologne. This bottle will last me 280 days if I apply five sprays each day. So even if I reapply on nights I’m heading out, this bottle will last me well over half a year—and, at most, cost me about $1.50 a day. That’s not bad, especially for a brand like Tom Ford.
Ombre Leather eau de parfum, $210 by Tom Ford
The sales and discounts our team is currently watching.
If you're still holding on to Summer, then this coach's jacket is for you. Made from lightweight Italian cotton fabric and an irregular seersucker pattern, it comes with a contrasting mesh liner to keep you dry.
$393 / $194 by A KIND OF GUISE
Camo is a killer Fall print. It's practically a neutral and always spices up your fit. This vintage-inspired pair is relaxed throughout the leg and is now 30% off with this special code.
$89.50 / $62.65 (w/code SHOPFALL) by J.Crew
The boat shoe with a sturdier sole is ideal for all seasons. This pair from Timberland comes in a great forest green colorway, and features hand-sewn construction and an EVA footbed for extra comfort.
$150 / $138 by Timberland
The three best stories from around the web.
“
He mastered the schematics and formulas required to build hi-fi audio—Ojas equipment is imposing, with a lush and visceral sound—but he also learned how focus and intention can be transformative when paired with exceptionally good sound.”
//
“
For consumers, this is why transparency is necessary, so that we can feel secure that we are making the right choices sustainably as well as sartorially.”
//
“
What started as a stand in Dover Street Market (where they still stock a curation of books) is now a private and personalised shopping experience.”
//
Nick for Timothy Everest, styled by @alexdavidhall
September 14