TOM FORD
BEAU DE JOUR
2019
PERFUMER
Antoine Maisondieu
Lavender
Lavender extract
Oakmoss
Rosemary
Mint
Basil
Geranium
Patchouli
Amber
Oh, how our frames of reference continue to steer our perceptions! Haven’t I let go of gender norms in fragrances? What about fougères creates such vivid connections to (older) men and (cheap) eau de colognes? And more importantly, is that me now?
Splash bottles and chest hair come to mind and yes, my father would be one of those men. Weren’t it that, as far as I know, my father didn’t wear fougères like this. The only fragrance memories I have of my youth are those of Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme and Iceberg Twice, both rather fresh and citrussy affairs. Is it the zeitgeist? I can picture fragrance commercials aimed at men, looking like a cut scene from the Anchorman movies… but I don’t recall ever seeing those either. Maybe it’s just the constant references we like to make to those connections that I’m sure a lot of you have as well when you think about fougères. Does referencing a no longer relevant frame of reference keep it alive like some sort of feedback loop? And if so, is that a problem?
I have no answers for you today. What I can tell you is that I’ve never appreciated fougères the way I do almost any other genre of perfumes. In my collection, the only one that would classify was Zaharoff Signature Pour Homme, which feels like a bit of a cop out with how modern and sweet it is.
When I saw this (Private Blend version) Beau de Jour for an amazing price I felt almost obliged to get it. I’d smelled it before in stores and thought it was very smooth and pleasant. It unapologetically fits in that empty fougere place in my collection, so I decided to pull the trigger. I wore it to work today and even though I won’t be reaching for it on my off days, it will probably be in rotation for the office.
It’s lavender is smooth and beautiful, it’s not too green for my taste, more so minty, the sweetness comes through and I was surprised how patchouli heavy the base is. It’s not a cheap eau de cologne. It’s not outdated. I really enjoyed wearing it. My chest is hairy. Did my perception of it change or did I?
P.s. the reformulated, more affordable Signature line version of Beau de Jour was still excellent and similar when that launched.
