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About three years ago I put out a T-pisode called “Signature Drink.” At the time I just wanted to write about the history of my favorite alcoholic drinks while trying to encourage other guys out there to find one of their own if they didn’t already have one. It was a timeline of my favorite signature drinks while mandating that you are only allowed to change your signature drink five times in your life until you reach the age of 40. Well I think you all know by now I only live by my own rules so it’s entirely up to you if you went ahead and followed that rule. You’re crazy if you did. But thank you if you did. So now I’m back at it again with my “Signature Scent.” Instead of booze, I’m talking cologne. Because every man should have a distinguished scent that sets him apart from the next guy. And fellas, please, only one to two spritzes of cologne at a time. Trust T on this. And remember, cologne doesn’t hide stink. So stay clean and have immaculate hygiene. Now, here is a history of my signature scent.
First Signature Scent: Drakkar circa 1990
Good old Drakkar!!! Now this was THE scent for all middle school boys, teenagers and even grown ass men in the 90s. I swear to Baby Jesus. I can tell you this, none of us knew shit about good cologne. This was a time of Z Cavaricci pants, Cross Colour overalls with one strap up, rat tails in the back of dudes’ heads, 8-ball jackets and Starter hats son! We didn’t know shit about shit. Let alone smelling nice. But every guy sprayed on a lot of friggin’ Drakkar. And I did too all the way through middle school and high school. Like a damn idiot. But the girls were stupid back then too and thought Drakkar was cool. So hey.
Second Signature Scent: Acqua Di Gio circa 1996
This was the beginning of college. This was a time when I was exposed to people who were not from East Boston. It was a culture shock. It was change. So I thought it was time to make some changes as well. I always dressed ok for a poor kid but college was when I started to really embrace fashion, style and dressing well. I wanted nicer things. I started with my scent. I could not be fucking with Drakkar in college!!! These weren’t stupid little girls. These were college women son! Now looking back, they were still stupid little girls but I didn’t know any better then. Armani & Versace were made big by hip hop. Hip hop taught me about nice things. About being ghetto rich. Tupac & Biggie rocked Armani & Versace until they were killed. Hell, Versace was even killed during this time. I wanted something from Armani. All I could afford at the time was the cologne. Boom…Acqua Di Gio became my signature scent for the next 10 years. That smell was and still is amazing. It assisted ol’ T at many college parties, clubs, bars and on dates. Thank you Giorgio Armani.
Third Signature Scent: Polo Double Black circa 2006-2012
I rocked Polo shirts. I loved Polo shirts. I did not know shit about the sport of polo but that little jockey swinging a golf club on a horse looked cool as shit on a shirt. Ralph Lauren marketed to the rich but the poor bought his stuff. In 2006, I was neither. I was up & coming and in the middle. I had to wear suits to work and I had to smell great. While regular Polo cologne didn’t do much for me, Polo Double Black was the greatest scent ever to me. It was the first cologne I picked up without putting too much thought into it because I was out of Acqua Di Gio and the store was too. So I grabbed a bottle of Double Black and I got more compliments from women, friends and coworkers on my cologne than ever before. Mostly the compliments from women mattered the most at the time. That was it. Polo Double Black became my third signature scent. It worked out well for me. Very well.
Fourth Signature Scent: Burberry Brit circa 2008/Gucci Guilty circa 2011
I had no desire to buy Burberry cologne in my life. Long story short…I moved into the city. I had a hottie, party animal chick living next door. She couldn’t get enough of me. Seriously. She was annoying. She worked for Burberry around the corner and got me the cologne. I thought it was meh. But she liked it. A lot of her crazy hottie girlfriends liked it too. A lot of hot crazy girls in general liked it. I didn’t. I just went with it. I still had my trusty Polo Double Black but I guess the Brit was my fourth signature scent because of all the perks that came with it? I even dabbled a little into Gucci Guilty at this time. But I always went back to my Double Black. Hey, if it ain’t broken then don’t try to fix it. Speaking of which…
Fifth Signature Scent: Tom Ford Noir circa 2014
I knew about Tom Ford. Jay-Z put him on the radar for most men however with his last album. During this time I listened to that album all the way to Italy. Tom Ford had a giant billboard in Rome next to the Trevi Fountain. My hotel was next to both. I guess you can say the power of advertising finally got to me because when I got home I bought a bottle of Tom Ford Noir. It’s kind of a bandwagon cologne that a lot of people jumped on. I guess I did too? I’m not sure if it’s my last because yes I still have my boy Polo Double Black locked & loaded! But you do have to try the trends that are out there in the world if you are a successful and knowledgeable grown man. So I am with this cologne. More to come I guess on how that works out for me. But I’m staying loyal to ol’ PDB!
So there it is. My “Signature Scent” T-pisode. An indirect follow up sequel to my “Signature Drink” T-pisode? Or maybe a new “Signature” series on T-blawg? Who knows. The site is evolving along with me. Time to try new things. Time for changes. But I like the way things are going baby. Now go out and get yourself a new cologne regardless of how much you like the bottle or bottles resting on your dresser right now. You may find something better or you may end up sticking with what already works for you. Either way, thank me later.
Until next time. Always take it there.
T
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