just starting out and figuring out what I actually like. This collection isn’t about having the best or the most. It started out of curiosity and turned into me noticing patterns in what I reach for. Fresh scents when I need clarity. Deeper ones when I want to slow down. Some bottles were hits, some were lessons, and all of them helped me understand my taste a little more. I’m still finding my identity in this. Still learning why certain notes feel like me and others don’t. And honestly, that’s been the fun part. What made you start collecting fragrance, and how did you realize what your style was?

So I had the chance to visit the Merchant of Venice boutique while in Venice. After smelling the lineup, I decided on Venetian Blue. While at the shop, I chose this one because it seemed very likable, like most blue fragrances, but it had a nice maturity. Full review coming soon.

Gents — this challenge was a blast! These stories have been pure gold. Funny, real, nostalgic, and honestly the kind of posts that make this community what it is. Now… for the winner 🥁🥁🥁 🏆 WINNER: @Lon Chaneyfield Lon took us straight back to 1981 — college in upstate New York, right after the disco/rock era — when he wasn’t exactly Mr. Smooth with the ladies. Then there was his buddy David: not the best-looking guy on campus, but somehow he had this magnetism Lon couldn’t explain. At first, Lon thought it was style — so he upgraded the wardrobe (serious Ferris Bueller vibes 😂). But the “it factor” still wasn’t there. Then came the moment that changed everything: On the way to a keg party, David insisted on running back to the dorm for one thing — a little white bottle. Not a clone. Not a random splash. YSL Kouros. Lon could immediately sense the power of it — bold, animalistic, unforgettable — and then watched David’s magnetism in real time at the party. The next morning, Lon made his move: with his brand-new first credit card, he hopped a bus to JCPenney and bought his first cologne for himself. And from there? The rest is basically 80s history. Lon says Kouros became tied to so many peak memories that even today, he doesn’t really wear it out… but at home? One spray and it’s instant time travel. That’s the power of scent right there. @Lon Chaneyfield — love this story! Everyone else: keep those stories coming in the feed! These are the kind of stories that make this community what it is.