Best Formal Fragrances For Men | Most Complimented Fragrances for Black Tie

- The black-tie dress code is one of the more prescriptive dress codes for men, and if you really want to adhere to the rules, there's really not much room for personal expression. It's kinda designed that way. Everyone is supposed to look uniform, and you could argue that it's a platform for the women to shine. So there are very few opportunities within black tie to add some personality and individual touches to your outfit. One of the ways you can do it, however, is through the fragrance you wear. I'm Brian Sacawa, you're watching "He Spoke Style," and today we are taking a look at my seven favorite black-tie, or formal fragrances for men. (relaxing hip-hop music) If you've watched some of my fragrance videos in the past, you know that I like to say that fragrance is the final detail of any outfit. It finishes it off, it pulls everything together, and it projects something about you. All the fragrances I've selected today are from my personal collection. So, again, if you have seen some of my previous fragrance videos, some of these will be familiar to you already. There are certain criteria that I look for when it comes to a black-tie or formal fragrance. I want it to be distinctive, elegant, elevated, intriguing, and intoxicating. As I said, when it comes to black tie, there's not a whole lot you can do, in terms of the outfit, to stand out. That's why, in my opinion, your fragrance choice is so important. It can make you feel a certain way. It's a great conversation-starter. That's why I like it to be distinctive and intriguing. And it can really make you stand out. Let's get to it now with my first pick. This is Creed's Spice and Wood. If you've seen the video where I go through everything I wore on my wedding day, you will know that this is the fragrance that I actually wore when Robin and I got married. It's classified as a woody, fresh fragrance, and on the Creed website, they call it unexpected and tenacious. Top notes are apple, bergamot, and lemon. Heart notes, angelic root, pinkberries, vetiver, patchouli, cloves, pimento, and birch. And base notes are iris, cedarwood, oakmoss, and Tonkin musk. It's very elegant and masculine, with a very airy quality to it. It's not overpowering, just kinda sits there, and you notice it without actually noticing it, if you know what I mean. And it's got a very dry kind of feel and scent to it, which is why I chose it for my wedding day, because it was humid, and this was a really nice counterpoint to that. It's got a modest projection. I get anywhere from four to eight hours of longevity. It's a great year-round pick. You can never go wrong with it in a black-tie situation. Creed's Spice and Wood. Next is honestly an all-time favorite, Tom Ford's Oud Fleur. It's so good, it's classy, it's elegant, and I would say, kind of surprising. It's hard to pin down the notes here. We looked around. The best we could find was from Basenotes. They have a huge list, including pimento, ginger, cardamom, rose, oud, sandalwood, patchouli, osmanthus, davana, date, cinnamon, leather, ambergris, castoreum, incense, styrax, and cistus. Lot to digest there. What I can tell you is that what I smell primarily is the rose, first and foremost, oud, and from a distance you get the incense. There's almost a mild churchy, kind of spicy quality to it. If you've ever been interested in rose fragrances, but maybe a little worried that they might seem too feminine, give this one a try. It's just so unique and sexy. Big projection, solid six to eight hours. This one is great in the spring and summer, though I could also see wearing it in the wintertime as well. Next we have Danger Parfum Cologne by Roja Parfum. Classified as an oriental, top notes are lemon, bergamot, lavender, and tarragon. Heart notes, lily of the valley, jasmine de grasse, and violet. And base notes include rhubarb, clove, patchouli, oakmoss, cedarwood, vanilla, tonka bean, leather, ambergris, and musk. Personally, I feel the top notes and the heart notes are a bit misleading. Base notes I think speak more to the fragrance. It's got a very deep and sexy kind of scent, very masculine. And although this is a modern fragrance, I feel like it has a very transcendent quality to it. I would almost consider it an under-the-radar kind of modern classic. This is a really interesting fragrance because I think it's really big, but it's also subtle at the same time, which I think really adds to the overall sex appeal of it. It's perfect for a black-tie event. This is one I would reserve for the fall or winter, and possibly early spring as well. Next another favorite of mine, Nanban by Arquiste. It's a woody oriental fragrance that is meant to evoke the exotic cargo in the hull of a 17th Century ship. And that is honestly exactly how the notes for this one read. On the top you've got Malabar black pepper, Persian saffron, black tea accord, and Chinese osmanthus. Heart notes, coffee absolute, Spanish leather, sandalwood, and myrrh. And base notes, we have frankincense, styrax, copaiba balsam, and cade. It has a very churchy, incensey quality to it from the frankincense. This is a very interesting, sensual, and seductive fragrance. Huge projection, very long-lasting, sexy, completely intoxicating, and statement-making. This is one you're gonna want to reserve for the colder months. As soon as it gets crisp in the fall and throughout the winter, this is an absolutely amazing black-tie option. Doing a bit of a 180 here as we move to Zegna's Italian Bergamot from the Essenze Collection. Might be weird to think of putting a citrus fragrance in an elevated black-tie category, but this is one, in my opinion, that absolutely belongs there. Let's get to the notes, very simple. Top note of bergamot, heart note is rosemary, and base notes are neroli and vetiver, that's it. I think part of the reason this one works in an elevated setting is that the citrus is not overpowering. I feel like there is a really great balance between all of the elements here. It's got a freshness, plus a refinement and elegance to it, which makes it appropriate for wearing with a tuxedo, as opposed to on a beach vacation or something. In my head, it kind of evokes scenes from "To Catch a Thief" with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, very classy. Moderate projection, much longer-lasting than you might expect from a citrus fragrance. It would totally get you through an evening. Obviously best in the spring and summer, and would work perfectly for an outdoor event. And now swinging a completely different way back again, we have Black Afgano by Nasomatto. This is maybe one of the most intense fragrances I have ever smelled. So, let's just get to the notes here. Top notes are cannabis and green notes. Heart notes are tobacco, woody notes, and resin. And base notes, frankincense, and agarwood. I was introduced to this fragrance by one of the coolest guys I have ever met, Giampaolo Alliata. Robin and I were visiting Milan, and of course, as a fan of all things sartorial, I wanted to stop into Al Bazar, which was where Giampaolo was working at the time. So he had this fragrance on, and I could not help but ask him what it was and where he got it. So he pointed down the street and said, "There's a little boutique down the street "where you can grab it." I did, and this is the third bottle I think I've had since then. So this is extremely sexy, but beware that it is extremely powerful. One spray is more than enough, huge projection. It will stay on your skin for a very long time, and also your clothes too, so, just be aware. This will make a statement, and people will talk. Finally, I wanted to throw in one that I included in my 10 most classic fragrances video. And that is Knize Ten, the gentleman's fragrance. Introduced in 1924 and considered very old school and very elegant. Notes for this one include lemon, bergamot, petitgrain, rosemary, geranium, rose, cedar, carnation, sandalwood, leather, musk, patchouli, and ambergris. Knize Ten is light, it's elegant, it's very distinct, it's very different. This is not what I would call a modern masculine scent. It's kind of old-school gentleman. That's what it smells like. It's spicy, it's floral, it's got a little bit of citrus and some pepper. Dries down with a little bit of sweetness. It's not overpowering, it's subtle and elegant, and it's distinctive. You don't smell things like this nowadays, which is why I think it's a really interesting choice for a black-tie event. Links to all the fragrances mentioned in this video are down below in the description. Chime in in the comments with your favorite black-tie fragrances. You know I'm always looking for recommendations. Please give this video a thumbs up if you liked my picks. Subscribe to the channel and hit the bell for notifications every time we publish a new video. Until next time, thanks for watching, and stay tailored. (slow piano music)