You wouldn’t wear a tank top and cargo shorts to the office, would you? Nor would you wear a three-piece tuxedo. And the same applies to cologne. Just as you need to dress for the occasion, you also need to spray for the occasion. An overly synthetic and youthful scent won’t convey the sense of maturity and professionalism that you want, but going overboard will only make you come off as someone who has no sense of restraint or self-awareness.
A few things to keep in mind when choosing a cologne for office wear:
Avoid exotic notes and accords. The office environment is one where you want to aim for scents with mass appeal. After all, there are all kinds of people—men, women, young, old, from all kinds of backgrounds—and you can’t expect everyone to have the same level of olfactory appreciation that you have. That exotic cologne may smell nice to you while inducing nausea in others.
Stick with affordable, designer fragrances. One might argue that since you spend so much of your waking hours at the office, you might as well splurge and wear your best every day. However, always remember who your audience is: there’s a good chance that the people at your office don’t care about what cologne you’re wearing. There’s no reason to “waste” your money on daily sprays of expensive scents that go unappreciated; instead, wear something that’s “good enough” and still portrays the image you want, and save the primo cologne for special occasions.
And no matter which cologne you choose to put on, wear it conservatively! Limit yourself to one or two sprays maximum before you head into the office. Why? Because the people you work with have to be around you for hours on end, and the last thing you want is to smother them against their will. Be courteous to your office and don’t be “that guy” who can be smelled from three rooms away.
Men’s Office Colognes for Spring and Summer
360 Red EDT by Perry Ellis
Scent Family: Fresh/Spicy
Top Notes: Bergamot, lime zest, ruby orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove bud
Heart Notes: Parsley, coriander seeds, lavender
Base Notes: Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, clean musk
Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme EDT by Bvlgari
Scent Family: Fresh/Aquatic
Top Notes: Mandarin, petitgrain
Heart Notes: Santolina, posidonia
Base Notes: Amber, clary sage
Versace Pour Homme EDT by Versace
Scent Family: Aromatic/Fougere
Top Notes: Neroli, bitter orange leaves, citron, bergamot
Heart Notes: Geranium, blue hyacinth, clary sage, cedar
Base Notes: Oud, mineral amber, musk, tonka bean
Men’s Office Colognes for Fall and Winter
Grey Flannel EDT by Geoffrey Beene
Scent Family: Oriental/Woody
Top Notes: Violet, lemon, orange, bergamot, petitgrain, galbanum
Heart Notes: Clary sage, rose, geranium, fern
Base Notes: Oakmoss, sandalwood, cedar, tonka bean, musk
Baldessarini Ambre EDT by Baldessarini
Scent Family: Woody/Oriental
Top Notes: Mandarin, red apple
Heart Notes: Violet
Base Notes: Leather, whisky
Terre D’Hermes EDT by Hermes
Scent Family: Woody
Top Notes: Grapefruit, orange
Heart Notes: Flint, pepper, pink pepper, geranium, patchouli, rose
Base Notes: Cedar, vetiver, benzoin
Men’s Office Colognes for Year-Round Wear
L’Eau Bleue D’Issey EDT by Issey Miyake
Scent Family: Woody/Aromatic
Top Notes: Rosemary, lime, mandarin, orangewood
Heart Notes: Cypress, ginger, juniper berry, pink pepper, lavender
Base Notes: Sandalwood, amber, patchouli, cedar, oakmoss
Burberry Touch EDT by Burberry
Scent Family: Woody/Floral
Top Notes: Violet, mandarin
Heart Notes: Pepper, cedar, oakmoss
Base Notes: Vetiver, white musk, tonka bean
Vetiver EDT by Guerlain
Scent Family: Woody
Top Notes: Bergamot, lemon, mandarin, neroli, coriander
Heart Notes: Vetiver, cedar
Base Notes: Tobacco, nutmeg, pepper, tonka bean, capsicum
Dior Homme EDT by Christian Dior
Scent Family: Woody/Floral
Top Notes: Lavender, sage, bergamot
Heart Notes: Iris, amber, cacao
Base Notes: Vetiver, patchouli, leather
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