And yes, it’s still absolutely outstanding. A fragrance born the same year as me, ended up being my very first cologne that made me say hey, I need this in my life. I want to look like this, I want to smell like this, I want more plaid in my life, and I need a better haircut. Must have been 1989 or so I started stealing sprays from my older brother. Like dozens and dozens of men my age, this scent was what got me into men’s fragrance.
There will be the occasional person who finds this appealing as you wear it but don’t count on most people to like it. I have decided this will be my signature scent when I get into my late 40’s. I have great love for Polo and it will remain in my collection for life. I suppose Polo is a true classic as it doesn’t smell dated or out of place to me compared to others that were released around this time.
Do you like warm spice, earthy tobacco, muddy roots, green and damp decaying woods in the late evening just a few degrees above freezing? Polo is one of the few that can truly handle the Paul Bunyan like giants of masculinity on earth without restraining that inner-beast inside. I started wearing this amazing scent in college in the early 80’s.
It still lasts well and seems more versatile now to me. Redolent of pine trees and stale cigarette butts. A sharp, bitter synthetic “green” fragrance that’s more dated than Burt Reynolds’ mustache. This is the most ubiquitous fragrances on older men in America, especially the South. Much like my elders, I respect it, but I’d rather spend my time and money on any other piece of my collection. This is one of the few fragrances that I can smell in public and undoubtedly know exactly what the man is wearing.
I do also get the geranium, jasmine and chamomile. In fact, everything is well balanced and well blended. I can see this as a year round fragrance, but probably best suited to the cooler type of weather, especially spring, where it reminds me of a crisp, spring morning, with dew still on the grass. This is like walking through a cool pine forest.
I associate it with my dad which is why it feels like an ‘old’ fragrance, but it definitely is dated regardless of that association. I feel limited wearing this as a lot of people I come into contact with don’t like it. Friends Polo Ralph Lauren t shirt that have smelled it often have a face of disgust and say that it smells like a grandpa, or that it is strong, but I rarely have experienced someone actually liking it. Best way I can describe it is that it smells like money.