Beau de Jour Tom Ford 2019 Eau de Parfum

Last summer, when you could still test scents to some extent in perfumeries despite MNS, I was neither on the hunt, nor on the search, but strolled so past the shelf meters, when a voice asked me from diagonally behind in this wonderful little perfumery in Regensburg, whether I was looking for something specific. "A fragrance that suits me!" was my freely improvised answer. Not ten seconds later, I had the first test strip under my nose. There I stood now in my worn-out Adidas sambas, a baggy pair of jeans and a washed-out Iron Maiden tour shirt, wondering how, with my fragmentary knowledge of French, I was supposed to reconcile "Beau de Jour" with my question.

Let me put it this way: I am not a Tom Ford fan boy. Rightfully so, "Grey Vetiver" and "For Men" are in my collection, but other than that? I admit, these 15-meter-long glossy counter in the flagship stores with their scarce 438 different flacons make already what her and are also regularly departed from me, but it never comes to the purchase. On the one hand, the price-performance ratio does not convince me so at all, on the other hand, the flacons with these absolutely cheap plastic plugs, which just do not want to sit, annoy me so right - for such a thing I do not spend a penny.

But here I have with "Beau de Jour" suddenly a simple glass cylinder with fine fluting in the hand, on which a silver plaque is emblazoned, above a solid silver Knöpke with ebensolcher fluting, which also closes after a perfect fit and does not wiggle like a lamb's tail. The pale yellow liquid also lends a classic, classy appearance. The certainly looks good next to "Grey Vetiver", I think to myself so.

"Classic" is then also the first thought when I do after the first sniff. There is first of all nothing but lavender, but of the withdrawn, dry variety, which do not immediately think of Aunt Elfriede or lavender pillows. There are quickly more green Mediterranean impacts, there are dry herbs, there is oak moss and a very withdrawn and soft patchouli.

"Beau de Jour" is a very classic men's fragrance from a long-forgotten time, which immediately brings back memories of fragrances that you used to smell so often, fragrances that you used to have in your collection, fragrances that have long since been discontinued at the big chains and for the most part are either reformulated beyond recognition or, sadly, have long since been discontinued.

Nevertheless, I can dispel any question, this fragrance does not smell of yesterday: no appeal of moth-box or grandma's bank advisor with the worn leather elbow pads on the jacket. No, "Beau de Jour" smells clearly classic, but not stale. The peaks that would make the lavedel smell sharp have been toned down. The soapy notes that make up any classic lavedel are still there, too, but they don't intrude. This gives the impression of being wrapped in a soft cloak that encloses you safely and firmly. Although some of the radiation and durability has been lost, but "Beau de Jour" is still quite expressive and also remains significantly longer differentiated perceptible than many modern fragrances.

What to say "Beau de Jour" looks good next to my "Grey Vetiver." And when I wear "Beau de Jour", I swap my black band shirts for a plaid shirt once again. Even if currently no one sees it because of Lockdown and home office. But I'm still a small-checkered accountant, so the outfit should match the fragrance.