Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Cologne Drunkards
In the late nineteenth century, a brief moral panic emerged about the alleged existence of "cologne drunkards" — society women who inebriated themselves by means of sugar cubes soaked in cologne.Seems like an expensive way to consume alcohol, but I guess it's plausible that some women really did this.
Good Health magazine - Apr 1885
Philadelphia Times - Feb 7, 1893
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 23, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Inebriation and Intoxicants, Nineteenth Century, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Follies of the Madmen #548
Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 28, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Sex Symbols, Fantasy, 1970s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Harley-Davidson Perfume
Classic business failure: "Hot Road," an eau de toilette released by Harley-Davidson in the mid-1990s and quietly discontinued a year or two later. It wasn't exactly an "on brand" product.More info: Milwaukee Magazine
image source: parfumo.net
Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 18, 2022 -
Comments (0)
Category: Business, Products, Success & Failure, 1990s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Perfume for Ice Cream
Ice-cream chain Salt & Straw is coming out with "culinary perfume" that's designed to be sprayed on ice cream. It'll come in three varieties: "A Cloud of Cocoa," "A Plume of Blooms," and "A Swoon of Citrus."I'll stick with chocolate sauce.
More info: instagram
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jul 21, 2022 -
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Category: Junk Food, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Potato Perfume
Created as a gimmick by the Idaho Potato Commission. Already out of stock.More info: Idaho Potato Commission, Instagram, upi.com
Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 16, 2022 -
Comments (5)
Category: Food, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Burberry Hero—man/horse duality
AdWeek named this as the weirdest fragrance ad of 2021. I'd have to agree.From YouTube:
A new masculine spirit exploring the house codes of duality and the power of the animal kingdom.
A man in search of transformation and metamorphosis as a new modern heroism.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Dec 28, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Animals, Advertising, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Whiffy’s Club
Because Marilyn Meissler had always wondered if she was the only person who liked the smell of skunks, in 1989 she placed an ad in USA Today seeking out other skunk lovers:She got such a positive response that a year later she founded "Whiffy's Club" — a club for people who like the odor of skunks. For $35 members got a t-shirt, button, membership card, and newsletter. And for an extra $11, they got a bottle of skunk aroma.
Montreal Gazette - July 3, 1989
Sequoyah County Times - Jan 31, 1991
Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 03, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Skunk Guard
Skunk Guard was a solution of skunk spray packaged in small glass vials. Ray Hanson and Jack Scaff started selling this stuff in the 1980s with the idea that it could be used as anti-rape perfume. If a woman feared she was about to be raped, she could break open a vial and smear herself with skunk scent, making herself smell so bad that the rapist, hopefully, would go away. As Scaff explained, "The idea is to make the woman so repulsive the attacker runs away."If the attacker didn't run away he would end up smelling awful also, making it easier for the police to identify him.
Skunk Guard never sold well. I'm guessing most women wanted a form of defense that was more proactive than just making themselves stink.
Honolulu Advertiser - Feb 19, 1985
Minneapolis Star Tribune - May 29, 1985
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Oct 9, 1985
Posted By: Alex - Mon Nov 29, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: 1980s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Amphibia Eau de Toilette
A fragrance for muppet fans was a cute idea, but the image of Kermit with six-pack abs was a bit unsettling.
For some reason, Amphibia was deemed culturally significant enough to be added to the Smithsonian's collection. From the Smithsonian:
Fort Myers News-Press - Dec 26, 1995
Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 16, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: 1990s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents
Currier and Ives Toiletries
Many cultural touchstones of my youth have vanished, and mean nothing now to new generations."Currier and Ives" is one such.
At one time this name meant "nostalgic popular culture invocations of the nineteenth century." But given that meaning, what kind of smells would you necessarily associate with it? Horse manure? Coal fires? Unwashed longjohns? Was that what was meant by "manly elegance?
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 29, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Advertising, 1960s, Perfume and Cologne and Other Scents, Nostalgia
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |