What might a billionaire smell like?

Chiquita Banana · May 20, 2009

An odd question, I know.

I lost my sense of smell after a freak head injury ten years ago, but I remember boyfriends having distinct and wonderful smells.

I wanted my MC to observe this when she gets together with the object of her affection, and since he's a billionaire, I googled expensive colognes and read the ingredients/reviews and came up with this:

'He's so warm, and he smells like peat moss and sage.'

My editor friend's response to this was <<!!!!>>. Yeah. I know I made it sound like he's been rolling around in the woods somewhere.

I have her other love interest (it's sort of a love triangle) smelling like pine needles and my Ed friend didn't seem to have a problem with that. It IS a bit of a challenge writing about smells, but it's such an important sense I feel like I can't leave it out.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks in advance!

MattW · May 20, 2009

I would say that subtle, cooler scents might be more appropriate. And depending on time of day or event, he might wear something different. A billionaire might not wear any kind of scent, except for the rare imported soaps he uses. It also depends on his personality and sophistication - some men won't go anywhere without a spray or two, and others douse their clothes, while still others only do it for special events.

My personal favorites are things that include peppermint, white tea, sage, or citrus oils.

Sophia · May 20, 2009

How about having him smell of things that she personally associates with wealth and comfort? Perhaps there is a very rich area of her hometown where a particular tree lines the avenues, and she associates the scent of its flowers with wealth. Or a very old and exclusive building she was in once, and the combination of scents there, of perhaps walnut or leather seats, rich carpet and expensive drinks, always take her back to that moment when she herself felt privileged. His clothes or his skin could carry a hint of something like that, something that evokes a memory of wealth in her.

Bubastes · May 20, 2009

What MattW said. It can vary widely depending on the guy's tastes and personality. My favorite scents on men (and on myself) include notes of sandalwood, pipe tobacco, spices, leather, things like that.

ETA: I like ElariaSophia's suggestion a lot, by the way.

Chiquita Banana · May 20, 2009

Thanks everyone! I think my main problem is how I phrased it maybe. Instead of 'he smells like' it should probably be 'I breathe in deeply and get a faint whiff of...'

It's annoying. Probably not with this guy but with the other one, I want to convey that singular smell that each person has. None of my high school/college boyfriends wore cologne or anything, but they each had their own personal scent that was undetectable unless your face was right up next to their skin.

I really miss that.

KCathy · May 20, 2009

The blood of the innocents he has trampled on his way to the top?

Okay, I'm a little prejudiced against rich people, lol.

Maybe you could leave it general so the reader imagines their own favorite scent? Janet Evanovich (yes, I'm a literary snob) frequently refers to how wonderful Ranger smells to Stephanie Plum in her By the Numbers series, but not to the actual scent. A few books after she started this, we discover that he uses Bulgari body wash. Either somebody complained about wanting their very own Ranger B.O. or Bulgari got smart and offered her a Lear Jet if she'd use their scent. I was so shocked that a) I'm such a tool that I bought some for my husband and b) he smells much, much better in the Tommy Boy he wore while we were dating.

Failing that (geez, I'm too talkative when I'm hyped up on a whole half-cup of weak coffee), you could tie it to some other interest of his instead of trying to describe cologne. For example, if he loves riding you could give him a heady scent of saddle leather and the citrus oil he uses for his gloves. Or if he lives in his library, maybe that seductive new-book fresh-page smell (I'm such a book geek, but then, wouldn't a good percentage of your readers be?) mixed with cherry tobacco from his expensive cigarillos.

Or you could ignore me and chalk it up to my no longer being able to hold my caffeine.

Deb Kinnard · May 20, 2009

How about smells particular to his brand of (probably pricey) shampoo, or as mentioned above, soap? I love the warm smell of my husband's hair...I always have to buy him the same shampoo he used when we first met, so he smells "right." LOL

som1luvsmi · May 20, 2009

I think he should smell like money. Washed linen (like money is made of), Italian silk suits, leather club chairs, Cuban cigars, expensive single malt Scotch. Things that give off the aura of what a billionaire would constantly be surrounded by. It wouldn't be so much that he smelled like a single note of something pricey, as much as it would be that the things that he was always around would leave a small trace on him to make a totally new smell.

Lainey Bancroft · May 20, 2009

Billionaire?

Whatever he smelled like I'd find it damn appealing. :tongue

Srsly, you've gotten some great suggestions. I'd personally be inclined to go with what his scent conveyed to her--warmth, comfort, security etc--than to identify a specific smell, that way your reader can conjure a scent pleasing to them. If you said he smelled earthy like leather and saddle soap from his polo ponies, for every reader who went, "Yum!" You risk another who say, "Eew, barn!"

JamieB · May 20, 2009

som1luvsmi said:
I think he should smell like money. Washed linen (like money is made of), Italian silk suits, leather club chairs, Cuban cigars, expensive single malt Scotch. Things that give off the aura of what a billionaire would constantly be surrounded by. It wouldn't be so much that he smelled like a single note of something pricey, as much as it would be that the things that he was always around would leave a small trace on him to make a totally new smell.

Ditto to this! Fresh, crisp, newly printed hundreds. Like walking into a high end men's clothing store. Leather and Scotch, yep...that's how I would do the scent of a rich man.

girlyswot · May 20, 2009

I'm sorry, all I can think in response to this is 'Where there's muck, there's brass.' But probably I am the only person who actually likes men to smell of muck, so not that helpful.

KCathy · May 20, 2009

If you said he smelled earthy like leather and saddle soap from his polo ponies, for every reader who went, "Yum!" You risk another who say, "Eew, barn!"

Gasp! How dare you disagree with me? I demand that this thread be locked. I knew I should have gone for the gusto and suggested deer urine from his love for hunting big game. Next you're going to tell me that some people don't like the smell of buck pee! The nerve.

Chiquita Banana · May 20, 2009

KCathy said:
The blood of the innocents he has trampled on his way to the top?

You are too hilarious, KCathy!! :ROFL:

Anyway, thanks everyone!! This is so helpful. Now I'm going to have to take a while to decide. This particular billionaire may not be the typical personification of a billionaire. He's an IT wunderkind, a king of Silicon Valley - like Bill Gates except he looks like Superman.

Middle class upbringing, so he's not old money. Definitely not tacky though.

Since he and my MC aren't going to end up together, I don't want his scent to be too lovely. Maybe something exciting and dangerous. Maybe leather and pipe tobacco is the way to go! Course he does live in health-conscious Northern California...

I'll figure it out. Anyway, thanks again for all these suggestions. I imagine I'll come back to this thread in the future to help with stories I have yet to write.

All the best,
Chiq

jennontheisland · May 20, 2009

Chiquita Banana said:
Course he does live in health-conscious Northern California...

Chardonnay and organic arugula.

KCathy · May 20, 2009

Course he does live in health-conscious Northern California...

Good point. And smoking in your home may be illegal in California by the time you get published.

stormie · May 20, 2009

He might smell of the office, which is kind of a paper and leather smell. And freshly laundered shirts with a bit of starch.

This is from someone who hasn't a clue what a billionaire--or even a millionaire--would smell like. Just a good guess.

Bubastes · May 20, 2009

When you mentioned he was an IT wunderkind, the first thing I thought of was "Coke and cold pizza."

LorelieBrown · May 20, 2009

Chiquita Banana said:
Course he does live in health-conscious Northern California...

Those rock crystal things that *want* to be deodorant but aren't quite up to the task?

Soccer Mom · May 20, 2009

stormie said:
He might smell of the office, which is kind of a paper and leather smell. And freshly laundered shirts with a bit of starch.

This is from someone who hasn't a clue what a billionaire--or even a millionaire--would smell like. Just a good guess.

Oh! Starch!

:swoons:

No srsly. I love the smell of freshly laundered shirts. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

brainstorm77 · May 20, 2009

Of course he could be like some movie stars who I shall not mention who apparently don't shower. So he could smell like a combo of B.O. and Poo!

KTC · May 20, 2009

Might I suggest that said billionaire would smell exactly how they would want to smell. It would be a personal choice that would have no financial limitations. This means they could smell like $1000 cologne or $10 Old Spice.

Brindle Chase · May 20, 2009

Just a man's perspective here... (so its not worth much! *lol*)... honestly... while I'm no billionaire... I dont think guys are into expensive colognes. Guys dont pick colognes because they like the smells... they buy the ones that they think will get them laid... just saying!!!! Seriously... when I buy colognes, I pick something that's manly, in my opinion of course, we all vary. Some guys swear by Old Spice... dont ask me why... but... anywho...

I guess my point is this... a billionaire isnt going to buy expensive colognes neccessarily. Expensive car? yes. check. Expensive yacht? Yes, check. Expensive clothes? Maybe. Expensive cologne? Not unless it comes with a "will get laid guarantee"... men just dont think about cologne the way women think about perfume.

In fact, most men I know, behind the woman they loves back, hate the perfume their wife wears... I confess the same. Wife loves Red Door... I hate it, but would never say so. Its one of those things a smart guys white lies about. "I love it honey, it makes you smell so sexy."

Cyia · May 20, 2009

KTC said:
Might I suggest that said billionaire would smell exactly how they would want to smell. It would be a personal choice that would have no financial limitations. This means they could smell like $1000 cologne or $10 Old Spice.

Clive Christian No. 1 for Men is the most expensive cologne in the world (according to google). Though a billionaire could just as easily smell like $10 Stetson if he likes it.

Maybe he smells like his "new car of the week".

bettielee · May 20, 2009

You are a good man, Brindle Chase.

What would a billionaire smell like? Warm leather. The warm leather of a high class bmw left in a hot spot with the windows down. mmmmm....

Lainey Bancroft · May 20, 2009

KCathy said:
Gasp! How dare you disagree with me? I demand that this thread be locked. I knew I should have gone for the gusto and suggested deer urine from his love for hunting big game. Next you're going to tell me that some people don't like the smell of buck pee! The nerve.

Northern Ontario gal here. I'd prefer buck pee to expensive cologne. Allergic/intolerant to perfumes and colognes. I blame rich guys dipped in noxious substances provided by Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren for my failure to thrive in post secondary education.

You people are killin' in here today...guys that smell like coke and cold pizza, arugula, failed rock crystal deodorant, luxury automobiles... :ROFL:

Who knew 'scent of a man' could provide a day of entertainment?

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