I Love New York for Marriage Equality

(A more thoughtful review after wearing this several times.) This scent starts off with a noticeable note of Mandarin Orange and nutmeg with the slight presence of plum. The basenote of sandalwood is apparent from the very beginning. As the orange fades the white flowers become evident but never overpowering. As for the floral notes, for the most part I smell ginger lily and jasmine but according to the published notes there is rose here too. Mostly the white flowers done in a minimal fashion that complements the sandalwood and other woody notes so well. I would swear there is a touch of cinnamon too. As the scent ages on the skin a wonderful amber accord is added to the mix. This is not a flowery scent but it is at the same time; just enough to round out the spices and amber. Mostly this is a sweet sandalwood spice mix with a bit of delicious floral added to the heart with that mandarin and plum at the beginning. One could say the floral aspect of this perfume would make it feminine but the woody and spicy nature would make it masculine. Verdict: Unisex. Can be worn by anyone. I find taht longevity is average or better for me at about 5-6 hours. I would guess that I either become immune to the scent or that the concentration in the "I Love New York" series is not as high as in Bond's regular line which would make sense given that the price point is lower. Perhaps the best in the I Love New York line from Bond so far. I have blown through two sample vials and have ordered a full bottle. I even carried a sample vial with me last night and offered a spray to those that complemented me on the fragrance and this one did garner complements from both men and women. _______ I was asked, "is this frag at all like Andy Warhol?" I wondered the same thing earlier today and since I have Andy Warhol I sprayed one arm with Andy and the other with ILNYFME about 3 hours ago. Upon first spray I thought they were indeed very similar, at least inhabiting the same fragrance "space" for lack of a better term. The main difference at the top that I could discern was the presence of mandarin in ILNYFME. But after the top notes dried off the two presented themselves quite differently. Andy had that almost sour and medicinal "band aid" note of oud which could be enhanced by the plum note. ILNYFME on the other hand evolved to a sweeter and spicier space with a more definite sweet sandalwood/amber modified with a hint of sweet white floral. So my first impression was yes, quite similar, but after a white to two evolved into quite different scents. This may sound strange, but now when I smell the two next to each other the first thing I think about with Andy is "sour milk". I never thought that before! And it really does not smell like sour milk so I can't really explain that reaction... I liked Andy enough to buy a bottle, but ILNYFME is better for me today, at least somewhat sweeter. Loving the sandalwood note quite a bit.

As with most Bond No 9s, this one took several sprays at Saks (there's some alliteration) before I took interest. Yes, the initial spritz is wood, wood, and more wood! But in the background is a floral, almost incense-y aroma that deepens with the drydown. It's the drydown that makes this scent (and most others). You have to be willing to enjoy that incense, myrrh/frankincense odor - and I do - to really love this. It is a bit quizzical to me that this was launched in the Summer. I think it's more of a wintry fragrance. It's a high of 55 degrees today and windy, and I need something strong that can stand up to that. I don't know how this would fare in the heat, but if it was released in July in New York, well, it's very hot in New York then. I feel the deep woodsy aroma with the incense complements cold weather well. If you're a fan of Cooper Square (I am, and own the bottle) then give this a try. It's a very good scent. I can see why it's unisex, but I do believe it tends to lean more masculine. Just my opinion, though. The longevity is good. Probably 4-6 hours. Sillage is decent as well. And of course the bottle has a beautiful rainbow heart on it - perfect for those who support marriage equality. =) **Update - So this cologne apparently mixes very well with other woody fragrances. So far, my favorite pairing is Marriage Equality with Great Jones, in a 2:1 fashion, respectfully. Formal, classic, yet playful!

This was recomended to me by the Perfumista at Nordstroms. He was spot on with this one!! The title had me really wondering what it was going to smell like. Its an extremely woody scent. I love sandalwood in fragrances so this one hits a homerun. The sandalwood and cashmere are the most prominent in this perfume. I love the way that the rose calms down the wood and spice in this. The plum and manderine are very mild and are almost undetectable after 2 hours or so. It all ties together very well. This is also the cheapest perfume in Bonds lineup I believe. I have gotten many compliments with this scent and will be buying a bottle soon. Longevity: 10+ hours easy Projection: 4 feet Sillage: 4 hours at least Update: I have a few samples of this and have finished my first one. The second sample smells different. It smells more Christmas like, thats the only way I can explain it. Still absolutely gorgeous! This makes me wonder if my other samples will vary slightly as well... Update: got a bottle of this as a christmas gift. Does not smell christmasy like my second sample but smells better than ever. Again, very woody and the dark fruit is more prominent. Projection and everything is great! This is a beast on me all day with 3 sprays. Love it.

So I was anxious to try this one, and the description of the notes evoked curiosity, so when it became available I sampled this. The plum notes in the top are similar to Andy as someone had mentioned, but that's where the similarity ends. Where Andy is an experienced marked in Oud (isn't everything these days?), Marriage Equality is a more subdued and subtle experience, the fruitiness at the opening not overpowering and at first I wanted to ask, "Where did it go?" The spices and plum do give way to a very rich floral that, again, is nice yet understated. It's hours later that this really opened up and revealed the power of the woods and amber base. Wow! then you realize how nice this is, it comes up by surprise. This is one of those perfumes that comes up and hits you as if to say, "Hey, this is really good and not challenging me to find something likable about it." It's a very easy scent. When I compare it to Andy, it's a much more challenging experience with the Oud and plum along with the other notes competing for attention. Marriage Equality doesn't have quite the pedigree or high-end ingredients, but it winds up better than the sum of the parts. Of all the I Love NY line, this is easily my favorite.

I received samples last Saturday, but have yet to do a full wearing. On paper this is definitely unisex with the spiciness echoing things like La Mome and Sira des Indes, etc. only more modern and "metro" feeling... I find it a delightfully fruity (those of you who avoid the plum note in perfumes need not fear) balance of spices, flowers and it has an almost oriental incense/resin like quality! I would be honored to wear something like this to walk down the aisle, and I love how the bottle has the rainbow heart and celebrates same sex marriage becoming legal in New York state. Also wonderful was the very first 100 same sex couples who presented their marriage licenses at the flagship store at 9 Bond St. will receive a 100 ml bottle of this (or so I have heard)!! KUDOS ALL AROUND!! Edit-23 June 2012: After talking with the Bond marketing department, a couple weeks ago, I learned it was actually I Love NY for ALL that was given away to the first 100 same sex couples last year (2011) and not THIS. Sorry!