Tommy

This was one of my favorites back in the mid-90s when it was released. I remember wearing it a lot with a white t-shirt that had a big Tommy Hilfiger logo emblazoned across the front. I felt so "kick-ass" in my early 20s when I wore this combo! HA! The 80s were big shoulder pads and hair, the 90s were all about big logos on shirts! As my fragrance experimentation grew and expanded over the years, many of the fragrances that I fell in love and wore so much during the mid-90s fell by the wayside to make room for new and different ones. However, I always remembered Tommy because of its neat bottle. The minimalist glass bottle with the sparkling, clear juice inside just spoke to me. The fragrance itself was also unique! I remember being intrigued with the marketing verbiage back in the day regarding the "apple pie" and "cotton flower" notes--and I never smelled cotton flower before! In addition, the print advertising for this stuff was just phenomenal! Very preppy, East Coast (Hamptons/Nantucket) vibes making me think of those carefree, perfect summer days here in my own town. Moving forward ten years later or so, I remember buying a small bottle just to have for nostalgia purposes and I still have it. However, I only spray it in the air during the summer to remind me of the "good old days." Interestingly enough, I now find it QUITE potent compared to today's fragrances. I did, however, give it a try on my skin out to dinner or some event one summer in the past few years, but I applied it sparingly--and I'm glad I did--as I found it QUITE the performer! Back in the 90s, I remember using two or three sprays on each side of the neck. If I had done that with Tommy today, I'd not be able to stand myself! As each summer comes around the corner, I find myself looking for that "PERFECT" summer scent. One that is fresh, clean, aquatic, green, but one that isn't your typical Acqua di Gio, Calvin Klein Escape, etc. Something that reminds me of linen chinos and a classic white dress shirt worn casually, or buttoned up with some dress chinos. A few years ago, I kept thinking Tommy would be it. I came to Fragrantica to serve as inspiration to see what others had to say about Tommy and I started to read about the HORRIBLE reformulation, how it doesn't last, etc. However, in my reading of the reviews, I learned there's still a lot of respect for this fragrance--or at least the old formulation--30 years later! Even if someone doesn't like the new version, their passionate reviews are a true testament to the impression this fragrance made on them. It doesn't smell dated in the least--again, 30 years later! Quite honestly, I think Acqua di Gio has a slightly "dated" scent profile to it now and that fragrance was/is infinitely more successful than Tommy or other wanna-be fresh-like scents. I find myself on warm, humid days in the summer pulling out my little bottle and spraying it in an attempt to bring me back to those really carefree days I recall so fondly. After reading some of the negative reviews last summer regarding the reformulation, I thought Tommy was over and done with. The news was depressing and I feared trying the new as I didn't want to spoil the memories I have of the original. About a week or so ago, as we transitioned from January to February, hoping for spring weather soon, Tommy came to mind. I sourced a sample of the new version on eBay. I love the updated packaging design with the clean, white card and the Tommy stripe going down the center--a very nice, modern update. I see they carried this over to the box for the full bottle as well. When I used to buy Tommy back in the day, it was done with the full Tommy Hilfiger crest across and around the box. Instead of spraying on my skin, I always test a fragrance at home on paper--like I do with a sample blotter at store. My first reaction was "yes, this is definitely reformulated, but it has some of the Tommy DNA still there." It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but I could tell it was different, even by a bit. I put the card down and about 30 minutes later, returned and WOW! I could smell Tommy--and it was GOOD, DAMN GOOD! In fact, I happened to read some of the more recent reviews and @karlovonamesti wrote this: "Give it to minute 15, and something interesting happens: Old Glory emerges from the fog." SO VERY TRUE! I've kept this card on my desk now for two full days and 48 hours later, I can still smell it! What I am REALLY enjoying about what I smelled here with the new Tommy is there's this fresh, green note that pops out. Almost like Clinique Happy (not surprising as back in the day, Lauder had the license for Hilfiger fragrances) off in the background, giving the idea/feeling of a cool breeze. I do not recall that in the old version at all and it's DEFINITELY a pleasant surprise in the new. If this performs on my skin just as it has been on a card for the past 48 hours, I thinking I'll be having a really good summer reunion with Tommy both in and out of the office. I do realize that fragrance reacts differently with people's skin, etc. I also realize that reformulations can really cause hell with people's emotions and feelings--trust me, I'm with all of you and don't discredit your reviews. If it doesn't work for you, I believe you mean that. But this experience with the new Tommy for me has been a VERY pleasant surprise amongst all of the bad reviews! Oh, and I LOVE the new updated bottle cap from matt to shiny. It really pairs nicely with the clear glass bottle!

Every fragrance has a story. Tommy has a friggin' SOUNDTRACK. One spray and I'm back in the mid-to-late '90s. Oasis vs Blur. Rockport boots. Umbro bags. Walking home from school because none of us had enough money for the bus. Hanging around outside the Spar shop for absolutely no reason. First girlfriends. Football all day long. Summers that somehow felt like they lasted forever. Even the smell of cheap ganja drifting across the park on a warm evening. Thinking I had life completely figured out, when in reality I couldn't even grow a proper beard... ...Tommy reminds me of an entire chapter of my life. I think that's why I've never been able to judge it purely as a fragrance. It's tied to so many experiences that wearing it feels less like putting on cologne and more like opening an old photo album. Every time I catch a familiar note, another memory comes flooding back that I'd completely forgotten existed. Thankfully, nostalgia isn't the only reason I still enjoy it. Unlike a few other fragrances I've revisited from that era, Tommy has aged remarkably well. It still smells fresh, clean, optimistic, and unmistakably youthful without becoming childish. There's an honesty to it that I really appreciate. It isn't trying to be mysterious, seductive, or overly sophisticated. That's probably the biggest compliment I can give it; it knows exactly what it is, and it wears that identity with confidence. Performance has always been respectable rather than spectacular, but I've never considered that a criticism. Tommy was never designed to fill a room. It sits comfortably around you, creating the impression that you've simply made the effort to look after yourself. Some fragrances introduce themselves before you do. Tommy lets you do the talking. Looking back now, I also realise how influential it was. Before I knew anything about fragrance notes, projection, longevity, or dry-downs, Tommy taught me that smelling fresh could be every bit as masculine as smelling dark, woody, or spicy. That lesson has stayed with me for over twenty-five years and probably explains why so many of my favourite fragrances still live in that same fresh, uplifting space. Would I wear Tommy to a black-tie event? Probably not. It absolutely is a spring or summer day vibe. Would I happily wear it on a warm afternoon, heading out to meet friends, running errands, or spending time with someone I care about? Absolutely. Some fragrances become dated because they're trapped in the decade that created them. Tommy reminds me of that decade without feeling trapped by it. Every bottle I buy feels like catching up with an old friend who hasn't changed nearly as much as either of us expected. It's comforting. It's nostalgic. But it's also very wearable in its own right, here in 2026. I can safely say, if this fragrance had never existed, and it was released today under another name in another bottle, it'd be a modern-day classic.

Lol so this has got 3.9 while Versave Pour Homme which was made over a decade later and a copy of this has got 4.3 here? This and CK One are the originals that started this trend I don't like, and they're definitely the best ones and they're both American too. This is better than Shite Blue, Versace Pour Homme, and Aqua di Goo just because it's the original and also more refined than CK One because the last time I tried CK one it smelled very synthetic anyway. This is an American trend started by Alberto Morillas and a bunch of others with CK One and this one came out only one year after and refined that, therefore the American influence that this one has makes this one the true original one of this trend, the cactus, the cotton flower, the cranberry. This is quite good. Just imagine if all the stuff that copied this and CK One hadn't been released, wouldn't this have been a gem that's just the better version of CK One? And of course Tommy Freedom which was discontinued and made for Tommy by the other creator of CK one is even better than this one which makes it the very best. Just an update: I smelled CK One again and I don't think it should be considered the same type of fragrance. Actually Polo Sport would be one of the first fragrances of this type which was made by the creator of Tommy Freedom which makes Tommy Freedom more original than I had even imagined. So I really think Tommy should bring back Tommy Freedom I remember liking it more than any other Tommy I owned and I owned Tommy Jeans, Tommy T too but never this one. Nevertheless this one started the Tommy DNA anyway and also even though this trend was originally started by Harry Fremont apparently, the Antonio Morillas fragrances of this type really made it popular and this actually is one of the first if not the very first.

My wife and I were discussing what an ideal spring fragrance would be for us both. She was alluding more towards a white floral fragrance for her, but I was looking for something with a citrus and mint opening, something tart in the middle, and something juicy and alive in the base. We searched for them using the note finder here, and I stumbled across this fragrance that was right under my nose the whole time. (Not the scent, but the availability) Longevity is about 4 hours. Projection and sillage is average for something in this price point, but the price is exactly why this is such a great scent. You can easily find this at discounters like I did, and it's unlike anything else I've ever smelled. I paid $22 for a 100ml bottle at Burlington, with my employee discount. This stuff makes my mouth water every time I get a waft. The cactus is the heart of this scent, and it stays consistent throughout this fairly linear adventure. Cotton plant at the base makes this much softer and linen like, which leads to the freshness of it, without it becoming overbearing. The mint almost throws a salty smell at first, upon spraying. It quickly settles, and makes for a very crisp opening with the citrus. The middle notes aren't as prominent as I thought, save for the green apple, but are still a nice body to keep this from becoming too simplistic. Very bright and uplifting. Gives me a nostalgic feeling, even without having smelled or having owned it in the past. I wish I found this one last year, when I was a complete fragrance novice. Would've saved me a lot of trial and error looking for a casual cheapie that isn't overly "blue" or a synthetic fustercluck.

One of the best summertime freshies you can find at a great value! It is very affordable but does not last very long unfortunately but feel free to overspray until you get your desired results!! I'm the kind of guy that will take my fragrances with me (even full sized bottles LOL) that way I can reapply as necessary but trust me you can't go wrong with Tommy for the price and it smells great!! I don't see it on the notes here but to me it has this kind of fresh bubble gum type of scent in a weird unique way and although it's considered "old school" now at over 30 years since it's initial release it still smells absolutely modern! Also, this was one of my "beginner" fragrances that I used to buy at Target back in the day because it was so affordable for a name brand fragrance at the time and still is to this day so if you are new to the fragrance world or even if you aren't... it's safe to pull the trigger on this one and I don't think you'll be disappointed but even if you are you won't be out too much money! I suggest purchasing from a discounter website or store because some places will overprice fragrances like this even though they can be found many places for much cheaper. You can literally get a 0.27oz travel spray for about $8 if you want to try before you buy (invest in a bigger bottle) but if you are the type of person that likes to go big and don't have buyers remorse then you can 6.7oz bottle for $44.. wow, what a deal!