Dear Gentlemen Readers: How many of you employ a mouchoir* during the course of a customary day? Are your mouchoirs made of fine Egyptian cotton? Linen? Silk? If you espy a lady, or gentleman, on the verge of collapse, overheated or overwhelmed, about to cry…do you rush to proffer your mouchoir? Is said mouchoir scented? Please advise your query-full Reviewer posthaste!
Okay, that’s enough stilted prose for now. The name ‘Mouchoir de Monsieur’ (Gentleman’s Handkerchief) sounds dated too, doesn’t it? While reading reviews and opinions on Guerlain's Mouchoir de Monsieur Eau de Toilette, the words “dandy” “of another era” and “old fashioned” are used repeatedly. (For the record — maybe I’m old fashioned myself — I always have a fresh linen handkerchief either in my bag or on my person and I use it exclusively to wipe my damp brow. I’ve never been in a position to offer a hankie to someone in need, and my mouchoir is unscented.)
Mouchoir de Monsieur, a Jacques Guerlain creation, was released in 1904; it contains lavender, bergamot, verbena, rose, jasmine, neroli, fern harmony, civet, patchouli, vanilla and iris. Mouchoir de Monsieur is a close relation of the older (1889) Guerlain Jicky, but I don’t find either scent dandyish or old-time-y. Mouchoir de Monsieur smells more “poetic” than foppish. We all have personal opinions of what makes a scent “old-fashioned”; for me, the scents of carnation, heliotrope, dusty violet and (overabundant) aldehydes do the trick (but that’s not to say I don’t wear and enjoy scents that contain those notes).
Mouchoir de Monsieur opens with a strong bergamot-lavender-verbena accord; then a creamy civet aroma develops and quickly becomes chalky. This drying, or toasting, of the civet note is pleasant (and smells almost food-y when it mingles with Mouchoir’s vanilla note). The heart of Mouchoir de Monsieur is sweet and floral on my skin, with faint rose and neroli combining with velvety citrus and residual civet. Overall, Mouchoir de Monsieur is sleeker and richer than astringent Jicky (Eau de Toilette) – it’s as if the fragrance has been “ironed” to smoothness. The base of Mouchoir de Monsieur (to quote from my own Jicky review) “becomes muted and smells a bit like…faded soaps and powders”.
Jicky Eau de Toilette is more herbal-forest-y than Mouchoir de Monsieur, and due to a strong civet note, Mouchoir de Monsieur more closely resembles Jicky Eau de Parfum than it does Jicky Eau de Toilette. If you dislike Jicky (or civet), I doubt you’ll be a fan of Mouchoir de Monsieur. The lasting power of Mouchoir de Monsieur is good. Personally, I don’t go near Mouchoir de Monsieur when the outdoor temperature rises above 60 degrees Fahrenheit (civet and warm weather do not mix).
If you’ve never smelled Jicky or Mouchoir de Monsieur, do give them a try. There are certainly old-fashioned fragrances and perfumes “of another era,” but Jicky and Mouchoir de Monsieur go beyond being simply “old” — they are survivors. How many fragrances will be “celebrating” (respectively) their 120th and 105th years in production in 2009?
Mouchoir de Monsieur Eau de Toilette (available only in 100 ml) is sold in the Guerlain spray “bee” bottle. For buying information, see the listing for Guerlain under Perfume Houses.
* handkerchief
Note: image at top left is Portrait of William Butler Yeats by John Singer Sargent, 1908, via Wikimedia Commons.
Funny thing is that I was reading about Mouchoir de Monsieur for the first time just 2 days ago.
It sounds very interesting but I am worried about the whole civet thing. In general musk turns very ugly on me, (slightly higher normal body temperature) so the civet might have the same effect…
Is there any non-Guerlain frag that this could relate to??
platinum: I can't think of any scent off the bat that reminds me of Mouchoir/Jicky…but if most musky perfumes don't agree with you, then I doubt it will work on you. If you can bear/wear the musks of Yatagan and Kouros…?
My mouchoirs are cotton (no paper tissues for me, thanks) and usually scented 🙂 But I use them, therefore couldn't offer one to a person in need, because I'm sure no one would like to wipe their tears with a used handkerchief, even a scented one…
Interestingly, Jicky was very popular with men who were the peacocks of fragrance up until the turn of the 20th century;women stuck to soliflores and floral 'water'. By 1904, women caught up and Jicky was marketed to them, and a version, Mouchoir deMmonsieur was the 'new' men's scent. MdM is really Jicky with a moustache.
Selina…I always thought a scented hankie would cause MORE tears…all those chemicals touching tear ducts!
Oh dear!
Body Kouros is about as musky as I can go—and only during the deep freeze days of January (in Toronto)
Even though it sounds great, I should probably stay away…. you're saving me money!
Still, I may just drop by Institut Guerlain for an “educational” sniff.
memechoses: I can't gauge the civet content of early Jicky/early Mouchoir…but if it's similar to today's EdT versions, I'd say Mouchoir is Jicky with a goatee and a bit of chest hair! HA!
platinum: true…a quick research sniff on a card will do no harm.
I am not a gentleman, but in answer to your queries:
I do / cotton with lavender lace trim / No, because the person to whom I offered it would probably recoil and think “Ewww, germs!” and they would probably be right / Yes, usually with Apres l'Ondee or 4711. 🙂
Kevin: Why yes, I DO always hava a white hanky on hand in my bag or pocket. In the past couple of years, it's become something I don't like to be without. When I lived in Africa, they were a MUST for wiping one's perpetually sweaty brow, but then I fell out of the habit for a few years. I wish they'd make more of a comeback for environmental reasons. I also no longer like paper tissue lint getting caught in my facial stubble. Where do you find real linen ones? I'm not sure I'd go for those, but they certainly sound special. It's hard enough finding cotton ones in the FURTHEST tiny corner of the men's accessories department.
I still need to sample Jicky & Mouchoir; I am sorely behind in my education regarding the classics. I enjoy a good 'hit' of civet now and then — it feels so naughty somehow — but you're right about it being impossible above a certain temperature, and it really feels like we've been having an unseasonably warm year down here. I have hardly broken out the Kouros at all, which is still my great civet love. I think a Perfumed Court “Men's Classic Sampler Pack” or some such thing is in order for me…. soon.
Eliz: well you are certainly a gentlewoman with your handkerchiefs…and I wonder what most people WOULD do these days if offered a handkerchief!
Joe: linen lasts FOREVER and gets softer and more “deluxe” the longer you use it. I got my last big stash of linen handkerchiefs ages and ages ago…down in L.A. I've never seen their like in any department store. I did see some very nice ones up in Victoria, BC, where Irish linen rules…and that really helps you out, doesn't it?
The last thing I need is another “small luxury” type object to lust after, so I won't be chasing linen down anytime soon. However, I am about to do a Google search just for fun… and also because handkerchiefs of any kind are not that easy to find.
Joe: GOOD LUCK!
This is a little off topic, but I have a story to tell about my dad. My grandmother was French, and my dad was born in Paris, and spent many of his childhood years there. Just coincidentally, he told me today that when he was a child, he used to get headaches. Whenever he had a headache, his mother would sprinkle some Roger Gallet Jean Marie Farina Extra Vielle Eau de Cologne on one of her handkerchiefs and place it on his forehead. He said that he thinks perhaps sometimes he may have pretended to have a headache just so she would put the handkerchief on his forehead.
It's his birthday today – 77 years old. As sentimental as he is (he keeps EVERYTHING), he still has one of her handkerchiefs, AND he still has a half-used bottle of her Roger Gallet cologne that he keeps on the counter in the bathroom.
As long as I've known him, he's actually never worn cologne. A few years ago, after I started to become a true perfumista, I gave him a bottle of Pour Monsieur, which he LOVED. I've since also given him Dior Homme and Eau Sauvage. Now I'm thinking I really need to expand his collection. A Guerlain would be perfect!!! I wonder if he would like this one…
Hi Joe,
I often find real linen at consignment and antique shops at very reasonable prices.
karin…compared to the other scents your father has received this one is musky (and civet is a deal-breaker for many people). Guerlain has many great eaux de toilette in the style your father may appreciate: Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat, Eau de Guerlain and, of course, Guerlain Vetiver. (And thanks for the great story.)
What a sweet story about your dad!….brought a tear to my eye.
now, if only I had a scented hanky….
Really, the story is still tearing me up a little, thinking about your dad missing his mom, makes me miss my dad who has been gone for almost 18 years.
Kidding about the hanky though…we've always used tissues around here…but now I'm feeling like a horrible ecological ratfink! Although I think it's absolutely charming to see that so many of you all still have the hankies!
Thanks jtc: and I'll add a tweak to the headache treatment…moisten your handkerchief with cool water before spritzing it with cologne…coolness always helps MY headaches improve!
Daisy…yes, more with hankies than I imagined….
Hi Daisy. Yes, he misses his mom very much. In fact, whenever he wears a suit jacket, he places the handkerchief in the breast pocket. It's a bit yellowed and tattered with age, but he doesn't care. He wouldn't dare use the cologne, though. Even though you can still find it online, he would never want to use up that bottle.
Yeah, terrible how many tissues we go through, huh? I must use at least a dozen a day!!!
I adore going to antique malls and buying old linen handkerchiefs (I have a weakness for the ones with tatted borders), almost all of which are in mint condition because no one ever used them. I take great glee in actually using them, too!
I do find that after I keep them in my pocket or purse for a while, they tend to pick up the scent of whatever I've been wearing or carrying. So they are often scented too, though I don't set out to scent them!
That's actually why I started buying hankies. A friend pointed out that they are much gentler on the nose. I have constant low-grade allergies, and while occasional mopping with a hanky does not hurt, the paper tissues were rubbing all the skin off the end of my nose! But the ecological issue was what pushed me over the edge into buying them. I save a fair amount of money not buying tissues any more – and I love collecting antique hankies whenever I get the chance. One of the comments above is right, real linen lasts forever – and it is SUPER soft.
Lovely review!
Jicky is my beloved stand by and it always makes me smile. I don't own any Mouchoir yet but I'll have to go have another sniff. Thanks for the reminder.
My husband always has a handkerchief on him and when I get teary he's very ready to hand it over. When I met him I always thought it was so galant and British of him. My first birthday gift to him after we started dating were some handkerchiefs that I embroidered with his initials. I started carrying my own thanks to him. Still trying to get him to like fragrances though 🙂
Bethy: Thanks, and if you wear Jicky EdP or extrait, Mouchoir will come as no “surprise”…but it is stronger, by far, than Jicky EdT (which is my favorite).
Karin, what a lovely story! Butting in here to say as far as I know, 4711 is used that way medicinally — it comes in those giant bottles and you keep it chilled and splash it on a hankie for your headache.
Your dad definitely needs a Guerlain in a bee bottle. I vote for Eau de Coq, it's jaunty but easier to love, in my opinion. Cedrat is GORGEOUS, I have a bottle.
The concept of carrying a handkerchief may seem old-fashioned in the States, but I believe it is still very much a common practice in the East for practical reasons – paper tissues are costly, and the heat and humidity requires it for blotting sweaty faces and necks. They also don't fall apart as easily as tissues when they get agitated with whatever else happens to be in their holding vessels, be it the pocket or the purse.
For a period of about 10 years, I kept one in my purse for those rare (you never know) occassions and have used it – and even offered it to others in-need, especially in the summertime. I don't recall deliberately scenting them, but they always seem to pick up from the little perfume vials I normally carry in my purse, which varies.
Thanks for the memories – I think I will start carrying those little hankies again, especially now that I'm in the appropriate age group!
I already butted in elsewhere, but I am writing now directly to you to complain that you've made me realize I need some hankies! What kind shall I get? I mean, if I intended to use them for my nose, as opposed to dabbing a tear. Are the linen ones softer? Do they need ironing?
BTW – I adore Jicky (EdT), perhaps I'll scent one with it for once….
The linen ones get crinkled up badly, and if you dry them flat, they get stiff as a board. The cotton ones you can partially dry them then take them out while still damp.
I have an orange hanky with lil rabbits
I don't carry it around though. My brow usually isn't damp and I don't have runny nose problems most of the time.
Thanks for the Eau de Coq suggestion! Sounds like Cedrat is worth it, too. I haven't tried any of the Guerlain colognes. In fact, the only eau I own is Nicolai's Eau Turquoise. Perhaps this is the a time to explore colognes…especially with summer coming up (after all this snow, snow, snow melts). 😉
I have a major hanky collection, most of which are too fine to actually use but I think I need to look for my stash of big ole' soft white hankies to carry. I was ironing a vintage dress the other day that someone had given me to try to sell, and there was a big lump in one pocket – bonus lace hanky! I imagined the dress's owner going about her business with her little hanky shoved in her pocket.
I will have to sniff this to see if it is the civet in Jicky that makes it so vile on my skin. If this one turns to rotting pond water, then we'll know.
I have two 'mouchoirs'- one with an iris pattern and one with a rose pattern, both scented accordingly! (And I am far too OCD to daringly scent them with some other type of scent.) I use them to umm, dab at my 'glow' after dancing- so much more genteel than swabbing oneself with papertowels.
March: I think linen is softer in the long run…and I do iron them. Returning to PERFUME: are you a civet hater? I can't remember….
Tama: I'm curious…after you sample Mouchoir, come back and comment! HA!
OK, these comments prove it: NST readers are the most civilized gentlefolk in the blogosphere! You're all putting me and my soggy wad of Kleenex to shame…
Men's linen handkerchiefs: http://www.embroiderthis.com/liha.html
IMHO, not a luxury, but then again, I live in the desert. I like them for under my motorcycle helmet, for a small tablecloth at a picnic, and other civilized behavior.
You know, my father always carries a handkerchief and he it's always clean, so he can offer it to those in need. I think he either carries another for himself or, more likely, just uses tissues. I always liked the gesture, it's very gracious.
I hate to ask a stupid question but what exactly does “dandy” mean?
Are you kidding me? I'm a civet lover. The more butt the better. ;-P PS If I buy a bunch of linen hankies on *Bay tonight, I'm telling my husband it's your fault. Just so you know. But they're cheaper than Guerlain!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandy
Well, I haven't tried this fragrance – or Jicky. I need to work on my “classical” education.
I have never bought facial tissues. At home we just use that other kind of tissue that we all have in our “powder rooms.”
I alway carry hankies in my bag and in my car. Mine aren't fancy – I use cotton bandannas. They are colorful, generously sized, soft, and last through lots of washings. They're also easy to find here in the Western US. Yee haw and all that! 😉
I carry two handkerchiefs in my handbag (which is actually a diaper bag these days, but I still it a handbag to retain some semblance of my former self!) One for myself, and a spare handkerchief to hand out to others when needed.
In inherited a dresser drawer full of ladies' handkerchiefs when my grandmother passed away. Some cotton, some linen, all with hand-crocheted or hand-tatted lace borders that she applied herself, and all monogrammed with her married initials with her own embroidery. Some have little flowers, like bluebells or lily-of-the-valley, she embroidered on the corners, too.
I cannot tell you how much I treasure these items. My father's mother was a farm wife, and lived an exceedingly modest life in rural Wisconsin. I imagine these were among the very few nice things she had, and her talent in needlework really shines through.
I use lavender linen water in the iron when I press them. So, they are scented, but just a little.
Now what is so wrong with dandies? They were charming, glossy men who smelled nice. I agree with your opinion of Civet + hot weather = not pleasant. “Spring Flower” is the only frag I can think of, that both includes civet and manages to stay fresh in heat.
Despite my passion, using civet based frags always makes me feel guilty–can't get the little buggers out of my head when I'm wearing high-end scents that I know must have real civet in them.
I also have a very high body temp and frequently overheat but have no issue with civets . I really think that it must have something to do with body chemistry. I need to get my hands on this one as I adore Jicky but it is really hard to get.
One of my other indulgences is high end bed linen and one of my favourite sheet sets is a pure Irish linen set that I bought from a luxury bedding store in Hawaii. I like to joke that these sheets are better travelled then I am!
Try an ebay search. There were quite a few hankies made of linen.
Thank you Kevin for clearing up an issue I'd been thinking about recently ie the Jicky edt/edp debate and what to do if Jicky edp isn't readily available. I need to do some more research on the various concentrations of Jicky to see which is my favourite (though suspect seaon may also have a say) but I know Mouchoir and like it alot and I agree it smells like a less citrussy Jicky. Cool bottle too.
Two words, honey : Rupert Everett.
joe805- i always buy my father his linen handkerchiefs at our local Irish shop. most cities have an Irish/Scottish shop (oh well in Canada they do!) and they carry them.
thank you for this lovely review Kevin, i can't believe i don't carry a hanky, as i have a stash of my grandmother's pretty embroidered cotton ones. why store them? but as one more gorgeous thing i can SCENT, well, i am very excited at that thought. perfect stress reliever- just apply to nose & inhale- ahhh 🙂
nlb: I'm assuming the “civet” is artificial in Guerlain…and we shall say no more and investigate no further! I like a good dandy myself…but ONLY if he has something to say beyond clothing topics. When I think of the worst type of dandy, I always think of the father in Jane Austen's Persuasion (the film with Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds).
chayaruchama: you and Luca Turin agree (that's what he says in his book)! I'm sticking with Yeats! HA!
donanicola: I like the bee bottles too…and the season DOES dictate the type of Jicky that works for me. I just could not wear EdP in warm weather…the civet is just too powerful!
Before the civet and musks men would wear florals. Which is a particular area of interest of mine at the moment, particularly fine florals for men.
Although this contains rose, I am currently loving Rose D'Homme by Parfums de Rosine, which would have been had it been released in the late 1800s popular with gentlemen.
I was quite meh about Jicky when I tried it recently but I will still try MdM, simply because I'm a Guerlain fan. I'm not a huge lover of civet though it has to be said…
HDS: Rose d'Homme is nice (as is Twill Rose)…have you worn Paestum Rose? If you've only tried Jicky EdT, MdM will be different..but if you've tried and disliked Jicky EdP I doubt MdM will interest you….
I think civet is artificially produced now, and hopefully it's not the real thing. I wear civet well but if I knew it were from the “natural” source, I don't think I could bring myself to wear it.
Has anyone read Chandler Burr's article on civet called “Meow Mix”?
SFLizbeth: for those who'd like to: http://www.chandlerburr.com/articles/21chanel.html
You can sometimes find new Irish linen men's handkerchiefs in small shops that specialize in Irish goods; they'll be pretty expensive, but they do last forever. (The trick is not to lose them!). Antique shops very often have linen handkerchiefs (I was going to write “used linen handkerchiefs”, then realized how that sounded); women's hankies are generally much easier to find than men's, though. Vermont Country Store has nice men's cotton ones at a good price. Good luck!
I use cotton or linen handkerchiefs; I like best those with a pretty crocheted edge. A friend of mine told me that her mother considered handkerchiefs with colorful lace edges to be vulgar; ladies use only handkerchiefs with white lace edges. I guess I'm just common!
Bandannas are great, too. I have several. I can see scenting them with something more green and casual, like something from CBIHP. Maybe Memory of Kindness.
Right now, the hankie in my purse is scented with l'Heure Bleue. Call me old fashioned.
Kevin, thanks for the review! I doubt I would have tried this had you not written it. When I read that MdM was related to Jicky my ears perked right up, no doubt like the civet cat itself! I do love some civet in fragrances for the punch it packs, so I promptly ordered a sample, which arrived yesterday. I sprayed it on and it was HELLO KITTY. I knew there was civet in MdM but that's all I got out of it, and after the cat stepped aside, that powdery drydown was all that remained. I didn't find it to last very long on me, which is a) sad because I would love it to linger and b) perhaps ok because now maybe I won't have to track down this hard-to-find little number!
Since we're on the topic of civet, the only places I've really smelled it are in these “classic” fragrances (love my Shalimar!). Can you recommend any “modern” fragrances that use it? (I've seen Kouros/Yatagan metioned, both of which I own.) Perhaps I'll have to hunt it down in women's fragrances (which I'm not afraid to wear) that come in EdP concentrations so they last longer…
Cheers!
I just read the Chandler Burr article you posted a few comments back- that helps 🙂 And what a fantastic article!
Hi Jared, Modern Men's scents with civet…. Gendarme's V has civet, so does Amouage's Gold (but it's very pricey), Love, By Killian has it too. Givenchy's Gentleman isn't modern, but it has civet, (it's a very lovely scent), it's a little spicy and woodsy.
Thanks Kevin- I'll check those out!
And women's scents with civet are: Bal à Versailles by Jean Desprez, Magie Noire by Lancome, Jicky by Guerlain, Shocking by Schiaparelli
My thanks to you, too!
I always carry handkerchiefs with me: a plain yet pretty one, embroidered with my Grandmother’s initials, scented of course; and also a big, slightly thicker cotton one with a colourful print for when I am in really humid climates, otherwise the sweat is unbearable (ahem, forgive me).
Mouchoir de Monsieur is one of my favourite fragrances and I thank you for the review and beautiful portrait of Yeats (though I can’t picture him wearing it…). I am mad for the scent of MdM on skin (my skin, my lover’s skin, a stranger’s skin…) and am now thinking of buying a new bottle, as the one I had inherited from my great uncle is almost finished. However, I have read that MdM was reformulated; can anyone share some knowledge or information about this? When was it reformulated? I believe my flacon dates back to the early 70s, so that is the version I am familiar with. (My uncle was a perfumista and v. good at storing flacons, in dark, dry, cool places, very protected, so I believe his MdM is relatively unpoluted, despite its age).
I actually went to a perfume boutique around noon today and dabbed on some MdM, loved it, but then was in such a rush all day that I couldn’t concentrate on the scent so I couldn’t compare. It’s now 19h and I can still smell it faintly, close to the skin, but not well enough to make the comparison I had hoped…
Enidan: I’d bet my life, in 40 years SOMEthing must have been tweaked in MdM…I can only go back 15 years with the scent and it smells the same to me. Since you sprayed some new formula on your skin and weren’t immediately SHOCKED…I’d say that’s a good sign!
Thanks very much for getting back to me!
It’s true, I wasn’t shocked… I shall compare the two properly next week / weekend to see whether I’ll invest in a new bottle. Let’s all share the MdM love!
It was nice to read this review, as Mouchoir has been a very important part of my life for the last ten years. I have been through hundreds of fragrances, but MdM will always be on top, as there is no other fragrance that I have formed such a long term relationship with. Others come along and I am convinced that I have again found true love, but when the infatuation period ends they don’t really mean that much to me. When MdM is really working for me, it’s awe-inspiring. It’s as if the fragrance is alive…
Kevin,
I see that in this perfume there is something magnetic but on the same time, something very old fashion/dirty.
Do you thing that a man around 40 can wear this today without any problem? and attract? and dont smell like a powdered old man?
Marios: HA! Unless you go around acting like an “old man” I think you’ll be safe wearing this. I wear it and only get compliments…from people of all ages.
I like the smell and the odour of civet but you know, in our era, whatever is not fresh/aquatic and modern, reminds old men and is considered disgusting. What do you say? i would like to have another one classic in my collection. Shall i take MdM or Habit rouge?
Marios: I own them BOTH…and it just depends on my mood which one I wear, but I do wear Habit Rouge more often I admit. Sometimes strong civet can be “suffocating” if you know what I mean.