Smell is one of the most powerful of the human senses. A fashion-conscious man would do well to harness that power and find a fragrance or two that complements and enhances his personal style. There are several types of fragrance products available for men and, while it may take some effort to find the perfect scent, all are available in enough variations for there to be a perfect fit for any occasion, outfit or personality.

Aspects
Fragrances contain three aspects or "notes" that affect the way the scent is perceived. After applying a fragrance, the first detectable scent is called the top note. This top note will begin to diminish after about 15 minutes and will be replaced by the middle note. The middle note scent will dominate for approximately an hour. After this time the base or bottom note develops and will dominate for a minimum of several hours. Differing combinations of perfumed oils, proportions of alcohol within the fragrance and the different ways the scents react with each individual's body chemistry makes for an infinite number of possible fragrance permutations.

Types
The most common fragrance products for men are cologne and aftershave. Both are available in a wide variety of scent categories, with green, spicy and citrus fragrances as the most popular. Green fragrances feature grass and leaf scents. Citrus-based colognes are fresh-smelling and feature essential oils from citrus fruits such as lemons, limes or oranges. Spicy fragrances have a sharp, sometimes woody scent.

Purchasing
To determine which fragrance is right for you, bring a stack of blank 3 x 5 cards with you to the men's cologne counter and spray each card with a scent that interests you. When you've narrowed the array down to a few promising standouts, visit another store or take a brief walk outside to give your nose a rest. When you return to the store, try the remaining colognes on your wrist to make the final decision. If at all possible, wait at least 15 minutes before making your final decision since the scent will begin to mature at this time.

Application
The best place to apply cologne is on the chest or the lower pulse points. Body heat releases and intensifies the cologne's scent, which will then rise -- apply it above your chest and the smell may become overpowering. Men with oily skin should use less cologne since the oils in the scent will react with their skin and become more powerful over the length of time it is worn. Conversely, men with dry skin can apply more fragrance since the scent will wear off of them much faster.

Etiquette
Be mindful of where you will be wearing the scent: a night out on the town calls for a flashier, stronger scent than weekdays in the office cubicle. For the scent to feel -- and smell -- just right, it should be paired with the appropriate outfit. Match citrus scents with casual clothes, spicy scents with professional wear and greener scents with special occasion clothes. For any occasion, however, keep in mind the golden rule of cologne: a little bit is good; a lot isn't.

A well-dressed gentleman, complete with hat, is an iconic image from the movies, television shows and advertisements of the past decades. While a classy hat is no longer considered an essential aspect of every man's wardrobe, there is no reason modern men can't use hats as a way to define their own unique style. To wear a hat well, however, it's important to grasp the different types of hats and the rules of etiquette for their everyday wear.

History
Hat wearing, and the rules of hat etiquette that inevitably grew out of the practice, has its roots in the Medieval Ages. Knights were expected to remove their helmets or lift their face visors as a sign of respect and friendliness when encountering other knights. The gesture became common among military men and was adopted by their servants and staff. By the early twentieth century, all men wore hats when outside, and this practice persisted until the 1950s when hat wearing, for both men and women, gradually fell out of favor.

Types
Most men are only familiar with the most casual of hats: baseball caps, beanies and functional sports hats. However, there are many more to choose from. Casual wear can be paired with a flat cap, while the most striking hats to wear with business or formal clothes include feodoras, bowlers, Homburgs, and porkpie hats.

Ettiquete
Wearing a hat, also known as donning a hat, has its own special etiquette rules. A hat should always be donned by holding the crown--not the rim--and placing the hat firmly on the head. The hat should remain in place the entire time a gentleman is outside, including in parts of a building that are considered public, such as the lobby, corridor or elevator of a public building. The only exception to this rule is if a lady enters the elevator, in which case the hat should be removed.

Rules
Removing, or doffing, a hat should be done by grasping the hat's crown and pulling the hat up and forward. As the hat is lowered, its interior should always remain facing toward the gentleman. A hat should always be removed when speaking to a lady, in a private home or office, at a party or at the theater, in restaurants, when meeting an individual of great public importance, at a funeral or when watching a funeral procession and when the flag passes. When the national anthem is played, a gentleman should remove his hat and place it over his heart.

Expert Insight
Tipping the hat is done as a gesture of acknowlegement and respect when fully removing the hat isn't necessary. Tipping a hat can be done by either grasping the hat's rim with the thumb and forefinger and lifing the hat slightly up, then returning it, or by grasping the hat's rim and pulling it slightly down. It is appropriate to tip your hat when encountering a friend or aquaintance that you do not actually stop and speak to. This is true for both male or female friends. After speaking to another man, the hat should be tipped again before leaving.

Since the Middle Ages, when formal dining first became a sign of social status, place settings have been a part of company dinners, formal banquets and fine restaurants. Formal dinners can range from a simple salad, main dish and dessert to a full 12-course meal. Regardless of the size of the meal, the rules of proper place settings remain the same.

History
Setting a table began in the Middle Ages with hollowed-out loaves of stale bread used as plates. Spoons and forks were the only utensils used until the Italian invention of forks in the early 17th century. According to English writer Thomas Coryat, forks caused more excitement and discussion than the discovery of America.

Types
There are different types of dinner parties, including a buffet, formal, and informal. These dinners require similar elements: china, glassware and untensils. The placement of each element is dictated by usage and order of service of the meal. The dinner plate is the center of the individual place setting. The glassware goes to the upper right. The utensils are divided on either side of the dinner plate--forks to the left and knives and spoons to the right.

Exception
The exception to the traditional places settings is the buffet dinner. The food and dishes are set on a food line. The dinner plate is accessible first, followed by a selection of foods. Depending the particular setup, the diner may serve himself or be served by attendents. Silverware, napkins and beverages may be placed at the end of the food line or on the dinner tables.

Size
The number of individual elements within a place setting should not exceed five of each item. There should be sufficient room at each place setting for ease of movement between diners. There should also be enough room between diners for the wait staff or the hostess to serve or remove different courses.

Function
The order of the place setting is not to appear snooty, but to provide ease for the diners during the meal. The silverware is used with the "outside in" method; the salad fork is used before the dinner fork and the soup spoon is used before the dinner knife.