What's the best men's cologne in 2026? Is Orto Parisi worth the hype? What does "grassy" mean? How do you actually describe how something smells without sounding pretentious?

In the 2026 Scentacular, Sol and Michael sit down with over 50 fragrance samples (thank you, ScentSplit!) to answer these questions and more to create the ultimate 2026 fragrance guide for men. The duo dive deep into niche perfume houses like Orto Parisi, Serge Lutens, Frederic Malle, and Amouage—reviewing cult classics like Megamare, Jubilation XXV, Cowboy Grass, and Carnal Flower.

They discuss why the fragrance industry is booming right now (hint: lipstick theory), how TikTok perfume influencers are changing the game, and dive deep into the trendy ingredients (like ambroxan) that give modern fragrances their smell and insane longevity. Further, Sol shares his new favorite daily wear from Story MFG's collaboration with master perfumer Joseph, and Michael finally reveals what that mysterious "plastic" note is that he's been chasing for years.

We also discuss Chergui and Ombre Sultan by Serge Lutens, Osang and Reliqvia by Mendittorosa (the "Catholic guilt" church scents), Viride and Terroni by Orto Parisi, Targo by Blackbird, Milk by Commodity, Cowboy Grass by D.S. & Durga, Bois de Babylone by Welton London, Camutra by Attar Al Has, Macanudo by Maison Datto, La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens, and Anarchist A by Toskovat. The hosts also shout out emerging niche houses like Clue Perfumery, House of Mammoth, St Clair Scents, Pearfat Parfum, and January Scent Project. Whether you're looking for your signature scent, a date night fragrance, or just want to understand why your Sephora is suddenly packed with guys in the perfume aisle—this episode has you covered.

For a chance to win $250 of ScentSplit credit, subscribe to the HeroHero!

We hope you enjoy!

Lots of love!

Sol

Episode Tags

best men's cologne 2026, niche fragrances, Megamare, Orto Parisi, fragrance review, men's perfume guide, Serge Lutens, Amouage Jubilation XXV, D.S. & Durga Cowboy Grass, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, cologne recommendations, niche perfume 2026, ScentSplit, scentbar, date night cologne, Mendittorosa Sang, grassy cologne, Toskovat, Blackbird Targa, lipstick theory economics, Story MFG perfume, Commodity Milk, Byredo, Attar Al Has, Another 13, compliment getter cologne, streetwear fashion, men's grooming 2026, archive fashion fragrance

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

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Is Stone Island actually worth the price? What lifestyle requires techwear? Is Timothee Chalamet overrated? Why does Lady Gaga feel less authentic than Charli XCX? What is gooning, and how did it end up in Harper's Bazaar?

This week, Sol and Michael sit down with Shane O'Neill, writer for The Washington Post's twice-weekly pop culture newsletter "Seriously?," to unpack the weirdest corners of the internet and how they intersect with fashion, music, and modern masculinity.

The trio explore the techwear vs. lifestyle debate, why Stone Island might be "a little more serious" than necessary, the complicated appeal of Timothee Chalamet vs. Pedro Pascal, and whether Madonna's Celebration Tour was genius or needed a creative director. Shane defends his take on why Charli XCX feels more genuine than Lady Gaga, the overlooked brilliance of the Blue Man Group's first album, and how his job at the Washington Post lets him explore everything from competitive Excel spreadsheet championships to extremely niche fetish communities on TikTok.

The conversation goes off the deep end: gooning culture and how Shane learned about it years before it hit mainstream media, why Jeremy Scott is "the Taco Bell of fashion" (complimentary), the NFL's official stylist whose college thesis connected SpongeBob SquarePants to the Arab Spring uprisings (not a joke), and why most luxury fashion houses are actually perfume or shoe companies pretending to sell clothes. They also discuss the Ice Spice SpongeBob movie premiere outfit controversy, why people pay to stand motionless at techno clubs, and Warped Tour nostalgia.

Other topics include: Devoa, the Saint Laurent SS16 Surf Sound collection, ASICS x Comme des Garçons sneakers, the oura ring and Palantir data concerns, extreme fitness culture and dissociation, Russian seal best friends named Kroshik and Shlissik, and competitive Excel spreadsheet merch.

We hope you enjoy!

Lots of love!

Sol

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Episode Tags: Shane O'Neill, Washington Post Seriously, fashion podcast 2026, gooning explained, gooning Harper's Bazaar, Jeremy Scott fashion, menswear podcast, streetwear podcast, archive fashion, internet subcultures, TikTok algorithm, competitive Excel spreadsheets, niche communities, oura ring review, Ice Spice stylist, men's fashion trends 2026, Kyle Smith NFL stylist, Alexander McQueen shoes

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok

Did Rick Owens really design leather jackets for Ghost of Mars? Is Timothee Chalamet running the exact same PR playbook as Jack Harlow? What the hell is Goouch, and can a goose be a Muppet?

Sol and Michael are back! They sit down to break down Rick Owens' early Hollywood costume design work (Ghost of Mars, Tank Girl, Otto; or Up with Dead People), the sock-heel technique that created the iconic pagoda shoulders, and Bailey Goldberg's knitwear producers. The pair then dives into the Timothee Chalamet Marty Supreme PR playbook—from Druski collabs and Chrome Hearts red carpet fits to basketball clout and cultural co-opting—and asks why Hollywood can't let a good actor just act. Finally, a full-blown rant about Front General Store's refusal to stock size Large, a $800 "Viet Cong Hunting Club" military liner, and the ethics of selling Vietnam-era militaria in 2025.

They also cover: Lower East Side store tours (Self Edge, Desert Vintage, Commune, Copy, Brute Archives), why Orchard Street is still the fashion capital of New York, Japanese 90s rave culture photography books, the Fear of God represent era fashion time capsule, fake Chrome Hearts dunks, fake Geos flooding the market, Supreme box logo nostalgia, ins and outs list criticism, late 90s and early 2000s horror movie promo tees (House of 1000 Corpses, Flatliners, The Faculty, Planet Terror), why Good Art should make Birkenstock buckles, a heated Muppets debate (what qualifies as a Muppet?), Nine Inch Snails lore, Nicholas Cage movie quotes, Absolute Batman and Doomsday Clock, Happy Gilmore 2 and the nostalgia sequel problem, joggers vs boot cuts, long line tees vs cropped silhouettes, and much more.

Big Announcement: The Pair of Kings Podcast turns 6 years old! Join us for the birthday party on Friday, January 16th—free entry, cake, music, and community vibes. Plus: Enter our military surplus giveaway (combat boots + milsurp jacket) through Hero at hero.co/pok.

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok

Where does your field jacket actually come from? Were WWII soldiers the original hypebeasts? What is the M-43 jacket?

Sol and Michael sit down with Avery Trufelman, host of Articles of Interest and 99% Invisible veteran, to break down the military origins of menswear and why everyone's suddenly obsessed with gorpcore. The trio dive deep into the history of the M-65 field jacket, how World War II military surplus shaped American fashion, the invention of layering (yes, someone had to invent it), why Special Forces operators became fashion influencers, and the complicated ethics of wearing military aesthetics as civilians. Further, Avery shares insights from her latest podcast season "Gear," explaining the connection between outdoor brands and military contracts, the decline of army surplus stores, why The Row is making combat boots now, and how Buck Mason's militaria collection tells the story of American style. They also discuss Vivienne Westwood's punk legacy, the upcoming Antwerp Six book, athleisure as health signifier, Rick Owens' influence on tactical fashion, women's gear and the "pink it and shrink it" problem, plus whether military fashion makes you complicit in something larger. Other topics include: the Parsons jacket and Supreme-style military drops, George Doria inventing venture capital AND the field jacket, challenge coins and PowerPoint patch design, Americana Pipe Dream's hunt for rare surplus, Cher and the Armenian diaspora (a future episode?), and why fashion never really goes away — it just cycles back.

Want to support the podcast? Subscribe to our HeroHero for giveaways, extra episodes, and more!

We hope you enjoy just as much as we did recording!

Lots of love!

Sol

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Episode Tags: Avery Trufelman, Articles of Interest, military fashion, field jacket history, M-65 jacket, gorpcore 2025, menswear history, military surplus, tactical fashion, outdoor gear fashion, American style origins, 99% Invisible, fashion podcast, cargo pants history, Special Forces fashion, athleisure, Rick Owens menswear, The Row combat boots, Vivienne Westwood, punk fashion origins, Antwerp Six, Buck Mason, vintage military clothing, workwear fashion, heritage menswear, Americana Pipe Dream, OG-107 pants, archival fashion, techwear, Stone Island, CP Company, Helmut Lang, fashion trend forecasting, militaria collection, Patagonia military, Arc'teryx fashion, North Face history, functional fashion 2026

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok

Is that Chrome Hearts real or fake? Should guys actually use skincare? Why are "stylists" wearing head-to-toe counterfeit on the subway?

Sol and Michael are back for a boys episode as they chat about spotting fake Chrome Hearts (and why people can't dress when they wear fakes), the perfume habits of Albanian men in the club, men's skincare routines that actually work (CeraVe, The Ordinary, La Roche-Posay) from an unsponsored viewpoint, men's skincare mistakes (and why Neutrogena face wash is apparently destroying everyone's face), the best affordable skincare products for guys, putting sports stylists getting in fashion jail, how Telfar bags are priced, the best fashion Black Friday sales, how to tell if designer fashion is counterfeit, Philadelphia sports culture (Go Birds), AI-generated restaurant menus (?!), people designing merch on Canva, why fashion people need to touch grass, andtheir massive skincare giveaway (you could win everything).

If you'd like to support the podcast and be entered into our wonderful skincare giveaway, subscribe to our HeroHero!

We hope you enjoy :)

Lots of love!

Sol

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Episode tags:

Chrome Hearts fake, men's skincare routine, how to spot fake designer, CeraVe skincare, The Ordinary products, men's grooming, counterfeit fashion, Chrome Hearts legit check, affordable skincare men, fashion podcast, fake fashion culture, La Roche-Posay, skincare for guys, vitamin C serum men, designer authentication, fashion styling critique, men's face wash, beginner skincare routine, Chrome Hearts real vs fake, drugstore skincare, fashion commentary podcast, men's moisturizer, skincare products men need, fake designer problem, fashion culture discussion, Pair of Kings podcast, men's grooming essentials, budget skincare routine, counterfeit spotting guide, fashion styling mistakes

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok

Who were the best designers of Paris Fashion Week 2025?

Sol and Michael are talking the future of fashion this week! The duo sit down with Mandy Lee (aka oldloserinbrooklyn) to chat about fashion trend forecasting before TikTok existed (and TikTok fashion trends), microtrends vs macro trends (and why everyone's obsessed with ranking them), the Simone Rocha bride aesthetic, designer fashion show debuts in 2025, what it's really like being a Gen Z fashion influencer, how TikTok changed fashion predictions forever, the politics of fashion discourse (and why fashion people need to touch grass), pandemic TikTok origin stories (chainmail, anyone?), freaky shoes collections, why the fashion industry ate its own during COVID layoffs, fashion community building, Neo-punk revivalism right-wing mommy influencers (yes, that's a thing, apparently), and whether liberals are losing the culture war on the internet (among other things)!

Want to support the podcast? Subscribe to our HeroHero for giveaways, extra episodes, and more!

We hope you enjoy just as much as we did recording!

Lots of love!

Sol

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Episode tags: trend forecasting, microtrends 2025, Simone Rocha, old loser in Brooklyn, Mandy Lee, TikTok fashion, Gen Z fashion trends, designer debuts 2025, fashion show rankings, Brooklyn fashion, pandemic TikTok, fashion predictions 2026, balletcore, coquette aesthetic, fashion industry, runway analysis, fashion podcast, fashion forecaster interview, Sandy Liang, quiet luxury, mob wife aesthetic, fashion and politics, neo-punk revival, fashion community, fashion discourse, freaky shoes, Y2K fashion, fashion career advice

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok

Is Glenn Martens a good designer? Who owns Maison Margiela (and thus, controls the brand)? Are Margiela gats, futures, tabis, and shoes enough to carry a designer through their tenure?

Join Michael and Sol as they chat about what it means to be a designer in 2025, Maison Margiela shoes, John Galliano, Martin Margiela, Hedi Slimane Jeans, Saint Laurent's rebrand (why did YSL change to SLP), mm6 (and the connotations of the line), Margiela's Line 2, Vetements Hoodies (and how to legit check vetements hoodies (they're all fake)), how fashion changed with social media, what the connotations of a hoodie/t-shirt/sweatpants changed, Sol's weird date, if Thom Yorke is a zionist, and Dubtribe Sound System's "Do It Now" (among other things)!

If you'd like to support the podcast and be entered into our wonderful Toskovat fragrance giveaway, subscribe to our HeroHero!

We hope you enjoy :)

Lots of love!

Sol

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Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok

Where DO you find the best vintage jeans? This week, Dr. Sonya Abrego, the world's preeminent Westernwear historian joins Sol and Michael to talk about vintage jeans, American-made denim, the Cone Mills Corporation, Lee Jeans (and why pocket designs matter!), what IS selvedge denim, (and what is raw denim), her greatest finds from her days as a picker, the modern landscape of denim, how to date levis, what is so special about raw denim (especially if it's made in the US), some myths about denim production, the craziest denim/workwear brand you've never heard of (not a joke, Sonya blew my mind), her newest research, and so much more!

If you want to hear episodes early, support the podcast, and be included in all of our giveaways, subscribe to our HeroHero!

Thank you so much to Dr. Abrego - we hope you enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed chatting with her!

Lots of love!

Sol

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0:00 Dr. Sonya Abrego - Western Wear Expert & Fashion Historian
0:35 What makes vintage Levi's valuable?
2:02 What is selvedge denim?
4:04 How to date vintage Levi's jeans
5:52 Where to find vintage Western wear
7:14 Why is Western wear popular?
11:52 What is raw denim?
14:37 Best vintage clothing stores
18:20 How to authenticate vintage denim
22:45 Cone Mills denim?
28:30 Japanese selvedge denim brands
35:15 Kapital clothing brand guide
42:00 How to identify vintage cowboy shirts
48:25 Western wear trends 2025
53:40 Where to buy vintage jeans online
58:10 How to care for raw denim
1:02:35 Is vintage clothing sustainable?
1:06:20 Ranch wear vs Western wear difference
1:09:09 Spaghetti Western fashion influence
1:12:59 Best Western wear brands today

Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.

Message us with Business Inquiries at pairofkingspod@gmail.com

Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month

Links:

Instagram

TikTok

Twitter/X

Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All)

Sol’s Instagram

Michael’s Instagram

Michael’s TikTok