Unisex fragrances are growing in popularity, and we are pretty excited about it. The UK’s Independent reported today that, while Comme des Garcons and Calvin Klein spearheaded the unisex fragrance trend in the 1990s, it is only now, finally, that larger brands are following suit.

Fragrances are typically defined as either women’s perfumes or men’s colognes. Women’s fragrances have flowery, sweet, and fruity tones. Men’s fragrances are more smoky. But who is to say that women must smell sweet and men mustn’t? Why are there different ideal scents for different genders? And what is to be worn by those who don’t necessarily identify with either gender?

Courtesy of Getty Images

The new trend and challenge for fragrance brands is to create scents that are appealing to any and all genders. According to the Independent, consumers are excited about unisex fragrances and companies find it easier to create scents that are a bit more conventionally masculine than floral and feminine.

Courtesy of Getty Images

Unisex fragrances are a way of challenges gender norms and expectations, as well as a way of including the large percent of our population who do not fully identify with one gender or the other.