A couple of SQ ago, rickyrebarco used that description in her answer about perfumes we wear only when nobody else can smell it, and it struck me as a serious dedication to the perfume hobby.
Saturday Question #274:
Would You Endure 45 Minutes of Olfactory Misery to Get to the Good Part?
Do you have any such perfumes in your collection? OK, maybe not 45 minutes but 15-20? How about the reverse: are there any perfumes that you so love in the opening that later you tolerate the drydown that you don’t like?
My Answer
No, no, and once again no. Theoretically, I could probably do the “OK -> great” or “great -> meh” combinations, but if I actively dislike any part of the perfume life on my skin, the maximum I could do is to run 1-2 more skin tests hoping my initial impression was wrong. But I do not remember ever changing my mind that drastically.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
No, I have to like it all.
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Some of my vintage citrus chypres when the top notes aren’t as fresh as they were I still wear. They are worth it for the heart & base notes.
YSL In Love Again is the happiest scent I own. It’s ALL about the top notes, in fact I couldn’t tell you what, if any, base notes are there!
So yes I will put up with a less than perfect opening to get to the great vintage chypres. I will also happily wear a scent that is almost all top notes
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If I were to get vintage perfume that I used to love, I could probably tolerate some funk in the opening… But not for anything newer.
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Interesting Undina!
So many modern perfumes are spectacular for under an hour and then become a soft wash of nothings. I’m totally OK with that because it means I can wear something else in a couple of hours. I have plenty of excellent longevity perfumes for extended wears, sometimes I like a short ride.
While agreeing with Alityke on vintage perfume, if it’s REALLY turned bad I’ll not put up with that for more than a couple of minutes but the loss of some of its pristine perfection is fine.
Those modern scents that open like a brick to the head and stay that way for an hour before morphing into something beautiful are off the list too.
Portia xx
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I could do the “great -> nothing” combination. But not a strong dislike. I have too many wonderful perfumes that I do not have “to work on” liking.
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Yes, good point.
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I don’t think I’ve experienced a perfume with such drastic contrast, but I don’t think I would choose it, when better options exist.
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Ditto!
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I have still not given up on Creed Delphinus because the many hours of beauty after that first 45 minutes of miserable oudiness are still worth it to me. I think cooler weather will help a lot, too! Sometimes I find that a fragrance which at first seems challenging will reveal some fascinating beauty in its development with repeated wears, so I’ll see if that happens. The oud in Delphinus is not a barnyardy gross oud at all, just a fairly clear oud for a while. We’ll see if I change my mind!
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I will give it a sniff the next time I see the brand at the store. I know that I won’t like it, but now I am curious.
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Ha! Ha! Love the provocative question. And no way, I would wait that long, surely? The “good part” would have to seriously compensate for the “misery”. Generally, though, I’m quite patient with these things. For example, some heavy ouds can be too much at first, but then become more enjoyable as they develop.
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Probably I haven’t waited long enough… :) But usually agarwood is a definitive “No” for me. And I tried the best.
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I don’t think I’d cope well with having to wait so long for a positive development. If I don’t like it at first sniff I’m unlikely to change my mind. The one that has a slightly challenging opening is Tuberose Criminelle, but it’s doable for me.
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If it’s questionable – maybe. It it’s unpleasant – definitely no. I don’t have enough time to wear perfumes I actually like.
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A few minutes max!
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This would be a definite no, Undina. There are more affordable ways to experience disappointment. I thoroughly evaluate perfumes from the moment I apply them until the end of the experience. I don’t intentionally subject myself to unnecessary displeasure just to enjoy the top, heart, or base notes of a perfume. Great question, though.
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