Sunrise, Sunset

Different colognes are made for different occasions -- simple as that. Just as you wouldn't wear jeans to the opera or a tuxedo to a picnic, scents, too, have their designated time and place. Reserve lighter, cleaner smells for daytime and richer, more robust aromas for after dark. These pairings are perfect for the transition from business to party mode.

Cool and refreshing top notes of cucumber and citrus serve as the focal point of Calvin Klein's Eternity Aqua (1). And while the hints of lemon in Van Cleef & Arpels's Midnight in Paris (2) add freshness and continuity, it's the penetrating base of buttery leather that gives it bite. Calvin Klein Eternity Aqua, $65 for 100 milliliters available at Macy's; Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight in Paris, $115 for 125 milliliters

Lacoste Essential (3), the brand's latest fragrance, is appropriately sporty, with built-in time-release technology to ensure that it endures the stress of the day. But when it does wear thin, Prada's Amber Pour Homme Intense (4), with its overlapping notes of bergamot and patchouli, is the perfect compliment to nocturnal misdeeds. Lacoste Essential Eau de Toilette Spray, $52 for 2.5 ounces available at Macy's; Prada Amber Pour Homme Intense, $75 for 100 milliliters

Perfumer Emilie Coppermann's intent with Burberry Summer (5) was to create an eau de toilette reminiscent of a tranquil British morning -- hence the delicate scent of mint, juniper berries, and gorse flowers. D.S. & Durga's Sir (6), a traditional chypre that's part of its small-batch line of colognes, is an ideal counterpart, boasting a full-bodied, musky mix of aged patchouli, amber, and mace. Burberry Summer, $60 for 100 milliliters available at Macy's; D.S. & Durga, $94 for 50 milliliters