In one of the Claudine novels, Colette unflatteringly described a character as having the feral, civet-like smell of a redhead. In the 1920s, Jean Patou released a trio of fragrances, each reflecting a different stage of love and a different hair color. Adieu Sagesse (Goodbye Wisdom) is the scent for redheads, for instance. I remembered both Colette and Patou when I came across a copy of Best Hairdos, a drugstore book published by Fawcett in 1965. Besides charting curler diagrams for elaborate bouffants, the book suggests types of perfume depending on what color of hair you have. Below, I’ve culled some of the highlights for you.
If you were to follow the Best Hairdos rules, you’d best be a blonde since you’d have the most leeway:
Your perfume depends on your likes and dislikes, body chemistry, and general type. The scents that seem to go best with blonde hair, however, are light and clear. A floral compound or single floral scent, or one of the more modern fragrances for the more sophisticated blonde, are good choices.
It adds some general beauty advice for blondes, too:
As a blonde, you must decide what type you are — slim and sophisticated, ultra-feminine, cool and sporty…Steer clear of very frilly or ornate styles, however. As a blonde, you don’t need to flaunt your femininity.
And yet floral perfumes are definitely feminine. Oh well, if you want to wear leather perfumes you can always fall back on the “likes and dislikes” qualifier. Otherwise blondes are stuck with Parfums de Rosine and the gentler Carons, like Fleurs de Rocailles and Pois de Senteur.
For brunettes, selecting perfume is more complicated. This is what Best Hairdos has to say:
If you’re a deep, sultry brunette, you might choose an intense, Oriental fragrance for evening wear. During the day, choose a lighter perfume of the same type. The golden brunette might like a woodsy fragrance to go with her fresh, outdoor look, or one of the new, modern scents. The pale, fragile brunette will probably prefer a single floral or bouquet fragrance, to enhance her gentle look of femininity. The rosy-skinned, wholesome type of brunette might like a clean, modern scent or a single floral scent.
And the extra beauty tip for brunettes? “Furs, especially the tawny or spotted kind, bring out that brunette magic.” I guess we’d better mail our bottles of Shalimar to “sultry brunettes”. “Fragile” brunettes can duke it out at the perfume counter with the blondes. Who do you think is a golden brunette? What the heck is a golden brunette?
Last but not least — redheads. Best Hairdos doesn’t have much to say here: “Since redheads are usually gay, sparkling and different, the fresh modern scents seem to be in order. Avoid any sweet, flowery fragrances as they just don’t seem to go with a redhead’s bright, modern sparkle.” The book is generally complimentary toward redheads, though, and says, “Red hair spells glamour, excitement and allure.” I have red hair and I would drink Caron Tabac Blond and Guerlain Vol de Nuit by the quart if I could afford it. I wouldn’t call either of those scents fresh or modern.
I won’t be following Best Hairdos’ perfume advice any time soon, although my “bright, modern sparkle” keeps me partying most of the time rather than studying beauty manuals. Not. Maybe I’ll try my hand at one of the hairdos, instead. Watch out, Zsa Zsa.
As for Colette’s slur on redheads, didn’t she henna her hair?
Note: image of Claudine stamp via Center Blog.
“As a blonde, you don’t need to flaunt your femininity.” Well, gee, thanks Best Hairdos, I guess I will have to say farwell to Black Orchid, Poison, Coco, L'Arte di Gucci and all the Aouds. 🙂
Angela, I remember reading that passage when I was about 14 — I had a startled, ambivalent reaction to it! I have recently meant to look up another one, also in the Claudines somewhere, that refers to chypre, but that's a story for another day. Colette was one of the most sensual writers ever. Do you remember the story about the Parisian doctor who prescribed her books for a neurotic patient?
I would guess most people are annoyed when they are told what to do or what 'suits' them. As a fragile brunette, I've worn every sort of scent, tho' never liked vanilla until recently. I say, wear what you like and damn the torpedos.
I am “The rosy-skinned, wholesome type of brunette might like a clean, modern scent or a single floral scent.” naturally & that does seem to apply to me. But I'm usually in disguise as a blonde or a redhead. So I guess I get to wear whatever the heck I want! LOL!
Golden brunette, to me, is Jennifer Aniston. I read recently that they've coined some new term for that hair color, but of course have already forgotten it 🙂
How 'bout unwholesome former brunettes who now cover their gray with a semi-harlot-y red?
I'm asking for, um, a friend.
— March
What fun, thank you! As you know, I'm completely into these ridiculous systems. Really, of course, I say damn the torpedos and wear what you want, but as is always the case when you don't believe in these mystical and random categories, these ones suit me perfectly. I believe *I* am a golden brunette, with yellow-toned skin and brown hair with gold highlights (although I do dye it different colours occasionally) and so I can apparently wear my woody favourites. Or new clean, modern scents – but what would those be exactly?
You can just send them to me! Oh wait, I'm supposed to be sparkling and modern, darn it.
I agree with you 100%! It's always interesting, though, to see what people think you *should* wear.
I should reread the Claudines, it's been a long time, and they'd be a great winter, by the fire, read.
You mean “Clairol number whatever”? I guess Anniston is pretty wholesome.
Maybe we need special wigs to accompany our perfumes! You know–want to wear L'Heure Bleue? Sounds like a floral compound, reach for the golden shag wig…
Brunette here, but I'm about as sultry as a gray flannel suit.
The sad thing is that some fragrance SAs still follow silly old rules like this religiously. If one more shoos me away from the florals and insists on the spicy orientals (“because of your yellow skin tone!” they say. Maybe that's what they mean by a “Golden Brunette”? Hmmmm)…….then there is going to be trouble. 😛
Oh, and this was fun, too: “As a blonde, you don’t need to flaunt your femininity.”
In that case, we non-blondes had better stock up on lipstick and false eyelashes to compensate for our nasty, unfeminine-colored hair!
Thanks for the amusing blast from the past, Angela! 🙂
Hey, if you're not born with the hair that you are, get that hair. That's what I'd tell your “friend”. It's interesting that Best Hairdos didn't cover grey or white hair–or bald, for that matter.
Deep & sultry? Gosh I'm so sexy!!
I puzzled on what a “clean, modern” scent might be, too. Maybe a citrus-y scent? This would have been before the aqueous fragrances like Eau d'Issey. Maybe Diorella? It's modern, but definitely not clean. Something with Angelica?
Good point! I'd better stuff my bra to up the girly ante if I don't want to be mistaken for a man. (I'm actually temping at a construction site this week, and there's no way on earth I'm anything other than a woman here, blonde hair–heck, any hair–or not.)
I bet you are! I'd better get myself a brown wig pronto!
Don't look at my roots!!
Scent wise, the oriental family is my favourite, though it bleeds into woody & floral too; Sweet Spices, incense, Amber, Oriental Resins Vanilla Oriental sandlewood, Patchouli.
When I was pregnant, I didn't highlight my hair. This women on the bus asked me: “What number are you?” I had no idea what she was talking about. She meant dye number – I had quite a time convincing her it was my natural colour and then she was politely disappointed. It's darker than Aniston's, but I'd like to know what the number/name is too, so I can cover my steadily increasing grey!
Ugh, don't tell me about grey hairs. I can hide the few I have now, but I'm going to need a back up plan soon.
I often remember your post about perfume and color-seasons. I'm an autumn, and you recommended Chene for autumns. I've been wearing it a lot lately and will get my own bottle as soon as I've scraped together the $$.
Well, I wore Chene the first day, because I love it and it smells like wood, and I figured that I'd blend in that way. Then I discovered that most large, modern construction is concrete and steel. Yesterday I wore Dzing, which has some nice exhaust-like scent to go with the exhaust from the cranes and forklifts.
I can imagine Ayn Rand in something metallic, like Rive Gauche, maybe. I think of the woman in Atlas Shrugged with the metal alloy bracelet.
Well, gray or white don't officially exist 🙂 at least around here, they all wind up that washed-out champagne blonde, desperately in need of some lowlights.
BTW I am chucking at you young'uns up there lamenting your first greys. I started going grey at 22 and am now well on my way to white hair… I'd go Silver Fox, I have one of those great silver-grey streaks up front in my widow's peak, but the rest of my grey (and brunette) is in oddly placed chunks.
I love white streaks! So chic, and so deserving of the most dramatic perfumes. If you could only somehow maintain both the red and the chunks you'd look brilliant–not that you don't already.
I kinda dig the fragrance/haircolor typecasting in a loosely interpreted, intuituve way: the cool, sporty blonde and the Kelly Caleche, et al. For me, though — wholesome rosy-cheeked brunette faking it as a sultry blonde, currently — I just spray on what I'm in the mood for, close my eyes, and pretend I'm that raven-haired exotic beauty or whatever. I'm more a What Time of Day is It? girl: I've got my morning scents (citrusy, fresh) my afternoon scents (well-balanced, tailored) my date scents (fun, flirty, extroverted) and my, um, Romantic Wear scents (you know). Then I throw all that out and just where something completely irrational!
Oops! I mean WEAR, not where. WHERE was my brain? Dumb blonde moment, anyone?? (Eeeuuuw, I hate when someone says that. I never understood the irritation factor until I turned into L'Oreal No. 37 Golden Blonde!)
I sort my fragrances by mood, place, weather, too. Sometimes I'm just in a Patou 1000 mood (watch out!) and that's that. Other times I want something soft and easy like s-perfume 100% love. It definitely isn't based on haircolor, although I guess the way I look doesn't match the way some scents smell.
I didn't even notice!
Absolutely! And I bet, when we feel rebellious or want to be recklessly unpredictable, we'll wear the exact opposite of what the time of day/occasion/hair color/outfit suggests. Black Orchid to church, anyone?
March, you and me both. I got my first white hair at 15 (long ago. Let's say Sid Vicious was still alive, but not for long). I've recently let my hair go its natural colour, white and silver on a dark brunette base. It looks good enough to be salon-produced. I'm actually asked often if I dyed it that way! The softness and light of blondeness, without the philosophy, I say. So what perfumes for the silver fox? Chypres, leathers and big white florals, need you ask?
Me too! I'm a natural blonde gone brunette – I'd love to have dark hair with white streaks, but until someone comes up with a hair dye that effectively and reliably leaves white hairs pristine, I'll be stuck with my monthly touch-up jobs, or the dreaded greying blonde… Ugh.
I so have to agree! Are you familiar with the famous model Carmen? She's well into her late 60's, and with her striking silver-white hair, she's one of the most devastatingly chic women I've ever seen, and she's still enjoying a successful career. I wish I could rock this look – unfortunately, my gray is also oddly placed and more frumpy than sophisticated, so it's the bottle every six weeks for me. But yes, a woman with a striking silver or white color should only wear the most dramatic, exclusive and highbrow scents – think queenly and regal, all the way!
Greying red isn't very cute, either…
Yes, I know the model you're talking about! She's stunning. How about Tuberose Criminelle?
Your hair does sound stunning, and the perfume types you've chosen are perfect. How about a leather-chypre, like Diorling? Bandit would be good, too, but somehow I'm picturing Diorling.
..or something really carnal, like Femme, or naughty like Rose Poivree.
Hi Angela: I don't think Colette slurred redheads…whenever Colette compared something or someone to a CAT, be it a leopard, Persian or civet, she meant well. I think, from reading her most of my life, that she was one of those rare people who liked even “bad” odors…all was to be savoured and “noted.” I'd LOVE to smell the perfumes Colette helped create for her failed beauty salons, wouldn't you? K (PS…I think my emails are still ending up in your 'trash' folder…Harumpf!)
This deep, sultry brunette is highly amused 🙂
I'd collect all your abandoned Shalimar bottles and give them a loving home. As for fur, ummm… no. I guess they've never heard of a vegetarian brunette…
K, it's true she loved cats. Maybe I'm taking her comment the wrong way. But I remember she was writing about a nasty character, and her description was so unsettling. I've got to find it again…
Yes, I'd really love to smell the perfume she created. I remember that she loved Arpege, too, which I also love.
I just checked my spam folder and you're not there. I'd hate to be missing your emails! I wonder what the problem is? You know you can call anytime.
That's exactly why I put the “fur” bit in there! It's so ridiculously out of date. And I bet you're right–they'd never heard of a vegetarian anyone except maybe Gandhi.
(As for Shalimar, you'll have to peel it out of my hands first. But you can have my fresh, modern scents, whatever those are.)
Spot-on, Angela: I wear both and all their leather chypre sisters. I've yet to try the Diorling currently produced by Dior, for when my vintage stash runs out.
I haven't tried the new version yet, either, but I have a few ounces of the original that I'd put on a shrine if I had one. In fact, it's cold and rainy out, and I'm going to wear it today.
Positively sinful, Angela!
I have to add something slightly left of the ballpark. Does anyone get that strange familiarity between the smell of Insolence and the smell of bottled haircolor? I can't remember the brand, but the combination of violets, raspberries and citrus pulp gives off that same odor! Something to think about when considering wearing Insolence.
Yikes! I'll have to leave the answer to people more familiar with the scent of hair dye, but that doesn't seem to be a propitious association.
Yes, its called “brond”, a combination of blonde and brown. 🙂
Thanks. Much better “brond” than “blown”, I guess.
Yes, and I think it's L'Oreal.
LOL! I honestly thought my nose was playing tricks on me and how could Guerlain possibly release something so heinously unlike them.
Or, to look at it the bright side, isn't it nice that L'Oreal smells like a fancy French fragrance?
Well, as a “sultry” brunette (my hair is exactly the color of espresso), I guess I'm doomed to a life of orientals, which is sad, as I'm really more partial to solifores. But I guess I'm not blonde enough for that. These excerpts make me giggle 🙂
I bet there are some fabulously sultry soliflores for a brunette, though. I'm thinking of tuberose, especially, and gardenia. (I always wished I had thick, straight, dark brown hair!)
And howzabout lily, you guys?? Un Lys or Donna Karan Gold can be pretty sultry spritzes! 😀
I'll second that.
Agreed! I keep EL PCTG on rotation for those seductive days. Back to the Orientals recs, I'm also getting sort of into Molinard Nirmala, which I think is an interesting fruity floral (slight touch of BO mixed with the mango and vanilla).
I like Nirmala, too. People say it's an awful lot like Angel. Maybe you'd like that one, too.