Instead of returning to my weary perfume cabinet for a rundown of summer favorites (I already hear longtime readers thinking, Is she going to bring up that blasted bottle of Jean Naté in her refrigerator again? Yawn), this year I got smart. I asked André Gooren from Portland’s fabled The Perfume House to share ten of his summer favorites.
André was up to the challenge. During a Saturday morning, between helping a bearded Australian opera singer (Caron Nocturnes, two bottles), a charming older woman (4711), a Romanian couple (Robert Piguet Jeunesse), and a booming-voiced regular (Pino Sylvestre and Comme des Garçons Avignon), he laid out ten sophisticated and sometimes quirky choices:
Givenchy Vetyver: André pointed out that vetiver can sometimes be rough around the edges. The often overlooked Givenchy Vetyver is silky soft and perfect for warm weather.
Maître Parfumeurs et Gantiers Pour le Jeune Homme: MPG is such an extensive line that it’s easy to get lost. Pour le Jeune Homme is worth seeking out for its lovely orange blossom. Women, don’t let its name dissuade you from trying it. To my mind, it’s perfectly shareable and might even tack feminine.
Guerlain Eau de Guerlain: André said that if it’s not the best, then it’s one of the best citrus fragrances on the market. He aptly described Eau de Guerlain as a “shining” citrus, sunny and happy, that goes on forever.
Etat Libre d’Orange Fils de Dieu: Fils de Dieu could be a summer take on an oriental like Guerlain Shalimar. The twist here is its evocation of cold rice pudding.
Chanel Pour Monsieur: Pour Monsieur is a classic, pared-down chypre with the ideal balance of citrus tang and warmth. André said it’s so light that it’s best saved for summer.
Christian Dior Diorella: André’s expression leapt when he described Diorella. He said it smells “entirely clean,” a citrus fragrance with a core of weirdness, like “wearing a classic novel.” When I pressed him on who might have written that novel, he didn’t pause a second before saying, “A Russian. Dostoyevsky.”
Mario Valentino Ocean Rain: Now, here’s a selection that blew me away. The heinously packaged Ocean Rain was Edmond Roudnitska’s last fragrance, a fresh chypre. Somehow, I never knew that it existed. One sniff of its leather and overripe melon showed clear links to Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse, Diorella, and Rochas Femme. I bought a bottle of the aftershave and plan on using lots of it this summer.
Jean Patou Chaldée: Chaldée is the scent of the first suntan oil, and it smells more Saint Tropez than Coney Island. The new Patou Héritage version is brighter with neroli than the more heavily ambered Ma Collection formulation.
L’Artisan Parfumeur Dzing!: I would have put Dzing! in my best of autumn list, but André says some of his best Dzing! memories are of wearing it in summer. He describes it as a sheer leather “like two fragrances in one—a pop song and a difficult classical piece.” On one level, you revel in its easy melody. On another, you appreciate its complexity.
Comme des Garçons 3: CdG 3’s scent reminds André of tomato leaves and working in the garden, surely one of the best smells of a summer afternoon. Its light vegetal-citrus-woody scent seems perfect to me, too, for watching Shakespeare in the Park with a basket of sandwiches.
Thank you, André, for your suggestions. Besides Ocean Rain, I took home a half ounce of older Carven Ma Griffe Extrait, which will definitely be one of my summer favorites this year.
For more Top 10 of Summer lists, check out Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc, Perfume Posse and The Non-Blonde.
What about you? What will you be wearing this summer?
Note: top image is Untitled [cropped] by McD22 at flickr; some rights reserved.
Thanks for this list Angela! I always get to “step outside of the box” when you guys share ideal fragrances. It allows me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. I love a good citrus fragrance, so I am looking forward to trying:
– Guerlain Eau de Guerlain
-Chanel Pour Monsier
– Christian Dior Diorella
I have added these scents to my “get a sample” list
Simply reading the list cools me down! I hope you enjoy the samples.
Ooh, I need to dig out my bottle of Ocean Rain and get a sample of Chaldee. Thank you for the fun list.
I really like the new Chaldee! It’s not in my budget in the immediate future, but I still have some of the Ma Collection left.
I’m also very curious to try the new Chaldee and Vacances. I have the old Chaldee, so I hadn’t focused on it before, but now I can see a lighter version being wonderful.
The new Chaldee is not only a touch lighter, it has a nice tingle of neroli. I’m curious about the new Vacances, too.
Vintage White Shoulders is my absolute top summer choice. Also like Sous Le Toit, Haie Fleurie and Terracotta Le Parfum, Inoui and Manguier Metisse. Am thinking about getting Ayalitta from Ayala Moriel (breezy and mossy) or maybe Terralba from Masque Milano
Terracotta Le Parfum says “summer” to me in a big way, too! I love the idea of White Shoulders on a warm day, but I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to try it. You’ve inspired me to give it a go.
Ooh. I have some White Shoulders I picked up at a Goodwill a while back–might have to go give it a try! Inexplicably, I’ve been craving florals in this heat.
I’m feeling just about ready to experiment with them, too. I’m going to see Macbeth tonight outdoors. Maybe I’ll try a toot of Songes.
Go for it!
Depending on the heat, you just might smell me from your house!
Yum!
So happy to see a mention of Eau Pour Le Jeunne Homme, a old favorite and one I rarely see mentioned. Agree women can easily wear it, if they can overlook the huge red bottle with the huge red fake jewel.
I had never smelled it before, and I liked it right off the bat. I’d love to spend some more time with it.
Another fan here! I was happy to see it, too, and my first thought was “Robin will be pleased”
And you were right!
My summer favorites are Cristalle, Premier Figuer Extreme, Un Jardin Sur le Nil, Osmanthe Yunnan, Lys Mediterranee, Vanille Galante. I have so many summer scents that I love (those tend to be the types of fragrance I’m drawn to regardless of season). Today I’m in Un Jardin Mediterranee, which smells like summer in a bottle to me.
Your list reads like a garden vacation!
I am more of a fall/winter oriental scent person so my selection of summer scents is smallish, but today I am wearing Divine Spirituelle, a rose musk that is light enough to wear in the heat. Other favorites are SL l’Eau Froide, Osmanthe Yunnan, Virgin Island Water, Coeur de Vahiné, L’Artisan Mon Numéro 3, L’Eau de L’Artisan, and Terracotta le Parfum.
Nice choices! For name alone, L’Eau Froide is a real winner.
Thanks for the list! My summer list this year is: Tauer Sotto la Luna Gardenia, Diptyque L’Ombre Dans L’eau, FM Une Fleur de Cassie, Iris Poudre, Diptyque Geranium Odorata, Olympic Orchids Golden Cattleya, sometimes Jour d’Hermes. Although today is Rochas Femme EDT. Just had a hankering.
You’re one of the brave summer fragrance people! Some of your choices are practically narcotic. I’ll have to try Femme in the heat. One canny commenter noted either here or on Facebook–I can’t remember–that it mimics body odor.
I’ve read about the dreaded sweaty cumin note in this version. I don’t like an OD of cumin either. In any event it registers more as a buzz of slightly sweaty cedar like in Jubilation 25 or even Cartier Declaration. I like hints of that. I applied lightly so really only I can smell it. I think. I really like it on warm evenings. It sweetens and the spices really stand out beautifully.
That’s inspirational. I’ll give it a shot.
I wouldn’t go that far; mimics the scent of a lived in body is how I’d describe Femme. But I think it depends on how you perceive the cumin. Some people feel walloped by it, whereas others, like me, find it subtle. I’ve never forgotten how amazed I was at my first wearing of Femme. It seemed to melt into my skin and become part of me, yet I couod still smell plum and peach and all good things. I think it’s a masterpiece, and I stoutly defend this formulation against those who cry ‘vintage!!’.
I love the new formulation, too, and consider it a different perfume from the vintage, really.
It’s 90+ outside, and I don’t have air conditioning, and I’ve just spritzed on some Songes. So that will be my first test of heat + big perfume. But next is Femme!
I just bought the Songes body oil on impulse. It’s really nice but not so “big”. God bless you with no air conditioning! I don’t know how you do it.
I didn’t even know they made a body oil! It sounds nice. Songes ended up being giant, but not overwhelming, and it has a tiny B.O. note in it at first, too. Next up, Amaranthine.
Oh, too fun, Angie!!!! I hope you plan on returning to Our Lady for fall, winter, and spring suggestions too!
I just dropped in there a couple days ago to try whatever Tracy found new and interesting. Tried Amouage Sunshine (blech!), a couple newer Commes des Garcons, some reissues of L’Artisans, etc. Didn’t walk out with anything this time, but I might want to return for the Vanilla Flash when the weather calms down a bit.
Should add, I found a small Guerlain Vetiver shower gel that was probably from a relatively recent gift set, and I’ve been using it the past couple of weeks. Gorgeous stuff!!! Smells deep and earthy, with still a touch of summery hay. And it lasts on me a good hour after my shower, maybe longer if it weren’t so hot.
I had a great time with Andre! It was great to get to know a little of his marvelous taste in fragrance.
Today I’m wearing Diptyque Eau de Lavande, and its vetiver dry down is perfect in the heat.
My summer list contains:
– Terracotta Le Parfum
– Eau de Cologne Imperiale
– Philosykos
– Bronze Goddess
– Beach (Bobbi Brown)
– Fils de Dieu
I am looking forward to trying out Fleur de Portofino from Tom Ford!
I could happily wear all of those! I’ve been surprised at how often Fils de Dieu is showing up as a summer favorite.
My summer fragrances are:
Kai
Bronze Goddess
BV Knot
Many Jo Malone fragrances
Chanel 5 Eau Premiere
I forgot about BV Knot! That’s a great one for summer (and spring).
A really nice list, I’m especially happy to see Chanel Pour Monsieur – I think it doesn’t get enough love. Summer hasn’t still properly started here, but a few things I’ll be wearing are SL Fleurs d’Oranger and A la Nuit, Chanel Cristalle and 28 La Pausa, TDC Bergamote, L’Ombre dans l’Eau, Parfums d’Orsay Tilleul, Byredo Pulp and the Neela Vermeire coffret that should arrive any minute now. Plus Amouage Lyric and Jubilation for evenings. And I’ve been craving Datura Noir!
That sounds wonderful! You are going big with flowers! I’ve been craving Datura Noir, too.
Summer is my least favorite time of year so it is a particularly important time to at least be smelling something wonderful to take my mind off of the heat and I would say my most often used frags this time of year are floral and citrus. Flowerhead, Seville a L’Aube, Shiseido White Rose, Rose Taif by Perris Monte Carlo, Atelier’s Rendevouz, Mandarine Glaciale and Pomelo to name a few. And when it is stinking hot nothing seems as good as Guerlain’s Cologne du 68.
That’s a great attitude–if you don’t like the weather, make sure your perfume lifts your mood! Perhaps I can apply this theory to getting dental work…
I am so glad you mentioned Pino in this lovely article. That is my go to fragrance when I become olfactively exhausted. I have using Burberry Brit Rhythm and Elie Saab L’eau Couture fairly regularly this Summer. I am usually wearing trumpeting, white florals but I am just not feeling it so far…..
And it’s very important to go with what you feel!
I love summer and summer fragrances! My favorites are Guerlain AA Herba Fresca and Mandarine Basilic, Fresh Brown Sugar (I find it more lemony than Lemon Sugar!), AG Le Chevrefeuille, Carthusia Mediterraneo, PdN L’Eau Mixte, Pacifica Lotus Garden (a very very close dupe of Hermes Jardin sur le Nil), and Hermes Rose Ikebana.
Those all sound so refreshing! And thanks, too, for the tip on Lotus Garden.
What a great idea and a perfectly lovely list. Many of my favourites including Eau de Guerlain. Which I’ve adored since I first tried it. It reminds me of summer meadows and happiness.
Who can resist a fragrance that smells like happiness?
I’m so happy you mentioned my favourite perfume of all the time: Ocean Rain.
It’s a masterpiece in my opinion, very modern, too much for the nineties. I remembered that for the first time the name of the nose was mentioned in the advertising campaign… Write a review of Ocean Rain please…
I was surprised that I’d never heard of Ocean Rain before André showed it to me. It’s so clearly by Roudnitska, and as you say, it’s before it’s time–but then, so was Diorella. Maybe I *will* review it. Thanks for the suggestion!