Happy Thursday! What's your fragrance today?
I'm commando for the moment.
Reminder: tomorrow will be Fantasy Vacation Friday: pick a destination and wear the scent that takes you there.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2015, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Leominster Hospital, Leominster, Mass via Boston Public Library at flickr; some rights reserved.
Lovely image! I’m still sticking to Lutens and I’m wearing Sarrasins today.
It’s good Lutens weather in these parts.
It is. I’m glad of the cooler spell. Most plants were in great need of some water.
Have you tried Sarrasins? It’s my oddest jasmine.
It’s a hospital…it’s weird how many vintage postcards there are of hospitals!
I had a small random collection of 1950s school postcards for a while… Different schools in small cities and big towns. Maybe only ten cards in all…. And then I just started using them… But it was the same idea I think of recording a community’s major institutions.
It reminds me of Cider House Rules
I thought of that, too.
I found one recently of an asylum for the criminally insane. It was early 20th century and suitably sinister.
Possibly because patients wanted to let relatives know where they were being treated?
Probably, that makes sense!
SOTD Ormonde Jayne Frangipani. We’ll see how it holds up in the heat today.
Yum, you smell fantastic 🙂
That picture reminds me of my grammar school.
Today I am wearing Jo Malone White Lilac and Rhubarb. Sadly discontinued but I managed to get a decant. This is such a true to the flower scent and unfortunately it’s only drawback is the short term longevity.
It does look like a school.
I’ve found the ‘only drawback’ to all the Jo Malone scents is they don’t last very long (for what they cost).
True. I tried another Jo Malone and it was quite linear.
I am wearing Thierry Mugler Angel Eau Sucree
today.
I hope you are having a wonderful vacation, Robin.
Lovely so far, thanks!
SOTD is Azemour Les Orangers, in all its bitter-orange-and-moss glory. Perfect.
I have SUCH a crush on that one at the moment. You small marvelous.
You and I are of one mind on Azemour – it’s just wonderful. 🙂
Smell marvelous – sorry for the typo.
But you can small marvelous as well, if you so choose.
It’s at the top of my to-buy list.
Box of Eels for me today. Yum!
I bought some Chanel minis off ebay recently, and I just love Box of Eels. This could easily become one of my favourites.
It was love at first sniff for me. Working my way through a decant from a generous NSTer and then plan a FB. This is a great pillar fragrance for sure 🙂
LOL at “Box of Eels.” I had to think good and hard to figure that out, thank you SunnyDay for the Chanel hint! Now I’m off to spritz a just-remembered decant.
Enjoy your decant! 🙂
I’m wearing Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier. This one doesn’t get a lot of love (only 2 stars from The Guide!) but I find it really beautiful. Its usually a spring or fall perfume for me, because of the warm musky base, but since I’m at work today and my office is cool it seems perfect.
I love Citronnier, too, and don’t understand why it doesn’t receive higher praise. It’s delightfully refreshing and interesting and for a citrus themed scent it lasts forever.
So many of Uncle Serge’s I have yet to try! This seems like it would be a good one in the heat.
SOTD is Infusion de Vetiver. I’m just doing chores around the house today and tending the severely neglected flower beds. So much to weed! Infusion de Vetiver is bright and light and perfect for a muggy day outside.
Eau de Merveilles. How is it that I always bypass this bottle? Everytime I wear it (which is shamefully infrequently), I’m surprised by how much I like it. Plus, it reminds me of a wonderful trip I took to the Maine coast a few years ago.
Not sure about tomorrow yet. I know my fantasy destination, but haven’t figured out the perfect scent to match. Off to contemplate the perfect tropical scent…
i have never decided if i like eau des merveilles or not. somedays i think it’s amazing, and sometimes it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. i can’t wear wool or even cashmere against my skin, i need to wear a cotton layer beneath. on every 3rd (or so) wearing, eau des merveilles makes me feel like i’m wearing wool on my skin and i want to jump out of it. now, if i layer l’ambre over eau des merveilles i’m okay…. or most often i’ve taken to layering the parfum des merveilles with a little bit of l’amber des merveilles and that combo is really lovely. i’m most definintely not the ‘layering type’ either – i can’t be bothered with thinking this much – but it’s because i like the idea of all the merveilles so much that i started layering them to make up with the issues i have with just one alone….
I don’t know, how can you bypass this bottle? 🙂 I have to purposefully walk away from it, I love it so much I don’t want to overwear it. It, too, reminds me of several wonderful trips to the Atlantic seacoast. Enjoy!
SOTD: Iris Meadow by Aerin.
I detect something “citrusy” on the top and there really isn’t much iris in this is there?
Blvgari Omnia Crystalline- the silver bottle – not the newest version.
Oh no, has it changed? I loved that one so much but just don’t wear it a much these days.
Vanille Tonka. Cola and vanilla, so nice, and I wonder why I always dismissed it before.
Love that one – even though it is Not At All my usual sort of thing. Wish it still had its spritely lime opening… sigh.
SOTD: Beyond Love (By Kilian)
Mmmm.
I planned to wear ELDO The Afternoon of a Faun, but I was slightly hung over in the morning and completely forgot… Don’t feel like wearing anything else, so will wait until I get home and am reunited with my brand new full bottle.
I like a lot of ELDOs, but I think this one is the most sophisticated and elegant. Enjoy!
It is probably my favourite ELDO and I think it’s perfect for museums and libraries (I just put some on). Which others do you like?
Sounds like the g&t’s were successful 😉
They always are! Very efficient, G&Ts 🙂 It was’t too bad, just difficult to get up, especially as I badly need a vacation anyway.
Xerjoff Oud Star – Mamluk…I wish I was an Oil Baron because my sample is tiny and this is fantastic!
Tea for Two this morning.
sotd: balenciaga paris
this one is a bit strange on me. today it’s reminding me of byblos – do you remember byblos from the 90’s? both balenciaga paris and byblos share this similar aquatic/fruity/melon note.
i receive a lot of compliments on balenciaga paris. sometimes it seems that i receive complements on scents i’m not in love with and never receive them on the scents i adore.
all i can think of is byblos today and i’m transported back to my 1990s collection which consited of: byblos, mariella burani, cabotine and ck eternity. …. trip down memory lane. all funky bottles!
The original Byblos was kind of amazing, nominally a floral but with SO MUCH fruit, especially that dark, musky raspberry. And that bottle!
I’m guessing Byblos has been reformulated and I will never again smell that fascinating and unique fragrance…. Lots of perfumes in the 90s were pretty unusual. I wore Byblos a lot, probably drained 3 bottles before moving on
I loved Byblos back in the 90s as well, and in a funny coincidence, am wearing the scent that reminds me of it the most – Missoni Acqua. Someone mentioned it here the other day, so decided to wear it today.
A sample of MDCI Chypre Palatin: it’s not even close to being a chypre, but is instead a resinous spicy oriental, very nice, even in this warm weather.
You’re brave. If I had a FB, I would not even glance at it in this weather.
I WONDERED if it really was heavily oriental – especially when certain reviewers kept going on and on and on about how good a chypre it is. I have molto problemo with most orientals, so I’m glad I’m not second-guessing myself on the decision not to buy a sample. Thanks.
I read a bunch of reviews that were all chypre this and chypre that, and I wore it several times to be sure I wasn’t missing anything. It’s really not a chypre. It really is an oriental.
A green gummy bear oriental, one of my favorite kinds. 🙂
I’m wearing BPAL Whip today, which should be “black leather and damp red rose”. All I’m getting is the rose, which is quite pretty, but not what I wanted.
Eau Suave yet again today.
A happy update for the many people who expressed support and good wishes to me regarding my work bully. As you may or may not recall, I confronted him, professionally and calmly, keeping emotion out of it, and while he appeared furious the day of, he was speaking to me again by the next week. Since that time, his behavior towards me has improved so drastically, I can hardly believe it.
Then, just now, he passed by, and asked what that was that he was smelling, suggesting it smelled good. I told him what it was, and he started to tell me that it smelled like something he used to wear – Zizanie – and started to ask me friendly questions.
Now he’s asking about patchouli and notes and….I’m just pleasantly stunned.
I think he may have ultimately taken what I said to heart, and realized he’d behaved badly, and now seems to want to treat me like a human being again. This is really kind of remarkable, and I’m so pleased.
Wow, I’m so so glad things have turned around! Well done for standing up to him. I’m a little suspect of the extreme change and I know I would be a little guarded for some time, but I do hope it lasts!
Kudos!
Thanks, and don’t worry, I’m still going to be cautious. It’s just a much more pleasant outcome than I was expecting.
Yay, that’s such good news! Empowerment is such a positive thing, and it’s so great that it’s made a difference.
Thank you dear! I have felt better ever since, here at work and elsewhere.
That’s so great to hear! Kudos to both of you. It’s always important to set limits but it’s a real plus when you are actually heard. I’ve had both experiences(heard and not heard ). And maybe you’re bringing out his inner perfumista 😀
Thanks so much!
And yes, feeling heard and respected means a great deal. I’m still getting used to it, after having been too nice for too long. 🙂
Oh, that’s excellent news! Yay! Kudos to you again for sticking up for yourself, and for remaining approachable now. I hope that fellow will continue along his current path, and kudos to him as well for not sulking. I’m so glad that things are on the mend. 🙂
Thanks honey! I hope he stays on this path too. I really didn’t predict it from him, but it’s nice to be surprised.
Nice to hear that things are better. And what better way to bond with someone than over fragrance?!
Thank you – exactly!
Bravo! Glad it worked out. You may have even gained a ‘fume friend!
Thanks! I’m not sure if this guy and I could ever be proper friends, considering his previous treatment of me, but I am perfectly happy to talk to him about perfume as much as he’d like 🙂
Woo hoo! I’m glad things are working out!
And for all NSTers – if you think Ms. ihadanidea’s gravatar is gorgeous, wait ’til you meet her in person — she is drop dead GORGEOUS.
Aw, honey – as always, you are too kind. Thanks for the ego boost!
I am so happy for you. Isn’t it amazing what “neutral confrontation” can do? And even if the worm hasn’t really turned, just think how much you did for yourself. Three cheers!
Thank you thank you! And yes, it is amazing. I would never have predicted this, but even if he’d misbehaved afterward, yes – this was the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time.
Nasomatto Absinth, and managed to spell it right today. Labelled “to promote irresponsible behavior,” while I desperately need to get packing the house up for a move. Maybe I should just walk away. Ah, fantasy.
Lol.. maybe that’s why I like it so much 😉
Kalemat today. Yum, but I’m still not really feeling the cozy winter perfume love this year.
Nope, me neither! I’m in Ford’s Grey Vetiver today and its reminding me of that old Sting album, The Soul Cages…
Oooh, you smell good! It’s summer here, and I can’t seem to get excited about being seasonally appropriate, so I’m looking forward to feeling some of that cozy winter perfume love. Of course, when that time comes, I might change my tune. 🙂
Gosh, I want to wear that one so badly. Maybe that’ll be my scent for tomorrow. It’s so disgustingly hot and humid here today. All I think about now are my orientals and ambers. I want cold weather now!
You and me both with wanting the cold weather NOW!
Thank you so much for that sample too, btw. I love that one now and need to find a bottle.
This is the first season I’ve ever chosen my SOTD in relation to temperature. I never ever felt the cold before, but last year I lost so much weight that my thermostat re-set and it hasn’t re-adjusted. I don’t know that this winter is hugely colder than others, but info know that my response to winter this year is a craving for warm, rich perfumes. Oh, and my mother’s braised steak!
This beastly thing just won’t co-operate with my intentions! It persists in thinking it knows best. I meant “I do know”, not “info”!
Royal English Leather Creed layered with Habit Rouge guerlain.
Hmmmm…. Trying to imagine the combo. Bet you smell terrific.
I am wearing vintage Jolie Madame edt today and it is perfection
Among my top favorites of all time. Maybe #1. Simply gorgeous!
For sure it is one of my favorites too, I am using small drops not to finish it up. Do you prefer the edt or another concentration?
I really enjoy the vintage edt. I get the little bottles of vintage parfum off ebay every so often but I prefer to spray so I am very content with the edt.
You smell good! I have the edt, one of my favorites, but have never smelled any other concentration.
Vintage Madame Jolie is gorrrrrgeous – at least in the parfum. Love that stuff.
SOTD Lanvin Arpege in anticipation of the arrival of the vintage extrait I won(if you can call being the only contender “winning”) on EvilBay. It was a small investment and my first vintage purchase! Vintage hunting is a whole ‘nother rabbit hole and not sure I want to drop to far down in there. Hoping the extrait has held up, especially traveling in the heat.
Let us know how it is when it arrives!
I hope it has! I have a small bottle of vintage extrait and it’s very good… came in a little leatherette box, with one of those old-style price stickers on it ($12.95). It is amazing stuff – almost too rich for me through the heart, but the drydown is just beyond incredible. Sometimes I crave just the drydown…
SOTD is Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant. I always find myself craving next season’s scents about a month too soon, haha. Yesterday I wore a sample of Byredo Seven Veils around the house and it made me miss fall so much. Today I’m trying to get back into summer with a very citrusy scent!
I bought Enivrant after one sniff. It’s great in the heat, isn’t it?
Inspired by some iris comments yesterday and wearing Hiris.
Hi everyone! It’s been forever since I’ve participated, how sad. 🙁 As for my SOTD, I just bought a travel spray of EL Tuberose Gardenia and today I took my first spritz. It’s just as lovely as I hoped it would be!
Welcome back 🙂
The humidity has left us and the day is gloriously sunny and non-sticky hot. Celebrating a perfect summer day with Pacifica Mediterranean Fig.
Have not applied perfume this AM yet. Am thinking of doing wrist comparisons of Tea for Two and Imperial Tea. Even without wearing them next to each other I find they are quite different, but I’d like to see how they match up side by side. I like them both a lot.
Update…. Imperial Tea smells like black and jasmine tea but Tea for Two has definitely swung more towards gingerbread cookies… as a tea, I’d say in comparison to IT, it smells like a Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice Tea…. not a necessarily a bad thing to smell like….
SOTD is Chanel No. 19 Poudre…office friendly, light and pleasant on a hot 90 degree day.
I tried No 19 Poudre just once on a spritz and run at the drug store. It didn’t really remind me of No 19, but I thought it was just lovely, perfect for the office. Definitely have to go back and retest this one.
I’m wearing Caron Acaciosa extrait today as I start packing for my vacation. I’m hiking in Alaska and only bringing one bag, so no scent is accompanying me.
Bravely ignoring the wave of jealously I am feeling. That sounds terrific. Have a great time!
Your scent is likely to be bug spray 🙂 We spent a week in Denali a couple of summers back. Mosquito count was surreal! Do bring a head net, and permethrin-impregnated clothing, if you’re ok with that. We had these wonderful featherweight mesh insectshield jackets, they really did work.
It’s so gross outside I feel like jello. I’ve been “late” to work every day this week. Technically I’m not late because we set our own hours and can walk in/out whenever we want, but normally I’m much better about getting in the office earlier. This week though – the heat and humidity is sapping my energy of everything I have. I’m in zombie mode. Hopefully we some storms tonight to break this awfulness. I put on Nirvana Black today because it’s easy.
SOTD = Chanel No. 19 EDP
Love!
THanks – you just picked my SOTD for me.
I forgot to put on perfume earlier when I was doing the early chaperone shift at the high school band camp… now I’m home, so I can wear what I want.
It’s so easy to wear. I may make a decant and bring it with me on vacation ( Baltic Cruise) as my all day everyday perfume. I need to find a “worthy” travel atomizer.
SOTD = SSS Rose Musc. Event of the day = getting highlights in my hair to try to fade the gray in…
You smell great and good luck on your hair! I’ve been trying a few different solutions to the intermittent greys in my hair.
I grew my grey in about 6 years ago, and love it. Hairdressers are always wanting to color it, though – killjoys. It may require a change in your makeup colors, and changed my wardrobe colors significantly. (I went from dyed auburn to salt & pepper.) A great guidebook to the transition is “Going Grey Looking Great.” You have to order it online, self-published I think, but I found it very helpful.
Mmm. I just got sick of my hair one day and had all the colour chopped out. My hair was pretty much just bristles for a few weeks, but it was summer, so it was easy. I’ve kept it super short (though not as short as it was that day) and it’s ended up sort of silver-ish and gun-metal-ish. I like being grey–it takes nothing at all to maintain, which suits my general bone-idleness — but I have to wear a bit more colour in my make-up, perhaps.
I’ve found out Encre Noire works really well on Cape Cod, which is where I’ve been all week. (So do EL Private Collection and Lumiere Blanche.) Actually, come to think of it, I’ve taken EN on all my trips this year, and it’s perfect wherever I go.
I took Encre Noire with me on my camping trip, and it even smells good layered over bug spray. THAT is a feat!
Ooh, that’s good to know!
You both smell great wearing Encre Noir in the out of doors! I think that’s one of the reasons I like it (and Sycomore): they both have that rough out doorsy vibe.
Feeling a bit trashy today, so reached for Gucci Rush. It is making me think of a club bathroom in the 80’s with the hairspray just a-flyin’ and rubber neon bracelets, and somehow it is just marvellous.
I lack any 80s club associations with Rush and still love it.
I love Rush too! I probably don’t wear it enough but have always kept a bottle in my collection.
Was thinking of wearing Rush tomorrow, because I might need to feel a little badass at work. Guess I will see how I feel in the morning.
Trefle Pur in the steamy heat. My kid even complimented me this morning!
Cool kid!
Sampling Guerlain’s Terracotta Voile d’Ete. Again. Still not sure if I want a FB or not. At a certain point it smells like vanilla extract, and I’m reminded of Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies who wore that when a-courtin’. Mind you, I’m gettin’ up there in years, but I was not anticipating emulating her any time soon. Life is full of surprises. 😉
Have you seen Crossing Delancey? (I think I have mentioned this movie before on NST, sorry!) But the love interest pickle man has wonderful smelling hands…it turns out he soaks them in vanilla extract, or something like that.
I LOVE that movie.
I went with Dior Homme today. It sounded good this morning and was kind of nice and cozy, but as the day wears on it seems maybe a bit too sweet. But it’s just been one of those weeks where nothing’s really sitting quite right with me.
Some of the time Dior Homme is perfect, but there have been occasions on which it was just TOO sweet for me too…
Sampling Slumberhouse Kiste today since it’s my day off. Getting hungry for peach cobbler….
That’s the trouble with delicious-smelling perfumes – I try to avoid them because they give me food cravings.
This happens to me too, and I don’t know if it’s the actual fragrances themselves, or the delicious imagery I’ve read in reviews!
I liked Kiste a whole lot (and am also a sucker for dessert-y smells). You smell great!
I just got my fb of Kiste, it is such a beauty!
Yesterday evening I sampled Bruno Fazzolari Au Delà, and this morning I’m wearing Joop! Rococo, which it reminded me of. They aren’t the same, but I’m reminded of how seamlessly and luxuriously beautiful floral perfumes used to smell before all the cost-cutting and IFRA bans. I’m also also reminded of 1975 Karl Lagerfeld Chloe (as I remember it rather than how it actually smelled). I’m afraid I’m making Au Delà sound derivative and don’t think that would be at all accurate.
It’s very heartening to discover great new perfumes like Canoe Goods Skive and Bruno Fazzolari’s Au Delà and Lampblack!
I love Au Dela and just bought a bottle. It’s great in the summer heat. ????
SOTD is the every lovely and neglected bottle of DSH Giardini Segreti (Italian Journey No 3) that I have. I really should wear this more. It is just so insanely pretty. I needed something special but soft enough for our massive humidity b/c I’m going to a dressy thing fundraiser. I want to have a very light and pretty cloud of sillage tonight – crowd be damned!
Just look at it as olfactory education for the masses.
That works!
Morena ki a koutou katoa. He rā ātaahua! (good morning to you all. It’s a beautiful day!) Friday for me, and I’m working at home, or at least, am about to because it isn’t quite 7 a.m. yet. Yay for work-at-home days! I’m wearing 1,000 calories of perfume today: Rahat Loukoum. I love the almond in the opening–for me, that could last all the way, actually, and I’d be very happy –but the sweeeeeeet dry-down is just fine too. The middle of the end (if you see what I mean) reminds me very much of PdeN Kiss Me, another fattening scent.
Graduation yesterday was great fun. One of the graduates has twin boys of about 6 or 7, and when their mother was capped, they began the haka for her, then the rest of her family joined in. The whole theatre was still and silent while these gorgeous mites honoured their mother’s achievements — her Honours First Class were hard won indeed– and then there was an uproar of applause. And, thankfully, no one yesterday took a selfie with the Chancellor, as happened on one never-to-be-forgotten occasion.
It sounds great. I have never tried Rahat but am a big fan of Kiss me Tender!
You might really love this. I do. One day when I was in A Mood, I bought it unsniffed (I know, I know) on the strength of Robin’s review, and it’s everything she wrote. Thank you, Robin: I’m very glad to have this bottle.
I’ve bought plenty of bottles unsniffed! Mostly successful. I’m sort of planning a trip to Paris at some point this year so I might have an occasion to try it.
I dislike quite a number of perfumes with almond notes – including Kiss me Tender, Louve, Datura Noir and Tonka Imperiale. And yet, even I have fallen for the charms of Rahat Loukoum!
Mmmm. It’s gorgeous. It’s not a serious perfume though, and I’m supposed to be doing serious work. Instead, I keep wanting to out and play…
Do you like Traversee du Bosphore? That’s another that I like a lot — I seem to have a theme developing in my collection.
Yes, coming to think of it I have trouble imagining the same person wearing Rue Cambon and Rahat Loukoum! 😉
Unfortunately I find Traversee du Bosphore too sweet. But actually I like many sweet scents so it may be that I just dislike that type of red apple sweetness…
Actually, given that I like RC and RL, both very much, I guess that doesn’t make much sense (having trouble imagining the same person wearing both!)
Thanks for asking that question. I own KMT and was wondering about Traversee.
Mmmmm, you smell good! Rahat is what came home with me from my visit to the Salon on my one and only trip to Paris. I don’t have much left . . . that means I need to visit Paris again!
Why not, If you need a reason to go to Paris, this is a good one! My own purchase of RL wasn’t as exotic as yours, unfortunately–I got it on-line at a good discount. BUT–I did buy my bottle of 31 Rue Cambon at 31 Rue Cambon! I love it for the memory as much as the perfume itself, I think.
Way too hot for me so after a shower I’m floating in orange blossoms~ the lovely Houbigant Orangers en Fleurs. Love its touch of nutmeg.
Such a pretty one.
Have you tried Hanbury (Maria Candida Gentile)? Certain NSTers’ repeated accolades got me to purchase a tiny decant. I keep thinking it reminds me of Orangers en Fleurs, but haven’t sniffed the Houbigant in a year or so.
I love Orangers en Fleurs!
I’ve been delighting in vintage Revlon Chaz aftershave today. It’s part of my ‘inheritance’ from my brother. After the perfect bottle community project a couple months back, I shared my memory of his Kouros bottle from the 80s. Turned out he still had it, and he gave it to me along with a few others from that era. I have such a great brother! And this Chaz is lovely, spicy leather, I love it. Such a fun surprise!
Siblings have their advantages 😀
You just reminded me that my first boyfriend wore Chaz. A long forgotten memory. Thank you.
I wonder if you dated my brother. 😉
Leathermountain, thank you again for making me laugh at 6 am. I think it will be a good day!
SOTD is Aerin Lauder’s Rose de Grasse.
So, I was going through my collection this morning in hopes to find a fragrance that was pretty but light. The goal was to try and not irritate the thousands of testers that I was stuck in a room in all day. I left the house this morning feeling pretty confident about my choice. As the day came to an end and people started leaving, one lady came up to me and thanked me for administering the test to her. She also said that she loved my perfume that I was wearing. She said she could smell me each time I passed by her. Nice compliment, but I failed miserably. I feel bad and hope that my fragrance didn’t aggravate anyone.
I wore Cristalle yesterday to combat the heat and high humidity. I came home too late and too tired to post yesterday. This is probably weird but I mixed the EDT with the EDP and it lasted all day; It was a long day. I always read the comments!