It’s Hump Day, National Stress Awareness Day and National Candy Day. Birthdays: Walter Cronkite, Eugene Sledge, Loretta Swit. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Yves Saint Laurent Paris, a fragrance I was wearing when I was 21.
Reminder: on 11/6, wear the fragrance you'd like to give to your 21-year-old self (even if it wasn't on the market at that time). Suggested by Kanuka.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2026, where I'll occasionally manage to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is from the Saint Laurent campaign for Fall 2026.
When I was 21 I was taking a break between college and more college, working for a beer and wine distributorship in a small university town and dealing with way too many frat rats buying way too many kegs on Friday nights. I don’t have any to wear now, but what I would advise my 21 year old self to do is take some of those hard-earned dollars and buy a bottle of Aliage. I received one as a gift in high school and loved it, but never thought to replace the bottle once it was drained. It was lovely.
So when you didn’t replace the Aliage, what were you wearing? Or no fragrance?
Pretty much no fragrance. Once I finished college and was working, I took up fragrance again – Anais Anais was one that I wore in that era, and later Tresor. I should have revisited Aliage, and I have no idea why I didn’t because I remember loving it.
Aliage is such a gorgeous green gem, love at first sniff! I wore Anais Anais all through H.S., what a great perfume that was! I’d be hard pressed to pick just one scent I would give to my 21 year old self. Choices choices…
In the 1980’s I was wearing mostly this:
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Liz-Claiborne/Realities-Original-1854.html
The original can still be had on eBay for a few hundred dollars a bottle. At some point in the 90’s I started wearing Organza by Givenchy, which sat in a place of honor on my dresser. Also, Rapture by VS. Then, I discovered VS Vanilla Lace and was mostly monogamous for a very long time, until it was discontinued in the late 90’s. It’s been reformulated and re-released multiple times but of course it’s not the same.
As a young adult I worked a minimum wage job and didn’t have the money (or the knowledge that there was more “out there”) to really explore any perfume outside of what was available at the local mall. I was never interested in Dior or Chanel because I was strongly “anti rich people” when I was young. I have no idea why because I always had plenty to eat, a roof over my head, and never wanted for anything material, which is “rich” to many, many people. The closest I got to an “expensive” perfume was my mother’s Opium and my prized bottle of Organza, which I think I got as a Christmas gift.
Today, I’m enjoying Vanilla Scotch again. Another gorgeous fall day full of bright sunshine and bluebird skies. I live for days like this, and my happiness has only been compounded by every single American who voted and made their voice heard! Thank you for the bottom of my world weary heart. 🇺🇸
So interesting…I started working very young, and don’t think I minded paying for perfume (or I should say, it did not seem crazy expensive to me) or thought it was something for rich people? But really, I don’t remember.
I know Halloween’s come & gone, but recently stumbled across this pet in a costume that makes me laugh out loud–
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dt3YA-vecwc
I would go back to my young self and disabuse myself of the notion that disposing of vintage classics is acceptable behavior. Pretty sure I rehomed Cristalle and Diorama! ☹️
That costume is great!
Ack, Cristalle and Diorama!!
But thank you for the link, what a laugh!
That link is hilarious! There’s many a time I wanted to dress up SmokeyToes but I’m sure he would claw his way out of it (and tear me up in the process).
Rehoming Cristalle AND Diorama! EEPS…
LOVED the link! Thank you so much for posting it yesterday. I really needed a laugh then.
I received another positive phone call from my Daughter’s teacher today. I told him it was really nice that he calls for the good things and not just the bad. He said that if he only calls for the bad, eventually parents stop answering the phone. Lol.
My sotd is Dune, for a dreary rainy day.
Dreary rainy day here-almost freezing rain. You do smell fantastic, lilyjo 🙂
Thanks carole! I’m not looking forward to our inevitable freezing rain.
That’s nice news, how encouraging.
It really is.
Aww, what a great teacher, and kudos to your mothering!
Aww.. thanks tulipani 🩷
That’s great to get positive phone calls. That can make all the difference in the world.
I always answer the school calls in a panic thinking the worst. I really like the good calls!
Funnily enough, I was going to wear Dune today but did not because I went for NEZ 1+ 1 Ambre a’levres!
Hello almost twin!
What a fantastic teacher!!
I love this guy!
So glad to hear about your positive phone call. That sounds like a very good teacher.
Very pleased to hear that your daughter has a good teacher this year. That wasn’t the case not too long ago.
I chose Daim Blond. I really love this scent. It’s a cold rainy day here and I am eating really cheap candy. Have to stop soon-I have too many fillings.
Finally got into headstand last night! I’ve been working on it for a long time. I was doing it in the corner where there is more support. Last night I felt the urge to try-and I succeeded. So we never know what we’re capable of till we try 🙂
Congratulations on your headstand. Very cool
Thank you, Kanuka-it’s supposed to help maintain bone density. I hope it works.
Wow, very nice job on your handstand achievement! I’d love to master the crow pose, but I’ve not been very diligent about it and I’m very paranoid about over stressing my wrists.
Also, you smell wonderful!
I haven’t tried crow yet-might try handstand next. My wrists are tight, too, so we proceed with caution.
Crow is the one I always want to achieve, but likewise am not diligent about…I will probably never get there and that’s ok.
It’s Guy Fawkes here, the day when people let off fireworks. I’m hoping it’s quiet near me as my dog is terrified of the sound, shakes uncontrollably and is beside herself with fear before going to hide in a cupboard. Fortunately, fewer people take part than when I was a kid. We always had fireworks, a big bonfire and, best of all, treacle toffee…the kind of toffee that makes your jaw ache. Today I’m wearing a floral perfume…something my 21 year old version would have avoided ( though it was the early 80s when light florals weren’t so popular here). Un Jardin sur le Toit.
pets and fireworks don’t mix at all. Getting together for a bonfire sounds nice. My younger self would have preferred heavy ambers-but my 53 year old self has a bottle of your SOTD. Even the colour of the bottle is appealing. Hope you get some spring sunshine, too.
I am so, so glad that after outlawing Halloween fireworks here three years ago, people really do seem to be observing the ban. It was chaos here before, and not good for pets at all.
My younger self would have benefitted from early exposure to the classics, so I’m wearing Mitsouko today.
You do smell great, Gaynor. Hope it’s a nice spring day for you.
Today, I’m wearing YSL Rive Gauche, a “reference rose” as Luca Turin would say.
When I was 21, in addition to the perfumes I inherited from my mother, OG Miss Dior, Joy and Ciara, it was also a time when I had a random assortment of perfume: Coriandre, Givenchy Amariage and L’Interdit, YSL Rive Gauche, Molinard de Molinard. I can’t remember how I acquired these bottles and there was definitely no thought given to them, other than I liked perfume.
All your bottles are memorable for me as I wore them all back in the day. Rive Gauche as well.
Their names are definitely a time machine! Rive Gauche has been such a lovely companion today💕
I’m wearing a great scent for the CP, Egoiste! I definitely remember the tv commercials as a teen but it never ever occurred to me that I might want to sniff a mens cologne back then. I would definitely tell my 21 year old self that perfume is genderless.
Oy, love Egoist! Haven’t seen you in these here parts but perhaps it’s me not paying attention – I am behind by a few days .
You are not wrong! I have been commenting less frequently because I’m trying to stay off the computer a bit. I find myself reading comments on the phone but then never making it to the computer to comment myself. And I somehow find it hard to comment from the phone. 😆
Always good to see you whenever you do post!
Hello.
Sotd is TF Tobacco Chocolat courtesy of Sephora.
Went into Lush to browse and the staff was just starting to unbox this year’s Hanukkah collection for tomorrow. In the collection is this DELICIOUS bodywash called SUFGANIYAH, it smells literally of vanilla custard and jammy raspberry compote. They actually sneakily sold me a bottle, I am sooo happy. Might go home and shower just to indulge. Maybe next year they will make a body lotion, who knows?
How do you like Tobacco Chocolat?
It’s a dark and dry chocolate. If you enjoy your choco milky and sweet, you will hate this but if you like his creations such as oud wood, f*ing fab, the ink one, then you’ll likely enjoy his take on chocolate. I am on the fence with this one but on the occasions that I’ve worn it, I got tons of compliments. Like every single time so TF must’ve done something right!
Still rocking the comfort scents, Biancolatte today.
That one sounds nice!
SOTD = NEZ 1 + 1 Ambre a’levres
Very nice for a full day of “rest”!
Yesterday, I spent pretty much all day (4:55am to 8:30pm) being a poll worker. There were 6 of us although we should have had 8 but we managed. We somehow had a good number of people who were sent voting by mail materials but decided not to mail them; however, voting at the polling place would have rendered their vote null and void unless they complete a semi-laborious form. In any case, most did in fact end up filling out the form so their vote should have counted.
Oh I salute you! That is a long day.
Wow, that was almost 16 hours!
Wore Livre Blanc today.
Nocturnes de Caron
Just getting around to perfume now; I had strength training this morning, then a haircut, and finally a massage. Now in the recliner with a cat wafting 24, Faubourg. Life is good!
I initially read your post as the cat wafting 24 Faubourg. Very fancy kitty!
Second day in a row I’ve been to my library twice in one day. Early this afternoon for yoga and then tonight for a book discussion of our library director’s favorite book, the classic Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I’d read it years ago, seen the film and enjoyed rereading it again. Great discussion!
My SOTD is Je Reviens perfume from the special tiny blue flask my late MIL brought me back from a cruise she took years ago. I was surprised, and didn’t remember from my first reading, that Rebecca’s sailboat was named Je Reviens, and that’s what inspired my choice of scent today.
Stayed up way too late last night watching the election results, I’m off to sleep soon 😴💤
My mom’s signature scent-you smell so good, Laila! I’ve only seen the movie-I will have to read the book. I don’t remember the perfume reference. I do remember reading an article about DuMaurier-she wanted a perfume that was elusive, like cyclamen. Think she would have been posting on NST, too 🙂