Scent Memory
I’m sure most people have experienced a smell or sent that has inspired a memory or just a feeling of something familiar. I have them all the time, it’s almost akin to déjà vu.
My earliest memories would have to be of the women in my life that helped shape my taste in fragrance and I come from an eclectic mix of powerful females. My mother had a very simplistic take on fragrance and although we did not have much money growing up she instilled in me the importance of a well made and expensive French perfume. She always believed that even if you do not have much money, you never want to smell cheap and her standby was always L'air Du Temps by Nina Ricci, this may come as a surprise to some people who know my mother because she is a very down to earth almost tom-boy type and this fragrance is very feminine and floral, but I think it reflects a certain air of class and sophistication to her and isn’t that what fragrance is supposed to do? Convey an idea, or emphasize something about yourself to the world, maybe that you are sexy, earthy, feminine, masculine, wild? Whatever it may be, it is almost like your spirit animal in fragrance form.
When I conjure a memory of one of my grandmothers I always think of the perfume that I associate with them. For my father’s mother it would have to be Dune by Christine Dior, I don’t believe she wore this fragrance all the time but it is the one that has stuck with me as her fragrance and when ever I get a waft of that scent it sends me back to her warm kitchen on a Sunday afternoon watching her float about singing and cooking up some amazing meal for our extended Italian family. My grandmother on my mother’s side always wore the original Channel Coco perfume. It was more mysterious and independent and reflected her personality so perfectly. I think what I’m trying to say is that fragrance can be such a personal part of your over all style and can embody your personality on a deep level. I love the idea of conveying something of myself to others without having to utter a word. It’s part of your wardrobe, your overall style, taste and perspective on life and one that I enjoy and almost feel undressed if I leave the house without a spritz.
My first real fragrance that started my obsession would have to be Samsara by Guerlain. It was my introduction to a heady oriental musk that would have men following after me proclaiming, “you smell amazing”. I have moved on since then and my tastes have slightly changed as so have the fragrances themselves. However I still love a good “room rocker” perfume to make a statement and they sometimes almost bolster my confidence (especially on days when I need a little extra oomph). Some of my current favorites would have to be Black Orchid by Tom Ford, PLAY by Givenchy(I fear it may have been discontinued), Alien by Mugler, and my newest obsession – Nomade by Chloe. I am always on the lookout for my next signature scent, for me I think it is the quest that will keep on going, where’s the fun in settling on one for the rest of your life? Unlike husbands, I plan on chasing fragrances for as long as possible, why settle when there is world of variety out there waiting to be discovered, and undoubtedly added to my growing collection ;-)
