Josephine Angela Flanders 1993 Eau de Toilette

Do you remember the saying from the poetry album? Such a mood radiates from Josephine for me in the top note. Not only that, the scent also reminds me of my grandmother's violet soap. She would have been disappointed if she hadn't received such a 3-pack for Christmas. With an old-fashioned print and each piece carefully wrapped in crinkled tissue paper, and a banderole with the same print as the box.

As a fragrance, that doesn't sound exciting. It isn't really, but this nostalgic violet aroma is nestled on a strong, bitter moss note that soon makes itself known. However, it is not grassy green, nor sweetly kitschy, as one might imagine violet scents to be. On the contrary. The scent is as serious as the moral lesson behind the poetry album saying, which continues....humble, modest, and pure; and not like the proud rose that always wants to be admired. But it is precisely the rose that makes a strong appearance here, pushing itself to the forefront as the fragrance develops and becoming the darkest and wildest rose I have ever experienced in perfumes. In the dry down, the scent could easily be declared unisex, and if leather were listed in the pyramid, I would have no problem believing that. The longevity is very good, which is not surprising with mossy base notes. This will only appeal to someone who likes serious, herb-floral fragrances.

Josephine is neither particularly elegant nor sensual, and it doesn't radiate glamour. Still, I find it successful in a certain way; it has its own personality and is anything but banal. I like it, in any case.