Ralph Hot Ralph Lauren 2006

Sultry, tropical vanilla spice. To my junior high self this is what a Shakira music video was supposed to smell like. Sweet almond, sticky amber, and tangy fig sap make up the heat of the fragrance. A medley of citrus and spice dance like sparks, keeping that sweetness from hanging too heavily. Sweaty, but not sloppy. Sexy, but fun. Sillage and longevity were always strong, but now my decades-macerated bottle makes any outfit waft of Hot for a full long weekend. This juice is practically a rare-earth element now.

Back in ye olden days had a bottle of Ralph Rocks (for day) and Ralph Hot (for night). Hot was something I guarded as a “special occasion” scent (aka: Friday nights at the mall). (Also because I couldn’t leave a bottle crying “HOT” lying about my very Catholic household). This was the scent that turned me on to fragrance as a costume or persona. I’m not a Hot girl, but damn if it’s not fun to try and dance in her heels. You didn’t receive that Presidential Medal of Freedom for nothing, Ralph! Please resurrect HOT!

Mental Snapshot: A fantasy revel, where coral-sand beach meets glow-in-the-dark jungle. Seashell bras, palm frond sarongs, glowsticks, the works. Every drink comes garnished with an orchid and a paper umbrella. A flame-bright sunset smoulders into a humid, purple night. They’re definitely playing Shakira.

tl;dr: puka shells and sequins