When you've found the one...
...or is that even a 'thing' for those of us who are polyamorous with fragrance, falling in love with many fragrances at once and for varying reasons? From her debut in the 1990's until after she was discontinued, becoming astronomically expensive and hard-to-find, Karl Lagerfeld's iconic SUN-MOON-STARS was my one and only, my true love... my signature scent. I was known by it and for wearing of it and everyone associated the scent and I together, like two complementary aspects of the same singular being.
Heartbreak, however, led me down the rabbit hole of exploration and discovery, having the impetus to find olfactory love again. Having already owned and loving Calvin Klein's ETERNITY which is very similar to SMS, I found another similar option in Elizabeth Taylor's Diamonds & Sapphires, this one to my nose a spicier take on Sophia Grojsman's classic. The two bottles of SUN-MOON-STARS presently in my possession may be all I ever have need of for the rest of my life now that this passion has introduced me to so many new, differing, wonderful 'loves'! What a beautiful way to live, and to think that I spent so many years in that satisfying but monogamous relationship.
Today, I have a few fragrances which are, in a way, 'the one' and here are a few of those.
To me, Lancôme Parfait de Rôses is the Queen of jammy roses, perfectly edible, delicious in her liquered, sweet richness. To DIE for gorgeous, when I finally got my hands on this bottle, I was satisfied from the purchasing itch for months.
Amarige de Givenchy, shown above with the porcelain cake topper from my maternal grandparents' 1940's nuptials is, to me, the ultimate bridal fragrance, with rich creamy florals that speak of innocence and elegance, of budding maturity and confidence, of the love of beauty and detecting her as she floats by you on the air, unaware of her own loveliness.
Another favorite, and my husband's as well, is the Grande Dame herself, Shalimar. In all of her iterations - EDC, EDT, EDP, parfum, extrait, and flankers - Shalimar is the reigning queen supreme of fragrance in my opinion, even though she is not my signature fragrance. Everything about Shalimar is the epitome, to me, of excellence and all that is beautiful and enjoyable about perfume, period. Here is an amateur's modest look at her:
The first fragrance that I can remember truly falling for, however, back in 1983 when they had testers out in every mall in Dallas, Texas, was the eponymous, complex and beautiful Niki de Saint Phalle, here shown in EDT on the left and first-edition parfum on the right:
I'll continue to update this periodically as other "loves" make themselves known to my nose and heart.
In the meantime, thank you for spending some of your time here, reading.
Best regards.