A few days ago I was reading one of my many favorite blogs “White Spray Paint” written by Laura and she had what I thought was a clever idea for her post. She wrote about all of the perfumes from her past. Some I shared with her, some I did not, and other I had never heard of before. But it got me thinking about the different scents I have worn over the years and the time line of when I wore them. Scents are like music to me sometimes. They bring up memories of where I was, what I was doing and who I was with. And of course certain scents remind me of certain people.
Whenever I smell Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew I think of my Mom. That is the scent I remember her wearing when I was growing up. And I think of my Grandma whenever I walk past someone wearing “Wind Song”. “I can’t seem to forget you…your Wind Song stays on my mind”.
And then there is “White Shoulders”. One of my dear friends growing up passed away a few months ago from complications from Juvenile Diabetes and this is the scent I remember her wearing. I think of Nina when I see a bottle and smell “White Shoulders”.
When I was little I remember my Aunt Gayle giving me a bottle of Avon perfume called “Brocade”. I couldn’t believe it when I searched Google and found a picture of the same hand bell shaped bottle I had!!
Ahh, remember “Love’s Baby Soft”. So 1970’s!! I actually did not like this. I wanted to like it but it was way too strong for me. And besides, most of my friend’s wore enough for the both of us. (Looking at that ad campaign kind of creeps me out. I don’t think they could get away with it today…or maybe they could. Still creepy.)
“And they call her…..Charlie!” Can’t you hear that jingle in your head? Please don’t tell me you don’t remember this! Still the 70’s…
More 70’s lusciousness! Now, I did wear this one. “Love’s Fresh Lemon”. I sprayed this one on head to toe! Now days the big scent seems to be vanilla but back then it was lemon.
“Chloe” by Karl Lagerfeld. I LOVED THIS. “Chloe” was my college scent. It was a heavy scent and I wore it with abandon. I loved it and I wore it for years.
Remember “Lauren” by Ralph Lauren? I had a brief affair with this one. But wear it I did.
I briefly remember wearing “Anais, Anais” as well and was never quite sure how to pronounce it. :)
Toss in a little “Chanel No. 5” here and there when I wanted to be more sophisticated. :)
“Giorgio” of Beverly Hills…It’s was the 80’s, the Reagan’s were in the White House and I was getting married! This is the scent I wore for my wedding.
“Liz Claiborne”. I Loved that yellow triangular bottle. This was my “working girl” everyday scent. I wore this for many, many years.
I remember “Eternity” by Calvin Klein fondly. I wore this briefly right before I had my kids. And then something funny happened. I had my kids and I totally cannot remember what fragrance I wore when they were little. Their baby days and childhood swallowed me whole and I don’t remember having the time or energy to worry about perfume!
Then my kids got a little older and someone gave me “Green Tea” as a gift and I kind of liked it. It was different so I gave it a 2 or 3 bottle contract.
Which brings me to today. This is what I now wear and I love it. “Amazing Grace” by Philosophy. It is a fresh and clean scent. It is hard to describe and I have to say that strangers have honestly stopped me and asked me what I am wearing. And this has happened many times. I like the shower gel and the body lotion. And really, most days it is only the lotion that I have on when I get the compliments. It’s not overpowering and so feminine and subtle.
I wonder what I’ll be wearing 10 years from now??? How about you? What would you call your “signature scent”?
23 comments:
What no Jean Nate? I remember that was really popular when I was 18. I loved Cotillion by Avon when I was about 15. In fact the other day I found a creme perfume bottle that is a mushroom with a lady bug on it that Avon sold. I had one, so I had to buy this one for memories. Right now I wear Romance by Ralph Lauren. I get alot of compliments on it. Also taking Lamb by Gwen Stefani for a test drive, just not too sure about it though.
Fun post and it brings back smiles and memories for me too. I use to think that Avon Hawaiian White Ginger was the most exotic perfume ever and I had no idea where Hawaii actually was back then:) I use to love Shalamar but now I only wear Issey Miyake. Remember Jean Nate? Evening in Paris in the little blue bottle that they sold at the 5 & dime? I probably had no clue where Paris was either as a kid:)
Joyce
You didn't wear Chantilly ? or Jean Nate ? *giggle*
I don't wear much fragrance, I prefer light body sprays or spritzes, but oh how I remember Loves Baby Soft...and there was Tabu too!
Fun post! thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Oh my gosh girl..I loved this post! I can remember and wor some of these. Makes me laugh just thinking of some of them. Thanks for taking me back. Fun post!!!
I love perfume! This was a total flashback post. White Shoulders, Love's Baby Soft. I may have to do this post too. I thought I was so cool when I got Obsession for my b'day. I have been wearing Spellbound for 15 years...I have switched and switched and always come back to it.
Reading this was fun--I remember the lemon Love's. Chanel #5 was what my mom wore when she would go out, so that is one of my favorites--brings back memories. One of your responses listed "Tabu"--my older sis liked this. I have never had "one" scent. On my dresser I have Shalimar, Jadore, Chanel #5, and Oscar De Larenta and some body spritzes. Nowadays, with all the other scented beauty supplies (i.e. shampoo, conditioner,lotions, deodorants etc.) I avoid spraying too much and usually only when I'm going out.
When I was in high school, the Bath & Body Works body sprays were all the rage. Country Apple scent. I've also worn Pleasures by Estee Lauder, Inis (an Irish scent), and another floral one that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head. I haven't worn perfume for awhile though. I truthfully have been wanting a new fragrance for several months. Perhaps I'll try yours!
Thank you for the post and the memories. One of my prized possessions is a Chanel #5 bottle brought back from Paris after World War II. My dad brought back two for my mother; one was huge and the other, smaller one (which I have) was refilled from the larger several times and always sat on my mother's dresser.
A fun read! Right now I wear Allure, by Chanel.
My favorite old perfume commercial was for Enjoli.
I can bring home the bacon! Fry it up in a pan! And never, never, never let you forget you're a man! 'Cause I'm a woman! Enjoli! Even though the song was cute I never could stand that stuff!
That was like a walk down memory lane! I wore several of those myself. The only one you didn't list that I wore is Shalimar. Funny, I don't really use cologne or perfume any more. I have a couple favorite "flavors" of B&BW body sprays and lotions I wear now. I've really toned it down over the years.
Thanks for sharing! That was fun.
My Mom - always Youth Dew and it smelled great on her - not like an old lady but then she switched to White Linen, remember Heaven Scent? My grandmother Jean Nate. Teen years I had Love's Jasmine, I did wear Poison and now I wear Jessica Mc Clintock and Jessica Mc Clintock 3& Panthere by Cartier. Jennifer
This brought back so many memories Lisa. I remember my boyfriend buying me a set of that Lemon Fresh body splash and powder for my high school graduation. I also loved a perfume called "Skin". I think they still sell that one.
Thanks for sharing this, it really brought a smile to my face.
I bought Chloe last weekend! I wonder if its the same scent? Hmm.
I remember my mother and gtandmother with the Liz Claiborne and the Giorgio! I would always spray it on too! I seem to recall a red bottle of the triangle Liz Claiborne too?
Great post!
I remember wearing "BABE" too... even got a necklace that said "Babe" as a gift with purhcase... LOL... memories!
Thanks for the fabulous trip down memory lane!! Scent is such a powerful reminder! Youth Dew and Chantilly remind me of my Mom and Wind Song of my Grandma! Makes me smile!~!
Reading all of your comments was as much fun as writing this post! Yes, I remember Jean Nate! And I forgot about Chantilly and Tabu. And oh yes, Heaven Scent and Enjoli.....very 70's. :)
And Fifi, thanks for reminding me about Babe....I had that one too and the necklace!!
I could totally relate to most of your scent selections--Love's Fresh Lemon & Charlie in high school; Chloe and Lauren in college;then on to an Estee fragrance called Aliage as well as White Linen. Went several years sharing a workspace with someone with a severe fragrance allergy so did without. currently on my fragrance tray: True Religion, Be Delicious (summer fragrance) and Coach's classic scent.
I loved this post. It brought back so many memories. We must be around the same age because the one your mom wore is the same as my mom. The loves baby soft was something that a boyfriend gave me when we were old enough to be boyfriend and girlfriend. The Liz Claiborne is one that I wore too. I knew all of them but the Lemon one. Haven't heard of that before.
I love this post and have worn a few of these perfumes over the years. I remember Anais Anais but never wore it, we pronounced it ann-ay in England. I used to wear Youth Dew in my early 20's, but now I find it very strong/heady. I just found SJP's Lovely yesterday at Kohl's and plan on getting some, my newest fav is Chanel's Coco Mdmselle :)
Boy, can I relate! I was a Wind Song girl, a Charlie teen, a Chloe young adult!
Had a brief affair with Obsession. Loved Paloma, but it gave me a headache.
In the 1990s I discovered Liz Claiborne scents, and wore Realities for years. It was my signature. When I met my hubby I was dousing myself in Beautiful (which he thought was too sweet). We started searching together for something else that we equally loved. For a while it was LIZ by Liz Claiborne, but it was discontinued.
My signature now is Pure White Linen by Estee Lauder. It is the perfect scent for my chemistry, and it never fails to elicit compliments from complete strangers (many of whom are men). Just opened a fresh bottle this AM; a birthday gift from hubbie who LOVES it. : )
I either tried, or was a religious user of about a third of the scents you listed! -- HollyM
Thanks for mentioning my blog post.
Wasn't this fun to think about?
It is all about the history of it all, isn't it?
I enjoyed visiting today-
Thank you again.
Laura
White Spray Paint
This post completely freaked me out because you listed all of the scents that I wore, in order, except for the green tea one. I have since passed the Philosophy scent and have moved onto Victoria Secret's Heavenly Angels and that's the one I use faithfully except it doesn't last all that long.
I love memory scents. I was on our honeymoon in St.Thomas in 2003 and was sitting next to this woman. As soon as the wind blew and I could smell her perfume I just welled up with tears. She smelled just like my Nana and I couldn't believe I could remember the smell after so many years. I asked her what she wore and she said Georgio.
Great memories...
I too wore Ralph Lauren.
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