Scents Of A Woman

My mom's signature scent for most of the 70s and a chunk of the 80s was Charlie (and they call it, Char-lie -- great, that jingle is now stuck in my head ...). She only changed it up because they stopped making it.

After that it was L'Air du Temps, which I thought was just the height of too much because it sounded very oh la la and sipping-tea-with-lemon-and your-pinkie-finger-cocked-just-so. When she's feeling particularly sassy, she'll go for a walk on the wild side with a daring splash of DKNY Cashmere Mist behind both ears. The hussy.

I, on the other hand, am not a scent monogamist. For me, perfume is an accessory, as important as a pair of shoes or a purse. And just as I change the earrings I wear from day to day, I don't wear the same fragrance.

I've dallied with florals. Experimented with citruses and vanilla. I've even spritzed l'eau pour hommes. What, is that so wrong?

During the warmer months I love floral scents. Eyeballing my vanity, there are about six bottles in current rotation with YSL Baby Doll, Harajuku Lover's Love (how frigging CUTE are the bottles!?), Marc Jacobs Daisy and Pucci Sabbia being my go-to faves. Well, this week anyway.

And when it gets chilly I tend to reach for something spicy and heavier, like Gucci Rush. Same goes for day to evening—the fragrance I wear to work is rarely the one I put on for an evening out.

Perfume is like potato chips--how can you settle for just one?

How about you? Do you have a perfume wardrobe too?