If you are a girl, and you are not on top of your game just now – if you have, in fact, misplaced some of the game pieces, and the rules, and maybe even the damn box everything came in – if your game is off, then maybe what you need are some naughty boots. (If you are a boy — no offense is intended with this post, please forgive me. Of course, maybe you need some naughty boots too?)
If your game is off and you need some naughty boots, what you need is a friend – not just any standard-issue friend, but a friend like Louise. (Perhaps we need a tag on the Posse called It’s Louise’s Fault.) Your friend will suggest meeting you for coffee at the local mall, and, oh, btw, doll – Nordstrom is having their sale! Let’s go look at shoes and purses just for fun. And you will see those naughty boots there on the sale rack, you will hear their siren call, you will resist being elbowed aside by these sale-crazed women who come up to your shoulder, even though you are not especially tall yourself – and you will ask the salesperson standing there to fetch you the other boot.
Which you are just doing for fun. Are you going to buy these boots? Oh, no! No, you are not. These boots, they do not fit into your protective suburban camouflage. These boots are made for walking, but not walking the dog in the woods, or the kids to soccer. These boots, which are in black patent leather, are fierce. They have a round toe and a curved heel and come up above the ankle and they are not conventionally sexy (no point, no stiletto heel) and yet, the hotness, it is totally there. But no. They are too much money, even on sale. They are … impractical. Also, they will undoubtedly be uncomfortable, that is higher than your usual heel. Let’s just vamp in front of the mirror.
Oh! Hey, there! Hello! Bonjour, you sexy thing! Those naughty boots, they are surprisingly comfortable! This man here, he is explaining that this designer makes a comfortable shoe, and that the reason you are able to stand upright and not hobble is that there is an internal platform. And it’s true – you are not hobbling. You are maybe even strutting your stuff a little with your jeans rolled up. And not only do these naughty boots look fine with the rolled-up jeans, but they are crying out for dark tights and a black pencil skirt and some sort of severe, starched white shirt – a sexy-librarian thing. Also maybe a riding crop. You realize that the man over there (whom you assume is with that woman, his wife?) is watching you intently as you work those boots while she tries on those dull tweed mid-heels. He is not half bad looking; that is a very nice suit. You wonder how he’d feel about the sexy-librarian look. And possibly the riding crop. He’d definitely be into it. You smile to yourself. Maybe you need to get out more.
And so you buy those boots. You plunk down that MasterCard and you buy them. Those boots are too hot. You have a party coming up, a staid social affair full of conservative women wearing enough holiday sequin-ry to supply Dancing With The Stars for the next decade. They all look like oversized Christopher Radko Christmas ornaments. You are thinking, mmmm, sexy librarian, with the naughty boots and the pencil skirt and your late mother-in-law’s pearls, and (maybe) some red lipstick. Yes? You will be there with your own husband, and yet one or two of those other men, older and slightly intoxicated, will follow you like dogs. Well-dressed, polite alpha dogs. Your own husband is sensible (or maybe kinky) enough to find this enjoyable.
And what fragrance will you wear to the party, my love, what will you wear? Perhaps it will be the Thirteenth Hour all night long.
I have tried Cartier’s new scent, XIII – La Treizià¨me Heure, and while words like masterpiece sound stupid coming out of my mouth, because I am an amateur perfume-lovin’ nobody, I am sorely tempted. La Treizià¨me Heure (notes of leather, maté, birch, narcissus, bergamot, patchouli and vanilla) has given me something I don’t have and always want – a new way to look at leather. This is not the birch-tar smoky, heavy, dark leather. This is not the soft, sweet glove-leather either. This is not the inside of a purse, with a dash of face-powder. The list of notes doesn’t even seem like it would work for me – too cold, too bitter, too austere. But there is nothing austere about it. If it had a color, it would be a dark, caressing brown, not black. It doesn’t play the Jolie-Madame game of a floral in flagrante delicto with the leather. The flower here is narcissus, leathery and hay-like green and gold. I keep reapplying, over and over, trying to decide which part is better – the odd, smoky-lapsang top that is not too smoky or butch or strange, not campfire or church (although I love those as well.) Or is that drydown the part I love, that oily/buttery narcissus that reminds me a bit of the L’Artisan Fleur d’Narcisse that I was too cheap to buy? The vanilla is a mere whisper; I couldn’t even have identified it as such without the cheat sheet. Maybe that barnyard drydown is the part I love most. Even without the naughty boots it would give me a hell of a lift.
Here’s a link to Grain de Musc’s informative post on this scent, with commentary by Mathilde Laurent.
photo: top and left, my new Chie Mihara boots, although the photo doesn’t do them justice. Here’s an online photo so you can see the height and the shape of the heel, although mine are all black.
Want. X 2. :(( I am just dumb enough to try and figure out how my broke, 56-year old self could ever justify wearing those boots and the XIII. Might have to be in my dreams…
That’s not dumb, that’s dreaming! And for the record, I don’t have a bottle of the XIII, just a sample. Spent my $ on the boots. :d
Hi, love the site. This is my first time on here but wanted to let you know that the Saks in Atlanta is also carrying the Cartiers. No way can I rock those cool boots (would love to, though) but can’t wait to try the La Treizième Heure. The others in the group are really lovely. Thanks!
Hey, thanks for the sighting of the Cartiers. Other people come browsing and they always like to know where to look.
March dahlink, I love that look (I know, you’d have never guessed). With seamed black stockings it can kill at 50 paces. Flesh toned fishnets can calm it down a bit, but not too much. Adding a waist cincher ramps it up measurably AND protects your lower back. I’m betting you can totally rock it. Note: for added bonus points, red manicure to match the lipstick.
And yes, I do very much want to try La Treizième Heure.
[Faints]
Hahaha yes there’s a look I can totally see you in. I wonder if I have the confidence for a waist cincher? The problem is I have no actual waist, but that shouldn’t stop me, a cincher would give me a waist, yes?
oh yes, they absolutely give you a waist. a well made one does that, smooths out the hips & gives your lower back some support. extend it up into a full corset & it also gives you cleavage for miles 😉
loooooooooooove the boots! My favorite books were square-toed chunky black ankle boots with bondage ties that wrapped 6-7 times around the ankle. I have a pair of black suede Chie Mihara Mary Janes that are killa too. Can’t wait to sniff Treizieme Heure!
uh that’s boots not books. musta put my editatrix whip down for a sec…
Eh I read “boots” anyway, I know what you were saying! And there’s a pair of Chie Mihara pumps I want so bad, I ran across them looking for a better boot photo. /:)
Oh, and my most coveted boots ever were the white go-go boots with the black heel and seam down the middle, summer of 1968. My mum would not buy them for me for my birthday. Forty-one birthdays later and still harbouring a resentment. >:p
White go-go boots and fishnet stockings! I was absolutely convinced that if I couldn’t have those boots there was No God, and pitched a such a prolonged and determined fit that my elegant mother finally relented and let me buy them.
They were too small because they were sold out in my size, and they damn near crippled me. I can remember hobbling home from school in sheer agony, blisters up to my ankles. But oh, I loved those boots and thought I was the hottest thing ever to hobble the halls of Bridgeton Elementary.
I think those go-go boots are a totem/signifier for huge numbers of women. I wasn’t quite there yet (my big sister rocked them) but I remember thinking they were lovely. And I have a couple of photos of my mother-in-law in some great boots like that.
Want. Those. Boots.
Can’t afford ’em myself this year, but thanks to you, March, I can do a little vicarious vamping. Another look for ya: The Boots, charcoal tights, cozy black knit dress that hits the most flattering place above the knee, cropped jacket — maybe some autumnal colour that makes your eyes sparkle — long scarf wrapped once, loosely, around your neck and ends dangling around hem-length, ponytail, berry lipstain, away you go!
You know, I really want a dress as you describe. I looked hard last winter and couldn’t find one exactly right. If they’re too tight it’s bad, but they can’t be sacklike either, I’m petite. I’ll look some more. 😡
I’ve been smitten with this lovely blog for awhile, but I rarely comment. So hello all!
Anyway, wonderful post. Somehow, despite possessing tiny, size-5 feet (many shoe companies no longer make anything in this size), I have managed to amass quite a collection of boots, so many that they don’t all fit in my closet. The excess boots have spilled out to take over large tracts of floorspace in my bedroom, and the pairs I wear less frequently have begun to shelter herds of dust bunnies. Yet despite the overabundance of boots in my life, I am now DYING for a pair of sexy librarian boots. The power of your writing, March! Clearly Louise isn’t the only enabler here.
XIII sounds pretty awesome too. I love leather as a note as well as in boot form. 🙂 Guess I’ll add this to my mile-long list of desired samples…
Thanks for decloaking and commenting! My sister and my late MIL both size 5/5.5, so I hear you. Here, at least, there are clearly enough women with small feet that they had SOME options. I always thought it was funny that my MIL thought my 7s were enormous. And surely in your stack somewhere you have a pair of sexy librarian boots already!
I had a pair of brown suede boots just after the movie Dr. Zzvialgo (or whatever) came out. They had suede straps you wrapped around the whole leg and I wore those boots out. Bought them in college instead of food one week and wore them til they dropped.
That movie – sigh. I loved those clothes SO MUCH. And those are some of the best purchases — when we are young and broke and we treasure them. I had a pair of boots like that (much more utilitarian, but I loved them until they fell apart).
Great post. I too have new sassy boots that I mentioned in the “revamping your wardrobe†post. Here’s how I got mine…On my bday, while hubby and the kids busied themselves for 30 minutes in another part of the mall, I set out to buy myself a gift. I was supposed to buy a new outfit for work – but these awesome, knee-high, red leather boots caught my eye and called my name. I tried them on and they were remarkably comfortable. With those boots and a FB of Bois des Iles, I had my most decadently impractical birthday since the years before kids. And I was a little less grumpy about turning 40something 😉
Oh my goodness! That’s so great though! And the tall boots are very in right now. I bet they are gorgeous. What’s better than that and a bottle of BdI? Nothing.
I, too, have succumbed to Louise’s boot-enabling wiles…. and I love love LOVE the Cartier XIIIieme Heure. Those boots are super-swank, March.
Ya blaming me, again :(( And wasn’t it mutual enabling :d/
I’ve been reading this blog long enough to know that when I read Louise, Nordstrom’s, and sale that SOMEONE’S Mastercard would get hurt before the story ended!
Enjoyed this post and hope you enjoy those boots-wow!
Often it’s Louise that takes the hit, but this time it was me. I’m looking forward to wearing them!
Great, let me await my sample of Treizième Heure with even less breath…
Nordstrom’s has Chie Mihara now? Who forgot to tell me?!?!? I’ve got a mini collection of her shoes and pumps (including one pair of smokin’ hot fuschia-pink 4.5 heels that always gets raves), but of her boots, I have none. This must be rectified, immédiatement!
BTW, on the red lipstick, there is no maybe! :”>
Tell me about it. The Chies stuck out like sore thumbs on the sale rack, like they’d wandered in from another store (Barneys?) Particularly in our neck of the woods. And they’re not on the website. Your fuchsia ones sound fabulous!
Most excellent boots. I liked this post from the moment the title and photo appeared on the screen.
Thanks! I’m still plotting where (and how) else to wear them.
LOVE this post! boots/perfume… great stuff. S
Those are some damned gorgeous boots.
Well, they’re not my mommy-issue gear, which makes me happy.
When I was in high school, I read Shelley Winters’ autobiography and did a book report on it. Yes, Shelley Winters; her life before she became the tubby “bubbie” in “The Poseidon Adventure”.
In that book she mentioned the wearing of “F.Me” pumps. Here’s a clue: the “F” rhymes with “buck”. March, the same can be said for your boots. I am in awe, despite the fact that I’ve always been genetically incapable of wearing heels.
And, I agree; we all need friends like Louise, even if I won’t wear red lipstick! 😡
Shelley Winters in ‘Suddenly, Last Summer’ = understated melodramatic perfection.
I was just wondering if those were F-Me boots or the F-You variety…
Definitely the F-Me variety, considering all the notable and gorgeous Hollywood leading men she had affairs with!
F-me pumps are open-toed stilettos. And yeah, she was a very hot tamale bombshell but, as Lee pointed out, had some real acting chops.
She was a TOTAL character. I had dinner with her once at the Watergate and she took off her pantyhose at the table. I kid you not.
ooooh, nice boots!!
I can’t wear heels (I wobble on them), but I have a pair of soft flat ‘pixie’ boots which make me feel good, all the same.
But what is this about an internal platform? How does that work? Maybe that’s what I need in order to be able to wear a heel!
Tania–internal platforms are a wonder and have made it possible for *me* to wear heels, maybe they’ll work for you… Basically, the front half of the shoe sits on an extra thick concealed sole that changes the angle of the heel height. So–if you wear a three inch heel with a one inch concealed sole it feels more like you’re wearing a two inch heel. Make sense? But in the case of shoes like this brand, Fluevogs and a few others, it also does something to the way the shoe balances so that you feel supported, not thrown forward onto the balls of your feet. Good luck!
Thanks! Yes, that makes sense. The wonders of modern science, eh? 🙂
I see you’ve already gotten the explanation, nothing to add except that I can wear *platforms* all the time without falling over, it’s the pitch of the heel that does me in — 2 – 2.5 inches is all I can take. Thing is, usually I notice the platform, since I’m always looking for it to compensate for the pitch — and the past couple years have been very good to me that way. But in these boots, the platform is not apparent.
Yes, now that I’m aware of them, I’ve been looking at shoes online and you can often see the platform. Interesting. I simply never looked before because heels, since they don’t (didn’t?) work for me, are not normally on my shopdar!
It’s not just the falling over that stops me wearing heels though, it’s the pain. The pressure on the ball of the foot is too much for me. I’m usually that woman you see carrying her shoes at the end of the evening…:) It sounds like the platforms would help with that too.
Fabulous post! I was with you every syllable of the way. I’m so glad you bought the boots, and I can’t wait to try XIIIth hour.
Well, you appreciate the fashion part of it, for sure. The right shoe (or bag, or etc.) can be so incredibly satisfying.
She’s baaaaa–aaaaaack!!!
(Or at least, I hope you are. If only when wearing those amazing boots.)
You know how they say, “When you are ready for the teacher, s/he will appear?” That’s what happened to you with those boots. If you hadn’t already been thinking about paring down, focusing on one interesting piece, white shirts and so on you never would have been able to justify them. They are the beginning of your true new look!
Do let us know how that awful-sounding party goes…
Oh, that party is fun! We go every year. I like that sort of thing. (Good thing, since I live in DC, eh?) But I always marvel that women with good taste and that much money wear such boring clothes. Nobody asked me, though, did they? And I still can’t quite believe I bought the boots, but I couldn’t not buy them. 🙂
Hot boots are always a good idea. And, unless I’m mistaken, don’t you have an equally hot, red handbag to add to the sexy librarian garb?
I do have that fabbo Stuart Weitzman bag, although to be honest it’s enough of a statement on its own I tend to tone everything else down when I’m carrying it. I remember trying on the pumps at the same time and thinking, NO, that looks ridiculous! Certainly the bag alone would work with the sexy librarian.
Fully support you on the boots!
What IS it about boots that makes us women feel so worthy? Even my plain ankle boots make me feel like Queen of Everything.
Just got my decant of Lumiere Noire on Friday, and I don’t think I can try anything else new for awhile. Stuff is amazing… I’d had no idea, really, how much I’ve come to love narcissus.
Yikes! I’ve long been a narcissus fan – sounds like I need to try some of this ASAP!
It is Dirty Good Stuff. Made me, um, very eager for the CEO to get home from work and for the kids to be in bed. 😉
Boots are just sexy, that’s all there is to it. I feel powerful in them as well. I wear boots a lot in the winter, because my feet tend to get cold.
Narcissus I loved once I came around to the idea that it didn’t smell like paperwhites. :”>
THOSE BOOOOOOOOTS!!!! SO COOL!!!! When I was around 10 or 11, patent leather boots were IT. All my friends had them. I did not. Out shopping one day, I begged and begged my mom to buy me some boots. She did, but said my dad would have to approve. They were brown patent leather, knee-high, zippered, with a buckle across the toe. I wore them around the house the rest of the day, and sure enough, when my dad came home, he declared the boots would have to go back to the store (not because of the expense, but because he disapproved of sophisticated, sexy boots on a 10-year-old – yes, he was strict!).
It was only a few years ago that I spied a pair of knee-high patent leather boots, and all of those latent boot desires returned in full force. I bought them on the spot, and have loved them since.
I think I may need another pair.
Oh, I love your story! And I’m sorry you weren’t allowed to keep your boots, although I am happy it’s given you a boot fetish.
Okay, MY husband. Mr. Picky. He took them shoe shopping years ago, Diva was probably eight years old. And she came home with these slammin’ black patent leather boots (no heel) from Nordstrom that I never would have bought her because they were so expensive. They were adorable.
I can SO see you in your proposed party outfit. Sexy thing!
Saks will definitely be a stop on my “I’ve recuperated” tour; got to sniff those Cartiers.
Goodness, I am sorry your recuperation is so slow. 🙁 And yes, I think you will like the Cartiers.
Dropping out of work purdah for a second to congratulate you on some totally fab boots. I love Chie Mihara but have yet to purchase any. Love little boots with a good heel they really make a woman walk good. As for the Cartier……I just can’t wait to try it. Last night before bed I was playing around with Bulgari Black and L’AP Fleur de Narcisse (of which I have a sample, it really was expensive then). I love the Narcisse but I wanted it to have more edge. The whole experiment was heightened by the fact that I was wearing Patch 24 anyway. I can imagine how the different elements would dance together wellin XIII. ML is one seriously talented person and (I’ve said this before, sorry) my girl crush anyway for gifting the world with Guet Apens/Attrape Coeur. Thanks for a wonderful piece of writing.
Hey, I totally support your girl crush! And here’s an example where Cartier made good use of the talents of a perfumer. We’ve been debating this relative to Thierry Wasser/Idylle and Guerlain. Yes, Idylle is really pretty — I bought a bottle, so I must like it. But it’s very much in the NR/SJP mode. You don’t need Wasser for that.
Great post March. Not much more to add to the comments. Oh, except to say that boots and winter fragrances are the delights that help me survive the colder months. If I had the funds, I could easily own more boots than other types of shoes. Sandals and pumps are pretty, but boots have a completely different vibe. Luxurious and grownup sexy somehow. I could live in them.
Boots. What is it about boots? I don’t have a ton, but probably more than I need. Although I guess we could say the same about fragrance, couldn’t we. :”>
Okay, I’m going to need to borrow Louise if that’s alright. Do you have a rent-a-friend program up and running yet? Those boots are beautiful and you are going to ROCK them for sure!!!
I had a pair of Guess ankle boots in the late 80’s that, while the heel was maybe two inches high, made me soar to new and impossible heights. They cost $100…..more than I had ever paid for shoes before and I got way more than my money’s worth. If I ever run across that boot in my travels again…I’d buy several pair!
I need to get my hands on a sample of La Trezieme Heure…it sounds amazing!
Isn’t that funny how one particular pair of boots has stuck in your mind all these years? It’s great to have memories of a particular article of clothing like that.
Wow, March!
Fabulous piece. Now I need those damn boots, too! How I wish we would be able to wear boots for more than 3.5 days, around here … alas. Those are very sexy and very naughty and very fabulous! You go, girl…:-)
Oh, and the perfume sounds pretty marvelous, as well. Must head over to Saks and try it. Thanks, m’dear, for the wonderful start to my day.
I’ve casually sniffed all the Cartiers and they are great stuff. I’m taking my time with them. 😡
You’ll look mahhvelous, dahling in those boots! /:)
I just sampled XIII this weekend and loved it, but…. on me it was Le Labo’s Patch 24 without the vanilla drydown. I definitely loved it though and I agree with Denyse (Carmencanada) about Ms. Laurent’s talent. I also tried and loved XII, and can’t wait to try the rest. And by way of disclaimer, I’m like Mikey – I don’t like anything new anymore!
Really, Patch 24? That’s interesting. I think someone else on here said the same thing. I didn’t get much vanilla either.
Great piece today! Those boots are terrific – Chie Mihara does some interesting shoes and I have a few pairs, but no boots.
Still haven’t tried these Cartier scents….and here I am in London. They’ve got to be here somewhere. I have, however, tried the re-issued Grossmith lovelies and bought Shem el Nessim, which is wondrous.
You have a FEW pairs? Because I was looking online for these photos and saw at least one other pair of shoes I want badly. I bet the shoes are very comfortable as well.
Oh, so it’s my fault??? 😕 You did so need those boots…but now, seeing them in red, I think I do, too :d/ Hotness, baby.
I’m still waiting on the Trezieme to work its mojo on me. I think I’ll go find my whip, and sample it again today.
Mwah 😡
It’s not happening for you? 🙁 Well, perhaps it will be different today.
Ooooh, love the boots! (Haven’t sniffed the perfume yet!).
Oh sweetie! Love those boots (I need some too) and I’m so, so happy La Treizième Heure worked its wonders on you as well!
I am now officially convinced that Mathilde Laurent is the new Annick Menardo, who was the new Germaine Cellier: the woman is fearless with materials, deeply idiosyncratic and has developed a truly original perfume grammar.
I’ve been showering her with compliments (both in the blog and directly) and I know she’s very, very happy about people falling in love with her scents — she’s the furthest thing from blasé you could imagine: sincere, instinctive and outspoken.
Right now her scents have made such a big impression on me I’ve had trouble reviewing any new things, even good ones. Boone (for my aesthetic enjoyment), bane (for my blog)…
Your post was so interesting and educational, and I feel like between the Cartiers and a couple other things it’s been a good fall so far.
Honey, you wear those hello there, bonjour boots with rolled up jeans, a cashmere V-neck sweater or impeccable white shirt, a spritz of La Triezeime Heure in your decollete and a sexy red on your lips, and you are going to NEED that riding crop and should probably consider throwing a back-up can of mace into your cognac leather satchel.
Now, see, this is exactly the advice I need for how to wear them casually. Send me an invoice.
PS Cognac leather satchel? Sigh. I wish.
Indispensable! It doesn’t need to be a feed sack or huge — and it could be a tote, if you like that better — but it must be rich and slightly funky at the same time. Not too tucked-in, ya know? That should be your next purchase; you can wear it with a million things.
And hey, don’t worry about the tab, I already owe you for this fantastic post, and so many others >:d<
Hey Carter, can I hire you too? 😡
Sweetlife, you are sweet indeed :”> I can’t tell if you’re seriously asking for assistance, but I would be happy to you free advice, any time. Just let me know how to contact you — maybe March can act as an email address intermediary?
Is Blushing Guy gone? Testing :”>
Awwww, rats >:p
Hey, C — there’s a hotlink on here name right there that takes you to her blog, my guess is there’s a contact us.
on HER name. jm&j my typing is crap
You can’t type and I can’t see, but when you sober up you’ll be able to type and I still won’t be able to see :-b
*fans self and lies down*
*passes smelling salts to Lee, fans own damn self, lies down*
*skips the fanning and crumples directly to the floor*
*giggles at all of you.*
Well, it worked – the only things I really want right now are those damn boots and some Thirteenth Hour. I am a sucker for narcissus and leather, in any form and “barnyard drydowns” too. I have no idea if these perfumes will make it to my town, since we don’t have a Cartier store o a Neiman-Marcus or whichever top=shelf outfit will be selling them. They all sound great but this one has my name on it for sure. 😡
You know, I don’t know where they are outside of NY and the Cartier boutiques. I know they’re in Chicago, Musette tried them.
Musette did try them, indeed! I thought I would love the Sparkling Hour and I may yet, though it reminds me too much of Cristalle in the drydown (and Cristalle makes me cry:((
Mistress Shelley made me try the XIII and at first I don’t like it…something tarry in there….then I sniff it again…and again…and again….and perhaps we may discuss this further.
It’s fascinating to go into Cartier and try perfume. Sort of like looking at their handbags. It’s just bizarre. I should be buying emerald rings there, not perfume…right?
xoxoxo >-)
First of all, I’m that friend who talks people into extravagant purchases that they’ll never use. I talked a friend into a green sequined almost-belly dancer corset. I mean, it was only 5 bucks and it fit beautifully. And then there was the friend I got into some “vintage” red patent leather knee-highs with two-inch heels. I got her to wear them all the way to her car. Then she took them off and never put them on again. I always give people what they don’t want but could really use. Apparently. Dx
I CANNOT WAIT TO SMELL THESE! Dx
Hey, good for you. Everyone needs a friend like that. And the big joke about me is how *little* I spend. Ask anyone how irritating it can be, over time, to shop with me. I love to look, but I don’t buy a ton.
Ha ha ha =))
Love the boots, love the review, LOVE the XIIIeme — so much so that I had to march myself out of Saks lest I give in to the temptation to spend my non-existent cash on this wonder of wonders. Actually, if the SA hadn’t been so snotty I might well have sprung for it anyway, hang the expense (although I’d just tested Kilian’s Pure Oud, so the Cartiers seemed like dollar-store bargains by comparison!).
I’m a sucker for a progressive drydown, and this one was a doozy, from the lapsang souchong — nice and dry, thank god — to the spices to the florals to the vanilla, which was quite pronounced on me. Santa baby…
Huh, you get a lot of the vanilla? I’m the vanilla killa, it sounds like it would be great on you.