Snow falling as I walked to my car Friday.
Spring comes late to the party here, as I’ve mentioned – the cherry blossoms are in full swing back in Washington, D.C., but nothing’s out yet here. The daffodils are up, though, and everywhere at my feet and on the trees there are irrefutable signs that spring is on its way – shoots popping up, buds on the tree limbs swelling. It’s been cold and intermittently snowy for the last few days, I dropped some photos in this post of the historical campus where I work. I can’t deny it’s lovely to look at, even though I’m ready for the temperatures to warm up and the vestiges of winter to go away already. It was 24F (16 real feel) when I got up this morning, and I. Am. Over. It.
I got to thinking about the fragrances that seem very of-the-season to me, including this wild ride of weather we’re having. I admire very green scents rather than love them, and/but Portia’s recent post got me pondering: what’s right for right now?
CB I Hate Perfume’s Black March, of course. I still have a decant, and I like to dab it on this time of year, all damp earth and ice, that bit of still-frozen-but-thawing aspect that’s almost metallic. Elemental. What a fabulous scent, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.
The Reception Center after the snow.
Annick Goutal Eau de Camille – this thing is green as hell on me (privet, ivy) and not gonna lie, for as much as it interests me I’ve never decided whether I like it, even though I own and occasionally wear it. (The most perfumista concept ever.) I get why it’s discontinued, along with some of the line’s other interesting scents. A lot of AGs seem pretty transgressive for their weirdness at the time they were created (Eau du Fier, anyone? Sables? Folavril with that weird tomato-leaf-mango?) Love me some Annick Goutal, although I know they are not everyone’s cuppa. I think I can perceive them better than other scents with my wonky nose.
L’Artisan Mure et Musc – Musette inspired this one with her post about the sharp/sweet fruits of Ines de La Fressange, so I had to go dig up my bottle. It’s funny – this is the one everyone looooved back in the day, and I … did not. Too “ordinary.” Now I think it’s just perfect, including those moments when I can’t decide on something else, and it’s quiet enough for the office assuming I don’t go nuts spraying it on.
What scents feel or smell like spring to you? How has your weather been? It’s been nuts here, as I said – colder and wetter than normal, but wetter we can definitely use.
Haha – I loved this sentence: “I’ve never decided whether I like it, even though I own and occasionally wear it. (The most perfumista concept ever.)” I have a few fragrances in that category…
I seem to divide my fragrances less by season and more by cool weather/warm weather/dressy/everyday. As the weather warms up I’ll start wearing Chanel 5 L’eau, AG Le Chevrefeuille, my citrus and herbal scents. I’d like to find some Guerlain Champs Elysees to add to this group.
BTW, re your first pic above, I absolutely love that bit of turquoise blue with clay or wood that you see all over Santa Fe. So gorgeous.
Ooooh, I will take every one of those scents. And thanks for the photo compliment — I’d trudged through there grumbling, it was snowing those big, fat flakes, and I looked up and thought okay that’s really lovely though.
Your workspace is STUNNING! Snow and all.
It’s been rollercoastery here, too, with 60s one day and 15 the net (no lie – it’s insane). Today it’s a sunny 50F…and, inexplicably, I am in Pamplemousse Rose! Go figure. PR is too light for really heavy heat and too light for really cold … so 50s is perfect!
The King Alfred types are up – no scent but they are so cheery! The Jonquillas, with their gorgeous fragrance (every Jonq is fragrant) will be up in a few more weeks.
I’m a happy-adjacent camper!
xoxo
I keep walking past THAT ONE daffodil on campus, staring at it and willing it to open — low teens this a.m., they were looking rough but they bounced back. Maybe later this week. We will get through it! And next time you visit I’ll drag you around the campus. <3
Wonderful pics. It looks like we’re on the edge of spring weather soon. Currently, however, it’s cold and wet. Will def send you some of our wet. The daffs are out and the trees are trying. Spring fragrances … Mitsouko and Shalimar plus Le Labo Ylang 49. Greens don’t work on me but I love smelling them from the bottle.
I love smelling greens from a bottle too! And on other people. On me, not so much. Answering your question from yesterday — yeah we’re at 7,200 feet elevation, so even though we’re the southwest, it is COLD here!
It all looks so quiet and peaceful March.
YAY for green everything in perfume and some sweet, screechy, cuddly fruits.
YUM
The leaves are just starting to turn here. I’m excited to wear my ambers.
Portia xx.
It was, in fact, really pretty, which I kept reminding myself of so I’d stop gritting my teeth. I always think of you when I write these “seasonal” posts since you’re in a completely different season! I love fall.
Lucky for me, we just had a few sunny days in the upper fifties, Sunday got up to 61!!!! But now its back to the gray rainy 40s business for the rest of the week. I am very much looking forward to when I can pull my beer brewing equipment out of it’s winter storage and get some batches brewed up and fermenting, my supply brewed in late autumn finally ran dry and I’ve been itching to try a few new recipes. As for perfume, I quite like AG’s Eau de Hadrien, it’s a “sunshine in a bottle” moment. I’ve also been spraying Jo Malone’s Sea Daffodil with wild abandon, quite a cheerful scent. On the other hand, Byredo’s Bibliotheque is all well worn buttery soft leather and a touch of fruit, like a well worn and buttery soft leather jacket on a chilly gray day, very cozy and comforting.
Yeah, we had a week of 50s which was GLORIOUS. Then back to cold, although I know it won’t last forever. I adore Hadrien, I have a good friend who wears (wore?) it, although I never thought it smelled as nice on me. That Byredo sounds perfect for right now, frankly. Cozy and comforting.
Oh, Eau de Fier! How I loved it! I think I have a bottle somewhere, maybe encased in concrete. I really need to go through that closet.
Hehe you should dig it up and see how you feel about it these days! I had a generous decant but never felt like I needed the bottle. What a great scent though.
you do realize that we’re all bonkersAF, right?
Completely and utterly Co-Co Puff Koo-Koo with extra Krazzee berries.