Perfumes I Respect But Fear
March 6th, 2007
In my perfume fascination years, I sort of established my personal classification system. I’m sure any perfume aficionado has their own - it goes without saying. Lately, I’ve been pondering over mine, wondering if there’re any more categories I could invent. Some of this has already been covered in my Perfume Fanatic Jargon post. For instance, the easiest and my favorite category is Wow Upon First Sniff. Some other ones include: Save It For Later, Over My Dead Nose, Must Own Now, Another Fruity Floral. The most recent addition to my system is Perfumes I Respect But Fear. The usual candidates are typically perfume VIPs - flawless, unique, sophisticated, etc. Yet I find myself admiring them from afar, so to speak, for they inspire certain fear. Below are some of the scents that have been officially added to the category:
Diorling, Dior Dior, Diorama, Diorella by Christian Dior. Respect: polished, clear cut, classical accords. Fear: the scents seem too stern, in a school teacher kind of way. Stern dry florals, on the oakmoss and patchouli base.
Dia by Amouage, Gold by Amouage. Respect: opulent, rich oriental blends. Fear: the overpowering effect - the perfume wears you and dictates your being.
Fracas by Robert Piguet. Respect: a gorgeous creamy tuberose. Fear: the heady, no-escape effect.
Bandit by Robert Piguet. Respect: a most voluptuous green leather. Fear: pretty much same as above.
Cabochard by Gres. Respect: austere, classy leather, one of the best around. Fear: its old-fashioned, vintage effect. Go on, slap me now.
Oblique Rewind by Givenchy. Respect: delicious honeyed cherry. Fear: to smell like a cough syrup.
Rumba by Balenciaga. Respect: animalic, power fruity floral like no other. Fear: its tenacity.
Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle. Respect: a sultry, milky-green tuberose. Fear: simply put, headache-inducing.
L’Heure Bleue by Guerlain. Respect: a gorgeous Guerlain classic. Fear: evokes too much melancholy.
Fahrenheit by Christian Dior. Respect: hawthorne, sandalwood, cedar, patchouli - my favorite notes! Fear: the jarring, off-balance effect on my skin.
Do you have any perfumes you respect but fear?
Entry Filed under: This and That
30 Comments Add your own
1. tmp00 | March 6th, 2007 at 1:49 am
well, Bandit for the reason you mention. Of course, this was a scent my mother wore, so you can add “trying to smell like Mom” in there.
Tuberuse Criminelle: Love the Cronenberg “Crash” opening so much, try to tell myself that a bell jar is in my future when spritzing it on at night. When I awaken to smell like Norma Desmond I realise that I just cannot wear this one to work. When I win the lotto and can become the caftan wearing perfume geek, however.
Every once in a while, in hot weather, MKK. I can wear it to the office (average temp eight degrees) but have noticed that it can get a little ripe when walking to lunch a couple six blocks in near to the century mark heat. Not that it’s been noticed, but I’ve noted at least one “what is that” look on a coworkers face. Luckily with all of the condo conversions, they usually think its a pet or a recent manuring.
2. Solander | March 6th, 2007 at 3:50 am
That’s a great scent classification! I used to fear scents in the vein of Bandit and Cabochard, no, I used to be repelled by them. Now… well I just feel comfortable in the green, dry, leathery vintage scents now. I don’t know what happened, really. I guess my nose and/or taste developed. I still respect-but-fear some powdery/soapy vintage floral chypres though, for fear of smelling like “old lady”…
I guess you could say I respect but fear heavy florals too, like loads of roses. They have to have some kink for me to respect them in the first place, a leather/amber/musk/wood/incense base, but I still fear the cloud of florals in the air.
3. Leopoldo | March 6th, 2007 at 4:40 am
I’m wondering how Tom gets recently manured in LA. Perhaps he has very Vicodined colleagues.
Anyway - for me, this is all those florals that I love to sniff, must have a sample of but I fear would emasculate me if I wore them on my skin. I could get away with them I think if I dressed in Regency costume, but I’m not yet prepared to walk around with a compact to touch up my white powdered face.
4. Elle | March 6th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Great category. The scents I’d put in it would be Apres l’Ondee and Jicky. Admire both and can even wear Apres l’Ondee on occasion, but I don’t wear it well. Doesn’t fit somehow. Jicky I can’t even wear. I’m also w/ you on Rumba, Oblique Rewind, Dia and Fracas. But right now I’m off to speak comfortingly to my beloved vintage Diors and Cabochard and reassure them that not everyone perceives them in the same way. Hmph!
5. chayaruchama | March 6th, 2007 at 8:01 am
I’m afraid that Black Aoud crept into that category, recently.
It started out as my dear friend, and then turned on me SO viciously, refusing to wash out of my clothes [after several washings !], polluting the air space so badly that random passers-by complained, and behaved, in general, like a spoiled, vituperative adolescent…
The others-
No Problem.
Probably, because I’m middle-aged, and relatively shameless / outrageous.
6. Marina | March 6th, 2007 at 8:50 am
Aww, afraid of old Diors, are you?
Don’t be scared, they are lovely, they won’t bite. And Diorama and Dior-Dior seem quite warm and opulent, rather than dry, to me, but don’t get me started on the Diors 
Me, I respect and fear Balenciaga scents. Talisman is the scariest of them all, Rumba is not far behind.
7. Gaia | March 6th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Fracas and most heavily tuberosed fragrances, for the “smells like my mother” reason.
Mitsuko, because it causes heads to turn, and I’m never sure if it’s in a good way or not.
I think that I used to be fearless when I was very young. I wore Cabochard at 17 and Paloma Picasso at 19, both are on my list of scary nowadays.
The school teacher observation made me giggle. They are indeed on the schoolmarmish side. But, being a former teacher, I can promise you that none of my ex colleagues has ever worn any Dior other than J’adore, and, sadly,often not even that. J-Lo is far more popular in teacher lounges. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the system.
8. newproducts | March 6th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I’m with you on L’Heure Bleue. I am also respectful of, but in fear of a lot of chypres. They somehow seem so austere and sophisticated to me. I am very slowly getting to know and love this genre.
9. tmp00 | March 6th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Lee-
Twice a year it seems everyone has their front yards “fertilized”- and most everybody in LA has a front yard. Basically makes all of LA smell like manure. You could wear Human Existence out and just blame any looks on your front yard.
10. winterwheat | March 6th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Great post. I agree wtih most of your choices.
I too respect but fear the whole chypre genre. I feel that chypres fit perfectly with my personality, but oakmoss has a sour-burning quality on my skin that makes me want to flee. Same goes for oud.
As for individual scents:
FM En Passant: I think this is a masterfully constructed scent and would buy it in a heartbeat if I didn’t fear smelling like lilacs (far too heady for me).
NK Jazmin: I respect the courageous decision to make a very indolic jasmine the focal point of this scent, but fear smelling like a latrine.
On the same note, I respect all scents that make liberal use of civet, castoreum, and other animalic notes (synthetics, I should say), along with those that make cumin a focal point. Or maybe I should say I respect the perfumers. Sometimes you have to shake people up a bit to get them to question their assumption that only flowers and fruits smell good.
11. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Tom, LOL at manuring! Tub. Criminelle is indeed to be feared, although I love it beyond just respect.
12. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Tove, I’m the same with most vintage and heavy florals.
13. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Leo, away with prejudices!
I myself would die to smell a nice floral on a man.
14. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Elle, I’m sure I’ll grow to love them more, with time.
Apres l’Ondee has the same effect on me.
15. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Chaya, Black Oud will do that for sure! Ah, I envy you.
16. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Marina, I know they don’t bite but, you know, they’re just stern. When I wear them, I feel like I must behave no matter what.
Agree on Talisman!
17. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Gaia, you were indeed brave! Bravo! As for Diors, I’ve never had a teacher who wears them either but somehow, in my subconscious, that’s the association I get.
Teachers wearing J.Lo? Oh, help me.
18. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Minsun, oh, chypres take a long time to understand and appreciate! I’m speaking from experience here.
19. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Tom, you lucky duck!
20. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Kris, agree on all points! Just last night I put on some En Passant, and, instead of lilacs, I got wet flour. People really need to be shaken up when it comes to scent preferences, no doubt.
21. Flor | March 6th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Some of my favorite perfumes made it on your list of scary - that’s funny. I’m a chypre lover so all those Diors are snuggly in my favorites list. Basically, if it has oakmoss, there is a huge chance I’m going to love it. L’Heure Bleue I love with a passion.
Perfumes I respect but am super scared of are: Coco Chanel (too much), Shalimar (goes rancid on my skin and I’m a wee bit scared of vanilla scents and this is the queen), I am sooo scared of Rumba (fruity floral on crack) and I agree that Balenciaga scents in general are a little daunting.
22. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Flor, you fear Coco Chanel? Too much? Oh, what a shame.
23. qwendy | March 6th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Hi, what a great post, Ina, I’m new to your blog!
Tom — what a chic Mom! No wonder you’re you!
I must say I’m with Chaya (Oud doesn’t like ME, so there’s no love lost there) — let’s hear it for middle aged and shameless / fearless! Ina, you have this to look forward to, it’s just a little matter of years! As I often say: “I get to look (or smell in this context) like THIS, AND be taken seriously!”
24. Ina | March 6th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Hi, Wendy! Welcome!
I’m definitely looking forward to it. Ha! You crack me up.
25. Amy K | March 7th, 2007 at 1:07 am
I respect Mitsouko because it’s a classic everyone else seems to appreciate, but boy do I fear it. On me, it’s like wearing rotting compost. I feel like a color-blind person hearing others oooh and ahhh over a lovely shade of green I can’t detect.
26. Ina | March 7th, 2007 at 1:33 am
Amy, I feared Mitsouko for the longest time. It is such a skin chemistry scent. The parfum version works the best for me.
27. evilpeony | March 7th, 2007 at 1:41 am
im with some folks here on mitsouko…. there are those rare lucid days when mitsouko chooses to share her love with me, but most of the time i get a big resounding slap of sandalwood-and-heavy-spices… same goes with most carons… they scare the hell out of me. it’s not just the dry oakmoss-y base, it’s the clove-and-spice-laced progression of notes in general. oh, and fracas- lordy!- an intoxicatingly beautiful and headache inducing poison.
28. Ina | March 7th, 2007 at 2:02 am
Evilpeony, Carons scare me to no end, too! The only exceptions: Violette Precieuse, Parfum Sacre, and Farnesiana. Oh, and last year’s limited edition of Eau de Reglisse which is the most un-Caronlike ever.
29. Judith | March 7th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Sorry to be so late to the party–very busy yesterday! But what a great post! I will admit to Bandit (it’s just tooo green on me–too much galbanum, too little leather) but not Cabochard or the Diors, which I love and don’t feel the least bit stern in. I’m with Chaya on the Black Aoud–and that’s strange, because I love and wear many of the other Montale ouds. And I’m with W and C on the (small but real) advantages of middle age; a colleague of mine said she thought recently when looking at her (college) students: “What is that strange look in their eyes? Oh, my–it’s respect!”
30. Ina | March 7th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Judith, I’m laughing out loud at what your colleague said.
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed