Vintage Closet: J’Ai Ose by Guy Laroche
May 16th, 2007
J’Ai Ose (”I Dared”) by Guy Laroche can hardly be called vintage as it was released relatively not so long ago, in 1977, when I was about to take my first steps. In my perception, however, J’Ai Ose is an old scent, probably because it was a big hit in the early 80s, and quite a few of my friends’ mothers cherished its every drop, along with Magie Noire, Fidji, Poison. Since my own mother preferred less sophisticated perfumes back then, my only hope of smelling these French beauties consisted of bribing my friends thereby instigating the Secret Smelling Sessions (which required some particular skill to avoid the wrath of the said mothers). The most vivid memory of J’Ai Ose takes me back to my high school years when a friend received a bottle as a gift from her boyfriend which I instantly applauded, selfishly interpreting the gesture as free access plus frequent application for my own persona.
When I open my imaginary Vintage Closet today, J’Ai Ose fills me with nothing but nostalgia for the scent and times long gone. J’Ai Ose can still be found today on various perfume discount sites (where I also obtained my mini of eau de parfum). Sadly, what I smell today does not ring true with my vision of it back then. What I smell today is a tailored, understated chypre tinged with jasmine, and I like it. But it’s somehow too rigid, too bitter, too reserved. I only hope it’s due to its age - quite often the base notes is the only thing you can smell with vintage scents. Reformulation is another possible reason which pains me to think about it. Sad as it might be, J’Ai Ose is miraculously alive in my memory. I can smell it so distinctly - daring, classy, and so grown up. It’s what I yearned to be back then… I close my closet with a quiet smile.
J’Ai Ose features the notes of jasmine, bergamot, vanilla, vetiver, musk, sandalwood.
Image source: parfumdepub.net
Entry Filed under: Perfume Reviews, Vintage Closet
17 Comments Add your own
1. chayaruchama | May 17th, 2007 at 4:33 am
That feels sad, Inochka.
I bought it when it came out, and wore it for a long time…
i haven’t smelled it recently, but the memory is of a lush , rounded oriental chypre I enjoyed.
2. Elle | May 17th, 2007 at 6:45 am
LOL at the Secret Smelling Sessions.
I got some J’Ai Ose at a discount site recently and I do think they may have reformulated it, but I couldn’t be sure. I’ve wondered if the parfum might really be something I’d love, but it seems to be much harder to find.
3. newproducts | May 17th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Beautiful review of a scent I’ve never tried. I am still a novice when it comes to vintage scents, and these reviews are very enlightening. Thank you.
4. Marina | May 17th, 2007 at 8:27 am
You were a crafty little thingie
To my utter shame, I must admit, I either haven’t tried J’Ai Ose or don’t remember it at all.
5. tmp00 | May 17th, 2007 at 11:06 am
I’ve never smelled this one and have no memory of it at all. I do remember that Guy Laroche didn’t have as much of a presence in the US as other designers, maybe that was why.
I completely understand the “secret sniffing sessions”. My BFF’s mom wore Jolie Madame and I was entranced by it, as she was with my mom’s Joy
6. violetnoir | May 17th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Ina, I know what you mean about remembering how good a fragrance smelled. Then you finally smell it again, and it’s just not the same.
This happened to me with Yardley’s Oh de London! I bought the dupe from Long Lost Perfumes about five years ago, and it did not come close to my olfactory memories of the original.
Oh well!
Hugs! I hope that everything is going well at your new job.
7. chayaruchama | May 17th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Vi-
Funny you should mention the Yardley !
I had ordered it awhile ago, and was so disappointed, I returned it.
Didn’t smell anything like the way I remembered it…
8. Hilda Rosa | May 17th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
J’ai Ose has definitiely been changed. It happened when the company was sold off. The bottle and the name on the bottle changed along with the juice. I have some of both and the difference is noticeable.
As for the LLP Oh! de London, there were several Yardley versions of this scent and even under different names such as Sea Jade. The newly created Oh1 de London from LLP may be closer to the originalt that you remember. Actually, I really like the first version that LLP created, the one with the overdose of sandalwood. But I have no attachment to the original Yardley version adn never wore it when it was popular.
9. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Chaya, yes, that’s how I remember it - lush and opulent. Ah, how sad.
10. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Elle, I saw the parfum at Imagination Perfumery for a decent price. I do wonder if it might be better.
11. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Minsun, always glad to please.
I’m such a novice in vintage but it’s always thrilling to discover and review the ones I like.
12. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Marina, this cracks me up. You know why? Because I somehow never smelled Poison when it first came out, despite the public infatuation. And you never smelled J’Ai Ose? Now we’re even. Ha!
13. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Tom, you’re right. Guy Laroche wasn’t so popular in the U.S. Oh, those smelling sessions! I so miss them.
14. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Robin, I’ve never smelled anything Yardley, I don’t think. What a shame.
The job’s going well! We’re very busy which is a good thing.
15. Ina | May 17th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Hilda Rosa, thank you for the clarification! It just breaks my heart when classics get reformulated…
16. Amy | May 19th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Oh, I so love that advertisement! I want a jaguar to come & lay his head on my shoulder!
17. Ina | May 20th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Amy, LOL! Jaguars rock.
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