Perfume Love

I have an embarrassingly large collection of perfume; the good stuff.  I am so moved and influenced by scent.  I have been known to stop people on the street or anywhere to tell them (men and women) that they smell good and ask what they are wearing.  My parents always smelled good.  My father wore his cologne quite heavily, the drug store kind.  My mom had a couple favorites she wore when I was growing up and now her collection is as large as mine, maybe larger.  All three of my children are scent lovers; my daughter is now a collector, my oldest son is loyal to just three or four scents and my youngest son will wear anything you give him and he has been since pre-school (as heavily as my dad).  My husband, who has never cared much about cologne, now wears it everyday "just for you" he tells me.  And now he has a scent tray of his own next to my two.

My collection is such that I alphabetize and follow an orderly chart (kept on my computer for occasional updating) so that they are all worn equally and without showing favoritism.  I do have favorites however, probably 10 I would never live without and repeatedly purchase when they run out.  And I have many that I enjoy, but like some relationships, when it's over, when the bottle's empty, you are glad you experienced it but that one is gone for good.  

I'm very fond of the Jo Malone line and have just about her whole collection and my daughter and daughter in law are working on theirs too.  I love having women in my life who love cologne like I do because it's fun to buy and give what you yourself love to have and receive.  And we all smell good!

The Meyers is a room spray

I love to look at the bottles as well

Jo Malone scents

Bottles from Nicolai - that little Paris shop I've posted about

Fragonard scents from Grasse

I'm a penny pincher with most things.  And I could care less about labels or jewelry.  I never pay full price for clothes.  I use coupons when possible, I recycle plastic zip bags, etc.  However, and probably because perfume almost never goes on sale, I pay full price for it and never feel badly if I add another one to the collection.  Within reason of course.  Although you might think now my obsession is beyond reason.  We all have our obsessions.  When I was a single parent and working the proverbial two jobs, kids in college, etc, I had a pretty tight budget.  However, every month I saved $30 dollars for the perfume fund and set it in an envelope.  Whenever I found a scent I just couldn't resist, I either had money in the perfume envelope or I saved up the increments of $30 until I reached the asking price.  I enjoyed the anticipation of saving for perfume as much as the wearing of it. Nowadays, it's easier to acquire but I still try to practice restraint.  

One more fact:  I wear scent everyday whether I am going to do yard work and get really dirty as in the above pictures, paint a room, stay at home, run to the store, do nothing (like that ever happens), you get the idea.  I get dressed, brush my teeth, pick up my chart to see who's turn it is, and spray on the day's scent no matter what the plan is.  I guess I do it for myself.  One more quick bit that I think I mentioned a while ago in a post about my sister Diedre who helped me paint the exterior of the Yellow House (and who also loves perfume); when she was painting the bottom part of the house while I was up in the bucket painting at the top, and this was drudgery this painting, I could smell her and she was wearing one of my colognes, Clinique's Aromatics Elixir, and I commented how good she smelled.  She replied, "I have to have something to make me feel happy while I do this".  That's what perfume does for me too.  

That Day In Pictures - Nicolai Perfume

Nicolai (the second visit)

I've decided that every Sunday I am going to try and post a picture (s) from the past and write about my memories of that day.

I went to Paris for the first time two years ago on my honeymoon. My husband and I were walking down the Ile Saint Louis and we were passing an adorable perfume shop called Nicolai. The scent wafting from that door was enchanting.   Dan stopped me and told me I should go in.  I hesitated and he said I should go in and choose an authentic french perfume not sold in department stores to the masses.  This little shop makes has their own line.  He suggested I choose more than one since choosing just one might be tough.  He knows how much I love perfume; it's really the only thing I would spend real money on otherwise I am a bargain hunter/sale chaser.  During all the years I was on a really tight budget, I saved a little bit each month; like 25 - 30 bucks, set aside for future perfume purchases.  It was my splurge and I sacrificed for it. I loved the anticipation.  All my kids have inherited my love for scent and it's vital to their lives/budget as well! And I inherited that from my mother.  Anyway, it was thrilling and strange to go in and just pick out what I wanted and not worry about the price.  And in Paris!

A year later we returned to Paris for a quick few days with some family members and we found ourselves walking down the same street.  We recognized the little shop and Dan turned to me and said "you have to go in and buy something; this is "your" perfumer.  I"ll wait for you at the Notre Dame".  How exciting!! After much sampling, agonizing and deliberation, I chose two more.

My husband gets me, in fact, he finds my perfume obsession endearing.  Good thing.  I don't take that for granted.  You'll understand what I mean when I do a post on my perfume collection!

New perfumes safe in backpack