Mission 1: Find A Signature Scent
“No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory.” -Coco Chanel
Hi and welcome to this journey of building a wardrobe 1 Piece At A Time. I’m calling the pursuit of each piece a mission. Why? Because it creates focus and will result in well thought out, intentional purchases or at least that’s what I’m hoping it will do.
Before we go any further I also want to quickly mention my reference to “style experts” later in this issue. The style experts I’m using as my guides are Lloyd Boston and Nina Garcia. They have both published books that outline the essential pieces every women should have in their wardrobe and I’m using as my source materials through this journey. Now onto mission one…
Find A Signature Scent
When I think of a signature sent I think of a chic, sophisticated woman that has a scent that you instantly recognize. It lets you know she has entered the building before you even see her in a good way, of course. It’s romantic maybe even a bit of a fantasy but I love the concept.
What’s do the style experts say?
Both style experts agree that a signature fragrance is an important component to a stylish woman’s wardrobe.
Nina says.... “Perfume is a special weapon… Some women have a perfume for day and a perfume for night; others change it by the season…Personally, I think it is best to find a signature scent and stick to it, so when that’s old lover steps into the elevator and smells your scent, he’ll remember the one that got away.”1
Lloyd says... “Consider the world around you when choosing a signature scent… but your signature scent is your everyday common denominator a stamp that becomes as constant as your handwriting, laugh or smile…your clothing and accessories yearn for a polished finish -and this never means a load of last minute touches. Just whispers of elegance that become what you are known for.”2
My thoughts…
With both experts in agreement of the significance of a signature scent I will take on this mission! I’ll be honest I have been searching for a signature scent off and on since about 2012 and this is what I have discovered about myself. The thought of wearing one fragrance for the rest of my life is not exactly appealing. I've tried it. I had a huge 6.7 ounce bottle of Viva La Juicy Eau De Parfum by Juicy Couture. I love gourmand fragrances and thought I would never tire of my favorite fragrance, at the time, but eventually I did. I powered through and finished the bottle after over a year of daily wear and have decided a single signature fragrance is not for me.
My Analysis
I need a fragrance wardrobe because I need variety! A fragrance wardrobe is a select few essential scents that will see me through each season, day and night, and a select few fundamental situations.
I've been back on the hunt since the pandemic and I've learned a lot about what I really like & have made peace with liking what I like and not picking a fragrance because it's “different” or “odd”. Yes, I used to pick fragrances based on its uniqueness and not necessarily on how much I liked it. Now I just want fragrances that I love not just like, that actually smells good on me and I look forward to wearing. Simple.
So my amended mission is to find 4 signature fragrances that will make up my fragrance wardrobe.
I'm looking for:
1 warm weather daytime fragrance
1 warm weather evening fragrance
1 cold weather daytime fragrance
1 cold weather evening fragrance
Perfume is like cocktails without the hangover, like chocolate without the calories, like an affair without tears, like a vacation from which you never have to come back.” —Marian Bendeth
Next Steps
Now before we embark on this mission let’s get strategic & educated so that we understand what fragrance is so that we know what to look for and what to expect in performance.
Garcia N. The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own. Harper Collins; 2010.
Boston L. The Style Checklist: The Ultimate Wardrobe Essentials for You. Atria Books; 2010.