Spin Cycle: Searching For My Signature Scent

This weeks Spin Cycle is all about ME. Or....YOU. If you happen to be writing it. It's meant to be a time to put aside stories about our kids, our husbands, our jobs and be a little self-indulgent. Take some "me time". Unfortunately, as some of you may remember, just last week I forced you all to endure a rather lengthy quiz all about me, me, ME! And frankly, I'm pretty much sick to death of me, and the thought of even more self-indulgence kind of makes me queasy.

So I've decided that instead of writing about "me", I will write about the "me I wish I was". You know her, that woman we all wish we were like. That woman with style. That woman who knows who she is, and isn't afraid to make a statement. That woman with...a signature scent.

Now, I have friends who tell me that I do, in fact, have a style of dressing, but when I look at myself in the mirror, the only style I see is the "on sale/covers up my belly fat/inappropriate amount of cleavage" look. My closet is completely random and eclectic. I've got goodies from Anthropologie mixed in with thrift store finds mixed in with crap from Target mixed in with sensible "casual mom" stuff I wear to auditions. And my hair style is in constant flux - it's long, it's short, it's curly, it's straight. So I don't think I'm ever gonna manage to stick with any one "look" long enough for it to become my style.

But a Signature Scent? Maybe I could get this one together. And scent is such a powerful sense for me. My most powerful sense memories (that there's an actor term) are brought about by scent. One whiff and I'm carried back to a person, a place, an event.

All of the most stylish women in my life have had Signature Scents. Mama actually had two, depending on how much discretionary income we had at the time. When we were in the money, she wore Joy.

Other times, she wore Arpege, by Lanvin. Aunt Margaret existed in a cloud of Estee Lauder Youth Dew. My friend Sharon (Jude's godmother) spent much of her youth covered in White Shoulders. Which I realize now must have made her smell like a cheap 16 year old hooker, but at the time seemed terribly sophisticated. My friend Loretta always exudes the heady fragrance of cucumber oil.

My best friend Kaysie's sister, Helen, was, for me, the embodiment of sophistication and style. She was 10 years older than us, and lived in MANHATTAN. So cool. Helen was a role model for me in many ways. She was in "the arts" and brought home to us all things cosmopolitan. Helen always always wore Shalimar.

Which has always epitomized class and femininity for me.

There's something incredibly powerful about walking through a room and leaving behind your scent, something that's specific to you. And as a child, you remember the scent as much as you remember the woman. I'd love for Jude to have that memory of me. To remember that when I leaned over him in bed at night, I enveloped him in my scent.

The truth is, I've been searching for a Signature Scent all my life. And for periods of time, I've had them. When I was in Junior High I was a Charlie girl.

In high school I went more upscale, and wore Estee Lauder's Private Collection. Which, when I look back on it, I realize was pretty pricey. But Mama believed that this was one area where a lady simply could not skimp. She believed every lady must have good perfume, a Coach bag, and a set of Spode Christmas china. But I digress...

Over the years, I have gone through my own Shalimar periods. It's a scent that always makes me happy. Unfortunately, Jimmy hates it. Ugh. So...not my Signature Scent.

For most of the '90's, I wore Fracas.

Which men love. I've never worn a scent that attracted more compliments from the opposite sex. But when Jude was born, I pretty much stopped wearing perfume. I held him almost constantly for two years, and I hated it when he ended up smelling like my perfume. It just seemed wrong. I mean, he sort of came with his own nature-made Signature Scent, he didn't need mine. And then when he got bigger, Fracas just didn't seem to fit me anymore.

So last week on my birthday, I was toodling around in my favorite store, Anthropologie, squirting myself with all of their fragrances. I'm afraid I had oversquirted a bit - I had a different perfume on every joint in my body. And who should walk in but Elizabeth of "a moon, worn as if it had been a shell". Elizabeth smelled me all over and agreed with me about the one that was the hands down winner. "That could be your Signature Scent!" she said. "YES!" I thought "This could be the one!" and purchased it excitedly.

What is this fabulous, classy, sophisticated, feminine fragrance that I (with the help of Elizabeth) have chosen to embody my very essence? Arabelle by Moulinette Soeur. According to the rather gorgeous box the bottle is packaged in, Arabelle can be described as follows - Top Notes - Mimosa champagne, ivy vine, blooming magnolia. Mid Notes - Black calla lily, night-blooming jasmine, gardenia. Base notes - Vanilla orchid, amber crystals.

Doesn't that just scream ME? Well, at least it screams the "me I wish I was".

So, what is your Signature Scent?

Please visit more Spinners at Sprite's Keeper!
 
 

Comments

[Maureen@IslandRoar]

I feel naked without my scent. I'm really smell sensitive so I combine Happy with Neroli Jasmine from Body Shop. I also like their White Musk. Your new scent sounds wonderful!

[The Bug]

My mother wore White Shoulders! When she remembered to wear perfume that is. There is STILL some of her White Shoulders powder at my dad's house.

The closest I ever came to having a signature scent was Paloma Picasso. I haven't had any in YEARS - I should go check it out & see if I still like it.

Unfortunately my husband had a VERY sensitive nose when we first got married - so no perfume, candles or smelly lotion for me. Since we moved to Cincinnati it hasn't been a problem because his allergies (& mine) mean he can't smell very much most of the time. So maybe I could try something now :)

[Jenni]

You know, I've always wanted a signature scent, but I'm just not a perfume person. I wore Happy by Clinique for a few years, but I just like my normal, person smell, I guess. Or I'm lazy.

[Sarah at themommylogues]

I was just ready to get back into smelling nice. I've got a perfume from Aveda that I love. And then I got pregnant. And I didn't want to smell smells. And in September, there will be a baby, and I will not wear smells again for a while. I guess I should be living it up right now.

[kate]

I love scent and my signature is Boucheron. I do adore, however, Coco by Chanel. My father used to always give us perfume for christmas. when I was little it was a tinkerbell toilet water. the name toilet water always enthralled me. Then I got bumped up to department store perfumes and for a while it was oscar de la renta. during a brief (4 year!) dead head stint, it was patchouli oil. now that smell makes me want to gag.

[Michele]

I don't always use scent but lately I've been using Absolutely Irresistible by Givenchy. It's okay. I used Chanel #5 for years then they changed the formula and it stinks to me.

[Sprite's Keeper]

I think my signature scent will always be No.5, John will buy it when he has the money to waste on it, otherwise, it's Bath and Body Works body spray, right now I have Sweet Pea on. :-)
You're linked!

[becky]

Ooh, this is fun. I really want to smell the one you wound up with. I have never been a perfume person, except when I was a teenager I would spray on White Linen and go to the movies with my girlfriends.

Somehow it just isn't something I think of, though Matt assures me I have a nice "signature scent" and that he would know me in a crowd. Or something.

[Suzicate]

Gosh, I love your spin. Your signature scent sound deep and mysterious with a burst of excitement with a tinge of stability...lovely. You guess which descriptions I've attached to which fragance!

[Kristie]

In high school I was alway a Jovan Musk girl...my boyfriend loved it! Now I can't decide which scent is me and my husband says I have a scent that is all my own no matter what scent I wear...oh by the way I forgot to wish you a Happy Birthday!!

[Mama Badger]

Ahhh, my mother wore chanel #5. Even now, when I smell it I think of her.

And I love it when my BIL holds one of my boys and he comes back to me smelling like Drakkar.

I've been drawn to men who smell like Farenheit (swoon).

If I remember to wear anything, I wear Jessica McClintock. Since high school.

I'm loving your take on this. Really, really loving it.

[debbie]

My signature scent is laundry, housework, and fatigue. Maybe I need to branch out?

[Shelby]

My Jr. High scent was Jean Nate'. Because I was cool like that. Wearing an after-bath spray.

I don't wear scents a lot, but my current signature is Karma by Lush Cosmetics.

[Aimee @ In THIS Life]

I've never been much of a perfume fan, which was only made worse when I fell in love with a man who pretty much doesn't like it at all.

When I was a Mary Kay consultant back in the day, though, I wore Journey. That one I actually liked quite a bit, and DH grew fond of it, too, amazingly enough. Once I lost the wholesale priveledges, though, it was outta here. (I'm cheap, what can I say?)

Believe it or not, my favorite scent now is an "orchid" spray my mom put in my Christmas stocking about five years ago. It's from...wait for it...Target. I ran out recently, and I can't find it any more. Sigh.

[VandyJ]

I worked in a chiropractor's office nd we couldn't wear perfume to work so I got out of the habit. Growing up though my mom sold Avon so I had a lot of Avon fragrances. Since she still purchases plenty of Avon, I have some in my bathroom cabinet but rarely remember to use it. Great spin.

[elizabeth]

I'm glad that you've decided on a Signature Scent and that I was a tiny part of it. I'm still agonized over it -- I have a tray full of possibilities on my dresser and can never just decide.

I love this post and all the photos that brought back such memories.

[Jan]

LMAO @ Debbie! I can SO relate.

[Lisa]

In once had this boy/friend (sorta but didn't really date but hung out obsessively in our 20s) and he could walk through a make-up counter/perfume area and walk straight to my fragrance without looking for it -- at the time, it was Alfred Sung. I used to LOVE that about him and think it was secretly very sexy. Then, just a few weeks ago, I ran in to him and his wife at a jewelry party and I realized he's about the gayest straight man ever -- lavender hoodie, highlighted hair -- and that it was probably more about that than about his knowing my scent. Ah, youth.

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

Ah, my signature smell. Dog, cat puke and a bit of milk from spilling it on myself as I ran out the door.

Seriously? My mom always wore something called Emerade. She is allergic to everything else. And then Dad bought me something off the clearance rack for Christmas -- Urgh...I forgot the name of it, but it smells good. :-)

[Amy]

Through the years: Ysatis, by Givenchy. I don't think I can pronounce either. Amarige (I followed a woman all around a Napa winery until I got the courage to ask her what she was wearing). I went through an Alfred Sung phase and there's a bottle of Champs-Elysees around too (I like the Tour D'F tie-in).

And every time I so much as uncap one of them, the MPM will walk in the room and get a pained look on his face. God forbid I should actually depress the atomizer. It's a sad thing in my life: the man is uber-sensitive to scent.

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

I love this post! Unfortunately I don't have a scent in the perfume sense. I have a very sensitive nose and perfume gives me headaches. Plus I work in a "fragrance free" office so no lotions, perfumes or spritzers. But I have recently been seeking out some midly scented soaps and body washes. This week I'm testing Eucalyptus and so far so good.

[Michelle]

I always wear Amber Romance lotion, spray, whatever from Victoria's Secret. I love it, my co-workers love it, but more importantly, my SO loves it.

[human pheromones]

I was looking for a gorgeous fragrances that fill your world with sensory pleasure even though I am not good for a fragrance descriptions but I wanted to have a perfume collections. Anyway,thank you so much for bringing up this so informative.

cletsey

[digital signatures]

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