Reviews of Fracas (1948)
by Robert Piguet

I know it was made in the 40s, but something about it seems very 1960s-70s to me. I guess it was very ahead of its time then! This is very "groovy" for lack of a better word. Reminds me of something Mrs. Brady or Augusten Burroughs' mother would wear when she was getting ready in her Emilio Pucci dress in the beginning.

On me, I can't picture wearing this before 5pm, without smoking or without wearing brown and/or orange and/or avocado green. Not an everyday fragrance unless you're old enough to have been around in the 70s.

This is one of those fragrances that I love and want to wear but its just tooo much; I was scared to go out in public wearing this stuff...I certainly never dared wear it to the office - I would've cleared the place, it is sooo strong and cloying. A perfume has to pass the acid test, namely, can I wear it, at all, anywhere?? Otherwise it sits in the box like a pair of shoes that I love and look at longingly once in while but which are just too uncomfortable to walk in. Instead I bought Michael Kors - a tuberose for a civilised environment. Ok it doesn't have the elevated, mythical status of Fracas but I can actually wear it without offending anyone. Fracas' reputation proceeds it but unless you're a real obsessive or somehow you have the skin type that can work magic on almost anything, then I wouldn't recommend a major purchase...a definite try before you buy, IMHO.

I also wanted to love Fracas, but on me it turns somehow and ends up smelling oddly like plastic flowers and mothballs. Not exactly the exuberant, floral fantasy I'd been hoping for. Oh, well, next!

on me,i smell nothing but strong gardenias.

I purchased a small roll-on sample of Fracas and found it to be a very sweet floral. All I can smell is gardenia, and if you happen to remember an old discontinued fragrance from Tuvace called JUNGLE GARDENIA (really prominent in the 1970's), then you may find, as I did, that Fracas smells almost identical to it. If you like the smell of freshly cut gardenias (and I grew up with TONS of them in my backyard), then you'll love Fracas.

Fracas....tuberose with a deckled citrus gilt edge trimming to begin..tuberose with a tiny floral border in the middle..tuberose with thin resin wood trim to end. It's all about the tuberose and on me it's all about the indoles...very long lasting..

I cannot help but think that Fracas would be a wonderful under-layer for something lighter on top, something orangey and sparkling. Alone the indoles pull it down to a very deep hum almost from the get-go. Fantastic for a very lush winter evening swathed in dark blue velvet. But it's limited by the heavy indole to just that time and place. I felt wanted more. A little more of the mandarine at the start, carnation in the center, dry sandalwood at the end... just to spark it a little.