Dot by Marc Jacobs, 2012

Candy-berry sweetness. A summer mid-day sun reflected at you by a mirror made of sugar. Like a mirror, Dot reinforces two-dimensionality. Everything, even sharpness, can be reduced to flatness in a mirror. Not shriekingly chemical, or at least not any more so than any other girly perfume that presumes that fruit needs to be sweetened before being eaten. Dot is more noticeable to my nose for its lack than its presence. It doesnt ultimately smell actually fruity or floral in any truly identifiable way because it has no anchor. I wouldnt so much call it linear as I would call it purely topnotes. Its the olfactory equivalent of a ringing in the ears. This is the sort of fragrance I cant enjoy as a perfume even if I were to like the way it smells. Firstly, it has no connections, congenial, antagonistic or otherwise to skin. Secondly, its like the berry version of a maraschino cherry. The cherry might have been fruit at one time, and although it still signifies fruit, is really just an odd bit symbolism (nature, bleached, then made better, sweeter, brighter) that I would remove and discard before I ate my sundae. All that aside, I love this perfume, although Id be happy never to smell it again, because it was selected by my niece today at Bloomingales as I taught her how to shop for a perfume. She was thoughtful, took her time, chose Dot and is thrilled with it. I love my niece, and consequently love Dot.