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post #61 of 69
3/20/10 at 8:19pm
I think a real, high class courtesan would have her own, personal, bespoke fragrance created just for her and would stick to that. The formula would remain secret and only she could buy it from the most reputed fragrance house of the times.
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post #62 of 69
3/20/10 at 8:43pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nymph View Post

I think a real, high class courtesan would have her own, personal, bespoke fragrance created just for her and would stick to that. The formula would remain secret and only she could buy it from the most reputed fragrance house of the times.

This is a really interesting thought, and you might be on target here.

Of course, the dandy lover would have paid for the scent to be made expressly for the mistress--and perhaps a bottle for himself! In the early 19th century, there were no "off the peg" scents and all scents were bespoke perfumes for wealthy clients.

I like this Web site for all the names of the scents. These two perfume houses have authentic pedigrees. I dislike it when perfume houses put out a fausse noblesse and claim to have made perfumes for wealthy clients and aristocrats, or a create false "coats of arms" and trademarks. It is all part of a marketing campaign.

Even one famous courtesan that I have mentioned, Marie Duplessis, was born Rose Amandine Plessis, adding the more classy "du" to her name.

http://www.perfumeprojects.com/museu...Guerlain.shtml

http://www.perfumeprojects.com/museu...oubigant.shtml

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fausse_noblesse
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post #63 of 69
3/21/10 at 4:26am
Clearly, by "mistress" you mean "courtesan" -- those women who made or broke male reputations, since to keep a famous courtesan or to be ruined by one established a man's standing.
I was re-reading Emile Zola's "Nana", the ultimate courtesan-as-primeval-power novel, and Zola, who was extremely sensitive to smells, states several times that Nana smells of violets. Of course, that was by the end of the 19th century, when ionones had been synthesized and violet fragrances became all the rage. In the earlier 1800s, a great courtesan, usually a woman who launched fashion trends, would probably wear what was most fashionable at the time -- most likely not musk, which would be left to the cheaper ladies, but rather a floral scent.
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post #64 of 69
3/21/10 at 7:19am
  • kbe
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A truly clever one wishing to avoid the wrath of a wife would wear whatever the Dandy was wearing at liaison time
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post #65 of 69
3/21/10 at 9:03am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by carmencanada View Post

Clearly, by "mistress" you mean "courtesan" -- those women who made or broke male reputations, since to keep a famous courtesan or to be ruined by one established a man's standing.
I was re-reading Emile Zola's "Nana", the ultimate courtesan-as-primeval-power novel, and Zola, who was extremely sensitive to smells, states several times that Nana smells of violets. Of course, that was by the end of the 19th century, when ionones had been synthesized and violet fragrances became all the rage. In the earlier 1800s, a great courtesan, usually a woman who launched fashion trends, would probably wear what was most fashionable at the time -- most likely not musk, which would be left to the cheaper ladies, but rather a floral scent.

Yes, a courtesan is a professional mistress.

It is interesting that you mention "Nana," because in Maupassant's "Bel Ami" (also the name of the fabulous Hermes scent), the character of Duroy uses "his" beauty and charms to get what *he* wants from a variety of women.

If memory serves, at the begining of the 19th century, musk was very popular for both men and women, and I understand Empress Josephine was fond of it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kbe View Post

A truly clever one wishing to avoid the wrath of a wife would wear whatever the Dandy was wearing at liaison time

Wives of these wealthy men of fashion had their own brand of revenge against philandering husbands: finding a lover who vastly outranks the husband. With the Countess d'Orsay, an heiress and Irish beauty herself, she found a lover in none other than the heir to the throne of France! Only the lover's death in a tragic carriage accident brought their liaison to an end.

BTW, "Bel Ami" is being made into a movie starring (young girls' heartthrob) Robert Pattinson of vampire fame. I really have a hard time seeing this young actor as Duroy, to be truthful. Handsome, yes, but far too young. And where is that iconic, testosterone-filled moustache so essential for the desirable man of the 1880s?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUDij08iIZQ

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2010/03...e-bel-ami-set/
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post #66 of 69
3/21/10 at 10:58am
Sorry for intruding again on this board, but the association with "Nana" was just right and made me wonder: what fragrance would a girl/woman wear, who started as some low-rent escort and gradually advances from "rags to riches" (through wealthy patrons, friends, lovers, admirers etc.) to one of the costliest courtesans of the day?
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post #67 of 69
3/21/10 at 11:14am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken_Russell View Post

Sorry for intruding again on thus board, but the association with "Nana" was just right and made me wonder: what fragrance would a girl/woman wear, who started as some low-rent escort and gradually advances from "rags to riches" (through wealthy patrons, friends, lovers, admirers etc.) to one of the costliest courtesans of the day?

In today's world, Ken, a young courtesan/"girlfriend"/escort would start out wearing some celebuscent then graduate to the Guerlains and Caron urn scents bought by her lovers during jet-set trips around the world.

In the 19th century (esp. early 19th), I think the budding courtesan (many of whom started out as common brothel girls, or got their boost from being chorus stage beauties) would wear any cheap eau de Cologne she was given by the brothel madam or what she could afford by herself). The later costly perfumes would be bought by wealthier lovers from the boutiques, many of which were located in the fashionable area of the city. Sometimes shopgirls caught the eyes of wealthy men and were spring-boarded to fame.

Courtesan Marie du Plessis caught the eye of young Agenor, Duke de Guiche (later Duke de Gramont and nephew of the Comte d'Orsay), when she was nearly starving while working a street corner in Paris when she was 17 or so. I guess he bought her some fried potatoes and was captivated by her simple charm and astonishing beauty, leading to the legend of the famous love affair. She later married the Comte de Perrigaux but died penniless in Paris around the age of 21 of tuberculosis.
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post #68 of 69
3/7/11 at 2:59pm
Vintage:
My Sin, Rumeur, Baghari, Shalimar, Intimate

Modern-ish: Loulou, Poison

Modern:
Carnal Flower, Musc Ravageur, Chergui, Gucci Rush, Angel
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post #69 of 69
3/7/11 at 4:31pm
A young coquettish mistress;
Agent Provocateur,Agent Provocateur Eau Emotionelle,Gucci by Gucci,
Very Sexy (2007) Victoria`s Secret,Very Sexy Now The Beauty of Brazil Victoria`s Secret
Cat Deluxe With Kisses Naomi Campbell, Fancy Jessica Simpson,Fairy Dust Paris Hilton
Pink Sugar,Hot Couture Givenchy.


High Class Mistress;
Chanel N°5,Coco Chanel,Shalimar,Chanel N°5 Eau Premiere,
Knowing Estee Lauder,Fendi,Opium 1977,Amouage Lyric Woman
Fracas Robert Piguet,Femme Rochas,Ivoire de Balmain,.


A Mistress who take no Sh** from no one
Cabochard,Bandit,Molinard Habanita,Agent Provocateur Maitresse
Black Orchid.
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