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Portrait of a Lady similar to Rose 31?

post #1 of 21
1/13/12 at 2:07pm
Thread Starter 
I tried Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady at bedtime last night and was instantly swooning - I must give this a full wearing (although probably not on a work day). It made me feel the way I did when I first smelled Rose 31 - do those of you who know both of those feel that they have anything in common?

(Posting on the male board because I think both of these are more often worn by male BNers than females.)
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post #2 of 21
1/13/12 at 2:19pm
I would also like to hear more about The Lady. This one has been on my radar too lately. However I have not heard that it is anything like Rose 31.
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post #3 of 21
1/13/12 at 2:40pm
They are nothing alike IMO.
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post #4 of 21
1/13/12 at 2:56pm
Not similar in my opinion
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post #5 of 21
1/13/12 at 3:42pm
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Quite different, though I could see how they would make you "feel" the same. Both scents are sublime rose-topped sundaes of various woody/spicy/incense notes, granting similar journeys through differing olfactory landscapes, and both are wonderful fragrances that are very uplifting and sensual.
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post #6 of 21
1/13/12 at 5:20pm
Thread Starter 
vbs, thank you, that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Even if they don't have similar notes, they struck a related emotional chord.
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post #7 of 21
1/13/12 at 6:46pm
Quite different IMO.
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post #8 of 21
1/14/12 at 1:19am
Matilda, very superficially on a classification level, yes they both contain rose. Otherwise they are as different as night and day.

PoaL is a wet rose blended with plenty and plenty of patchouli (appears ~2 hours into it) with some incense.
Rose 31 is a woody, sharp rose with some spices.

Voleur de Roses could be compared to Lummiere noire pour homme for example but PoaL and R31 cannot.
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post #9 of 21
1/14/12 at 8:00am
To me, more in the direction of No.88 and Black Aoud yet more fem.
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post #10 of 21
1/14/12 at 8:02am
I sprayed a sample of POL on arm yesterday, took a shower last night and I can still smell it on my arm.....strong stuff
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post #11 of 21
1/14/12 at 8:36am
Poles appart , POAL has amazing depth , is rich and opulent . Rose 31 , the rose plays backstage to woods , well not so much backstage but a couple of miles away
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post #12 of 21
1/14/12 at 8:42am
Different.

If you like Portrait of A Lady try Dark Rose by Czech & Speake, Black Aoud by Montale, Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun or A.Maze by People of the Labyrinths. Or just get the Malle. I think it smells wonderful, although I think I like smelling it better on other people than on me.

IMO there is nothing that smells like Rose 31. I'm still waiting for someone to do one, as the Le Labo is so expensive.
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post #13 of 21
1/14/12 at 8:15pm
Different smells completely but both sit at the pink end of rose.
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post #14 of 21
1/14/12 at 11:57pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matildaben View Post

vbs, thank you, that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Even if they don't have similar notes, they struck a related emotional chord.

They do for me, too.
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post #15 of 21
1/15/12 at 12:19am
Rose 31 has a rough texture, PoL is smooth
Rose 31 barely has any rose, PoL has lots
Rose 31 feels modern, PoL feels classic
Rose 31 is 'shallow' and bright, PoL is 'deep' and dark
Rose 31 is masculine, PoL is unisex
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post #16 of 21
1/15/12 at 12:33am
I concur that the 2 fragrances don't smell alike. But don't you just love it when a fragrance resonates with you at an almost spiritual level?
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post #17 of 21
1/15/12 at 2:31am
I don't get the similarities either. Portrait leans more towards the dark oriental-woody aspect while Rose 31 is transparent with Iso E Super galore...
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post #18 of 21
1/15/12 at 2:55am
I don't get the ISO E Super accord at all.

I wonder why.
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post #19 of 21
1/15/12 at 3:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

I don't get the ISO E Super accord at all.

Nothing that really bothers me, though....I'm fine with IeS when it's not overdone...
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post #20 of 21
2/3/12 at 8:59pm
When I wear Portrait, I feel like a queen. It's got powerful sillage and the dark rose is strong throughout, unmistakably a woody oriental. Rose 31 is so spicy it's a gourmand scent...I think of spice markets and curries mixed with rose petals. Rose 31 is truly exotic, while Portrait is classic.
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post #21 of 21
2/3/12 at 9:08pm
Rose 31 has heavy doses of cumin with hints of rose in the background. POAL assaults with its rose up front with a lychee note, it dominates for many hours before I get a incense vibe from it, and has more of a floral feel. Two gorgeous fragrances though!
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