Synchronized Fridays 2012

[Foustie]

the crazy thing is that I adore Shalimar and feel really happy in it,..
If I had to scale my wardrobe down to three scents, Shalimar would be one of them. The extrait yields more of the smokey incense along the way, and the longlasting drydown is straight up vanilla with a dusting of powder. Soft, warm, spicy and yummy. The edp is beautiful, not quite as smokey, but always garners a compliment or two, which is nice. A timeless classic. Though Shalimar always makes me feel sexy and womanly - I absolutely think this beauty has a balance of yin and yang (smoky and sweet) that makes it just as good on a man.
TGIF.

How elegant.. lovely! Perfumed Lady, Donna225, devilcat, Twolf, and those that may be yet to come. This is what I had hoped for today, that you girls would share your experience of Shalimar. Mikeperez is a real afficianado as well. (Have you all popped over to SOTD to see what he is wearing?) I seem to remember that so is your good friend Mimi. I just know that you all smell lovely in it, gabeinstyle too, (attaboy!). Thanks All.


PerfumedLady there she goes, watch her go.....

[PerfumedLady]

Not bad, huh, Foustie? I've managed to sync Shalimar EDP twice this year already- does that put me at 2 out of 3? I do have some other concentrations/formulations up my sleeve in case I need them for future syncs! Unfortunately, no vintage.

Yes, thought maybe Mike would know more about that bottle Twolf posted and pop in with an answer. Am especially jealous of his vintage body cream today!

And you're right about Mimi- she's a great resource on all things Guerlain. Knows Shalimar very well; could probably write volumes on Mitsouko.

Gabeinstyle, good for you, figuring out that many of these women's classics work perfectly well for men. Smart man!

[Warum]

Well, I have Shalimar on! It is not my favorite vanilla, but the truth is that I do not have a favorite vanilla. For a while I thought L'Artisan Vanillia was, but when matildaben kindly sent me a decant, I was surprised -- is it the one I thought was such a non-sweet woody vanilla? Smelled pretty sweet to me.

So I am in Shalimar, to explore this great classic more. Um, what's horrible though is that I am, apparently, a Shalimar ignoramus. I do not even know what I am wearing today! Bear with me, here's my story. The first version of Shalimar I've tried was a vintage parfum kindly sent to me by another fragrance enthusiast in my veery early perfumista days, perhaps the very first ones. When they say, "never give away samples you did not like", they mean these days rather than today, I believe. I have given away my samples of Ambre Sultan, and I also have given away the dab sample of the Shalimar vintage parfum *hangs head* I guess I wanted to give something special to a person who sent me things, and I knew this was special, and I knew I wasn't appreciating it at the time.

My next stop was -- could it be any further -- at San Fran Sephora. All I wanted is to try a new Initial version. Then it occurred to me that I should be comparing it with what they have on the shelves next to it -- the Shalimar itself. So I don't even noticed the bottle it came in or the concentration. So there it goes -- some version of Shalimar I wear.

I do not smell vanilla. It it dark and comforting at the same time. In fact, for a Guerlain 1925 classic it seems very linear, or perhaps it does not "open up" on my skin and does not develop. I do like it, but it is not quite "me". But I will certainly be coming back to it, and will try in different concentrations.

Thanks for the fun sync, y'all!

[Klute]

I put on Habit Rouge - which some people have described as Shalimars alter ego. I really like it and so does my SO. :-)

[kumquat]

When I wore Shalimar the other day, I was struck by it's dignified elegance. I kept wafting to myself in the most alluring manner all day! It made me think of furs and evening gowns. What a classy scent. This one is just at the top of the mark, IMO. I was wearing a vintage juice from the round flat cologne bottle. Normally the vanilla overpowers the mellow woodiness for me, that might be in newer formulas. This particular juice is just beautiful.

[gabeinstyle]

thank you all for the compliments

[donna255]

I am not sure what this Friday's choice is suppose to mean? Help!!!

Ornate bottle?
What?

[bonsai]

I am not sure what this Friday's choice is suppose to mean? Help!!!

My interpretation is that it should be a complex scent. The scent with the most facets, with the most intriguing development, with the most richness/fullness, your most "baroque" scent, etc.

I was thinking of one of the Mona scents from her Signature line, Nuit Noir or Jabu perhaps.

[gabeinstyle]

or·nate (ôr-n t ). adj. 1. Elaborately, heavily, and often excessively ornamented. 2. Flashy, showy, or florid in style or manner; flowery.

haha. i'm gonna wear something strong and show it off.

[devilcat]

Will probably go with a 1980s heavy-hitter like Diva or LouLou. Or a big floral like Carnal Flower. Will be home alone on Friday so can spray with gay abandon!

[Warum]

I was thinking about Estee Lauder Beautiful.
I guess LouLou would fit the bill greatly as well (made by the same nose that is responsible to Poison) and I know I love it... decisions, decisions!

PerfumedLady, will you tell why Shalimar fits?

[PerfumedLady]

You bet! Even though Shalimar has a relatively short list of notes, it did indeed occur to me that it fits for this sync.

Shalimar is deceptively simple, a quality I adore in fragrances. It fits one of my favorite sayings-"The whole is more than the sum of the parts". Meaning that what Shalimar's individual parts create in the end is more complex than what it "should" be, according to any notes list. Guerlain claims that it will change depending on the skin, the moment, the season. Have always found this to be true of Shalimar; it's never done developing and changing until it is off the skin. It tricks me into thinking it's more complicated than it is.

Well, that's my logic for the week! Now,I will concede that maybe I'll be the only one who agrees with me! In any case, think I'll be wearing Ivoire this Fri. No one will disagree- that has a very definitely ornate list of notes. And I've been missing it, haven't worn it in awhile.

[Warum]

I think you're making a fine case and Shalimar, while comforting, is pretty baroque as well!

[Alityke]

Think I'll go for the ultimate Catholic Church fragrance, Bois d'Encens. Surely nothing is more ornate than a Catholic or Orthodox church?

[Foustie]

Ehm, I don't know. I don't really have any fragrances that I would describe as ornate. It is not really my thing. I have been going more sort of minimalist, contemporary, "neesh" for a while. Ha ha. Ehm. I have some Histoire De Parfums ones. They are beautifully structured with lovely materials but still, I wouldn't call them ornate. I have teensy bit of Tabac Blond Extrait but I don't find it ornate per se, more angular. Actually Warum has a good idea. I have a sample of Beautiful I think. Oh! I have a sample of Eau De Soir, a chypre, yep I fancy that. Mind you.....

[Guest 3]

I'm more into sheer & modern these days, too. I'm scratching my head over what I want to wear for "ornate". It's really not my style, so this will be a challenge to get out of my comfort zone.

[gabeinstyle]

hehe. i'm gonna make people mad with extra sprays of A*Men.

[ineespenes]

I had to go to the dictionary to check if "ornate" meant what I thought it did. I was thinking L'heure bleue for the bottle...but I suppose the scent too would qualify....Or Coco edp?

[bonsai]

I am wearing Mona di Orio's Nuit Noire. It is unusual, complex and intriguing. Not one of those scents which envelop me in a scent bubble where I feel comfortable and safe. No, it keeps me wanting to take sniffs of it continuously in a desire to understand it. And while it does not feel uncomfortable or unfitting, it stays misterious and intriguing. And it only gets more and more beautiful as time passes.

[bonsai]

Think I'll go for the ultimate Catholic Church fragrance, Bois d'Encens. Surely nothing is more ornate than a Catholic or Orthodox church?

Have you tried CdG Avingnon yet? The Catholic Church fragrance to me (I haven't tried Bois d'Encens yet though).

[Alityke]

It's on my test list Bonsai but I've bought so much recently I can't really justify more at the moment.... Mr Ali keeps tutting

[Foustie]

Le Parfum de Therese, created by Edmond Rodnitska for the sole use of his wife Therese, then later released as part of the Editions Frederic Malle Collection. From a sample.

I just applied it a short time ago and I am loving this today. This is the second sample that I have had. I was undecided when I first tried it. I have no idea why. I remember being disappointed because I really wanted to be blown away by a perfumers creation for his wife, who was also a perfumer. I think maybe I barged in impatiently and didn't really experience it properly. (Do you ever do that?) Now, approaching it more calmly I find that this is very, very beautiful.

Notes are;
Mandarin melon jasmine pepper

Violet rose plum nutmeg

Cedar Vetiver Leather

The opening is exactly as listed, immediately a wet melon with pepper, a surprisingly lovely combination, then the mandarin and a light touch of jasmine, the heart notes are coming through now. Might post again later. This is lovely.

[rtamara41]

I'm already in Lyric Woman - not the most ornate of the Amouage line I have sampled, perhaps, but truly gorgeous. Perhaps this evening I'll slip into Gold, or jump houses and pull out the Carnal Flower.

[Guest 3]

I had to go to the dictionary to check if "ornate" meant what I thought it did. I was thinking L'heure bleue for the bottle...but I suppose the scent too would qualify....Or Coco edp?

I think both would qualify as ornate. I was thinking of L'heure Bleue, too, so we must be on the right track. I was also thinking about ornate bottles, but I don't have any of those.

[gabeinstyle]

good day everybody. wearing A*Men today.

[Alityke]

Been in Bois d'Encens as promised. Going to bathe in a while then Paul Smith Rose body lotion and a spritz of Rose EDT

[mumsy]

It's taken me all day to decide and I've plumped for vintage Bal a Versailles because of the bottle picture. I think that is ornate.

[OVincze]

Wow, Foustie how awesome that must be, I am a huge fan of Mr. Roudnitska. Some other gorgeous fumes too. I am wearing Clinique's AE LE Perfumer's Reserve, I chose it based on the bottle, which I almost ruined this a.m.)) it would have been the third one I have broken in the last few months and surely would have been close to a heart attack especially because I really love this bottle and the limited fume. Have a nice weekend everyone.

[knit at nite]

Interesting and fun sync today- topic is open to much individual interpretation.

I forgot who- (sorry!! caffeine has not circulated sufficiently yet) but whoever it is who wants to wear Shalimar for every sync- go for it today- it certainly fits!

Hmmmmmm decisions..it might be Vallee Des Rois by Mira Takla .. or L'Arte de Gucci...or Theatro alla Scala. The bottles & the scents are ornate.
Will report back later.

[Foustie]

The Parfum de Therese is beautiful. I had to reaply this evening because my earlier dose was washed/rubbed off. I am at the stage just after the top notes again, now we have some rose and nutmeg and it really is lovely. I don't know how tenacious it is going to be on me though. We will see. I really hope that I get to experience the long development because the base notes sound fabulous to me.

I guess I have flunked the synch though. I wouldn't call this ornate. Nuanced, interesting, but not ornate. Hey, but so what I an enjoying it!

Thanks again Bonsai!