Wednesday, December 2, 2009

SOTD: Estee Lauder Jasmine White Moss


Have you noticed that some perfumes seem to call for a little extra self-spiffing before it feels quite right to wear them? For example, I don't wear any Chanel extrait unless I'm nicely dressed, and preferably wearing some jewelry. And while Daim Blond doesn't care about my clothes (she's accepted that I'm never going to own a white fur), I brush my hair to a shine before I put any on.

I didn't think that Jasmine White Moss was one of these perfumes, but it turns out today that I was wrong. She's fine with casual wear, but she does want it to be the casual wear of a nattily dressed fifties or sixties housewife. Maybe Laura Petrie.

But she's polite about it. I got the sprayer out while dressing this morning, and there was a conversation:

Jasmine White Moss: "Do you happen to have a white shirt with a collar? That nice part-poly permanent-press one that you have would be lovely, and so easy!"

ChickenFreak: "Sorry, no, I'm behind on the laundry. Long-sleeved black tee shirt is what's clean."

JWM: "...oh. Well, black is classic, of course. That'll be perfect. I do hate to interrupt you again, but have you considered something a little darker than those summer jeans, maybe with your nice black flats?"

ChickenFreak: "Laundry. The white jeans are it. And the only handy shoes are my clunky Merrells."

JWM: "Yes, of course. That will be lovely. Black and white is a very crisp look."


So I'm wearing Jasmine White Moss, but I think she's a little downhearted.

She remains lovely, however. Softer and less challenging than I remembered - after some gentle fireworks at the beginning, I get a steady supply of barely sharp green and mildly sweet floral. There's enough contrast to make me wish for just a little more of each one, a tension that keeps the fragrance interesting.

I must remember to make this part of my winter rotation. I like smelling like Laura Petrie, or one of the "girls" from Mad Men, even if I refuse to do my share.

Review Roundup: In the post from last time.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

4 comments:

  1. okay, when the perfumes starting talking to you... politely, about how to dress... I don't know. Maybe you spritzed too much? kind of like the genie in the bottle. hard to put them back in once they've gotten out and start walking around the room. Maybe you could find out if they DO laundry. Then I'd start overspritzing too.

    i think this is very entertaining and could be made into a great book.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Chickenfreak -
    I recently found your blog and wanted to let you know that I am so enjoying it. Today's post was great. I think we would be friends if we lived in the same town (I love mysteries and gardening and cooking...and chocolate! Thanks for the book recs as well). I don't always agree about the scents you love (although often I do - Parfumerie Generale, for ex), but that just makes it interesting, of course.

    And your writing is so enjoyable, as in this incredibly insightful comment from your Pacifica post:
    "I love this perfume. It has enough sweet orange, enough bitterness, and almost enough of the richness that I was longing for earlier today. In fact, maybe it is rich enough - often, when you get as much of something as you want, you find that you really would be happier with a tiny bit less."
    I've thought about that for at least a week now. "...often, when you get as much of something as you want, you find that you really would be happier with a tiny bit less." Yes! It's true! And true on many levels...

    Anyway, keep on blogging. Oh - and today: Byredo Gypsy Water, yesterday: SMN Toscano, the day before: Bois Blond, before that...
    xox

    ReplyDelete
  3. Of course perfumes talk! Well, some of them. Serge Noire is a little too self-contained to speak, or to care what I wear. But I think that Jasmine White Moss may be a bit miffed that _today_ I'm wearing a white linen shirt and black skirt, but Moroccan Mint Tea is the perfume.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hiya, Debby! Welcome to the blog! And thank you so much for the comment. And the compliment. :)

    Ooh, Bois Blond. I need to resolve my relationship with Bois Blond. When I love it, I really really love it. But then the next day I don't.

    ReplyDelete