vintage HL: scent of a season

next up on my fall already-have list is my cooler weather fragrance wardrobe, with one great new addition. over the summer, i love to use light fragrances, most specifically coconut, as you might remember. but as cooler temps prevail, i prefer something a little heavier, with musky and spicy flavors. throw in a dash of sweetness and i'm happy.

i love having different scents that i wear in different seasons, but also different scents within the same season - i used to be of the idea that a signature scent was essential to one's personal style, but i fully reject that notion now. i think it's the same as with clothes, jewelry, makeup and any other style detail - should be easy to change and adjust based on mood, event, and any other number of factors that dictate our style choices.

some of my favorite fall and winter standbys are straight patchouli oil, which i get at jean tourmo in woodstock, valentino, which i wore on my wedding day, and bulgari notte which i got on my honeymoon in the bahamas. in addition to loving the scents, i love the memories they evoke for me and the way they transport me in time for just a split second, as only true sensory experiences can.
my favorite new cool weather fragrance is neroli from l'occitane. over the summer, i wandered in there and was very pleasantly reminded of the loveliness of that store - delicate, feminine and of course, tres provencale.





i also fell in love with one of their rose scents (they have two - the one i loved was the nuit de mai) but i figured when i need a new spring fragrance, i could explore that one. but i digress....neroli is an oil used in many, many fragrances, and is often compared to bergamot, and in this perfume is also mixed with orange blossoms. the scent is deep and spicy and sweet.to be sure, i purchased a gift set which was on sale for $20 - it's a very gold, very 90's looking "compass" purse atomizer with three small vials that slide right in. not only do i seriously adore the smell, but apparently, everyone adores it on me. you know when that happens, a scent just really works on you? i have never gotten so many compliments and have never enjoyed deeply inhaling more, with my nose to my wrist, my hair, my clothes...it gets everywhere and it lasts forever. LOVE.

i'm actually thinking about, later in the season maybe, experimenting with mixing the neroli and patchouli. the patchouli is SO strong - i love it, but people smell me from a few blocks away and it gets on everything - like, as in, baby gifts i give smell like patchouli. and kelly and cory's cat smelled like patchouli for a month after sitting on the same chair as my bag. yeah.

other items on the fall already-have list:

darkness falls

all wrapped up

originally posted 9/16/09

bulgari notte photo from http://www.mega-shops.com/; neroli photo from http://www.loccitane.com/; valentino photo from http://www.fragrancescompared.co.uk/

a pretty posy

i love this arrangement. it's such a perfect mix between bright colors and white, and i totally love the use of the antique brass vase/bowl and the placement of what looks like a porcelain mug right beside it. whenever i see images like this, it reminds me of the wealth of things at my fingertips that can be used to create interesting displays...odd mugs, egg cups, even little sauce dishes can be used in clever ways with a single bloom or whole handful.

when you start to think more broadly about all the pretty pieces you have somewhere in your home, especially the ways in which you can use them differently than you have before, the possibilities are endless. love that.

image from charlotte moss

tiny treasures....pash me the pashmina

so...remember how one of the items on my fall already-have list was the return of pashminas? well, i love them so much that i am dedicating this week's tiny treasure to them...to me, there are few things as versatile. and as you'll read at the end of the post...a weekly giveaway is being added to the tiny treasures tradition!

first, i need to be very clear. i am talking about the ones you buy on the street in new york and probably some other cities, at a stand like the one pictured above, not the ones you buy at neiman marcus. the ones i buy are $5. they often reside next to sunglasses, cell phone cases and the occasional around-the-neck metrocard holder. shoot me if i ever wear one of those.

also, they are best after they've been washed - this makes them soft and pliable and totally glorious. warning: they might lose their freshly bought sheen by washing, so if you like that, don't wash them. but i think they look and feel nicest when washed.

okay, now that all the disclosure is out of the way...

use # 1: standard use as a scarf, around the neck several times (fave) or hanging straight down

use #2: as a wrap, worn over the shoulders as an extra layer of warmth, easy to put on and take off - great for travel, commute, formal events, etc.

because of the vast array of colors you can get, the use of a pashmina in either of these ways can really change the look of an outfit. i dress mostly in solid colors (okay who am i kidding, it's a solid color known as black), so i use these all the time to alter and provide some interest and variation on the look. it's also a great and low-risk way to try out a new color -- rather than investing in a purple winter coat this year, you can partake in the purple craze by getting a purple pashmina and pairing it with several different items in your wardrobe.

use #3: have several (coordinating colors, obvi) rolled up in a basket or bag at home to offer to guests on a chilly night outside (or inside, in the case of my house which we like cold). this function is also a really nice idea i've seen done for an outdoor wedding...we actually almost had pashminas draped on every other seat at our ceremony, but opted for the paper confetti explosion after "i do" instead...priorities, you know?

use #4: as a throw in your home to add a punch of any number of colors...if your bedroom is looking a little drab in cooler months, you can throw a bright yellow or hot pink one over a chair and instantly brighten the space. or if you want to neautralize a space and remove some color, a brown or cream or tan one can go a long way for a very short stack. of singles. okay, that was a stretch.

comment on this post with your thoughts about pashminas and their many uses, and be entered in the tiny treasures drawing to win one in a color of your choice!

the fall already-have list: bag it up

one of the items i most look forward to at the beginning of each season is the bags i'll be switching to. over the summer, i mainly used brightly colored bags many in canvas or cotton (like this one, my favorite this summer). but in fall, for me, it's all about shine, leather, slouch and texture. each of the fall bags i love combine one or more of these elements in their own way, and i am more than ready to make the switch.

one of the bags i am most excited about is this tan, felt-like bag with a thick red stripe. i love it because it looks like an old piece of train luggage or something - i feel like i'm in mid-century europe. in reality though, it came from the gap, on clearance at the end of last winter, so i have barely used it. this fall is really its premiere season.

i also love (and continually try to find use for) this huge prada doctor's bag i got at an outlet about 7 years ago. for a while, i've kicked myself for getting such a big one, because it is seriously large, but at this point, i'm ready to embrace it. i think the problem is it's heavy and big, and the small wrist handle is out of proportion. but enough complaining - it is a gorgeous bag and i'm going to do my best to really rock it this year.

it's also fun to switch wallets, make-up cases and other accessories to be less summery and bright, and more in keeping with your fall and winter style and wardrobe. i think it's little things like this that add little hits of pleasure to your day as you go through your commute, your errands, etc. if i love the wallet i take out of my bag to show my railroad ticket, it makes me smile. and feeling like i'm showing my railroad ticket with a piece of midcentury train luggage...well that's just perfect.

what switches will you be making?

other items on the fall already-have list:

darkness falls

all wrapped up

scent of a season

the fall already-have list: scent of a season

next up on my fall already-have list is my cooler weather fragrance wardrobe, with one great new addition. over the summer, i love to use light fragrances, most specifically coconut, as you might remember. but as cooler temps prevail, i prefer something a little heavier, with musky and spicy flavors. throw in a dash of sweetness and i'm happy.

i love having different scents that i wear in different seasons, but also different scents within the same season - i used to be of the idea that a signature scent was essential to one's personal style, but i fully reject that notion now. i think it's the same as with clothes, jewelry, makeup and any other style detail - should be easy to change and adjust based on mood, event, and any other number of factors that dictate our style choices.

some of my favorite fall and winter standbys are straight patchouli oil, which i get at jean tourmo in woodstock, valentino, which i wore on my wedding day, and bulgari notte which i got on my honeymoon in the bahamas. in addition to loving the scents, i love the memories they evoke for me and the way they transport me in time for just a split second, as only true sensory experiences can.
my favorite new cool weather fragrance is neroli from l'occitane. over the summer, i wandered in there and was very pleasantly reminded of the loveliness of that store - delicate, feminine and of course, tres provencale.





i also fell in love with one of their rose scents (they have two - the one i loved was the nuit de mai) but i figured when i need a new spring fragrance, i could explore that one. but i digress....neroli is an oil used in many, many fragrances, and is often compared to bergamot, and in this perfume is also mixed with orange blossoms. the scent is deep and spicy and sweet.to be sure, i purchased a gift set which was on sale for $20 - it's a very gold, very 90's looking "compass" purse atomizer with three small vials that slide right in. not only do i seriously adore the smell, but apparently, everyone adores it on me. you know when that happens, a scent just really works on you? i have never gotten so many compliments and have never enjoyed deeply inhaling more, with my nose to my wrist, my hair, my clothes...it gets everywhere and it lasts forever. LOVE.

i'm actually thinking about, later in the season maybe, experimenting with mixing the neroli and patchouli. the patchouli is SO strong - i love it, but people smell me from a few blocks away and it gets on everything - like, as in, baby gifts i give smell like patchouli. and kelly and cory's cat smelled like patchouli for a month after sitting on the same chair as my bag. yeah.

other items on the fall already-have list:

darkness falls

all wrapped up

bulgari notte photo from http://www.mega-shops.com/; neroli photo from http://www.loccitane.com/; valentino photo from http://www.fragrancescompared.co.uk/

the fall already-have list: all wrapped up

as you might have read yesterday, i am doing a fall "already-have" list, as opposed to a "fall must-have" list. it's part recession-minded, but also just a general nod to the spirit of being thankful for the things we have. join me! look through your closets and your belongings and take note of the things you're looking forward to bringing back for fall. and share them with me and honey readers!

today's already-have item is wraps, scarves and pashminas -- love, love and more love. all fall and winter, an outfit isn't complete to me without the added loveliness of a scarf. thanks to $5 pashminas all over the city, i have them in several different colors, and a few that are not your run of the mill $5 varieties...two of my favorites are a cream colored one with some sparkly details from kelly and another black one with sparkly gold embroidery. i get tons of use out of both and love to look at them when i'm using them and when they're just waiting on standby for their turns.

the fall already-have list: darkness falls

so all over the place, there are fall "must-have" lists full of peoples' coveted items, some attainable, and others just wishful thinking.

this fall, in the spirit of the recession, i am taking a different mental approach to this list-making. i am making the "already have" list - a list of the things i already have that i'm looking forward to bringing back for fall, rather than things i wish i had. so each day this week, i'll be posting about one of these categories, getting myself excited about the fall style elements i already have or are easily attainable without extra expenditures. i'm thinking this will be more fun and less torturous than filling shopping carts on store websites that i know will never reach the "place order" point.

join me - take a look in your closets and at all your stuff and get prepped for fall. i'd love to hear what you're looking forward to bringing back for the season. what's old is new again. that's my story and i'm sticking to it.

the first one for me is the return of dark nail polish colors. i am totally comfortable putting away the corals and hot pinks until next summer (or a tropical winter vacation). bring on the darkest of the dark! last weekend, i went with opi's suzi says da, which i remember loving on my wedding weekend, but something about it was just a little too dark and dead brown this time, so i brightened it up this week with essie's material girl, a dark but rich and deep, deep reddish color.

other favorites are essie colors sole mate (very, very dark purply brown), lady godiva (dark brown), and wicked (on everyone but me). i have a large collection of these colors myself, but i do always look forward to the new and untried colors my nail place has too.

btw, opi has a new color called here today, aragon tomorrow that's forest green. my 8th grade self was obsessed with forest green and would be very excited. my current self is just mildly curious.

thoughts?

photos from http://www.itsmyheart.org/ , www.talkingcosmetics.com and www.polyvore.com