Fragrances from History

Caroline Graham Swann

Hello, darlings! Doesn’t a touch of perfume add to one’s femininity? A lovely fragrance is always the last part of my dressing for the day or night. A woman should be aware of the power of perfume to enhance her identity, personality, and allure. Even my dogs know when I am ready for the day when they smell the mist of my perfume: it usually means I am going somewhere and they run for the front door, begging to go also. At times I must tell them, “No, little angels, I am not going out. The perfume is just for me as I feel naked without it.”

Perfumes have an interesting history and they are created in three categories, floral, chypre, and oriental.

Houbigant’s Quelques Fleurs, meaning the heart of many flowers, is my favorite French Perfume. This fragrance just mixes perfectly with my body chemistry, and that is the art of choosing the most enhancing scent. Always wear a sample of perfume for a day to understand how it blends with one’s personal chemistry. My favorite scent was created just before World War 1, and it became the most noted French perfume for the soldiers to bring home for their sweethearts, wives, mothers, daughters, or any treasured woman. It was rare and difficult to find in America at that time, but the import of the exquisite French perfume by returning military men brought the feminine gift of elegance and luxury captured in a scent.

l’Heure Bleue was another popular French fragrance during World War 1.

At the end of the First World War, Guarani’s Mitsouka, an oriental scent, was the rage of preferred perfume for women. The era of the Second World War gave creation to Rocha’s Femme, a lovely, very feminine scent. I recommend trying this one.

The Oriental category of perfume includes Guerlain’s Shalimar, the favorite for the 1920’s when designer Paul Poiret hosted decadent soirees in Paris for the Ballet Russes, and the world was captivated in mists of Guerlain’s Shalimar.

CoCo Chanel celebrated her 87th birthday by launching the last perfumeshe personally created: Chanel No’19. Her famous last scent has an immediate impression of freshness and luxury combined. This last fragrance was introduced on August 19, 1970. CoCo wanted to bring a modern scent into her collection of French Perfumes.

Ombre Rose, a very soft feminine scent, refined and poetic, was created by Jean-Charles Brosseau in 1981. Ombre is French for “shadow,” and roses are usually identified by the color of pink, so he chose the name that “life is shadowed by happiness.” This is a marvelous perfume touched by a mysterious scent of delicate roses.

Darling , I am sure my love of fine French perfume will bring other articles about special fragrances. Plan a fun day exploring the listed perfumes in this area’s Fragrance Outlet at Five Oaks, Sevierville. It is almost like being in a marvelous perfume shop in Paris, as the shop has all of these fine French perfumes. Aren’t we lucky to fine the real perfume so close!