It's Hump Day plus Wright Brothers Day and Maple Syrup Day. Birthdays: Ford Madox Ford, Penelope Fitzgerald, Art Neville. What fragrance are you wearing?
So AJ Liebling talked to Édith Piaf in 1947, and asked her if she still had "wonderful sad songs" to sing...
"No, I don’t feel the old songs any more. I have evolved. I was never really a pessimist. I believe that there is always a little corner of blue sky, nevertheless, somewhere. In those old songs, there arrived invariably, at the end, a catastrophe. But now I have one called ‘Mariage,’ which is quite different. It begins in the cell of a woman who has already murdered her husband. She reviews her life, she hears the wedding bells, she sees herself in the arms of this man whom she has killed, an innocent young bride. It’s very beautiful.” As for herself, Mlle. Piaf said, she has never married and never killed anybody. “For me, love always goes badly,” she said. “It is perhaps because I have a mania of choosing. I don’t wait to be chosen. That places me in a position of inferiority. And I always choose badly. So the relationships turn out badly. Sometimes only two or three days. But I’m always optimistic.”
So for Mariage, I'm in vintage Guerlain Shalimar. It's what I'd wear to my murder trial.
Reminder: 12/19 is Édith Piaf's birthday. Scent an Édith Piaf song, or honor Édith Piaf with your fragrance in any other way you see fit.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2025, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: image is the cover of the Intégrale 2015 Limited Edition Box Set, available in vinyl and CD if you can find it.
* See Edith Piaf’s Thousand (Delightful) Ways to Bum You Out at The New Yorker.
Bonus watch, with apologies if you have to sit through an ad first: Édith Piaf singing Mariage. You can find the French and English lyrics here.
A more appropriate Piaf rose scent today – Voleur de Roses from L’Artisan, thanks to a generous NSTer. A melancholy loamy rose patchouli or patchouli rose whose melancholy and strength reminds me of Edith Piaf crooning into a microphone at 3 am in a dark smoky club. Then taking a shortcut home under the moon through a cemetery to steal a single rose and place it in a chipped vase in her bare attic room in the gray light of dawn.
Beautiful fragrance and description. I’m there!
ITA w allo! Poetic description to accompany your scent DH!
Voleur de Roses is wonderful stuff.
Getting more of a coconut vibe from this one
https://www.instagram.com/chocolatemarzipan8/p/DSW6cqujhLL/
It looks like a little bit of the snow might be melting? We are having a brief warm up here.
It’s too cold for melting just yet. But it will warm up tomorrow!!!!
Love these pictures!
Our snow has really melted this week.
Thank you Kris! I’m hoping tomorrow we get a nice warm up.
Your photo and scent make me want to go powder skiing CM8!
I say go for it!! ⛷️
😆 so not my life right now. In the future!
Pretty please, send your snow here!
Ha!!! With pleasure!!!
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (from a sample) that suits the storytelling flair of “Milord.” I will layer over to coco noir lotion
https://youtu.be/kLH5xBbIBnY?si=kdhZRaL5S6kO2V6A
Alas, I couldn’t find my sample of Coco M, so I am in No 5 Premiere from a sample. I am tempted to always buy a FB of this one..
I say get a bottle before they reformulate it or just straight up discontinue it.
Do you like this version? I think of you as the Chanel knowledgeable one in this thread.
Right now Sephora has a discount on perfume, I always like the mentioned above or the No5 EdT. What do you think?
In the mood for a chypre but not the sort that takes over your entire personality for the day (you oakmoss fans know what I mean) so I’m in YSL Yvresse, a lighthearted take on the style.
I do love a good fruity chypre. You smell great, pyramus.
Hello.
Sotd is Miss Dior Parfum.
I have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and mummies. If you are interested in that as well, here is a wonderful documentary of modern scientists recreating a mummy by ancient techniques learned through 20yrs of research.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYxUsVOTerQ
Love mummies. The new museum in Cairo is a stunner.
Happy Hump Day!
Sotd SA Rose of Dangerous Flamenco. As I mentioned, is a spicier rose than Portrait of a Lady.
We’re quite fogged in here in LA this morning. There’s even a dense fog advisory out. Definitely an Earl Grey Day!
Whatever your weather, wishing all a beautiful day!
It’s 40 degrees here with sun! I wish you a beautiful day too!
Did the fog ever lift for you?
Yes, and it was a classic sunny & cool day afterwards. A nice surprise.
Tiptoe has to go to the vet for a vaccination today and I am a little concerned about getting her into the carrier. She doesn’t like to be picked up. I’m hoping treats can lure her in. SOTD is Salome.
Hope it goes well with kitty.
Hope that you were able to get Tiptoe kitty to the vet with a minimum of fuss.
Going to the Christmas lights display at Stan Hewitt tonight. I will be applying no 22 for it. I am debating either the edt or the extrait version.
Extrait! 22 is gorgeous
I am following Robin today in Shalimar. I picked the L’Essence version today.
You smell divine!
Thanks!
Siblings!
I’m wearing 31 Rue Cambon, I think of that as one of my most French perfumes, although I bought it in Brisbane, Australia.
I forgot about 31 RC-I am gonna pick a song to match that one…Mon Dieu would be a good match. Maybe I will do this for Friday 🙂
Maybe https://youtu.be/5r3k6Wo1HoE?si=zgPgh7Zi5xmlqgXK
I wore it last week and someone told me I smelled like coffee. I hadn’t heard that one before.
Coffee?? For 31RC? I can’t see (or smell) that either.
It was weird, that’s for sure.
Hove Parfumeur Vetivert
Nice to see a rare Hove sighting 🙂
Back in DSH Ma Folie de Noel. So pretty. It’s licorice/anise, but so much more. It smells less sweet than you might think and very rich to me, more like a vintage French perfume. So in that way, a tiny connection to Piaf.
We are off to get our Christmas tree after lunch. It is wonderful to see blue sky and sunshine today after so much rain in Seattle.
My holy grail licorice is Reglisse Noire. It’s also in my top five of all time and that’s says lot cause I started wearing perfume in the late 60s 😂. How does it compare to RN? I know you like it too and have a bottle. I think you and I are the only ones who do?
Yes, we are the Reglisse Noire duo for sure! These two fragrances are so different. Reglisse Noire is much more “modern” in its airy, peppery, herbal presentation. The Ma Folie is as I said, more vintage perfume style. Beautiful in a different way. I have the roll-on oil, but I would be happy to send you a bit if I can find an appropriate container!
You are so kind for the offer. But I’m trying to use up as much as I can as my collection has grown exponentially!! It sounds lovely and wear it in good health for me. And yes we are definitely the Reglisse Noire twins!!!
Okay – got it. I’ll think of you as I wear them both!
Your Sotd sounds lovely and perfect for getting your tree. We got ours on Sunday and I still need to decorate it🎄
♥ I can’t wait to have our tree wafting its beautiful evergreen fragrance. 🙂 I hope to have it mostly decorated today. We are a bit behind our usual “schedule.”
Pernod and absinthe are French & I are known for anise & I bet Edith Piaf drank them both
Nice connection, thanks. I bet she did!
Glad that you had a break in the weather for picking out your tree today!
♥
I’m in Reglisse Noire. It seemed right today for some reason! I’m packing today, flying out tomorrow. I hope the crazy blizzards are done blowing today since my destination is smack dab in the middle of it!
I’m packing a few travel sprays and some oil perfumery things for my fragrances.
Have a safe and wonderful trip!
Thank you lillyjo!
Safe travels and NO weather delays!!
Thank you! I sure hope there’s no weather delays. It’s almost comical because it never seems to fail that when I fly somewhere, things happen.
Just a few sprays of Allure today for some errand running.
House twins 👯
I’m on the Edith Piaf = Rose train and have worn SL Rose de Nuit and POAL this week. Today is FM Une Rose🌹
Love Piaf, I have been listening to her all week too
I’m getting on that train too!
You’ve had a lovely bouquet of rose perfumes so far this week.
That’s a good one Allo.
Une Rose is perfect!
SOTD = Matiere Parfumerie Vanilla Powder Extrait
Super excellent!
It snowed here on Saturday night into almost mid-day on Sunday. We got a lot of snow but probably paled in comparison with what some of you got. I finally went out to clear the snow around 3:45pm at which time there was hardly any daylight left.
On Monday, I spent the day with my cousin + 2 kids. We went to see my parents’ niche, then had an early lunch at The Pancake House. We then went to Costco and whoa! they only spent $800 which was a lot less than what my aunt and uncle did when they were here about 15 years ago! Anyway, we ended up having a snack at my sister’s before we headed out to Cheesecake Factory and a walk around the mall. It was a LONG day, but very enjoyable!
Did I ever mention that I would only buy lottery tickets when the prize is $750 million +? Well, since I missed the last one on Monday (see above busy), I doubled my bet today. Let’s see how I do! Wish me luck 🍀!
And I posted on Insta (mugs):
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSYZY0AkdqR/?igsh=MWU2b2t1czM4NW11NA==
Good luck! 🍀
Thank you!
Your day sounds fun! Good luck with the lottery!
Thanks! It was fun – I haven’t seen this cousin in almost 10 years!
Costco runs are getting more and more expensive! My brother and I both dropped around $300 the last time we went.
🍀🍀🍀
You are so right! I end up going 6-8 x a year depending on the sales and each time I go I end up spending between $100-$200!
Good luck!
The nicest day we’ve had in a long while – temps up to 40, blue sky, 🌞, and no strong winds like yesterday. SOTD is Guerlain’s Winter Delice from its Aqua Allegoria line, one of my favorite December fragrances. Fir and pine and resins sweetened with a bit of sugar and vanilla. I layer it over a ginger vanilla lotion, mmm good! 😋
Had a wonderful yoga class at my library earlier, now I’m headed out to this month’s classic film at our historic theater, A Christmas Story, one of my favorite holiday films. We watch it every year but seeing it on the big screen in the same theater I saw it in when it first came out is a real treat!📽️🍿
☮️ ❤️ and 🤞to all!
I look forward to my annual viewing of A Christmas Story! That is cool that it’s the same theater. I am pretty sure I did not see until it had been out for years.
Matiere Premiere Radical Rose for Edith Piaf. I like it better than the first time a tried it 🌹
Oy! I misspelled the brand name but I’m sure we’re house twins!
Hunkered down today. The wind has been really bad, closing highways and knocking out power to tens of thousands , if not over 100,000 people along the Front Range. The city of Boulder had 90mph gusts this afternoon. I am so glad my brother had the day off.
SOTD = Hypnotic Poison EdT (this time) with Korres Jasmine body butter in the usual spots.
Jeeze Louise that’s some crazy wind! Do people even go out in that?
Yeah. Folks have to go to work, after all.
But some school districts either cancelled classes or had early dismissal. School buses would not do well, being high profile vehicles.
We are getting it tonight and tomorrow. They are saying 50-70 mph winds.
My area wasn’t horrible. I figure I had 40 – 45mph gusts. That’s still close to Tropical Storm strength, though.
Might get a rerun on Friday.
Oy about the winds! It starts to get noisy here when the wind is above 40mph.
It definitely was noisy here today. I could also feel my building shaking a little bit when the gusts were really kicking up.
I remember once needing to go to a doctor’s appointment on a day with 70 mph gusts. Monarch High School (Louisville) was right across the street from the hospital where the appointment was. And that was the day the roof of the high school gym blew off!
ACK! Hwy 93 down by Golden was closed due to wind. Because of course it was. And it was nasty over by Rocky Flats.
And some friends in Boulder said their power was out – maybe it still is? Stay safe!
Wow, totally missed this news (as usual). Glad it was not awful where you are.
Given some of the things happening in the world right now, Colorado’s weather got moved down in importance (I suspect).
I am studiously avoiding most of those too, that is how I miss the weather news…
I wanted something easy to wear today. I chose Dame Passionfruit Orange blossom and vetiver.
My new boss got under my skin today when he told me I over think things. He Basically thinks I am too fussy when trying to clean up sections of the store. Ugh..
Unfortunately, what your new boss says goes. If he doesn’t give a crap about something, then you probably should follow suit even if it sucks.
What an a-hole 😡. You did think that you may have a run in with the new boss …
Ugh is right. Sorry lillyjo.
Oh dear. So hard when you are not appreciated.
RIP Gil Gerard, star of “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”. He was 82.
I don’t know him but his picture does look vaguely familiar so I must have seen him in something!
No points for me. Due to a toddler mishap, my haircut got moved from yesterday to today and I wore Carthusia 1681 for that.
I’m having a bit of trouble coming up with something scented for this CP. I do have a YouTube clip that relates to Edith Piaf’s song, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, but it’s so very NSFW that I’m hesitant to post it here. 👀 It pokes fun at non-francophiles’ misconstruction of French words in a very hilarious way, and while I have a very soft spot for mondegreens in general, I think this clip might offend a number of NSTers. So I’m on the fence.
Huh. I guess you could post it with a warning? But if you think it will upset somebody maybe better not? (Not saying that as the comment monitor, just as advice, you do what you think best)
Super late to the party – it’s Thursday morning here already.
Anyway, I wore Chanel No. 5 EDT paired with Sous le Ciel de Paris. It’s not a perfect match, but No. 5 carries that unmistakable French nostalgia that echoes the feeling of the song.
Parfait!