Pop Culture Fun: The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger

So I just finished the delightful confection of a series, The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger, and after reading the series for the last few years knew I had to do a post for perfuming the characters. It helps that Carriger assigns certain scents to her characters in the book that I immediately had an idea of what would go with them. So without further ado, here is my fragrance assignations to the characters of The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger.

Alexia Tarabotti, later Lady Maccon.
This was far too easy considering Carriger describes through Conall Maccon that Alexia smells of "vanilla and cinnamon." The first scent that came to mind was L de Lolita Lempicka, that absurdly delicious combo of vanilla, cinnamon, orange, and musk. Yet, in the last book Timeless when they were in Egypt, Conall then describes her smelling much like a delicious Egyptian pastry. I then thought of the delicious scent of Hermes Ambre Narguile which also uses vanilla and cinnamon, highlighted by powder, tobacco, apples, and dates. So for me Alexia has two scents: L de Lolita Lempicka or Ambre Narguile.

Madame Genevieve Lefoux
This also was a fairly easy first identification, Genevieve is frequently described of smelling of "motor oil and vanilla" and dressing as a man in the series. I immediately thought of Bvlgari Black, a scent of vanilla, lapsang souchang, leather, and funky urbanism. It is one of the most interesting vanillic scents you can try and immediately fit Genevieve. Yet, as I thought about it more I could not help but think that L'Artisan's Dzing! would be an excellent fit also with the use of vanilla and combination of saffron and leather notes giving it a rather motor-y quality.

Ivy Hisselpenny
So for Ivy I knew that her scent was going to have to be big, over the top, and agreeable. As much her style is discordant her character while trying to be actress-y as possible is also jolly and rather agreeable. I immediately knew she was Victor&Rolf's Flowerbomb, the scent of fruits, caramel, and really well behaved patchouli and vanilla yet it is extremely effusive. You know when you are in the trail of Flowerbomb and for the most part you don't mind even if it is rather ridiculous at times.

Lord Akeldama
To some extent scenting Lord Akeldama was almost like scenting Ivy, they both shared the need for scents that are big and over the top. My first thought was to Jean Paul Gaultier's Fleur de Male if there was ever a scent to hit the sweet spot of very sweet, fluffy, feminine, but kept some masculine qualities this is the one. The bounce of intensely fluffy powdery white orange blossoms with Gaultier musk just makes me think of Akeldama, but I would also add I can easily Akeldama wearing Classique, that spiced boudoir powdery floral of Gaultier's.

Biffy 
Biffy is the epitome of the perfect dandy and that is why I can easily see him in that perfect dandy of a scent, Guerlain's Jicky. That lavender confection of musk and vanilla fitting perfectly with his immaculate style and sensibilities, but by the end of the series Biffy's status in life has changed quite a bit, and I see him while still wearing Jicky on his days of relaxation, but his new scent is Dior Homme. That powdery iris chocolate scent that belie's a bit more power and confidence in his new role in life.

Professor Lyle
Lyle's scent was going to have to be simple, discreet, and very calm. I easily saw him in the easy calm creamy sandalwood scent of Diptyque's Tam Dao. It is unobtrusive but unique easily going with the character of Lyle.

Conall Maccon
This was a bit of a stumper for me, because well the reality is Conall is easily a character I can see not wearing anything at all, but I can also easily imagine at some point Biffy, Alexia, and Akeldama basically in their own ways making him wear a fragrance for events. So I see them choosing Burberry's London for men, a scent of peaty scotch and earth, an easy reference to the Highlands he comes from. He will grumble about it but I imagine every once awhile when no one is noticing he will sniff the bottle with a tiny very masculine sigh of pleasure.