Pop Culture Perfume Series: Zoe Barnes of House of Cards

Zoe Barnes is interesting in that she is young and ambitious but not stupid, naivety is not her thing. She has an arsenal of tools to get what she wants and what she wants is her stories in doing so though she ends up crossing the line multiple times but it seems by the end of season 1 she is finding her ethics after getting stuck in the spider web that is Frank Underwood. One of her greatest tools is knowing how to manipulate those that assume a great deal about her looks and youth so finding the right fragrance for her was difficult. The reality when Zoe is working on her articles and not trying to manipulate with her allure I quite frankly doubt she wears a fragrance so when I considered choosing a fragrance for her I considered the fact she would consider this a tool and maybe a hint of status in it not necessarily something that is about her own sensual enjoyment. So her fragrance had to be a work horse for seduction something that would automatically get her the attention she wants, like the infamous form fitting white dress she uses to catch Frank Underwood's eye.

If there is one scent I know of that can be counted on to elicit notice from the opposite sex it is Narciso Rodriguez for Her. What makes it such a work horse of scent for attraction is that it is so perfectly silky and alluring no note is over the top, it is all about allure. I can easily see Zoe using this scent as a part of arsenal of tools it is noticeable yet tasteful and not too young, it projects a maturity that she wants both in work and in her life. Strangely I think the edition of the scent she would use is the Eau de Parfum with it's more enhanced rose note and use of peach I feel it goes even better with all of her white seduction dresses.

image from Feature Fix

SOTD: Narciso Rodriguez edt

Sometimes you just want the original and in this case I am talking about Narciso Rodriguez eau de toilette. While there are examples of fragrances in the "new" chypre category before NR edt (Cabaret by Gres and Coco Madamoiselle by Chanel) it wasn't until NR edt that the category really launched and became so ubiquitous. I have dabbled in a few of the offspring and enjoyed them (Lovely by SJP). But in truth nothing really compares to the original but then again it is because NR edt gets one thing very right, the woods ,which uses the now ubiquitious clean patchouli/vetiver note perfectly, the woods in it are consistently smooth, there is no irritating buzz. Which now brings me to the irritating buzz of clean patchouli that is overly raspy in many fragrances now that consider themselves to be a part "new" chypre or the fresh orientals, first up Badgley Mischka original, the opening in this is quite nice a fruity liquor with hints of osmanthus (the same osmanthus that can be found in NR edt), but the drydown is in my opinion on the cheap side, flat and at the same time a rasping buzz that can be headache inducing (they should have taken notes from Coco Madamoiselle on how to get it right). Now there is the new David Yurman, which is to me pure buzzing headache inducing clean patchouli with raspy vetiver and citrus. The insipidness of the clean patchouli note leaves you wanting the big camphorous skanky patchouli that can be found in Angel, and that is sad because there are plenty of Angel offspring out there. So fragrance industry why don't we try and do something different?

On to something to look forward to: Narciso Rodriguez is bringing out a new fragrance this spring and I am looking very much forward to it, he helped to create what I consider now a classic, and I am very heartened by his belief in slowly creating something and focusing on the details, we need more of that in the fragrance industry.

image provided by http://blog.libero.it/evalunaracconta/5523164.html
image: Femme a Colombe by Tamara de Lempicka

SOTD: Narciso Rodriguez body creme

I admit I usually only wear Narciso Rodriguez on nights out, but I wanted something luxurious today, and the body creme seemed like the perfect option. Today going with another striking Leo and Diane Dillon cover, this one always stops me during shelving and requires examination of just how lovely it is.

I seem to be having a Madonna moment, well from the last record of her's I really enjoyed and had some relavancy to me, and features hot cowboys:


image provided by http://toasted-scimitar.blogspot.com/
image: Enchantress From The Stars by Leo and Diane Dillon
video uploaded by power1093

SOTD: Narciso Rodriguez EdT

So today my boyfriend and I celebrating our 5 year anniversary. Explains all the romantic imagery and music, but hey it only happens once a year. Technically our anniversary was on Tuesday, but quite simply both of us were overloaded with school this week so we saved Saturday to be the day of celebration. I'm choosing to wear the sensual Narciso Rodriguez today, my boyfriend has always enjoyed it on me, and well I felt Euphoria would be to heavy for the season. This is such a lovely satin skin scent, everything about it seems to be about the glow of skin. Hope everyone has lovely day.

Song: Nothing Can Change This Love by Sam Cooke

Quote of the Day: Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century. -- Dame Edna Everage, In a television interview with Joan Rivers

image provided by artmagick.com

image: The Painter's Honeymoon by Frederic Lord Leighton circa 1864

Most Worn In April: Narciso Rodriguez

So unlike the last months I apparently did barely any repeating, the only fragrance that ended up going beyond two times was Narciso Rodriguez.
image provided by artnet.com
Lily, Imperial Pink by Irving Penn

SOTD: Narciso Rodriguez

Quote of the Day: I'm thirty years old, but I read at the thirty-four-year-old level.-- Dana Carvey

image provided by http://www.traceymcnee.com/WebPages/Stephanie_Rew.html

Scarlet Kimono by Stephanie Rew

SOTD: Narciso Rodriguez

To quite simple put it Valentine's day is also my boyfriend's birthday and so in honor of him I am wearing one of his favorites. Which also coincidently features a prominent note of osmanthus. The scent of osmanthus this time sweetly luminous hinting at the scent of the skin of apricots; which is perfect considering over all Narciso Rodriguez for her edt evokes the quality of warm skin. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

image provided by art.com

The Kiss by Auguste Rodin

Flight of Fancy: Some really pretty clothes I can't afford but gives me ideas

So pretty!! Narcisco Rodriguez. This dress would go perfect with Narciso's perfume.

Once again I love the color. Narcisco Rodriguez

So simple but I adore this colore. Narciso Rodriguez.

Quire simple Abaete owns my sole. I want to be in Capri wearing this.

So simple but wonderfully figure flattering. -Abaete

Modern but classic, plus answers my need for a cream and black combo-Abaete

My god Abaete is making me love sea foam green, so wrong but so right.

Okay I am loving the coral detailing of this dress. Once again Philip Lim. Overall his collection was beautiful and very wearable.

Once again Lim, I don't think I could pull off the color but I love the detailing and overall look.

Suddenly I am liking yellow and I love the cut and relaxed flirty look of this-Philip Lim