SOTD: Bois des Iles

What always strikes me about Bois des Iles is how utterly unique it is and yet how it is completely familiar to me, for Chanel it completely blows off of the idea that all Chanels are some strange alien cool creatures that just reek of cool chicness (which is what you want a lot of the times anyways). For me it is what a fairytale would look like in the hands of Coco Chanel. As for the familiarity of the scent, I can't explain it, it smells of home too me, it smells like it should be every where, but it isn't. It is the scent that makes you question why on earth are there not more scents in its category of aldehydic woods. It glows, it evolves, it is woods, perfect glow of an orange in Autumn twilight, gingerbread in shadows waiting to be eaten.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Lot 153: Illustration of a Fox Hunting Party Traveling Through the Woods by Henry James Soulen

SOTD: Bois des Iles

So today is one of those chilly rainy days where I need to get a lot done so naturally I reached for the woody elegant comfort of Bois des Iles. Now on to the bigger news, the date went really well, we have a second date on Saturday and the schedule for that is we first visit a book store, then go watch Watchmen, and after that Ethiopian for dinner.

image provided by http://reset-info.com/2008/04/amy-sol.html

image: image by Amy Sol

SOTD: Bois des Iles

Today I am going with Bois des Iles, it just seems appropiate in this cold weather, I could actually see my breath all day yesterday while I was outside. It has also occurred to me that Bois des Iles would be an appropiate scent for a cats sensibilities. Which leads me to how animals react to perfume: I once wore Ava Luxe's Rasa and a kitten adored me for it, she would not stop sniffing and licking my wrist. Rex on the other hand is hilarious, when I was petsitting him, I ended up getting a sample of Magnifique which he enjoyed so much that he decided he needed to lick my wrist, but if he doesn't like a scent he will sneeze and then look at me with an expression of "Why on earth?!"

Kitten update: Yesterday was quite the roller coaster, I admit the more I looked at the pictures, I fell in love with the black kitten, Celena, unfortunately I got a call from her shelter parent to learn that she had eye herpes, which is contagious, and with my roommate having a cat also, the shelter parent and I both agreed we probably weren't a good match. I hope Celena finds a good home because she sounds like a wonderful little kitten. The shelter parent then gave me another number for a woman whom apparently specializes in kitten adoptions; I was able to get a hold of the shelter parent last night and she sent me images of two adorable grey tabby kittens, that I am hoping to be able to meet on Thursday. Interesting info I learned: you will have no real idea of the character of a kitten until around 4 months, so that is the adoption age I am now looking for, what can I say I want a cuddle bug kitten, and you have no idea if they will be that way until around 4 months.

image provided by artmagick.net

image: At Home: A Portrait by Walter Crane 1872

Most Worn In November: Ambre Russe, Bois des Iles, Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

Bois des Iles

Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

Ambre Russe

I was all over the place in November from the decadence of Ambre Russe, the pure flirtatiousness of Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti, and gentleness of Bois des Iles.

all images provided by artnet.com
El no la veia como (he did not see her as...) by Luis Gonzalez Palma 2004

Flower Pink by Nobuyoshi Araki

Opera, Buenos Aires by Nicolas Ruel 2008

SOTD: Bois des Iles

I suppose if there is any good news to getting over this relationship I once had is that my days so far have been full. I am determined though in this process to find beauty even it should be on the melancholy side. Bois des Iles I have always said is on the theraputic side with its heavy dose of sandalwood, so today I wear it with needed clarity. I leave you also with the heartbreakingly beautiful musician Jeff Buckley.
Tea: PG Tips special blend
Music: The Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley

image provided by artnet.com

image: Italian Lakes by Baron Arild Rosenkrantz

video uploaded by andreslavegarden

SOTD: Bois des Iles

Few fragrance houses do I associate with a specific art movement, but Chanel's early creations Bois des Iles, Chanel N.5, and Chanel N.22 immediately for me bring to mind the Art Deco movement. Maybe it is not so odd considering these masterpieces of fragrance were created during the time of this movement; I wonder is it possible to have Art Deco fragrances? But as I think of it more, I think I associate aldehydes with Art Deco, consider Baghari which was originally created in 1951 which when I smell I always get an Art Deco image in my head. What makes Bois des Iles even more intriguing to me is that to my nose is that it is the most magical and natural smelling of Chanel's fragrances, two descriptions I do not usually associate with Chanel.

Most Worn In July: Bois des Iles

Broke the osmanthus spell with what is becoming my favorite sandalwood, Bois des Iles.

image provided by http://borradores.blogia.com/2007/marzo.php

image by Flor Garduno

SOTD: Bois des Iles

I woke up today and all I want is comfort. Somedays the wrong mood is what happens, still the weather is perfect today.
provided by me

image: Princesses by Kay Nielsen

SOTD: Bois des Iles

Quote of the Day: Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be. -- Jim Horning
In the middle of summer I am utterly in love with the autumnal delight of Bois des Iles. As much as everyone describes it as an autumn fragrance, I think this works perfectly year round, there is a transparency to this scent that pushes it to be a year round fragrance, and the sandalwood is so perfectly cool that well here I am wearing it in the middle of the summer. I think tomorrow I am pulling at Ava Luxe's Royal Parvati to go with this sandalwood jonesing and I admit I have also been smelling my bottle of Burberry Brit Gold which is a sumptious sandalwood which is most definately meant for the colder months.

image provided by www.nocloo.com

Image: Songs and Sonnets by Charles Robinson

SOTD: Bois des Iles by Chanel

Quote of the Day: And remember, no matter where you go, there you are. -- Earl Mac Rauch, from "Buckaroo Bansai"

To say I had a long weekend is an understatement. I attended two graduations (the big one being my boyfriend's), a graduation party, and took my father out to lunch. And to top it off last night I ended up getting awful stomach cramps. I'm feeling much better now, but that was not fun.

So I am finally trying out the legendary Chanel Bois des Iles, so utterly lovely and soothing, the first time I have ever wanted to call a fragrance aromatherapy aldehyde. This has one of the most beautiful notes of sandalwood I have ever smelled. It is also the first time I have ever wanted to associate a Chanel fragrance with fairytales, Chanel for me has always been thoroughly modern with clean precise edges, but Bois des Iles is Chanel's take fairytales, crystal clear but wonderfully soft, like sunlight through crystal.

And because I finally like Coldplay again (I really hated their last album) and I heard it all over the radio stations, and because I think it is the perfect song for George R. R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series, Viva La Vida:



image provided by http://www.animationarchive.org/2005/12/media-kay-nielsen-twelve-dancing.html
Image by Kay Nielsen from Twelve Dancing Princesses
video uploaded by daniloprudente