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

Pop Culture Perfume Series: Claire Underwood of House of Cards

Earlier this year my boyfriend and I were very very addicted to Netflix's House of Cards and I still think it was one of the best things I watched this year (I have actually watched a lot of phenomenal tv this year now that I think of it). The character that fascinated me the most was Claire Underwood played by Robin Wright. Claire Underwood is perhaps one of the most interesting female characters on television this year she is ruthless, powerful, fierce, intelligent, and above all wants power and prestige from her work. She is a rare sight in television and while I could be abhorred by her actions I found her the most fascinating because Wright could every once in awhile show a glimmer of vulnerability underneath that rather onyx like facade maybe just maybe a little regret over a few of her choices. My fascination with her quickly came to what perfume would this woman wear. I then came to the conclusion that I would have to make three choices for her dictated by what facade she was showing that day Claire Underwood the politician's wife, Claire Underwood during business, and Claire Underwood who randomly every once in awhile likes to think she is bohemian.

First up Claire Underwood playing at bohemian, this side of Claire is rare, and comes out when she is having her affair, the truth is this not really who she is but rather a character she every once in awhile she likes to think she is. You will not find her putting on random perfume oils but rather I suspect she would reach for Serge Luten's Chergui. It's a cold interesting soft mellow scent of musk, tobacco, honey, and incense that undeniably makes other's lean in to smell but at the same time it does not scream seduction rather whispers of sensuality.

So coming up with Claire Underwood's everyday scent was harder let's face it this woman does not wear florals. No, I had to go to the variety of woodsy and chypre. I then remembered Ormonde Woman by Ormonde Jayne, this is a soft chypre but a chypre none the less with an amazing hemlock note. This scent is easily workable but it is powerful in that it does not play on traditional notes considered feminine.

Finally there is Claire Underwood the politician's wife, this is the glamorous side that Claire uses to help her husband to navigate and win in Washington. I like to think she puts on Estee Lauder's Private Collection Jasmin White Moss when she wants to comes off as serene, a chypre that radiates coolness and clarity yet is very strong.


Claire Underwood image provided by www.btchflcks.com