I am at heart a gentleman.
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Bandit is another Piguet scent that for me has always been associated with Marlene Dietrich; whenever I smell it, I see Dietrich in her trademark suit, with a cigarette-holder casually and elegantly smouldering in her hand. According to Jan Moran, this scent was in fact one of the star’s favorites; Dietrich had the kind of confidence and insouciance that must have made fragrances like Fracas, Bandit and Tabac Blonde seem absolutely stunning and natural on her.
In my opinion, Bandit requires even more flair and chic from its wearer than its sibling Fracas and it is not an easy scent for me to wear. The beginning is harsh and potent, mostly a smoky and viciously green galbanum with a vague citrus accord hidden somewhere within that smoke, however, the scent subsides, it is quite shocking, how it changes and becomes much quieter. Within five minutes or so after the application, Bandit is an elegant, refined fragrance with notes of peppery rose and green jasmine, with the leather note being just sharp enough to keep the scent true to its provocative name. The drydown is moss-green and animalic and très sensuel; it is perhaps my favourite part of the fragrance. There must be some magic in both Piguet scents to make me like them as much as I do; apart from Fracas and Bandit I don’t really “do” heady white florals and chypres.
Bandit is a stunning scent, the one that works exceptionally well when one is dressed especially sharp and is in a mood to act rather aloof. Chanel said, "elegance is refusal", and that describes Bandit perfectly to me; it is an elegant perfume that says No.
In my opinion, Bandit requires even more flair and chic from its wearer than its sibling Fracas and it is not an easy scent for me to wear. The beginning is harsh and potent, mostly a smoky and viciously green galbanum with a vague citrus accord hidden somewhere within that smoke, however, the scent subsides, it is quite shocking, how it changes and becomes much quieter. Within five minutes or so after the application, Bandit is an elegant, refined fragrance with notes of peppery rose and green jasmine, with the leather note being just sharp enough to keep the scent true to its provocative name. The drydown is moss-green and animalic and très sensuel; it is perhaps my favourite part of the fragrance. There must be some magic in both Piguet scents to make me like them as much as I do; apart from Fracas and Bandit I don’t really “do” heady white florals and chypres.Bandit is a stunning scent, the one that works exceptionally well when one is dressed especially sharp and is in a mood to act rather aloof. Chanel said, "elegance is refusal", and that describes Bandit perfectly to me; it is an elegant perfume that says No.
Bandit is available at Nordstom Online, $65.00-$190.00
Tomorrow, Greta Garbo and Le Parfum de Therese
I enjoy the EdP from time to time, but I must say that I've been let down by that leather note. I can almost enver find it, way too subtle on my skin. I've decided to give the EdT a go though, for the reason boisdejasmin mentions...
ReplyDeleteGreat review, as always.
V, the concentration I am familiar with the most is EDT and I don't think I want Bandit to be any softer, it wouldn't be right, no? :-) I almost *enjoy* that brutal blast of harshness that hits one in the first second.
ReplyDeleteDear shifts, thank you! I really think you might like EDT the best, "subtle" is not the word to use when describing it and I find the leather note to be quite prominent.
ReplyDeleteGreat review of a truly wonderful fragrance, M. I do not wear Bandit frequently, but it is one of those fragrances that is so iconic that it makes me happy just to know that it exists.
ReplyDeleteIconic. I absolutely agree, R. Not easy to wear but a must have nevertheless for me.
ReplyDeleteI had never read that Chanel quote before. How perfect! That is exactly what I look for in a perfume—refusal. I thought it was perverse, since so many girls are looking for a perfume that says "come here" and I am looking for one that says "stay right where you are and don't move, sonny." I smelled Bandit again the other day in Sephora and remembered how much I need to buy a bottle pronto—it does exactly this.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it? It isn't a snuggly wuggly scent LOL It isn't a temptress scent either. I think we all need at least one of those in our collections.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this scent is back- this was the scent that my mother captured my father with. He liked to tell the story that he first saw her tearing through town in her convertible Ninety-Eight and was smitten, later seeing her, raven-haired and emerald-eyed, all six feet of her in a store. Within two weeks, he had pursued her until she agreed to marry her. "I chased her until she caught me" was the way he put it.
ReplyDeleteShe moved on to Miss Dior and Joy from the reckless youth in her convertible. but I still remember when she would go out on "dates" with my father: the smell of Bandit as she would kiss us goodnight...
You paint such a wonderful picture of your mother. Raven-haired and emerald-eyed, in a convertible. What a stunner!
ReplyDelete