Ralph Lauren Love, UESism and Ninaisms

Decidedly, I have been spending too much time in the UES. And 40 hours a week in West Midtown apparently haven't even started to cure my UESism. To wit: my affection for Love, the limited edition perfume by Ralph Lauren. Actually "affection for a perfume by Ralph Lauren" is, perhaps, a symptom of UESism, in and of itself. Chandler Burr describes Love thus: "It’s as conventionally beautiful as the women in the “Fifth Avenue to Lexington above 70th but below 96th” zone, all getting their hair highlighted at the same salon. There’s zero edge...(...)" And I completely agree. It's one of those perfumes that is hard to break down into ingredients because it is so...prettysmoothperfumeygeneric. With emphasis on pretty and generic. As prettily generic as, well, Lauren's or Kors's fashion. (It is "aesthetically pleasing", it is cohesive, it is reliable, it is oftentimes impeccable, but edgy it is not) As generically pretty as Tiffany jewelry. (Again, it is mostly timeless and flawless and makes an unerring gift and I want more of it, make no mistake about it, please...I am panicking a little bit here, what if I never get another blue box after this?!...All I am saying is Tiffany is not avant garde. But neither am I!) Is generic too harsh a word? Perhaps. Let's call it approachable, universal. Which is in a way ironic, when one applies those words to describe something evocative of UES. To make the long story short, Love will not take the prize for the most innovative perfume of our generation. Or the generation before. But the slight bitter booziness of the top notes, the simultaneously ripe-honeyed and sparkling quality of the rose in its heart, the creamy, appropriately luxurious feel of amber and sandalwood in the base are, to me, very appealing... especially that strange bitter booziness...Love is pretty (not beautiful- pretty), elegant, wearable, versatile...it is something that, when worn, would never make anybody "question your taste level". And, as Burr points out: "... it will make quite a few men in the East 80’s lean appreciatively into the necks of quite a few smartly dressed women." And that's always a bonus. Available in an egalitarian range of prices, from $90.00 to $600.00 for a fancy, rather cheesy crystal flacon. Fellow Project Runway fans, so what did you think of this season? Image source, Vogue.

Eye Candy: Nacho Figueras The Face of Ralph Lauren The World of Polo

The professional polo champion Nacho Figueras was announced by Ralph Lauren Fragrances as the face of The World of Polo, a new advertising campaign shot by Bruce Weber to promote the triumvirate of RL masculines, Polo Modern Reserve, Polo Blue and Polo Black. More Eye Candy HERE.

Ralph Lauren Romance Always Yours: Perfume Review

It has been ten years since I smelled the original Romance. And frankly, the only reason I was curious to try the "new chapter of everlasting love", Romance Always Yours, was ...advertising, the print ad and the TV commercial, both featuring my favorite Valentina Zelyaeva. It might be that I am more of a sucker than I imagined or it might be that I am just in a mood for this running-with-wind-in-wavy-hair-to-prince-on-white-horse kind of imagery, but they worked. I am also apparently in a mood for fresher scents than I usually am and for more...how shall I put this?...conventionally pretty ones than I usually choose. I will admit that I don't remember the first Romance all that well, but it seems to me that Always Yours is spicier, creamier and muskier than the original. Ginger and freesia are the first notes I smell and this dazzling-pink accord stays in the forefront for the duration of the fragrance on my skin (and let me tell you, Always Yours is truly everlasting). Rose makes the floral blend sweeter, while what I imagine is lily freshens it considerably. I could easily do without that much freshness, but I suppose it goes with the "conventionally pretty" territory and with Ralph Lauren brand image in general. I like the clean floral muskiness of the drydown...Always Yours is not, I repeat, not what I would wear on any sort of consistent basis, simply because I won't have that many perfect occasions to do so (see below), but I am rather drawn to its classic and approachable prettiness. This is a perfume to choose for a first day with somebody who, you suspect, is not that much into perfume. Or to meet the guy's conservative parents. Or to marry the said boy in a traditional sort of ceremony. If you foresee any of the above happening in your life, look for Romance Always Yours at department stores, $60.00-$72.00 for Elixir de Parfum, $225.00 for Parfum. The image, by Bruce Weber, is courtesy of Ralph Lauren.

In Which I Am Concious of Being Jaded ...Or a Review of Ralph Lauren Notorious

"A New Russian goes to Louvre and comes out unimpressed. So how does it look inside?- asks a friend. Rather poor but clean, answers a New Russian" (A New Russian joke) In the review of Lancôme's new and decent Magnifique I already reflected on how too much knowledge can be a bad thing. The more I smell the harder it is for me to enjoy what I am smelling, because my jaded senses require no less than Surprising to be aroused. And the more I smell the less there are surprises. The solution might be to take a break from perfumes for a couple of years and come back with a clean slate...I doubt that I would ever take such an extreme measure, but I do wonder whether the perfumes that I now consider to be run-of-the mill, ordinary, unexciting, same-y, "rather poor but clean" are not in fact wonderful or at least really good, and I am just unable to appreciate their beauty, because I am JADED. This brings me to Notorious, Ralph Lauren's newest release, "the provocative accessory of modern glamour...the fragrance that silently commands the attention of the room". The jaded me says that the creators must have liked Coco Mademoiselle and Black Orchid a lot, because the berry-chocolate-patchouli combo with the slightly fresh overtones seems to pay a homage to Chanel's and Tom Ford's creations. What would the me who came back from a break and is discovering the world of fragrances anew think? I believe she would find Notorious surprisingly deep and dark, and she would appreciate the interplay of dry freshness and resinous gourmandness. She would consider Notorious to be elegant and a little playful, a nice evening fragrance, a scent for glammed up but not too officious occasions. And because, having been perfume-starved for years, she is now again in the stage of accumulation of bottles, she would actually buy Notorious even if she just likes and not loves-loves it. That is what I think she would do, we will, of course, never know, because taking a break from perfume is impossible. And might it not be that jadedness is an incurable desease, which, once cought, stays with you forever, poisoning your mind with ennui? On that cheerful note...have a good weekend, everybody! Notorious is available at ralphlauren.com or Sephora, $45.00-$85.00.