YSL Paris

By Beth There are some fragrances that I will always love, regardless of how many different variations of the original appear over the years and Yves St. Laurent's completely irrepressible scent "Paris" is one of them! Maybe it's simply a matter of the power of suggestion, I mean come on, who couldn't resist a perfume named after one of the loveliest cities in the world! A lot has been written about this perfume and for good reason. It’s finally old enough to have become a classic, but it’s not jaded nor is it “old” . Like it’s namesake city it’s completely perfect! Paris is a very appropriate fragrance for a lot of different occasions, whether it be a wedding or an afternoon tea, or even (especially!) a casual morning spent in bed with a latte’ and the style magazine of the Sunday New York Times. This is a fragrance that works well for many occasions. This bright scent loves denim or taffeta and I've worn it successfully with both! Paris is a soft cotton oversized boyfriend shirt, cashmere and pearls or a very bohemian bit of velvet and wicked black lace. This fragrance isn't officious or the least bit pretentious, it's fun and just sweet enough to be extraordinarily flirtatious and totally beguiling. This winsome little Parisian just wants to get on a bicycle built for two with her lover and ride alongside the river, enjoying a picnic and a very good time. If she ends up at a gallery for an opening or her mothers for dinner even better, she’s completely prepared and she might even sneak in an espresso and a cigarette along the way...Trust me, not many perfumes can do all that in one day! Every year they (YSL) launch a new limited edition version of the scent with a gorgeous variation of the bottle. This seasons version is housed in a lovely translucent rose colored flacon, is named Paris “Premieres Roses” and sounds like an absolute dream blend of Lily of the Valley, Centifolia rose , orange blossom ,violet and peony and I absolutely can’t wait to try it , however, no matter how many versions they create, I’m pretty sure that traditional Paris will remain my tried and true favorite, always making me happy every time that I wear it. Traditional Paris is a contemporary yet very seductive fragrance, elegant and redolent of vanilla, rose, bergamot and sandalwood, along with just enough violet to make any occasion simply magical! Smelling this always taken back to fresh Laduree macarons, gorgeous flowers and carriage rides shared with my husband whilst munching away happily on a bag of steaming, freshly roasted chestnuts! YSL’s Paris is as delicious as a chilled flute of champagne , made even more festive with a lump of sugar and a juicy drop of cassis and as jaunty as a perfectly tied Hermes scarf! This is the one perfume that I’ve always got packed in my weekend getaway bag along with my black pumps, favorite Lipstick Queen lipstick and my Ralph Lauren wrap dress. But today I’m not going anywhere! It’s Sunday morning and my husband thinks that this perfume is simply edible…bring the champagne and macarons back to bed and the scarf be damned…….. Here’s to a wonderful day filled with sweet French dreaming! I’ve found Yves Saint Laurent's Paris easily at Nordstoms, Dillards or Saks Fifth Avenue.

Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne: Perfume Review

I feel pretty, Oh, so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright! And I pity Any girl who isn't me tonight. I feel charming, Oh, so charming It's alarming how charming I feel! And so pretty That I hardly can believe I'm real. ... I feel stunning And entrancing, Feel like running and dancing for joy, For I'm loved By a pretty wonderful boy! Yves Saint Laurent's new Parisienne sings this songs, and it twirls, and it smiles, and it winks and it is so full of joy and so pleased with itself and the world that it might simply burst like a fantastic pink bubble and rain down in a myriad rose petals. Ah, so pretty!- I exclaimed the moment I smelled it. So romantic. So unashamedly feminine. So exactly like what I didn't know I really wanted. The ad... and I can't remember last time I liked an advertising this much... the concept of "the glamour and seductive allure of a Parisian woman" and the list of notes, "with a vinyl accord, said to add a modern twist to the fragrance and evoke the gloss, varnish or metal of a spike heel" (source) present the fragrance as a little more sensual, darker and edgier than it is on my skin. I repeat, I adore the advertising for Parisienne and I don't think that it clashes with the fragrance, but the smell, to me, would be represented even better by a lighter, brighter, girlier visuals like those for Miss Dior Cherie (another campaign that I love). The perfume had me at bonjour with its sweet-and-tangy accord of cranberry and rose. I have been looking for the mouthwatering sugary sourness in a perfume ever since I encountered it in Quel Amour. The Goutal's creation was a little too acidulated. I found some in Sophia Grojsman's earlier creation, 100% Love, but, although strikingly unique, it was ultimately too sweet. Parisienne strikes a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The airy tanginess of cranberry is enhanced by peony and vetiver, the sweetness of rose is underscored by blackberry, violet and sandalwood. The violet is another aspect of Parisienne that I enjoy; in fact, I think that it is the presence of the softly powdery note, vaguely evocative of lipsticks, powders and somehow, to me, of all things "French", that makes the perfume "Parisienne". And when violet is joined by a delicate hint of patchouli, the composition, although never, on me, achieving the vinyl edge, acquires that twilit, dusky, husky quality that is promised by the elegantly-suggestive commercial. In other words, girly as it is, Parisienne has depth. It is a proper perfume, with refined structure and the kind of harmonious complexity that is the testament to the talent of the creators. One always dreams of finding an unexpected gem among the multitude of new luxe releases, and once in a while the dream comes true. Fans of the aforementioned Quel Amour and 100% Love as well as of such Grojsman classics as- of course!- Paris and Beautiful, along with lovers of the retro-chic, flirty creations like Drole de Rose, Lipstick Rose and Le Pot Aux Roses, please, take note of Parisienne. I will leave you with the second commercial teaser for Parisienne, courtesy of YSL, click here for the first. The fragrance is expected to arrive in the US in September. Image source, models.com, YSL.