Hey there Crew! It’s 3am Monday morning and I just realised that tomorrow I need to have a post done for Undina’s Looking Glass. Normally I’m incredibly organised and have something, or somethings, written in advance. In a good month I can have EVERYTHING written for the month before the month starts, across all three blogs. The problem is that usually I’m really busy doing shows, running businesses, keeping house and seeing friends. This C19 lockdown has me unable to function on even the lowest level. All previous timetabling has blown out the door and I’m left disoriented and incredibly unmotivated to get ANYTHING much done except to fill my face and watch ALL THE TELEVISION.
What has happened though in the last couple of weeks is that I’ve started going through my perfume cupboards. Yes, I have, and I’ve been selling off some of the vintage impossible to find stuff that I hoarded. The Aussie perfumistas have been scoring some amazing pieces and I’ve been selling them at what I paid, or less if I’ve used them a bit. A couple of them I bought in auction frenzy and paid far too much for, these I sold at a loss. No, I’m not boo hooing about it. I’m selling the excess. A few things I wore once when they arrived and never looked at again because there are already HEAPS of that exact thing here to get through. Or selling things I bought and just will not ever wear because it’s far too precious to me. Sending it to the next home, one that will hopefully use it till it’s dry, is about sharing the perfume wealth.
Tonight I picked out another 11 to go on the chopping block tomorrow morning. There are four I’ll be selling as a set that I think are interesting for themselves so let’s have a squiz, eh? No, don’t get excited. We can ONLY send perfume to Australia and they are destroying international stuff now, not even sending it back. Also, by now they’re hopefully sold.
Paco Rabanne Vintage
This little collection of Paco Rabanne came from a few places. eBay in Hong Kong and USA, FaceBook from USA and one from an Aussie perfumista mate. I’ve had them for years and have worn them a very little bit. They need to go somewhere, be appreciated and used. I will be sad to seee them go but happy that they’ve gone. Know what I mean?
First we have Calandra EdT, which smells lovely but I think those top notes might have taken a bit of a beating. Next to it is Calandra parfum! 15ml that came to me in its cellophane. It is unutterably divine. What a perfume. Crazy stuff. Aldehydic floral chypre taken space age. Funnily, I often take the box out, open it up, pull out the little plastic cork and just sniff the cork. It’s too special to wear but having a sniff is jaw dropping. I’m not sure about age but there’s no barcode so pre 1980.
Next up is Paco Rabanne Pour Homme. This 1973 fougere fragrance became the smell of middle class working men in Australia for a while. Sometimes I think I smell it on an older gent walking past me still. A manly chypre to me. That lovely mossy base. I think it still smells similar, if not the same as this exactly.
Last is Metal. An aldehydic floral chypre that reminds me of one of the Nina Ricci perfumes, can’t remember off hand. If I were asked to produce a fragrance today, this is exactly what I would ask my perfumer to recreate in modern terms. Galbanum, flowers and oakmoss done dry and quite sheer for the era. A young, jet set fragrance. So cool.
UPDATE: I didn’t make this sale doc yet. Realised I probably can’t part with them. They smell too good. I can’t replace them. They’re a set. GAH! I’m pathetic.
Did you wear any of these beauties?
Portia xx
Undina's Looking Glass 
Ah, Portia, I so recognise the state you describe – is it called “fugue”? Can’t put my mind to anything lately ….. but you’ve stirred some memories for me! Metal!!!! Oh, how I loved that and wore the edt and parfum (both at the same time). It made me feel so grown-up and sophisticated. I absolutely bet you that the Nina Ricci it reminds you of is Farouche! Cos that’s why I liked Farouche. Glad you are keeping your set after all.
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Hey Jilliecat,
I love the word fugue. It’s also reminds me of the title of a fabulous dance scene in Sweet Charity, Rich Man’s Frug. It’s like a dancing version of the musical term. So cool.
AH! I have o Farouche parfum around here somewhere. I’ll look it out.
So nice to see you here and chat.
Portia xx
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Oh dear Gawwd how could you even dream of getting rid of these beauties? Keep them, wear them, love them! I wore both Calandre and Metal in the mid 80s, they were special. I’ve seen Calandre for sale recently but I don’t think it would bear much resemblance so I’m not going there.
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This is the problem Cassieflower, I have so much and most of it lies neglected. I’m trying really hard to cut around 200 bottles from the lot. It will mean everything fits into the allotted space and doesn’t keep encroaching on the rest of my life. In reality I probably only use about 200 different perfumes with any regularity. The rest languish. That’s a LOT of languishing.
These four are special. That’s also true.
GAH!
Portia xx
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These are terrible first world problems for us🙈
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HA HA HA HAHA
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I hear you on the unused bottles piling up, I have the same problem. And still it is hard for me to part with them, plus the annoyance of selling. I would sell more if it wasn’t so much effort.
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It’s no drama here in Oz TaraC. Our FB page is not very big, we know most of the people in it and they’re an easy going lot. We put up a sale doc and there’s a short feeding frenzy. About 80% of the stuff gets sold and I post it out next day.
I can’t be doing with selling on eBay and their excessive rules and charges. THAT is a lot of work and trouble. (I still buy there occasionally though)
I’m a fairly classic hoarder type.
Portia xx
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I have Metal and Calandre, really enjoy them both!
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Hey OH!
SNAP!
Isn’t Metal insanely good? I love Calandre too but there is something that zings in my heart with Metal.
Portia xx
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First thing first: I’m so happy you haven’t sold these! Don’t! Keep and enjoy them. I should probably do a post on selling off parts of one’s collection (not that I would consider doing it myself, but I have thought about the principles… in principle ;) ).
Now, to the topic.
I don’t think I’ve ever worn anything from the brand, but the original Paco Rabanne XS was, I think, the first perfume I bought for my vSO many-many-many years ago. I think I might still somewhere have that unfinished bottle… I should check :) Back then I liked it on him a lot, but later there were many other perfumes that I liked more – that’s why it has never been finished.
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OMG! That original XS was amazing. it still smells pretty good on a dude in a suit. I’ve not smelled it knowingly on a girl yet but of course they’d rock it.
I used to see the bottle come out in gym change rooms a lot in the 1990s/early 200s. Good smell.
Portia xx
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I don’t think I’ve worn any of these either but they certainly sound gorgeous. I would keep them for a few months and then see how often you wear them before parting with them if that is your decision.
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Very good advice Hajusuuri. Thanks.
Oh yes, they are estimable perfumes. I think you’d love at least one.
Portia xx
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Eau de Calandre was one of my dear perfumes in the eighties and Pour Homme reminds me of some classy guys I knew back then. Ahhhh, the memories :-) I’m glad you changed your mind about selling them. You’re not pathetic.
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HA! Neva, thank you.
Ooooh! I can imagine you swanning around in Eau de Calandre. So cool.
Portia xx
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