There are no special occasions.
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 4 comments link this postI have a lot of perfume. It, like the color pink and high-heeled shoes and bracelets, are my nods to girly-dom. These are the frivolous things I very much like.
Some of my perfume is of fairly decent caliber, most of that coming from Sabine, my German "sister" who keeps on top of what's good and sends it my way. She's given me Versace Red Jeans Women, Hugo Boss Deep Red, Betty Barclay Woman #3, just to name a few. I have a gorgeous bottle of Coco Chanel, my all-time favorite perfume very much out of my price range, sent to me by someone I did a painting for, surprising me not only by paying right away but throwing in such a fabulous gift to say "thanks." I still can't believe my good fortune on that one. I have a bottle of my grandmother's Vanderbilt perfume. I have a tiny bottle of Revlon's Xia Xiang, an affordable favorite of mine back in high school that I still enjoy. There's a couple of bottles from Bath and Body works, a few bottles I picked up when I was last in Germany, and a few others I got as gifts. Lots of lavender, vanilla and sandalwood-based scents. Lots of bottles, beautiful bottles full of beautiful smells.
I love perfume, but for too long I didn't wear any of it. I foolishly thought I needed to save it for a special occasion. Coco Chanel for just going to work?! No! That's for a special occasion! So there the glass bottles sat, beckoning, me wanting to both wear them and wanting a special occasion in which to do so.
At some point, maybe around age 30, I realized there are no special occasions. I had no idea what criteria would warrant wearing Coco Chanel and what wouldn't. Going to church? To work? To Grand Forks to see my sister? To town? I had forgotten that, particularly in my case, perfume can, and maybe should, be worn for the wearer as much as anyone.
The bottles stacked up, each new gift just added to the collection, waiting for something that wasn't coming. What a trap, to let life slide by for being ordinary while holding out for a day or two that's special. They never come, and you waste everything for nothing. Each day is what it is; every day deserves good perfume.
Life, or at least my life, isn't divided up into special days and regular days. They all run into each other. Either I don't know what special is or I don't recognize it when it comes.
Regardless, I can't sit around waiting to spritz perfume for the magical day that deserves it. I'll just end up sitting there, waiting, the days flying by, me never seeing anything special enough about them, missing everything. Something exciting or fabulous doesn't have to be coming down the pipe to wear perfume I enjoy. Perfume is meant to be worn, not planned on being worn.
Wear your good perfume. Even around the house. Today is special enough.
| tag: perfume |
Labels: essay
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 8/01/2006 11:03:00 AM
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4 Comments:
Call me old school, but I love when women wear Chanel No.5....
By 
, at
1/8/06 15:38
Isn't the poitnt that there are special occasions? And YOU are enough of one to warrant the fragrance?
By 
girlfriday, at
2/8/06 18:36
Well actually...yes.
You're exactly right.
(And I wore Versace to work today.)
By Julie, at
2/8/06 19:01
I am of the school that perfume is for the wearer. The very wearing of perfume makes an occasion special. And Coco Chanel is also my favorite, but I reserve it for evenings. I love Chanel Mademoiselle for "everyday." ;-)
By Gwynne, at
5/8/06 09:42
