Perfume for the Occasion: St. Patrick's Day

When Divina suggested St. Patrick's Day as our topic for the month, my immedate thought was "How will I come up with enough suggestions?" She thought it might be a little ridiculous. St. Patrick's Day, ridiculous? Absolutely not!! I am as Irish as they come and I have the red hair, blue eyes and fair skin to prove it! I celebrate St. Patrick's Day as enthusiastically as any other holiday, especially after spending one on the Emerald Isle. My internal resistance, undetectable to Divina, simply had to do with a lack of ideas. However, she said the magic words, "Green extravaganza!" Green notes have often appealed to me despite the fact that I do not own many green fragrances. However after investigating them, I am convinced I must own more.

So what constitutes a "green" fragrance? Friends who are fragrance novices have often asked me what it means, so for them I offer a simple explanation. Any fragrance that contains more than one note related to the great outdoors can be considered green. They appear as terms like "dewy greens", "green notes", or "leafy greens". I have also, for today's selection, added fragrances with green tea, guava, water lily, basil or oakmoss. What do all of these items have in common? Being GREEN. I drew the line at granny smith apple and lime, simply because that would be taking things a bit too far. Citrus and fruity, although nice, are not really what we are after here. The idea is to identify fragrances that remind the wearer of a leisurely stroll through the park on a breezy spring day, a childhood romp in a vegetable garden or, most appropriately, a hike through the verdant, rolling hills of Ireland.

In order of my preference, I offer a few choices that will accessorize your March 17th green apparel beautifully:

· Bond No. 9 Eau de Noho - With notes of watery greens, mandarin, mimosa, violet leaves, cashmere woods, green moss and amber, this fragrance fits my criteria beautifully. A very fresh, clean and green take on violet but one that is extremely light. This choice is perfect for daywear before the evening festivities begin.

· Chanel Bel Respiro - Once you have experienced the exquisite beauty of the Emerald Isle it creates a long-standing and unforgettable impression. This is the scent I choose when I mind- travel back to the Cliffs of Maher and Dromoland Castle. Bel Respiro is what I will be wearing come March 17th.

· Christian Dior Diorella - With basil, green notes and oakmoss, this choice contains the most greenery of all. Although this is ultimately a fruity floral, the abundance of leaves suggests a green, growing flower or fruit.

· Estee Lauder Private Collection - A green floral in a class all its own. See my review, linked to the left.

· Lorenzo Villoresi Yerbamaté - The company's description goes like this, "A boundless greenland touching the sky. The scent of grass, of new-mown hay, of countles herbs and flowers scattered in the fields, stirred by the wind and warmed by the sun. A lonely fire in the meadows, the quiet ritual of tea and mate a gentle veil of smoke, rising and embracing." I cannot think of a more perfect scent to evoke the color green. However, it is a bit tricky, this one. Make certain to sample it on your skin before dousing.

· Van Cleef & Arpels La Saisons: Printemps - The only fragrance I could find that contains both clover flower and clover leaves. If you have ever experienced St. Patrick's Day in Ireland you know that the holiday is a religious one for the Irish. Rather than wearing green clothing and partying until all hours of the night like those who celebrate in the United States, the Irish quietly pin clover onto their clothing and go to Mass. And the clover is abundant. Therefore, in their honor, I include a fragrance with nearly as much clover as that that grows on the Irish countryside.

A few others that did not make my list but deserve mentioning:

Coach the Fragrance - with notes of green mandarin, guava and water lily, this extremely girly fragrance delivers.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea - my favorite green tea fragrance that puts all the others to shame! Contains notes of green tea, peppermint, oakmoss and celery seed along with lemon, orange and rhubarb. It is nothing less than simultaneously refreshing and calming.

Clinique Wrappings - although this fragrance is typically worn around the holidays due to its limited winter distribution, it reminds me of deep, emerald green and for colder climates could be worn proudly on St. Patrick's Day. Fortunately, where I live it is already 80 degrees so I could not choose this powerhouse fragrance.

Enjoy the day in whatever way and whatever fragrance you choose. If you live in Chicago or in Ireland, I am green with envy!* Glenna honey, if you're reading, make me proud! Be sure to visit Fragrance Bouquet to read Divina's picks for our green extravaganza.

*After living in Chicago for nine years, I truly miss the festivities there. In my opinion, only Chicagoans know how to truly give the holiday its due in the United States! The river is dyed green, a parade takes over the streets, and every Irish pub (and then some) serves green beer.