Ya'll... get this: I found a fragrance with plum in it that doesn't reek to high heavens when it comes in contact with skin!
What? That's just me?
Well, I'll tell you about it anyway, m'kay?
The District
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, in conjunction with Black Phoenix Trading Post (BPTP), and brilliant artist Molly Crabapple, has created a collection of scents based on the bawdy history of the Storyville section of New Orleans (also referred to as "The District", which is the name of the collection). Not familiar with Storyville? Read on...
Know what a red light district is? Well, Storyville was New Orleans' red light district at the end of the 1800's and into the 20th century. Visitors to the city could peruse the "blue books" that outline which houses provided which services and how much they would cost, even going so far as to describe the ladies in each house's employ. Not into prostitution? Jazz started nearby but took hold in the finer brothels of The District, where one could listen to the piano before partaking in what the residents had to offer. Storyville was named after the politician, Sidney Story, who made The District possible. The area became home to speakeasies and other delightful dens of iniquity even after Storyville had officially been shut down.
And so we find another concept ripe for the BPAL treatment!
BPAL's The District is created as another charitable collection, this time with all proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans.
Habitat for Humanity builds houses in partnership with sponsors, volunteers, communities, and homeowner families, whereby families are empowered to transform their own lives, and aids in eliminating poverty housing in the New Orleans area while serving as a catalyst to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
In addition to the collection's perfume oils, Storyville products are also being sold on BPTP, where you can soon grab delectable Atmosphere Sprays and a District t-shirt illustrated by the illustrious Molly Crabapple.
*Each Storyville scent is $25 and imps are not available.
Countess Willie
Let's get back to the issue here: a fragrance in which I am not overwhelmed with the sickly scent of plum.Countess Willie is one of the scents from The District. Shocking, right, that I'd go into all of that explanation and then link it to the scent! Here's her description (a la the blue books):
Sophisticated, dramatic, well-traveled, glamorous, and worldly, Countess Willie V. Piazza, owner of the French Studio, was a trendsetter in style and fashion. Countess Willie was an educated woman, a patron of the arts, and possessed an impressive library of rare volumes. She featured many historic jazz musicians in her House, including Tony Jackson and Jelly Roll Morton. Unlike many of her counterparts, she was known for having a kind heart and a generous, loving nature. She was fiercely protective: when a patron of her establishment, the nephew of a prominent New Orleans cleric, committed a heinous act of sadism against one of her ladies, Countess Willie shot him dead.
I like her! Here's her scent description:
Chocolate plum musk, red musk, amaretto,
candied fruits, and red ginger.
OK, yes, most things are better when there's chocolate involved, but it's still worth noting that the plum isn't amping to the point of choking me.
For me, she's a sexy scent with lotsa soft musk. The plum overwhelms the candy for me, but I can still get the slightest snap of ginger. The chocolate, for me, is noted at several points during wear, but subtly, and at no point would I describe this as "a chocolate perfume". At least, not on me.
It's worth noting that BPAL perfume oils change not only during wear, but also from wearer to wearer. While I get a lot of plummy red musk and a baby powder softness, other patrons of the Countess may smell a lot of candy or be knocked over by the ginger. Since I amp plum, and consider it only of moderate strength in this scent, it's possible others may hardly notice it. The "science" of scent is fascinating to me!
Overwhelming lovely, this scent is an immediate stash fave! And bonus: I have gotten compliments from strangers every single time I've taken Countess Willie out with me.
Which is nice, so I don't have to shoot anyone dead.
who secretively took photos of the denizens of Storyville,
unbeknownst to his wealthy family and friends.