LLC: Lolita Fragrances

Some of my favourite things on my vanity.

Lace a la Mode's 365 Day Lolita Lifestyle Challenge is sometimes a challenge to blog about- it may prompt an activity, such as reading a Lolita related text, rather than producing blog content.

Today, Day 40, was one of those such days, but I decided to turn it into a blog post, anyway!

Simple enough, yet the act of wearing a fragrance can be the heart of your outfit. It can effect your worldview, causing you to see the world through rose-tinted glasses. Though invisible, I feel that fragrance is as important to an outfit as accessories and makeup. 

Before continuing on, I recommend reading The Osaka Koneko's translation of Novala Takemoto's "Let's Talk About Perfume". Novala's light-hearted article, translated into English there explains the different types on perfumes he likes, and also provides some practical knowledge on the ranking of perfumes. (The Osaka Koneko also has some great perfume recommendations herself, at the end of her post.) 

As Novala states in the essay, "While the note of a perfume (the scent of a perfume is called the “note”) changes slightly from person to person when worn, much like clothing, we don’t want to wear the same thing as everyone else. Because of this, whenever I’m asked to recommend a perfume, I always hesitate. I can only give advice to choose it yourself." 

That being said, I would like very much to share my personal favourite fragrances below, and why I think they are a good match for my Lolita style. 

While I enjoy them enough that I could implore you to try them yourself, I would follow Novala's advice and select a fragrance that speaks to you- and brings out the "note" of your own character.

I'll begin with my personal favourite fragrance, "Live Colorfully" by Kate Spade.

With a keynote of gardenia, and undertones of mandarin, tahitian vanilla, tiare flower and coconut water, this perfume is complex and sparkling. It works both as an energetic day fragrance I can even wear to work, or as a playful scent for going out.

The bottle is dazzling with a kaleidoscope of golds, corals and soft pinks. The bow-shaped topper is the perfect girly accent to top it all off. 

I believe this perfume captures the playful, explorative, creative essence of Lolita fashion. It is also refined, sweet and classy. 

Next on my list is "Miss Dior Cherie". Described as "Pure, Precious, Elegant", this is another fragrance that encapsulates the essence of Lolita, to me. 

This fragrance has a heart of jasmine, with notes of mandarin and patchouli. The result is a sweet, innocent fragrance that is not too bold; much like delicate lace.

With the pale champagne complexion and dazzling silver ribbon topper, this would also look elegant on any Lolita's vanity.

My next selection is "Babydoll" by Yves Saint Laurent.

I first tried this perfume because of the musician Miyavi, who once stated in his profile that his perfumes of choice were "Dior Addict" and "YSL Babydoll". Novala also mentioned Babydoll in his article, "Let's Talk About Perfume". 

With it's elegant, fresh, and youthful charm, it is not surprising that Babydoll is so popular. A flirty mixture of grapefruit, red currant and rose, with base notes of grenadine, cedar and peach, this perfume is complex and dynamic. 

The sparkling bottle is made to resemble a spinning top, much like the ever-changing scents in the fragrance. 

I feel this perfume captures my more adventurous side in Lolita- the side that wants to wear bold, unique colours, paint my nails in a new style, or try a new makeup trend. This perfume is stylish and elegant, yes, but also a little punky to me- as if made for a fashion trail blazer. 

And with that, we round out my top three fragrances. As you can see, perfume cannot only encapsulate who you are as a person, but it can also be the perfect pick-me-up, or the cherry on top of your clothing. Whether you are an expert in the field of perfume or more new to it, like me, I encourage you to play with the scents next time you are at a Sephora or Department store. Close your eyes, and see which one speaks to you!

Xoxo,

Cherie