I have neither seen nor smelled the Yorkshire moors, but every time they're depicted in a book or movie, they are always heavily populated by sheep and covered with a dark green undergrowth.
And so: Parfum d'Habit, by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier. it smells to me of sheep's wool, crushed brambles, and the deep earthy leather of the old saddlery on the horses that Cathy and Heathcliff rode across the moors to Penneston Crag.
I started prepping for this sync two weeks ago, when I realized that Wuthering Heights was so deeply enmeshed in the cultural zeitgeist that I felt I knew the gist of it, even though I'd never read the book or even watched the movie all the way through. And since I don't like gothic romantic literature, I knew I wouldn't read the book. But I was shocked to learn there were at least ELEVEN different film versions of it. Gasp.
So I decided on the classic (1939, Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon), plus one modern version (1992, with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche).
I learned from this that I absolutely hate Healthcliff. Yes, I know we're supposed to sympathize with him for his abused childhood and the maltreatment he receives as a youth at the hands of the entitled, but as a successful, wealthy adult, he had a choice. He could have fashioned a satisfying life for himself instead of sinking into vengeful bitterness. He let his obsession with Cathy consume him and curdle into an obsession with revenge. I felt pity for him, but no sympathy at all.
Cathy fared a little better. Yes, it's sad that the confines of social oppression meant that she had to forego her true love for the security of a marriage to her second choice, but at least she made the best of her available choices and fashioned a satisfactory life from the opportunities at hand. And she had the integrity not to betray her vows.
PS: I sampled other modern versions too, almost all odious: one from 1970 had Timothy Daltton as Heathcliff and perversely imagined the pair as an incestuous brother and sister. Ewww. Another from 2011 turns it into a sort of Yorkshire dreamscape by stripping out most of the dialog and turning Heathcliff into a Black escaped Caribbean slave. Filmmakers seem to love tinkering with this story. Best to stick with the 1939 classic and its opportunity to ogle the beauty of the young Larry Olivier.
I wore 4 fragrances during the weekend that I believe all fit the Heathcliff theme at least a bit.
3 of them were from Lush, and I think the brand's raw, unpolished, bold and rough style really fits Heathcliff.
Breath of God by Lush (solid perfume) - it's smoky, it feels rather masculine, it's woody/driftwoody, it's strange and a bit of a shapeshifter (a whiff of melon? salt air? charred meat?), it's moody and what's most important, it makes me a bit uncomfortable because of its slightly marine vibes (I don't really do marine).
Shade by Lush (solid perfume) - it's autumnal, it's woody and resinous and maybe a bit too comfortable and cozy for Heathcliff's role, but he did have some more mellow moments still; and Shade is a great name for someone with a strong darker side, I think.
1000 Kisses Deep by Lush - it's bold and full of contrast betweeen the ambery, resinous drydown and tartly sweet orange-jam like opening. The perfume is named after a song by Leonard Cohen, and I actually think the song lyrics do actually fit when you listen to them with Wuthering Heights in mind!
The ponies run, the girls are young
The odds are there to beat
You win a while, and then it's done
Your little winning streak
And summoned now to deal
With your invincible defeat
You live your life as if it's real
A thousand kisses deep
And I finish the evening with Patchouli Intense by Molinard – and Heathcliff is many things, but he's definitely intense. An unisex scent, a dark, earthy, dusty patchouli with prominent gourmand chocolaty facets - for the sweetness of passion and for the darkness of madness.
I haven't seen any of the movies but I have read the book, and I enjoyed it as quite a good depiction of how might a relationship between two highly narcissistic, highly possessive, selfish, addicted to drama people that were traumatised from the early age might unfold, and how just one incredibly toxic, controlling and machiavellian person can ruin lives of everyone around them, including themselves. However, that was not an easy read and I hated both main characters with passion. It's not a love story; it's a hate story, and it is terribly romantic, yes, with clear emphasis on terribly.
The best I could do for Heathcliff was Rogue Perfumery L'Homme - burning iris.
Sadly - Wuthering Heights was one of 2 books that made me hate fiction (the other - Tess of the D'Urbevilles - a story of a girl and the weather).
We are back with the next installment of the weekend sync, originally started by the fabulous @SmokeAndSky
I've tried to come up with themes that are diverse and flexible enough for most people to find something in their wardrobe that will apply. It's a way for us to get creative with the things we already own, be inspired by other people's interpretations, and enjoy some lovely and lively discussions.
The idea is that you can join each weekend, either for one day or both, depending on what works for you.
I hope you will all join me on this journey, have fun!
Weekend
Theme
June 3 & 4
Walking a mile…
…in the previous poster's shoes. This weekend we celebrate our fellow Basenoters! The plan is as follows: take a peek at the wardrobe of the person who last posted in this thread and pick a scent from your own wardrobe you think would suit them. Bonus points if you can give a brief description of your fellow Basenoter's style.
June 10 & 11
Peony season
Wear something big, pink and frilly
June 17 & 18
Roaring 20s
Scent your 20ies, the current 20ies, or the ones from the previous century, it's up to you
June 24 & 25
Plastic fantastic
With so much to do about things smelling natural, let's go for a scent that smells delightfully artificial
July 1 & 2
Gods of Olympus
They are petty, they are messy, they are vindictive... scent an Olympian god of your choosing
July 8 & 9
Aldehyde appreciation weekend
Fatty, soapy, sharp, or sparkling, this weekend we bathe in aldehydes
July 15 & 16
The deep blue sea
I'm adding a category that is my own worst nightmare: marine scents, just to challenge myself
July 22 & 23
Sun burnt
A little too much sun and not enough sunscreen
July 29 & 30
Nudity
A skin scent, something musky, or perhaps something a bit more dirty…
August 5 & 6
Regency chique
'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife', but how about a fragrance? What would you pair with a high collar or an empire waist dress?
August 12 & 13
Fruit punch
Bring your best fruit scent
August 19 & 20
Mod
The 60ies are always in fashion
August 26 & 27
Monsoon
Everything is drenched and humid
September 2 & 3
Dynasty
Opulence! Drama! Carringtons! Shoulder pads! Pick a scent that would not be out of place in the oily world of Dynasty - the 80ies version, obviously.
September 9 & 10
The thread
Time for some analysis! Take a good look at your own wardrobe, what's the thread connecting your perfumes? Tell us about it, and select the fragrance that best showcases your tastes.
September 16 & 17
Rolling in the hay
Dry grass, golden fields, autumn is in the air! Or, if you reside on the other side of the globe, spring! In that case, something that resembles fresh green pastures.
September 23 & 24
Heathcliff!!!
'Why did you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy?' This weekend we are brooding, we are tortured, and we smell just like Emily Bronte's infamous anti hero. Temper tantrums are encouraged.
September 29 & 30
Starter scent
Share your expertise! Suggest a scent that would be a good introduction to a specific style or note you like
October 7 & 8
Bitter Betties
A weekend to celebrate all things bitter
October 14 & 15
Scent a super villain
If you were a super villain, what would be your evil plan, and more importantly, what would you smell like?
October 21 & 22
Pulled from the earth
Rooty things and damp soil
October 28 & 29
Adams family values
The brief is: mysterious and spooky
November 4 & 5
Dune
In honour of the second installment of the movie series, I present to you: The spice weekend
November 11 & 12
Punk!
You bring the attitude, I'll bring the safety pins
November 18 & 19
Scrooge would be proud
Pick a cheapy that smells great
November 25 & 26
Taiga
Ahhh, the scent of endless snowy pine forests
December 2 & 3
Bottoms' up!
Drown your sorrows in something boozy
December 9 & 10
Moreish
Wear a scent that you can't get enough of
December 16 & 17
Where there's smoke…
Cigarette, pipe, or campfire, a weekend to smell things burning
December 23 & 24
Snow
Fresh slopes and crisp flakes, are we having a white Christmas?
December 30 & 31
Fireworks!
Ring in the new year with something spectacular
January 6 & 7
White flowers
In the great tradition of @SmokeAndSky, wear your white flowers in winter
January 13 & 14
Rock on!
Motörhead or mineralic, you decide
January 20 & 21
Drag
We are all born naked and the rest is drag. So wear a scent that feels like slipping into someone else's skin
January 27 & 28
Everything everywhere all at once
A fragrance fit for the multiverse
February 3 & 4
Metropolis
Futurism at its finest
February 10 & 11
Breakfast in bed
Bread and butter. Orange juice and coffee. Or maybe bacon and eggs? As long as you don't leave any crumbs!
Bonus day: February 14
Roses gone wild
Pick a rose, bleed a little! What is the wildest rose fragrance you have?
February 17 & 18
Let's just be friends
Pick a scent or a house that you like, but it's not a love
February 24 & 25
Gothic
Go dark and vampiric
March 2 & 3
Impressionism
Loose brush strokes & natural light, what fragrance strikes you as impressionistic?
March 9 & 10
Dandies
This weekend, we're elevating aesthetics to religion and follow in the footsteps of 18th century it-boy Beau Brummell. What scent makes you feel like a dandy?
March 16 & 17
Work horse
Also known as the 'dumb reach'. Which fragrance in your wardrobe gets more wear than recognition?
March 23 & 24
Show pony
The opposite of the work horse. Which scent do you only break out for special occasions?
March 30 & 31
Yellow blooms
What it says on the tin
April 6 & 7
Fragrance armour
Inspired by a thread by @CeeTee, what fragrance provides you with an olfactory defense against the world?
April 13 & 14
Symphonic
Pick a scent for your favourite classical composer or piece
April 20 & 21
Surrealism
Ceci n'est pas une pipe, ceci n'est pas un parfum?
April 27 & 28
Pollen
Prescription strength anti histamines at the ready…
If you are into resins and vanilla, aren't scared of rose, and are oud-curious, I find this inexpensive ($20 - $40), smoothly blended scent a good introduction to Middle Eastern style perfumery.
The scent of one of the very few florals I adore is almost a complete perfume just exactly as it comes straight from the blossoms on the trees: osmanthus flowers smell of apricots, suede leather and tea, and require very little enhancement. And that natural smell is reproduced perfectly by Jean-Claude Ellena in his Osmanthe Yunnan for Hermès, though I'm sure its magic is achieved by all sorts of chemical jiggery-pokery. It's a letter-perfect introduction to the beauty of osmanthus.
Wonderful choices already for this great current sync theme.
Chose to sync with the (second edition) Burberry for Men, one of the best-at least among the ones do know-starter tier both musky yet also and inoffensive fresh scents do both know and own.
Syncing this time with Guerlain Eau de cologne Imperiale. This one is a great starting point if one is looking for a traditional citrusy eau de cologne fragrance.
I finally found a spot with internet on my holiday in the middle of nowhere to post this weekend's sync choice. It's something I've recommended to many of my millennial friends who 'hate perfume': Dior's Bois D'Argent. It does not smell like anyhlthing they know from the designer isle and it's such a smooth, woody people please. They tend to like it. For more adventurous spirits I recommend Ormonde Jayne's Woman. It has a similar dry, woody profile, but it's much more specific with that deep green piny sweetnes. That one also goes over well with reluctant beginners.
Cabochard (2019 version)
My "I want to smell like an old Vegas slots aficionado" scent.
I've been at this machine chain smoking Marlboro Reds for hours and vaguely remember the carpet cleaner coming through. Thanks for the free cosmo.
Bitter on my skin from start to finish.
Bitter that this isn't the sophisticated green leathery chype amazingness that the cool kids (eg CookBot) get.
Bitter that I can't wear this out in public.
Cabochard is one of the most evocative scents I own.
Why I'll probably keep pulling this out for "special occasions" - like Weekend synchs.
Synching with Caron Yatagan. Galbanum and artemisia create an aromatic bitterness/astringency, adding to the general 'dank, decaying woods in autumn' ambience of this scent.
I just discover this thread and it looks fun. I saw it is in the female section, but then I also saw men posting here. By accident my SOTD has besides smokiness also some bitterness, certainly in the beginning.
Enjoying it with some music from Dr John.
Chaman’s Party from Honoré des Prés
Perfumer: Olivia Giacobetti
A natural fragrance coming in a weird packaging (as in the picture).,
One of my most preferred vetivers. Starts like a campfire and dries down in a very sensual way. For the price of this one you don't need to break the bank. Highly recommended to try if you like some spiritual experience.
