Memories and Fragrances

What can you smell right now? A cup of freshly brewed coffee, wet rain on the ground, your shampoo, possibly even your perfume? Our sense of smell is one of our most important features, alerting us to danger and intriguing us when we smell something we like. With that in mind, I want to talk about fragrances...
I wear perfume everyday and I have a handful to pick from, then I have another selection of 'special occasion' scents too, plus a few others for different seasons - Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess for example is a great summer scent, but I won't wear it in Winter. I'm not the only one with this system though, am I?
Most recently, I used to wear Emporio Armani Diamonds Rose everyday, before that I would use Paco Rabanne Lady Million (which funnily enough, I've now reverted back to - this is bottle number 4 I think!) Now I don't really think about which one I spray on a daily basis, I just grab one and go but if I've worn something different and I've had a day that's stood out (whether good or bad) that memory will linger with that scent. Kinda sounds a bit silly, perhaps but it's true.
Think of a perfume you wore when you were younger and smell it again, chances are it's going to smell different because you won't really remember it, but I bet it'll bring back memories. Paco Rabanne Black XS is one I used to wear during my blonde days (yes they happened) and when I smell it, it takes me right back to sixth form, snowy days and a mix of feelings.
Sometimes you might be walking down a street and smell something familiar as someone walks past, whether it's a perfume that your friend wears, the aftershave that reminds you of an ex, or the smell of freshly baked cookies. It doesn't have to be a fragrance, think of a childhood memory or something that's been a pivotal moment in your life, chances are you'll remember where you were and who you were with, what you wore, what you could smell and the way you felt.
Remember that time you baked in the kitchen, the smell of Christmas Dinner slowly roasting or even the way your Grandad's house used to smell, it can be difficult to effectively describe the moments in words, but just one scent can take you back to a moment, something you could've thought you'd forgotten. Our sense of smell is incredible and something we really take for granted.

I visited Fenwick, Newcastle recently for a fragrance evening to discover new scents from counters such as Acqua Di Parma, Chanel, Maison Margiela and Salvatore Ferregamo. It really made me see fragrances in a different way. I learned a lot about the different fragrances Fenwick stock - did you know Daisy by Marc Jacobs is named after his dog? - and the importance of spraying it on you to see how it settles down. Spraying it on a card is great, but it could smell completely different on your skin.
Never rush into buying a fragrance, spray it, go have a coffee/browse more shops and see what you think when it's settled. It's such a personal thing, you'll remember the perfume you wear for graduation (if you go to university) significant birthdays, even your wedding day should you choose to get married, so why rush and pick something you don't like/something that won't have a meaning in 5-10 years time?
Is there a smell you associate with a particular memory? Which perfume do you wear everyday, or do you like to switch it up?

Thank you Fenwick for a lovely evening all about fragrances and the incredible amount of samples that will keep me going until this time next year, at least!