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This week I found myself researching perfume and perfume bottles. I always give my Regency Era heroines a distinct fragrance, but I also try to stay period accurate. And, I don’t always want them smelling like roses or lavender, two popular scents of the period.
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| Lily of the Valley These grow in my yard |
I’ve used scents that are slightly citricy, but they are always combined with another fragrance, say, Lily’s of the Valley or lilac.
I thought I might try to use heather, since Virtue and Valor is set in Scotland, but found that the musky scent was actually more commonly used as a base for men’s colognes. Since I personally can’t abide the scent of violet perfume (and it reminds me of old ladies) I can’t force my heroines to dab that fragrance behind their ears even if all the other ladies of the ton are.
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http://www.silverperfect.com/Inventory
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Jasmine is a favorite of mine, as are apple and orange blossoms. I’ve never used a spicier perfume like mint, rosemary, cloves or cinnamon based fragrances, though they were common ingredients in some nineteenth century perfumes too. Sandalwood was immensely popular with the gentlemen, and I confess, I do like the smell myself.
The art of perfume making was introduced around to Europe around the 14th century, and France became the epicenter for perfume production. Originally, only those very wealthy could afford the costly fragrances, and their use was intended to cover body odor (remember, bathing wasn’t all that popular) rather than attract the opposite sex.
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It wasn’t uncommon for noble women to create their own signature scents (click the link to be taken to a site to determine your signature scent) or have one created for them. I can understand that. I’ve worn the same perfume for over twenty years, and people often tell me they know it’s me before they see me, because the can smell me coming.
I do hope they are referring to my Jessica McClintoch and not some other odor!
Perfume bottles ranged from very simple glass (even clay) with a cork stopper to incredibly elaborate cut crystal covered with vermeil overlay.
So do you have a favorite fragrance you like characters to wear? Do you have a signature perfume that you wear? Or are you someone that doesn’t like perfume at all.
Resources:
http://historicalhussies.blogspot.com/2011/04/regency-fragrancesand-what-does-she.html
http://www.janeausten.co.uk/scent-sational-regency-perfumes-and-the-man-who-made-them/
http://michellestyles.blogspot.com/2008/04/regency-scents.html
