You Know You're Bourgie When...

...you've been invited to a ball or gala.

First, you have to thank the person who invited you. Not everyone gets to go to these uber bourgie events. Some people don't know how to act or dress for a fancy night out, so you should be honored that someone thought you could carry yourself appropriately.

Secondly, you need to make sure you are dressed appropriately. Find out the dress code. If it is black tie, you better make sure you are in black tie! For the fellahs, that means (gasp!) a tuxedo! If you don't own one (though every bourgie man should), you can always rent one. I'm not much of a fan of renting clothes, but there are very classy ways of doing so. If you are a gentleman who anticipates attending many black tie events over the course of a few years, you should definitely invest in a tux. Why rent when you can own? If you're a lady, you need to make sure you are AT LEAST in cocktail attire (unless there is any indication that this is improper for your event). "Black tie optional" typically means that it is a slightly more lenient dress code, thus enabling you to wear a cocktail dress.

Make sure you don't drink too much; you do not want to be known as the hot mess at the ball. If it is cash bar, you're probably less likely to be getting krunk anyway (hey, drinks at these events are not cheap). If it's open bar, that does not grant you permission to get sauced. Seriously.

Socialize, socialize, socialize! These events are typically great networking opportunities. If you don't know anyone besides your date, make sure you socialize with the other folks at your table (if you have one - though you probably will) at the very least. If you recognize others in the room, make it a point to talk to them. Don't hide!

Keep your phone on silent! I cannot begin to tell you how embarrassing it is for everyone if your phone goes off during an award acceptance speech. Rude! And that also means no tweeting during the event. Double rude!

Know what the event is all about. Even if you don't know anybody in the room, you should be able to speak intelligently about the event you're intending.

Have fun! It's not every day that you get to get all Cinderella/Prince Charming-ed out.

Look fierce. Be fierce. WERK.

Fragrance Madness: Round One - Juicy vs Poppy Flower

The Contenders:

Juicy Couture (Original)

vs

Coach Poppy Flower

Fragrance Notes:

Coach Poppy Flower

• According to the booklet accompanying the gift set, this fragrance smells like blah blah blah blah blah. They list over 10 things. It's really ridiculous. The few that stand out: Apricot skin, wet ivy, lychee, sugared raspberry, and jasmine petals. The only thing more complicated than this long, drawn-out description is the hat the model is wearing in the accompanying picture.

Juicy Couture

• Tuberose, princess lily and caramel creme brulee. Aside from the fact that it simultaneously sounds delicious and feminine, the description alone puts it ahead of it's competitor. (I love me some tuberose.) Sephora describes the woman who would wear this as "flirtatious, charming, decadent, irreverent." 

What You Get:

Juicy Couture - a 1.0 oz of Eau de Parfum Spray

Coach Poppy Flower - a 1.0 oz of the Eau de Parfum Spray

My Bourgie Review:

Coach Poppy Flower

This fragrance is much too sweet. When I originally sprayed it on my wrists, the scent overpowered the room. Smelling it again today was even worse than two weeks ago! The fragrance is layered with fruits and florals, sweet on top of sweet, and is headache inducing. I tried to give it an hour. Two hours. Three hours. It really only got worse. I had to wash it off!

The description states, "The Coach Poppy Flower woman is a sophisticated romantic. She is fashion-driven with a youthful spirit and is never afraid to express her personal style." Translation: She is an old lady who is desperately holding onto her youth by attending various free local music festivals and twirling around drunkenly. You know the one.

Score: One sniff  

Juicy Couture

When I first saw this was in the box, I admit - I was a little disappointed. I see Juicy Couture everything EVERYWHERE! I thought it could not possibly smell good. I figured it would smell like one of those Victoria's Secret scents that smells like a Bath & Body Works scent. (I refuse to refer to these smells as fragrances. Refuse.) I sprayed it on, and was originally underwhelmed. I didn't get a headache or feel the urge to dry heave as I did with the Poppy Flower, but it didn't blow me away. Then, after about 30 minutes, the fragrance really started to gain some character. By the end of the day, I loved it!

This fragrance is simple and perfect for everyday wear. It's not overpowering, so the beauty is in the subtlety. 

Score: Four sprays and a trip to T.J. MAXX*

Winner:

This was a pretty simple decision. Juicy made me want to go out and buy a bottle (which I did). Poppy Flower made me want to take a shower and an aspirin.

Juicy Couture advances to Round 2 in Fragrance Madness!

*Umm, hello? The T.J. Maxx near me was selling the 1.0 oz of eau de parfum for $29.99. Nordstrom is selling the same fragrance (but a 1.7 oz) for $69. You could buy two from T.J. Maxx and still pay less! And I see you over there turning your nose up at T.J.'s. Someone needs to take some lessons on being bourgie on a budget.

Fragrance Madness!

I'm not ashamed to admit it: I spent the last two weeks trying out the 12 fragrances in my Sephora Fragrance Sampler. (As I've noted in past posts, it's important to sample a fragrance for at least a few hours before deciding that you like/dislike it.) Clearly, my nose is both indecisive and bourgie, and so I have not reached a final decision. Let's see... 12 is an even number... I need to eliminate fragrances I don't like... FRAGRANCE MADNESS!


What I will do is sample the fragrances again, and eliminate the ones I dislike until I pick the one that I want to redeem for the full-sized version. Here's where I need your help: If you think I've made a bad decision, or you think that a certain designer has a better version of a certain fragrance, tell me in the comments!

Bourgie Gifts

Those of you close to me have probably already heard me raving about this awesome gift my sister bought me for Christmas. For those of you who haven't, I'm going to share with you one of the coolest gifts I've ever received, and will add that I highly recommend this as a gift idea.

The Sephora Fragrance Deluxe Sampler

From left to right: Refillable fragrance atomizer (with funnel),
12 fragrance samplers, and voucher/info on each sample provided.

What Is It?
Sephora sells several types of fragrance samplers (Remember: We say "fragrance," not "perfume.")  - some for women, some for men. The one I received is the Fragrance Deluxe Sampler. This sampler has the following fragrance samples (listed in the order that I've tried them):

1. .05 oz Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum
2. .05 oz Coach Poppy Flower Eau de Parfum
3. .04 oz Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Toilette
4. .05 oz DKNY pureDKNY Verbena Scent Spray
5. .05 oz Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioa Eau de Parfum
6. .05 oz Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette
7. .03 oz Givenchy Very Irresistible L'Intense Eau de Parfum
8. .05 oz Prada Infusion D'Iris Eau de Parfum
9. .05 oz Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir Eau de Parfum
10. .05 oz Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette  
11. .05 oz Clinique Happy Eau de Parfum
12. .06 oz Gucci Guilty Eau de Toilette 

How Does it Work?
You get to sample a dozen fragrances. A dozen. I recommend putting one on in the morning, and wearing that fragrance all day. You could be surprised; some fragrances smell much better on your body as you move throughout your day.

Once you pick your favorite, head over to a Sephora store near you, and trade in your certificate for a bottle of the fragrance!

Why This is an Amazing Gift

Many people seek different fragrances when they are going through a change in their life, as well as when the seasons change. If you gift this to someone during the December holidays, this enables them to select a new fragrance for the new year - or at least to try something different (which may also be a new year's resolution). If you give someone you love one of these sets for Valentine's Day, it's a two-fer: They get to pick a fragrance to take them into Spring, and you get to cozy up and smell them wearing something different every day (for almost two weeks), and will hopefully get to help them pick the one you like the best.  

Selecting a fragrance that someone else will like is a daunting task, but these Sephora gift sets allow you to give them two hands full of fragrances, while allowing them to choose the one they like best. 

Coming up next... 

Reviews of each of the 12 fragrances. Stay tuned!

Bourgiepedia: Black Friday - Parfum vs Toilette

Though the most frightening Black Friday is behind us, more holiday shopping is ahead of us,and many folks are strategizing to get the best deals for their loved ones. Many department stores will be having special promotions on fragrances. Some people find it offensive to receive gifts for personal hygiene, but if you know someone's favorite fragrance, or what types of frgrances they typically like, it can be a very thoughtful gift.

When selecting the perfect fragrances, here are some of the basics you will need to know:

Eau de Toilette vs Eau de Parfume

According to Merriam-Webster online, eau de toilette is defined as, "a perfumed liquid containing a lower percentage of fragrant oils than is contained in ordinary perfume or eau de parfum -- called also toilet water," while eau de parfum is defined as, "a perfumed liquid containing a percentage of fragrant oils that is lower than that in perfume but greater than that in eau de toilette." (Yahoo! gives a slightly longer explanation here.)

If you want to get more bang for your buck, you definitely want to purchase the eau de parfume. Because it has a higher concentration of  fragrant oils, you don't have to use as much, and the fragrance will last longer. My personal opinion is that it truly smells better than the eau de toilette version as well. Keep in mind that, no matter how expensive the fragrance, if you put too much on, you will cheapen the smell. (Those Axe commercials can be pretty misleading.)

My current favorite is Love by Chloé.

Now, if you want to get really fancy, you can try an actual perfume.

Fragrances Can be Expensive, But Most Department Stores Carry Gift (or Value) Sets!


For a quality designer fragrance, you can pay upwards of $85 for a 1.7oz bottle of eau de parfum. One trick I've found is purchasing a gift set. If you don't need the big 2.5oz+ fragrance (and if you use more than one fragrance a season/don't drown yourself in perfume, who does?), purchase the gift set. They usually come with the 1.7oz of the eau de parfum (which lasts longer than the toilette, remember), a travel size bottle (for your car/purse/desk), and either lotion or body wash (9/10 lotion). I rarely use the body wash/lotion that comes with it (the lotion is usually too runny, and the body wash usually doesn't produce a good lather), and I'm less motivated to do so because it's usually just a bonus item. I've found that the best places to purchase these gift sets are at the major department stores (Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, etc). Nordstrom in particular has experts in the fragrance department who can help you pick out a fragrance that fits the taste of the person you're buying the gift for (e.g. if they like rosy fragrances, something sweet yet subtle, citrus smells) so that you don't completely miss the mark. If you're trying to decide between several fragrances, you're going to want to read my next point.

Use the Coffee Beans! They are your best friends in the fragrance department!
Just like ginger helps cleanse your palate when eating sushi, sniffing coffee beans helps reset your sniffer. Taking a nice whiff of coffee beans will give you a better idea of the true smell of the fragrance. Remember, also, not to sniff the fragrance as soon as you smell it. You want to give it a little bit of time to let the smell settle.

A few extra pointers

• If you are purchasing the fragrance for yourself, remember not to rub your wrists together after you spray it. You will destroy the chemistry of the fragrance, leading it to smell differently than it was intended. 
• Different strokes for different folks: Remember that not everyone has the same preference when it comes to fragrance. Just because you love every Juicy fragrance, doesn't mean your sister is going to love it too. 
• Your body is ever-changing, so don't expect to be in love with one fragrance your entire life! This works for some people, but most of us retire fragrances as our body chemistry changes. Think about which fragrances you liked as a child. Now think of which fragrances you like now. Notice the difference?
• You'll notice there was not an in-depth discussion of men's cologne in this post. The reality is, it's much easier to shop men's colognes than a woman's perfume. If you have any questions or need advice on a cologne for a family member or significant other, comment on this post! 

HAPPY HOLIDAY SHOPPING!

A newer spin on a classic fragrance.
 I'm on the hunt for a good deal on this one!
(COCO Mademoiselle by Chanel)

Get Your Bourgie Up

Did you know that people actually review fragrances? I have read quite a few New York Times reviews of fragrances, and they have way more information than I think anyone would ever need to know about a fragrance; nevertheless, I appreciate the art!

Read some NY Times fragrance reviews here. 


FULL DISCLOSURE: YOUR FRIENDS OVER HERE AT BOURGIE SATURDAY WERE NOT PAID BY ANY OF THE BRANDS MENTIONED IN THIS POST. WHILE WE WISH WE COULD HAVE BEEN GIFTED FREE DESIGNER FRAGRANCES, WE WEREN'T!