Sublimity-Joy By Jean Patou

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As I have been preparing rose-related posts in honor of my Rose decant giveaway,  I keep meaning to review the great quantity of fruity roses that I have in my sample collection, but something keeps stopping me. I guess I just can’t get enthusiastic enough about them—or disgusted enough with them, to write anything at all. So I thought I would write about something that inspires me, and has done the same for many others, since its creation in 1930—Joy byIMG_4606-1 Jean Patou. I’m talking about the EDT in this case, since I think it is more rosy than the super-jasmine edp.

I don’t think you can find a classic floral more sublime than this very often. The top-quality bulgarian rose and jasmine sit on top of a sparkling—but not overwhelming—aldehyde cocktail, which is much more delicate and less pronounced than other classic aldehyde-riddled fragrances like Chanel no. 5.  It is a rich floral accord, neither jasmine nor rose, but like the best of both blended into  a superflower. Beneath the sparkling topnotes lies some civet note, which lends some depth but, again, is blended so masterfully that it doesn’t intrude—that said, the civet is there always, and if you hate smelling a bit animalic (I don’t) then this is certainly not for you, for underneath all those roses and jasmine lurks a very stinky beast indeed. Musk and woods, too, are there, but only as a supporting chorus for the goddess flowers. Absolutely feminine, heady and joyful—and that’s anther thing I love: such a fitting name!

crawford in patou

Another thing about Joy that makes it a fascinating thing for me is the history of its creation. It was  supposedly the most expensive perfume ever created when it came out, and it came out in 1930—a stroke of some kind of luck. I can imagine women thrown into the Great Depression who were no longer able to afford the clothes they were accustomed to wearing taking great comfort from this extravagantly opulent perfume, which invokes the most voluptuous, rich ideas, and never, ever, smells cheap.

The bottom line: Joy is not a sweet-nothing floral. It has power, opulence, absolute femininity, and a heart of darkness. It is seductive and repellent, and absolutely gorgeous. 

 

 

CREDITS:

rose pic mine

crawford in Patou couture, from http://nostalgicvintage.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/4/

Comments

  1. CarolMay 19, 2010 at 10:48 AM

    I have always been afraid to try Joy mostly because I really detest aldehydes. But after your review, I think I shall try it! thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. La Bonne VivanteMay 19, 2010 at 2:50 PM

    I hear you, Bloody Frida! I too am one of the aldehyde-hating club, and usually have to work pretty hard to get past fragrances that hit hard on that end. Joy is not aldehyde –free by any means, but I somehow think they work well in it and are sufficiently reined-in to remain a supporting feature, not the main show. You should let me know what you think when you try it….

    ReplyDelete

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