In my old review of Guerlain’s Insolence, I describe my first, initial memories of experiencing this pink ultraviolet vanilla with bemusement.
I can still see myself outside Yokohama’s Takashimaya on a cold winter’s night and actually laughing, so over the top, harsh, swirling and unwearable I found it to be.
And yet the other day, a beautiful, sun filled afternoon I spent by myself in glorious solitude scouring the junk shops in downtown Tokyo (heaven on earth when you are in the right mood and have been stuck down in the sticks teaching pre-examination classes for a solid month), I came across a full bottle of this luscious Guerlain little treat for just 1,400 yen (about twelve dollars, under ten pounds), smelled it again, and just knew on the spot that had to have it.
I now kind of think that I maybe do actually love it. Spraying it onto the back of my hand as the wind blew around me at Asagaya station – the train delayed for thirty minutes by yet another suicide – this sweet, irisian violet with lashings of hair spray and fruit formed a bunny pink halo of comfort around me like the softest, most succoring blanket.
Dryer sheets; felt, fabric-softened baby grows, orange blossomed-vanilla; love.
The Black Narcissus 
In these days of the Trump presidency, I have found myself wearing Insolence more often than usual. I have two large bottles (one EDT and the other EDP) and have owned them for years but wore them seldom and mostly to bed or on Sundays when I stay at home and do household chores. However, ever since November 8th, I find that I am wearing it more often than I wore it when I first purchased the bottles.
What brilliant and amazing synchronicity! This is exactly how I feel. It feels like a fluffed up comforter than can protect me from all the horror. I mean it’s still a very middle brow, unsophisticated scent in a way, very DOMESTIC, if you know what I mean (but that is exactly what I am liking about it, to be honest), very much like a mother’s warm bosom that you leaned on as a little child. I think on me it probably smells utterly RIDICULOUS, but then that is also part of its appeal, possibly: these neo-fascists are so horrifying that it’s kind of bringing out my pink militancy.
I too am enjoying my Insolence after a long hiatus. Must be the dire political situation of the world. I love that sweet violet hairspray smell, it is comforting at some level.
Honestly? Isn’t it strange?
I realized last night that I really CAN’T carry it off, but I am enjoying it nevertheless. It kind of has its own hermetically sealed universe where everything feels alright.
And the political situation really is DIRE. Hard to accept as reality.
Ha, does it really smell like that rabbit? I’ve never tried it but should. Re iris and violet, I love Heeley Iris de Nuit but no bunnies/ hairspray/ terror there. It’s cool and clear rather than sweet.
And dear god, this thing is SWEET.
In fact, this bunny is slightly too pale and forlorn really. I needed an angora on acid to be honest.
Ha ha!
An angora on acid … you keep my low on high, simply by inagining that cat.
Two weeks ago I joined the Women’s March on the 21th of January in Amsterdam. There was an a lot of pink, fluffy,woolly, soft bunniness on the go, the antidote of the anathema of Awful Donnie!
Now I know what scent I should have worn on the occasion, with such an appropiate name. Merci M. Ginza!
So glad to have you back again. Have you been alright, or have you been recovering from that party all this time? xx
I though angoras were rabbits?
Dreadful AND Awful
Fate struck with a vengeance in the form of sickness (Alzheimer) of my friend/companion Arina.
To go on and to care for her was and still is a struggle.
The senses are prevailing. So my nose is up in the air to taste the essence of life’s seasin.
I am sorry to hear this. My own health isn’t great at the moment either – I have to go into hospital for knee surgery in March for three weeks and am NOT looking forward to it. But that is nothing compared to what you are going through, which I know must be very hard. The very best of luck with it. But as you say, a part of a person must always be kept alive and free and stimulated, and smell is the most glorious of them all.
You make me crave this scent, which up until now I never thought twice about. But I too, long for some type of comfort and reprieve from all the chaos in the world right now. Maybe I will hunt some down.
I am sure there are less garish options, but we do definitely need comforting, assuaging scents to distract us from the daily fascist horror.
It’s so beautiful to know folks are actively enveloping themselves in beauty of scent as a recourse to world insanity….
I concur!