Danny wanted this perfume so when asked what he's wearing he could reply, "Gigolo." I'm sure the name doomed this fragrance to obscurity at least in the American market, though the meaning is different in French.
Gigolo, despite the name was a women's fragrance, though absolutely wearable by anyone. Quite green, with tuberose and patchouli it isn't the sort of thing that knocks you over with sweetness. To be honest, I barely noticed the tuberose, and the patchouli is very well done-nothing reminiscent of a hippie head shop/incense about it.
Launched in 1972, Gigolo is sort of a, "Pre-Charlie." Green, but not as sinus-ripping green as Aliage, or as challenging as Yendi. Going back in my mental time machine to 1972, I'm pretty sure I was wearing whatever happened to be on my sister's perfume tray which was either Aliage, Chanel #19, or Azuree. Frankly, they were all ass. Sorry. Had I been aware of Gigolo at the time, I would have found it a relief from all the other bad chypres of the time, but alas I don't recall ever hearing of it. Today of course, Gigolo smells rather mainstream-mixing green with patchouli wouldn't raise any eyebrows with anyone that's smelled perfume in the last forty years-but in 1972? Perhaps it would have seemed original, or a better take on what was already becoming the norm. By 1974 when I was starting to know what I liked (and didn't) I was getting bottles of Je Reviens from anyone that was paying attention to my requests, and Heaven Sent from those who ignored them.
Gigolo has incredible lasting power. I have skin that tends to neutralise scent rapidly, so I typically apply it to clothing as well. On my wrist, Gigolo lasted a good nine hours. The silage isn't huge-but you wouldn't need to invade my personal space to catch a good whiff of it either. The hankie in my handbag *still* smells of Gigolo days later. Luckily, it smells nice. As I bought this for Danny, I don't expect to be wearing it again, but it was nice to catch an olfactory reminder of early 1970's America.
Gigolo though difficult to find these days is worth a purchase if you're looking for a nice, inoffensive green floral from the early 70's. Leather trousers optional.
I know the meaning is different in French, but I couldn't resist a Blondie video.
Good heavens, I stepped away for two days and missed a Cycladic ring (I agree on the provenance), a baby Wombat (I think), a Hermes scarf (remember learning how to pronounce it -- and Aigner) and a pair of marvelous copper earrings! I love copper jewelry whenever it doesn't appear to have been made in shop class!
ReplyDeleteThe review of Gigolo is excellent, Goody, both in its description of the fragrance and its evocation of the 70s cultural tides. I, too, remember it as a time when the grassy fields of 60s hippiedom were being mowed and trimmed -- to be baled and sold.
I'm singing along with Debbie (but with less writhing. And less electric blue Lycra.) I always love your perfume reviews, even if I don't understand them. And I love that Danny wants to smell like (a) Gigolo!
ReplyDeletePS. Bright pink tights - excellent! xxx
@Beth Waltz
ReplyDeleteIn high school art class we made copper ashtrays with some sort of sandy material that was then melted in a kiln to make enamel. Why we didn't make earrings, I'll never know. I have a soft spot for amateur copper.
@Curtise
Thank you. I know that perfume reviews are of limited interest to readers, but I'm glad I can make them interesting to the non perfume addicted.
You are making me want more perfume.
ReplyDeleteSTOP IT!
:-D
I'm wearing Star Trek Pon Farr today. Bought as a joke, but better than expected for a fiver.
Oh gracious.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking more & more like Debbie Harry (perhaps crossed with Mae West) these days myself.
Loving the hot pink on you again. Where's that vintage Hermes scarf? It would have looked gorgeous with your ensemble.
I don't recall Gigolo. But I decided to find out what fragrances are 'on trend' these days perusing the internet & to my surprise Revlon's 1973 classic Ciara came up. Zowie! Get Charlie & Ciara in the same room for a truly 70's migraine! Whew!
Talked to a group of geologists from Caltech here today- apparently the Kathmandu valley is now 1 metre higher & Everest is either 1 metre higher or 1 inch shorter since the April 25th quake (guess Caltech will be doing the triangulation, discombobulation or whatever to see exactly what's shifted where) NO WONDER WE"RE HAVING THE AFTERSHOCKS FROM HELL!!!
@Mim
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that there is a Star Trek perfume!
@Bibi
I am SO glad to hear from you! It must be awful with the size of those aftershocks.
So I'm wondering if a new sort of mountain climbing snobbery will come out of this.
"Oh, well I climbed Everest *After* the quake. It is higher now, you know." People being the way they are, I can almost imagine it.
I had a roommate that wore Ciara. She was kind of a heavy metal chick that wore lots of eyeliner and smoked menthols. Somehow, she made the perfume seem much more cooler than it was.