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Year’s Round-Up: The Best of 2005

The year 2005 is coming to a close, and as such, it is time for an inevitable list. There were so many new fragrance releases this year, and while some technically were released very late last year, they weren’t really available for regular schmoes like me ’til ‘05.

Let’s start with the famous folks and move on from there:

Best celebrity scent: Cumming (Alan Cumming.) It’s also the weirdest one. I loved wearing it this summer.
Best celebrity scent for a night of dancing: Lovely (Sarah Jessica Parker)
Best celebrity scent for line dancing: Shania (Shania Twain) She’s a dude. And no, I don’t mean dude as a generic term for a man, or in the popularly used surfer/stoner ‘duuuude’ way. If you can claim to have seen a REAL cowboy or cowgirl who looks like Shania Twain, then I will know you were just eating peyote on your trip past the tourist-trap dude ranch.
Best celebrity scent for pole dancing: Just Me (Paris Hilton)
Also ran: Fantasy (Britney Spears.) But alas for Brit, you learn as you get older that some fantasies should remain just that, and ought not to be acted upon. Especially if, according to your commercial, your fantasy is to have an arrow chucked at you like at a mastodon in the days of yore.

Best scent to wear uptown, downtown and everywhere else too, morning, noon, and night: Chinatown Bond No. 9

Best choice if you’d like to remain a pale wallflower: Addict 2 Dior

Best way to smell like a fruity cocktail in a dirty Tiki bar: Escada Escada (new)

Best reason to have a French connection: Borneo 1834 Serge Lutens
But the best reason to travel to France is still, well, it’s frickin’ France. ‘Nuff said.

Best excuse to pick up a limited edition of a beloved scent: Amarige Harvest Collection Givenchy
Best excuse to completely disregard limited editions: Escada’s annual summer fruit-arrheas, this year’s being Rockin’ Rio.

Best product for the delusionally empowered: Goddess Baby Phat

Best kept secret that won’t be a much of a secret for very long: L’air du Desert Marocain Tauer Perfumes
Even better? The bestest: Le Maroc pour elle Tauer Perfumes, which is a MUST for rose-lovers especially. I’m not screwing around here. You can find more info and contact information by going to Andy Tauer’s blog. Seriously. Go. Now. Why are you still reading this? Go already!

Best reason to ignore the hype: Ellenisia Penhaligon
Best reason to ignore the hype, but then go try it anyhow: Very Irresistable for Men Givenchy
Best ignored, or in my case, completely forgotton until just now: Omnia Crystalline Bulgari

Best scent for dimming the lamps, lighting some candles, cuddling up to your sweetheart, and drinking some Gluehwein on a cold winter night: Nanadebary Bronze Nanadebary

Best scent if you’re Harrison Ford, you’re on the lam, and you don’t want to stand out from the crowd because Tommy Lee Jones is hunting you down: Jil Sander Sport for Men Jil Sander

Best use of a cigarette butt note: Velvet Rope Apothia (But you should try it anyhow. I know it’d smell awesome on someone, I just happen to not be that someone.)

Best homage to Thierry Mugler’s Angel: Flowerbomb Extreme Viktor and Rolf
Second best homage to Thierry Mugler’s Angel: Flowerbomb Viktor and Rolf
Also ran: Thierry Mugler’s Angel Garden of Stars trio.

Best imitation of a perfume scent strip: Tampax fresh Tampax

Best accessory for donning imitation vintage duds and acting adorable: Cynthia Rowley Cynthia Rowley

Best way to smell naughty without anyone forgetting you’re really nice after all: Narciso Rodriguez eau de parfum Narciso Rodriguez

Best looking paperweight: Silver Rain La Prairie

Best slapstick routine between fruit and amber: Euphoria Calvin Klein

Best gag gift: Gas for men Gas. Nope, I’m not kidding.

Want to read more? Check out these blogs for some other great lists:

We will all be posting at different times, so if you don’t see a list there yet, check back in later please.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 29th, 2005 at 10:12 pm and is filed under Perfume Reviews, Announcements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

22 Responses to “Year’s Round-Up: The Best of 2005”

  1. Atreau Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 3:53 am

    You never fail to amuse me K! That picture of Hasselhoff has me rolling, not to mention the Tampax ad!

    I can’t believe I forgot to mention Nanadebary Bronze! The top notes in that I could do without but on drydown it’s pure bliss!

    Cumming is also a fabulous one! Did you happen to catch him on Mizrahi? That’s one that I forgot to include in my collection - ah, there’s always next year!

    Thanks for the great graphic K! Have a beautiful new year!

    ♥

  2. Patty Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 6:16 am

    Love your list, K! I must try Andy’s perfumes, that’s my resolution. Happy New Year!

  3. ChristinaH Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 6:24 am

    Kate,I am giggling at the paper weight for Silver Rain.100% accuracy!

  4. Robin Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 7:24 am

    K, and you win for funniest “Best Of”!! Still giggling at the Best Celebrity Scent for Line Dancing.

  5. Tania Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 7:42 am

    As we say on the internets, LMAO @ Gas for Men and the Tampax scent strip. K, you kill me. Please blog twice as much in 2006. Give up your life, your work, your family. Just blog for me. I can’t pay you, but I ain’t too proud to beg.

    Happy new year!

  6. Marina Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 7:44 am

    This is absolutely hilarious. I don’t know where to start, dude (said in a surfer way, BTW). I think my favorite is “Best scent if you’re Harrison Ford, you’re on the lam, and you don’t want to stand out from the crowd because Tommy Lee Jones is hunting you down.” But they are ALL good. I second Tania’s suggestion here. Please, please, do!!

  7. mireille Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 8:47 am

    Such wit! Such charm! Such a strange mind in a pretty girl! Yes, I want to seduce samples out of Andy Tauer but I do not know the tricks. Please advise. and Happy New Year, K! xoxo

  8. annieytown Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 8:55 am

    Your list was perfect and hilarious. Also loved the thumb up pictures!

    Favorites from all the entries:
    “Best product for the delusionally empowered: Goddess Baby Phat”

    “Best scent if you’re Harrison Ford, you’re on the lam, and you don’t want to stand out from the crowd because Tommy Lee Jones is hunting you down: Jil Sander Sport for Men Jil Sander”

    “Best slapstick routine between fruit and amber: Euphoria Calvin Klein”

    Thanks for the great graphic and creating the link code. Thanks also for making me laugh like no other and being my “dark sense of humor” buddy. I hope to get to meet you one day so we can tear apart celebrities and talk about rose fragrances. Speaking of rose fragrances…I have never heard of Tauer scents. Thanks for the heads-up!
    Have a great New Year K!

  9. risa Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 10:11 am

    as the others say, your list is totally hysterical. i about died with the Tampax ad, and i’ve been wholly amused at the visual of Euphoria’s slapstick.

    thanks for the heads-up on Tauer perfumes! i love new discoveries. also thank you for the graphic - they’re all lovely, every one.

    have a fantastic New Year, K, and may the coming year bring endless amusements without too much trouble ;)

  10. Victoria O Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 10:31 am

    Great post!! As it just so happens I just had the opportunity to try L’air du Desert Marocain yesterday and I’m in LOVE!!

    I also tried (and bought) Velvet Rope at Barneys, without hearing a thing about it before. I smells great on me. But after reading your post, I sniffed the nozzle and I did get a faint ciggy smell, but it doesn’t come through in the fragrance.

    I agree with your asement of the Escada summmer fruity concoctions, but don’t be dissin’ my Escada Escada. Darn I left it off my list!!

    Here’s to a great New Year of wonderful new scents!
    Victoria O

  11. Scentzilla! Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 12:44 pm

    Thanks everyone, will be back to answer in a wee bit…

  12. kyahgirl Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 8:20 pm

    OMG, you’re hilarious! What a great post K.

    Happy New Year buddy.
    Thanks for helping to organize this.

    xoxo
    Laura

  13. Jonna Says:
    December 30th, 2005 at 10:44 pm

    I howled. HOWLED. And would you believe, this month, I accidentally bought those goddamn scented tampons? I couldn’t figure out why they were blue until I was overcome with faux freshness.

  14. debra_b Says:
    December 31st, 2005 at 12:06 am

    ROFL! Okay, the only one you mentioned that i actually love is Borneo 1834, and it’s in a good category. Thank god. Had you chosen to immortalize any of my favorites in the wacky ‘best of’ categories, it would have been forever spoiled for me, because of course that kind of thing sticks. Poor CK Euphoria.

    I’ll add my plea to Tania’s - must…have…more…!!

  15. Cait Says:
    December 31st, 2005 at 11:20 am

    You are fabulous and your list cracks me up. I like a laugh perhaps even more than I like perfume. Happy New Year!

  16. Trina Says:
    December 31st, 2005 at 12:14 pm

    As always, you cracked me up! I’d like to chuck a spear at Britney myself…

  17. An Alabaster Brow :: Best of 2005: The New, the Vintage, the Gloriously Familiar :: December :: 2005 Says:
    December 31st, 2005 at 3:26 pm

    […] Scentzilla! […]

  18. BoisdeJasmin Says:
    January 1st, 2006 at 7:56 pm

    Happy New Year!

    Your list made me laugh and laugh. I agree on Cummings and wearing it in the summer. I can completely understand why it would work then best. Also, I recently sampled Le Maroc pour elle at Tania’s and what a beauty. It is absolutely gorgeous!

    Hope that your new year started well and that it will get even better!

  19. Qwendy Says:
    January 2nd, 2006 at 12:55 pm

    Hi Katie, Andy Tauer, yay! Velvet Rope, hmmmmmmmm! Tampax Fresh, eeeeeewwwwwww! I’ve enjoyed knowing you this year, have a great new one!

  20. Kristen aka Beauty Addict Says:
    January 2nd, 2006 at 9:49 pm

    Hey K, don’t Hassel the Hoff! LOL, the Manolo had better not see this post…he might send a pair of Payless spritzed with Electric Youth to your door…

    Love your list, especially the pole dancing pick, fruit-arrheas, Tampax and paperweight.

    And the graphic is loverly.

    Happy New Year!!

  21. Leah Says:
    January 13th, 2006 at 6:08 am

    so intereting, love your blog, good luck L

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