Keeping Myself in the Manner to Which...

Did I tell you I was very naughty while I was in duty-free? Oh yes, I am a bad, bad girl. For I bought a bottle of Hermes Un Jardin en Mediteranee. Forgive me, oh bank manager, I know not what overcame me. Why I needed this bottle of fragrance to keep the other 8 bottles company, I'll never know. But damn, it smells good!

Monday was my first day back at work. I probably had about 3 hours of sleep and was feeling like a dog's dinner. But one of the things I'm learning about sleep deprivation is the more disturbed nights you have, the more you get used to functioning without. So I put on my slap and managed to get in 5 mins late, but all was well. I'd been away for two weeks and the first part of the morning was spent trying out the new fragrances which have snuck in while I wasn't looking. The new Prada fragrance Infusion d'Iris had pride of place, as did the new line to us: Miller Harris. Oh my goodness, so many new scents to try, so little time.

Infusion d'Iris is a bit of an 'old' scent, but I lurve it. I wore it all day and was really pleased with it. It's got strong hints of Iris which contributes to the 'old' flavour, I suppose I should be really saying 'classic' instead of 'old'. I think it's divine.

I also had the pleasure of sniffing Gwen Stefani's offering L.A.M.B. We are currently offering it with a free gift, a gold plastic, square cut bracelet, for size zero models. Ummm...I'm searching for the right words to describe this celebrity fragrance...bear with me. I was reading in a weekend magazine that celebrity fragrance tends to be simple scents, with one or two main ingredients, and are produced within very tight time frames. These tend to appeal to the younger end of the market. The more classic fragrances are blended with expensive ingredients, multiple scents and take several years to develop. Ultimately, the attention to detail shows. In 5 years time, who will be parting with good cash for Shh...? Anyway, I digress. L.A.M.B...it's a foul, chavvy perfume. I've tried, but I really can't come up with a better way to describe it. Gwen Stefani is a beautiful striking woman, but she chose her marketing of this product on a really off day. Keep making music and stay out of perfuming. Please.

And by the way, as Norwich's independent department store, we have certain standards to maintain, and no, we aren't ever, in any lifetime, going to be stocking Jordan's fragrance. I fear I'm turning into snobby, orange, department store woman.

Ah yes and I have news. Alix and her husband are off to the Big Smoke to pursue groovy careers in film and art and generally to be fabulous luvvies. Great for them, but I'm going to miss them. Humpf. However, this means that there is a staff vacancy. The Buying Manager came over to me second thing Monday to not only offer me Alix's hours, but another day as well! I'm so chuffed. It means regular employment and although I'll lose my flexible working, that's 3 days a week as a fully paid up, member of staff. I'll be taking on Alix's house as well as taking on another house of fragrances. So more lots more responsibility, but more perks too. And funnily enough, no mention has been made about my nose stud.