Lovely piece. My sense of smell is sadly not as good as it was - I blame a bout of covid. But Imperial Leather soap always reminds me of MY granny's house - I buy it for that reason alone sometimes. x
The most evocative smells for me are all related to my Grandparents. Their end bedroom (essentially a storage room) had such a particular smell I stood in there for five minutes inhaling it after we moved my Grandad out for good as I didn’t want to forget it. Similarly, when my cousin sent me a batch of Grandad’s old ties for my sartorial youngest, he opened the package, gathered them, took a big inhale and said “they smell like Grandad Bill!”. 😍😭
I’m about to enter the puberty era for my eldest and he’s already into his body spray. He was given a Ted Baker set for Xmas which I’m considering hiding… 😷
I wonder if we attach so much to the smell of a grandparents’ house because it’s the first home we visit that’s not our own so we notice the difference in smell and it stays with us? I can remember such strange things from both grandmothers’ houses.
Terrifying that you’re entering the choking body spray era of parenthood. Can you skip it and get him a low-price eau de toilette? Hahaha. Get him straight to Boots and grab 50ml of something that won’t have half the neighbourhood’s cats scratching at the door. .
When I lived in up-state New York, there was a house that I’d pass on my walk down the hill to go shopping on a Saturday and it always smelled like roast chicken. Not rotisserie, KFC, generic chicken but my Nana’s roast chicken. It was a lovely reminder of home in a city that had no comprehension of scampi fries, cooking apples or toad-in-the-hole; and where everybody thought every Brit was related to the Queen. Nowadays, I just remind my sister-in-law of her Nan because of my old lady perfume (Chanel No. 5).
Love this Justin. My husband says I should be a perfumier in Paris (is that still a job?) - failing that, a sniffer dog at Heathrow - such is the sensitive nature of my nose. Scent memory is such an evocative thing - it's almost as if we have these bookmarks in our brain - olfactory reminders of people and places.
Smells are so evocative. I’m very sensitive to smells and can’t wear perfume but I always buy the same geranium and rose scented handwash intentionally because my grandson loves it and I know when he is an old old man when he catches a whiff of it he will remember me. Your granny would be pleased to know you are thinking fondly of her Justin.
Dior Poison. My ex used it and although we split up 25 years ago, every time I catch a whiff I think of her. Although not smelt it for a few years. Maybe it's really uncool now?
Just finished Leading Man. Loved it, what a great character. Ended up reading until the early hours as couldn't go to sleep until I'd finished it, can't remember the last time I've done that with a book!
I remember when a friend came to visit me in the UK for the first time - we'd been friends since we were 16, occasional housemates throughout our 20s - she walked through the door and exclaimed "this house smells like you!".
My big flashback fragrance is YSL Jazz. Whisks me back to 1991.
Oh I love this post and it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I’ve wondered about buying an original Like A Prayer vinyl to see if the inner sleeve patchouli would literally time travel me.
Also, where we live now, there’s occasionally this weird smell - outside, I mean - that’s something like school dinners? Hospital canteen food? Fish and maybe also cheese? Not horrible but certainly not nice. I have no idea what it is or where it comes from but last time I smelled it, I realised it smells like a house my nan used to take us “visiting” to as kids. Mrs and Jimmy O’Shea’s house. (Mrs O’Shea always gave us 50p, so we tolerated the boredom.)
I can't tell you how much I relate to this. I love a scent memory. It's Body Shop White Musk (what a name), CK Be and the burnt toast warm smell of my aunt's hallway for me.
Lovely piece. My sense of smell is sadly not as good as it was - I blame a bout of covid. But Imperial Leather soap always reminds me of MY granny's house - I buy it for that reason alone sometimes. x
That one reminds me of so many places! Thanks for reading.
The most evocative smells for me are all related to my Grandparents. Their end bedroom (essentially a storage room) had such a particular smell I stood in there for five minutes inhaling it after we moved my Grandad out for good as I didn’t want to forget it. Similarly, when my cousin sent me a batch of Grandad’s old ties for my sartorial youngest, he opened the package, gathered them, took a big inhale and said “they smell like Grandad Bill!”. 😍😭
I’m about to enter the puberty era for my eldest and he’s already into his body spray. He was given a Ted Baker set for Xmas which I’m considering hiding… 😷
I wonder if we attach so much to the smell of a grandparents’ house because it’s the first home we visit that’s not our own so we notice the difference in smell and it stays with us? I can remember such strange things from both grandmothers’ houses.
Terrifying that you’re entering the choking body spray era of parenthood. Can you skip it and get him a low-price eau de toilette? Hahaha. Get him straight to Boots and grab 50ml of something that won’t have half the neighbourhood’s cats scratching at the door. .
When I lived in up-state New York, there was a house that I’d pass on my walk down the hill to go shopping on a Saturday and it always smelled like roast chicken. Not rotisserie, KFC, generic chicken but my Nana’s roast chicken. It was a lovely reminder of home in a city that had no comprehension of scampi fries, cooking apples or toad-in-the-hole; and where everybody thought every Brit was related to the Queen. Nowadays, I just remind my sister-in-law of her Nan because of my old lady perfume (Chanel No. 5).
The memory of a smell really can take you anywhere!
Love this Justin. My husband says I should be a perfumier in Paris (is that still a job?) - failing that, a sniffer dog at Heathrow - such is the sensitive nature of my nose. Scent memory is such an evocative thing - it's almost as if we have these bookmarks in our brain - olfactory reminders of people and places.
Thank you!
Smells are so evocative. I’m very sensitive to smells and can’t wear perfume but I always buy the same geranium and rose scented handwash intentionally because my grandson loves it and I know when he is an old old man when he catches a whiff of it he will remember me. Your granny would be pleased to know you are thinking fondly of her Justin.
Ah that’s sweet. I’m sure he will. And thank you!
Dior Poison. My ex used it and although we split up 25 years ago, every time I catch a whiff I think of her. Although not smelt it for a few years. Maybe it's really uncool now?
Just finished Leading Man. Loved it, what a great character. Ended up reading until the early hours as couldn't go to sleep until I'd finished it, can't remember the last time I've done that with a book!
Ooh Poison was HEAVY. Think it’s still around somewhere. Thanks so much for reading Leading Man; I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed it!
What a great post, Justin, so smart and funny (and moving and disquieting)! Thank you!
How kind of you. Thank you for reading!
These kinds of things that surely have a scientific but also a beyond scientific explanation are my absolute favorite. Love this!
Thank you!
I remember when a friend came to visit me in the UK for the first time - we'd been friends since we were 16, occasional housemates throughout our 20s - she walked through the door and exclaimed "this house smells like you!".
My big flashback fragrance is YSL Jazz. Whisks me back to 1991.
Ha my dad used to wear that one
Oh I love this post and it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I’ve wondered about buying an original Like A Prayer vinyl to see if the inner sleeve patchouli would literally time travel me.
Also, where we live now, there’s occasionally this weird smell - outside, I mean - that’s something like school dinners? Hospital canteen food? Fish and maybe also cheese? Not horrible but certainly not nice. I have no idea what it is or where it comes from but last time I smelled it, I realised it smells like a house my nan used to take us “visiting” to as kids. Mrs and Jimmy O’Shea’s house. (Mrs O’Shea always gave us 50p, so we tolerated the boredom.)
I still have my original LAP LP but haven't sniffed it in a while. And I know the EXACT smell you mean! School dinners.
Please sniff it and report back!
I can't tell you how much I relate to this. I love a scent memory. It's Body Shop White Musk (what a name), CK Be and the burnt toast warm smell of my aunt's hallway for me.
Ooh CK Be was actually nicer than One, I thought. Bottle looked cheap though.
I concur on both counts
You can get 50ml for £15 in Savers so seems like that cheap-looking bottle found its destiny. (Am very surprised it's still going!)
I can relate to this article, bespectacled woman with winged glasses and heavy fragrances takes me back to the day I was taken to the foster home.