I'm always on the hunt to find white florals that I like. It is one of those areas where I am very picky about my perfumes. I am really overdue on a review of one of my favorites, Kai, but that will have to wait until I can unpack it. First up, Pilar and Lucy To Twirl All Girly.
According to Pilar and Lucky, To Twirl All Girly is a fun, flirty gardenia based scent. Pilar and Lucy II is all about embracing the best of being a girl. Like the famous photo of Marilyn Monroe on the subway grate, you'll want your skirt to accidentally blow up or twirl in the breeze as you spin in happiness. The scent is about optimism and sweetness; good girls finish first.On application, To Twirl All Girly is light, sweet and coconut-y, but the sweetness starts to burn off a little and I get a hint of strange, skanky note I can’t place. To Twirl All Girly seems strangely hollow, though, like it has top and bottom notes, but is somehow missing the middle. It’s sort of coconut, cantaloupe, and dirt mix on me. If this is a gardenia, then it is the lightest, weakest gardenia I’ve ever sniffed at, but that might be a good thing if you don’t like your white floral scents particularly strong.
I think it’s that little sourness underneath that saves To Twirl All Girly from being boring. The description of the scent, the “good girl,” isn’t something that would interest me. But then, when I think of Marilyn Monroe, I don’t think of an innocent, good girl. Apparently Carmen Electra wears it, not the first person to spring to mind when I think “good girl.” I think of Norma Jean as a vivacious and intelligent woman who seduced a sports icon, a playwright, and a president, not to mention millions of fans, controlled her own career, and sadly died to early either as part of a cover-up or as part of depression and accidental overdose. Either way, not all that optimistic or sweet. Another reviewer said it reminded them of LA, and I think it reminds me more of what L.A. historically and notoriously does to nice, fresh faced, straight of the farm girls after six months. It’s not quite as bad as what happens if she gets off the bus in Vegas, but it’s not all pretty innocence, either.
And that saves To Twirl All Girly for me. It’s a sugary confection coating with something a little dark and surly underneath. Worth a try certainly, for those who like sweet fruity scent with a little bit of complication to it. Also, the bottle is, I’m sorry, just hideous. In an industry that prides itself on style in packaging, either by being overly luxurious or artfully minimalist, this packaging is the equivalent of those hideous country decorations of geese with blue ribbons that predominated kitchens in nicer homes in my neighborhood growing up. Yick. And double yick. If you buy it, try decanting it into something prettier, or at least less…just less.You can buy To Twirl All Girly in a 30ml bottle for $58 direct fromthe perfumer, Luckyscent, The Perfumed Court, Luscious Cargo, and other online retailers. You can also get the scent in a lotion or candle.
“Mama, doesn't even have an inkling
that I'm working in a nightclub
in a pair of lacey pants.
So please, Sir,
if you run into my Mama
don't reveal my indiscretion.
Just leave well enough alone.
- “Don’t Tell Mama,” from Cabaret
Want more reviews? Try…
~ A review from Pink Manhattan
~ A review from Jenny at Perfume Making
Images from Plar and Lucy, FanPop! and Photobucket. All rights reserved to respective copyright holders.
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