A few weeks ago I asked you about perfumes that mirror the great outdoors, that smell like the heath, cold wind, Hunter boots and Barbour jackets.
I wanted to let you know that I found the one that is perfect. Where did I find this gem? Well, right inside my own perfume closet of course. 🙂
Apparently my collection has reached a size that allows for surprise finds…
Ormonde Jayne Ormonde Woman is the scent of forests, darkest green, shot through with sunlight now and again, misty, mysterious and bewitching.
Photo by muffyaldrich.com
Ideal for my romantic idea of windblown, solitary walks across meadows and on winding forest paths, that I savour every weekend in the country. These walks are essential for my sanity.
What is your strategy to cope with stress? What do you do to unwind? I know it is only the beginning of the week, but maybe a little pause to think about what relaxes us might be quite nice… 🙂
P.S.: When you have a moment, take a look at The Daily Prep, the blog by the woman in the photo above. She writes about New England living. Basically her life is what my husband and I dream about. Well, maybe in old age we’ll make it true.
Olfactoria's Travels 
Why, oh why O.J. Woman smells completely different on me ?!?!?!
How does it smell on you?
Strangely, all I get is undetermined flowers, Jasmine-ish – nothing green or mossy or woods. Sigh…
Strange indeed. (I assume you ruled out a mis-labelled sample? It happens…)
The official one by Ormonde Jayne ? And at least two of those, received by two different occasions ? (You know my skin works miracle with ouds, who knows what else it is capable of…). Will do one more VSS (very serious sampling) .
(BTW, do you know the new Mona d.O. already?)
Hmmm, it seems to be the right vial then. I’m glad you are braving another VSS, maybe the third time’s the charm. 😉
Love the picture of the walk in the woods. Norway is what I miss in the fall. At the moment I love walking in the parks with the changing foliage – truly destressing. Must smell Ormonde Woman now.
We have perfect fall weather right now. The changing leaves are amazing.
Go smell OJ Woman now and tell me what you think! 🙂
You’re certainly on the right track to fit with the image above. I mean, what with the dog you think about getting, the cottage is already in the picture… You even found the right perfume. 🙂
Yep, on my way… 😉
Great perfume (though on me it doesn’t smell dark at all)!
I’m not sure I experience some “special” stress. I call it life and try not to let it get to me. Sleep helps. Holding Rusty helps. Great weekend in a wine country with my vSO – definitely helps (drinking is optional 🙂 ).
I bet holding Rusty helps! 🙂
And living near the wine country is fantastic.
I also find long walks are very good for the soul. Stroking cats is great too. I keep thinking that I must pay the Ormonde Jayne boutique a visit, so your post comes as another reminder.
Great! Enjoy you visit to OJ then! What are you thinking of getting?
Good choice – I think of Ormonde Jayne Woman as a bit ‘Blair Witchy’, but I mean that in a good, mysterious, foresty way. As Ines says, you have the life already, give or take the labrador. Why the need to add boats to the mix? And I am sure crab rolls could be fashioned even in a landlocked country like Austria..;-)
Exercise is good for stress I agree, and nourishing meals and sleep. I like to de-stress with a drink, though it isn’t the classic medical advice, except when my mother died and my GP actually encouraged me to hit the red wine!
Ah well, the Pielachtal is a far cry from the rocky shores of Maine or even the deep forests of New Hamphire or Vermont (see, I don’t explicitly need the ocean, I’d go for a landlocked state with a nice lake too). America has been a life-long fascination and has always called me. Even though from a political and social point of view I should be damn happy to stay where I am. 🙂
As for the crab rolls over here? Not a chance!!! 😉
No, no, Birgit….with family in Maine and myself livng in Annapolis for my adult life, i need to make a clarificationwhen not eaten straight from the shells, crustaceans turn into crab cakes or lobster rolls. But lobster Mac and cheese is pretty good, too! As for OJ Woman, it is the Barbour scent of woods walks and brisk weather, and one of my very favorites.
I was just pointing out to V that you cannot get a good lobster roll in Europe no matter how much you try, it’s never close to the original (the same goes for clam chowder). 🙂
I’m glad you enjoy OJ Woman too!
Ah, but you have pastries! And beautiful architecture! And mountains! The joy of this world is that there are so many beautiful places, so many gorgeous perfumes, foods, and people to learn from everywhere we go. It’s not an OJ Day here as it’s too warm and sunny, but I woke up wishing for it to be cool enough to wear Woman. Our last rainy bout I was bathed in ambers to warm myself up, and now want some bluster for my OJ!
I hope the weather cooperates and you get your bluster! 🙂
How about Canada? All of the natural beauty (a gazillion lakes) and a more European political and social point of view.
A very good point! Maybe… 🙂
I’m glad the Ormande Jane is working for you! Unfortunately it just smells like wet weeds on me 😦 Walks enjoying the colorful trees are pleasant and therapeutic, as is lying on the couch listening to Debussy or watching escapist movies, generally something British and Victorian with gorgeous costumes. Cooking and baking are good destressers, too – all of these activities accompanied by a cloud of perfume, of course.
I’m so with you on the British and Victorian! 🙂
Of course Ormonde Woman! So funny it was staring us in the face all along.
I agree that long walks in the forest are the perfect stress reliever. My sister now has one practically on her doorstep and running through the tall pine trees hand in hand with Mia was the ultimate de-stresser.
I agree you just need a dog now. After reading through all the comments and your own, I think you’ve thought it through well and have everything covered. Come next spring I reckon you should just go for it.
It’s really funny that nobody mentioned it… 🙂
Mia’s new home sounds great, I’m glad you had such a lovely time running through the woods with her.
Walking the dog or other exercise, reading and art (visiting galleries and museums, taking pictures) are good ways for me to relax. Otherwise I agree with Ines and Vanessa and having a dog is relaxing.
That is very good to hear!
Of course, Ormonde Woman………..the real forest perfume. What a pity, I like smelling it but can’t wear it, it’s very weird on my skin……..I’ve just received my crazy order today: a bottle of Orris Noir and one of Tolu, I can’t live without them. I’m sure Tolu could come with you for a walk in the woods!!!! enjoy!!!
Congratulations on your new perfumes, Florence! Tolu was my very first bottle from OJ, it is long gone, but I remember it fondly.
thank you Birgit, I like it very much, so special, but I must confess my favorite of the line is Orris Noir…….
I like it too, such an elegant fragrance.
My perfume for walking through humid dark-green forests with sunrays poking through the branches would be Bois 1920 “Vento di Fiori”. Its mossiness balanced with citrus and jasmine caught me by surprise and I find it so beautiful!
I don’t know this one, but it sounds lovely! Must try it soon, thank you!
I just came to think of cannellevanille.com. This is a blog by Aran Goyoaga and perhaps you might like it. They don’t need Barbour Jackets over there (“The winter afternoon we spent at the citrus grove”) – but this will not scare us off (my daughters, the cat and me).
Thank you, I’ll take a look.
Ormonde Woman is so lovely, and though not as dark and foresty to my nose as it is to yours and to most people’st, I do think of it as a perfume that has a wonderful air of movement about it. I think it’s an excellent choice for both your coat and your dreams!
As for de-stressing, your way is also my way. Although I do more running than walking now, it is mainly on paths that wind past forests and corn fields and a lovely rural park. Oh, and I love New England and have had several great hiking holidays in both New Hampshire and Maine. Would love it if you moved here. 🙂
Me too! 🙂
A sense of movement – I really like that description of OJW.
I think I’d go with Coromandel for this scenario. It’s pine-like and woodsy yet very proper and British, a nod to Hunter and Barbour. Is Hunter British? Seems like like it should be if it’s not. I think Coromandel works well in the warmer months, too. I also think Amber Sultan is a wonderful, warm and comforting scent to catch whiffs of in the crisp, cold, outdoor air. Both of these could make me feel beautiful despite windblown hair and a perpetually runny nose.
I love Coromandel in winter, it seems to go well with snow and cashmere scarfs. 🙂
Hi Lila
Yes , Hunter is a British company that was started in the late 1800s by a couple of American entrepreneurs who had moved to Scotland. It is still based in Edinburgh.
Thank you for the info, Sally!
Good to know! I’ll have to remember to “keep calm and carry on” next time I don my Hunters and Barbour. 🙂
Another Daily Prep follower here! I’m from Atlantic Canada but living in England, so Muffy’s blog is a virtual slice of home for me.
Hi Ali,
pleased to meet you! 🙂
It must be nice to get “postcards” from home through Muffy’s blog.