In Spades

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Top 5 Favorites – October 2021

Flare Leg JeansOctober always feels like the longest month ever.  (Maybe because Halloween isn’t until the very last day?)  While we saw our fair share of very hot, sunny days in SoCal, we also got a decent amount of rain and fall weather.  And with that, a piqued interest in jeans.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a denim addict, so jeans on In Spades isn’t anything new.  But your interest in fall’s denim trends was higher than ever.

Here are your Top 5 Favorites from October 2021.

Flare Leg Jeans

I adore the 70’s vibe of these jeans (and so did you).  Ultra flattering for ladies with curves, they also give definition to athletic builds.  If you’re short, not to worry – they look great hemmed too.

Wide Leg Cropped Jeans

These jeans tick all the boxes – cropped, not-too-high rise, 100% cotton and the wider leg makes them a perfect fall pair of jeans because they can be worn with tons of different boots.

Straight Leg Jeans

These jeans are one of my all-time favorite pairs.  The ankle-length cropped silhouette is super flattering.

Loafers

I adore these loafers. Super comfortable, the lug sole gives them an edgy vibe.

Perfume

I can tell holiday season is upon us because sales for this perfume skyrocketed in October.  Check out my full review of this fragrance here.

Fragrance Review: Byredo & Le Labo

Byredo Le Labo

I’ve written about how to find your signature scent (hint: it involves fragrance layering).  Today I wanted to share the fragrances I’m loving lately and the deets on two very popular fragrance lines.

Byredo vs. Le Labo

I’m a big fan of both Byredo and Le Labo.  Five years ago I think they were somewhat under the radar, but now they are both mainstream, and rightly so.

The biggest advantage to both of these lines is that their staying power is fantastic. These are not perfumes you have to reapply.  One application in the morning is all you need.

They are also made-to-order: they will not mix your bottle until you order it.  This of course ensures that the fragrance is as fresh as possible.  And let me tell you, it makes a difference.

Byredo

Gypsy Water and Mojave Ghost are the most popular, but I have to say, I’m not a fan of either.  Byredo’s strength is in their more unique scents.

My fave?  Super Cedar.

Notes:
Top: Rose Petals
Heart: Virginian Cedarwood
Base: Haitian Vetiver, Silk Musk

As someone who loves androgynous scents, this one is warm and evokes a confident presence.

I douse my car in it once a month and also spray it on the curtains in my living room.  Each morning when I open them, I’m reminded of this beautiful scent.

Byredo also makes a Night Veils collection.  These are pure perfume extract, i.e. more potent.  In 2016 they made a limited edition scent called Le Gant and it was my favorite fragrance OF ALL TIME.  I’m so sad I didn’t stock up.  The closest I’ve found to Le Gant, is Byredo’s Tobacco Mandarin.

Try one of their top-rated hair perfumes for the same scents at a fraction of the cost.

Le Labo

I love that you can personalize your bottle of Le Lebo.  You pick the name you want printed on the label.  Just a cool personal touch to remind you that this bottle is yours alone.

My favorite Le Labo scents are Santal 33 and Thé Noir 29.

Santal 33 notes:
Top: violet accord, cardamom.
Middle: iris, ambrox.
Base: cedarwood, leather, sandalwood.

Thé Noir 29 notes:
Top: bergamot, bay leaves, black tea, fig.
Middle: hay, tobacco.
Base: cedarwood, vetiver, musk.

Le Labo also makes perfume oils for those who want to perfume without alcohol.

Santal 33 is my current winner.  It’s the scent I wear the most and get compliments on it every time I wear it.

How to Find Your Signature Scent: Fragrance Combining With Jo Malone London

Jo MaloneJo Malone Jo Malone Jo Malone Jo MaloneJo Malone Jo Malone

Jo Malone London Dark Amber & Ginger Lily perfume
Jo Malone London Oud & Bergamot body creme // Vintage kimono

Last week I visited the Jo Malone London boutique in the UTC mall.  I’ve long been a fan of Jo Malone London scents but had never experienced the boutique setting outside of a department store.  Beautifully decorated with their signature black & white color palette, it of course smells as divine as you would imagine.

If you’re not familiar with the Jo Malone London philosophy, they are the original masters of fragrance combining.  While you can of course wear each scent alone, their fragrances are best worn by layering two together.  As you know, I’m a big fan of bespoke pieces, so the opportunity to create my own signature scent was super exciting.

We started with a walkthrough of the fragrances I’m most familiar with (Lime Basil & Mandarin being a fave).  Its clean, citrus scent is the perfect base in which to start layering.  After a reintroduction to the classics, I wanted to experiment with something more intense.  English Oak & Hazelnut is a spicy fragrance perfect for winter.  I was immediately hooked.

One advantage of the boutique experience is being treated to a complimentary hand and arm massage with your choice fragrance combination.  It’s a great way to determine how the layering mixes with your pheromones, so you can easily experience your potential signature scent.  They also offer this service to groups, so if you want to grab some girlfriends and make it a day, do it!

The combo I chose is perfect for any season because it has a clean base and a spicy top-note.  I seriously couldn’t stop smelling my wrist for the rest of the day.

But I was ready for something even darker.  There are seven Intense Colognes.  Packaged in moody black glass bottles, I knew they were for me.  Two hit me instantaneously – Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and Oud & Bergamot.  They encompassed all of my favorites – musk, citrus and soft florals.

Worn together, I feel a bit like a Bond Girl – confident, strong and sultry.  No wonder my signature scent had to be photographed with a vintage kimono.  Any old OOTD wouldn’t do.

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