“Strangely”
She said it sternly, with that single-mindedness that only brides to be seem to be able to bring to bear.
“Strangely, I haven’t forgotten that I have elected to get married in August and on the Algarve.”
She looked around at her assembled brides maids, her mother, her mother in law to be, her wedding organiser and assorted bridal wear suppliers, then straight ahead at the middle distance.
“But I still chose to wear a purple velvet dress and will happily accept the consequences whatever they may be.”
There was a general hush, a collective sidewise exchange of glances. Her look remained resolute, unflinching, implacable.
Too scared to even whisper a word of contradiction, gradually party’s pursued lips relaxed and melted into smiles, nervous laughter filled the air and the tension ebbed way as they accepted the simple fact.
The lady was not for turning.
When she insisted the outfit be cut in the shape of a Balenciaga ball gown, even though it was to be a beach-based ceremony, no one spoke up.
The bouquets of heavily scented violets and irises complete with roots revealed beneath the gathering bow, were allowed to pass too without by nor leave.
That the page boys be dressed in multi-coloured suits that had them resembling the liquorice sweets she adored was agreed by all to be a brilliant idea, a way of persuading small boys to dress smartly without squirming protest.
A toast of Pernod and blackcurrant cordial was met with silent resignation.
Only when it came to the vows was any dissent heard.
The celebrant, she had no truck with religion, swallowed hard when she ‘suggested’ that rather than the usual ‘Will you take this woman…’ tediousness, she address the groom directly, commanding him to swear unending fidelity to her.
The former curate faltered that perhaps this was a little ‘unconventional’, that it might be seen as a touch ‘pressurising’, that some people might even find the tone somewhat ‘domineering’…
She looked him up and town then fixed her eyes once again into no man’s land. Saying only one word:
“Precisely”.
When the day arrived the weather was not as hot as it should have been.
A brisk wind came in persistently from the sea playing havoc with the bride before in a fly away dress.
Not for her the same fate.
Her silhouette in near starched, stroke-me satin velvet remained perfect.
Against the overcast sky her female attendants in lilacs and fuscias formed a human flower arrangement.
Alongside the little boys in rainbow raw silk suits and bow ties were gem stones scattered across the sand.
The profound purple of her dress sequestered what little sunshine there was, seeming to shimmer: a radiant darkness at the shoreline.
Then the moment.
In a voice of perfect nerveless clarity she elocuted:
“Do you agree from this day forth to take this woman to have and to hold, to cherish and adore, to honour and obey… to love me?”
All those brought together on the bay in unison mouthed…
“Yes”
As he alone and petrified spoke the word.
Aimez Moi by Caron is a supremely single minded scent almost to the point of being downright scary.
It is a profound, heavy, unerring perfume that takes a core accord and extends it into a peerless operatic piece of work.
At the opening it is a tale of two lovers: anise and violet.
Yet any of the usual sweet, sentimentally romantic notions one might have of either note are instantly nullified.
The violet is dark, as tangible as cloth, as otherworldy as the Gothic.
The anise meanwhile is savoury, earthy, dirty almost, bringing forth the root of the iris, the third member of this love triangle, who appears in the second act.
Our protagonists’ brooding passions are played out with an accompaniment of spicy cardamom, a peppery mint and an amber that seems to be the near unsmelt structure holding the whole thing together.
Somewhere in the maelstrom, as so often in such affairs, there is a suggestion of alcohol.
The whole effect is indeed intoxicating, not least for its strength and gasp-inducing sense of bravado.
This is a hard liquor Liz Taylor, Richard Burton and Debbie Reynolds sort of a scent.
Not to be taken lightly. Certainly not for minors.
Beware, for this could prove to be addictive.
A life long love affair.
The Dandy adores violets and savoury liquorice too, so in languid and lustful mood he’d be more than happy to wear this.
Whether all men are up to such emotional endurance sports is another matter altogether…
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy.
The Perfumed Dandy. 
Dear Mr. Dandy,
You have just created another lemming.
I would have loved to attend those nuptials.
Another wonderfully scented letter!
Dearest Addicte
I too should have loved to have been a guest!
The Dandy, perhaps unsurprisingly, has a thing for purple and velvet as well as lilacs.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
I adore Aimez Moi, one of my first purchases from the house of Caron, the pure parfum bottle pictured above, you certainly described the heady intensity and once again provide transport to another dimension. I shall wear this to bed this very night!
Dearest Renee
I am so pleased this perfume has another staunch fan. I found the intensity quit bedazzling and really apart from other lilacs.
Truly lovely and just a little off putting all in one!
I do hope you slept well in your splendid liquorice and floral state…
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Quite gorgeous as usual
Dearest Luixe
Thank you, praise indeed from such an arbiter of taste as your good self.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Well you sold me on this one….I’ve just GOT to get to Paris! That would be the place to try a little sample, right?
Dearest M. Lanier
Surely Paris is due another visit from you!
They are missing you terribly over there….
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Yes I am one of the very few Americans loved by Parisians! A little French goes a long way n’est-ce pas?
Dearest M. Lanier
Mais bien sur.
It comes as no surprise to Le Dandy that les francais adore le Lanier!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Another Caron to add to my “to try” list. This is going to be fun. I have a lifelong attraction to Licorice All Sorts. It’s the color combinations. It almost shocked me to see them up there.
Dearest Lily
I am delighted to hear that there’s a Caron list on the go… perhaps a trip to the beautiful store in NYC (of which more to come) is in order!?!
By the way how is the decoupage going?
It would be charming to see a shot of the chair when it’s completed…
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
I’d love a trip to the NYC Caron store. I think September or October would be the perfect time. The wooden stool is coming along, thank you, but I’ve been lazy the past couple of days. I will post a pic when it’s done (if that’s possible here). 🙂
J’aime Aimez-Moi! I don’t find it find it overwhelming in hot weather, as long as I don’t overspray. With judicious use it is a lovely soft summer fragrance. I’m really enjoying your Caron review series!
Dearest Fleur
Amiez Moi is perfectly adorable in warm weather.
I find it’s intensity quite intoxicating, but sometimes its simply heavenly to succumb to such things in the sunshine.
I’m just delighted that other people share my love for Caron… we seem to be a dying breed!
How sad….
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
A bouquet of Gothic violets and earthy anise from a force of nature. First of all,I love the story, and second, I love the concept of the perfume. Must find this scent!
Dearest V
Oh do hunt out the scent, knowing your liking for adventurous florals I have a feeling you might like this one a lot!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
In my searching I see there’s a 1996 version and one concocted this year… Which do you recommend? Merci beaucoup, V
Dearest Vicky
1996!!
I tried them both ahead of the review and whilst the ‘new version’ isn’t a travesty (Nocturnes is) it isn’t quite as good.
Both seem to be available simultaneously for the timebeing…
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
That sounds delicious and I too love liquorice all sorts! You’ve described the notes beautifully – gothic violet, anise and iris – sounds gorgeous, I love iris and violet in ‘Iris de Nuit’ by Heeley but that’s a very English take on those notes, and I’m imagining this as a far more scenty and sophisticated statement. I find the title amusing too – ‘LIKE ME’ expressed as a command! Another striking and amusing review Sir T.P.D!
Dearest Rose
Yes, it is rather ‘scenty’ in the sense that it is very self-consciously a perfume.
It makes no pretence to merely represent nature but sets out to perfect it.
And the name like so many of Caron’s is so evocative… only ‘N’Aimez Que Moi” is better!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy