A little over a year ago, I spent an afternoon at my grandparent’s house browsing through old pictures of my grandmother, Patricia, when she was a young girl. I’ve always been captivated by 1940’s culture and fashion, and perusing the photos of grandma, fresh faced and smiling with her hair in fingerwaves made me wish that I had known her then.

We started talking about the popular items of the day and she mentioned to me that her favorite perfume was called “Evening in Paris”. I stared at the picture of her with her perfectly curled hair and wide smile and immediately wished I could find that perfume.

I scoured the internet where I found one description of the fragrance:

“To this day this beautiful fragrance conjures up the headiness of wartime dance halls, seamed stockings and G.I’s. It has been re-launched in limited quantities as Soir de Paris - this classic fragrance is as heady, romantic and evocative as ever and has been beautifully repackaged in a unique cobalt blue crescent bottle - timeless, still modern, still romantic. ” (read more here)

I finally found it available on an obscure website and ordered a bottle for myself. It was the first package waiting for me at our new address when we moved to San Francisco.

I always wear it whenever I’m dressed up in a fitted vintage dress, my hair done, my lips red. I can’t help but look in the mirror and smile with delight at carrying a little of my family history on my wrists.

M