Basic Black

CoCo Channel is famous for bringing "The Little Black Dress" into style. It has always been a classically elegant addition to any wardrobe. During the 1980's was the first time that I had worn basic black for formals and kept a few skirts and pants in these colors to ground the brighter colors that I would wear near my face. Of course, this was the era with the whomped up shoulder pads that squared off the shoulders making the hips look smaller, or that was how the theory went - at least! The hair was completely WHOMPED UP too! This all called for a much more SERIOUS perfume as well, after all - you couldn't leave the house dressed with over sized line backer shoulder pads - then choose a fragrance like cotton candy. You needed a heavy duty fragrance to go with the 80's "look"! Bill Blass introduced a trio of fragrances, because one was not enough. He had a theory that you needed at least 3 forms of expression. Hot (with the red cap), Nude, and Basic Black. Basic Black was the more elegant of the three...all three had their followings and loyal fragrance fans, they still DO! Basic Black was my favorite out of the three - and was always great on my skin because it had ingredients that really "showed up". It matched the tone that was set in all of the M-TV videos, back in the day. Coming from the super preppy days where everything was pretty classic and safe, the 1980's styles added some edgy-ness that you didn't find when everyone was trying to look as if they were attending prep school. The first fragrance that I wore in this genre was Tuxedo by Ralph Lauren - which had a discernible tobacco note in it. I always loved Tuxedo in women's perfumes and men's colognes (it is a note that adds depth, so tobacco pulls a fragrance more into the alto/tenor type range of depth), it was a gorgeous fragrance that could definitely be worn with the classically elegant black evening dresses and pantsuits. Tuxedo was short lived, for some reason RL took this off the market - leaving a gap in the market. MTV and all of the fashion pages began featuring the color black in more videos in costume changes by famous musicians. Looking back at significant movies of the day, "Grease" was early on the scene with this transformation. Even Olivia Newton John made the shift from Sandy, the preppy beach fresh teenager - to the biker chick wearing black from head to toe. What perfume do you wear with a wardrobe with a few pieces of basic black? Luckily, Bill Blass created Basic Black at just the right time in the market. This was an elegant perfume that grounded a beautiful energy that is required when wearing something with this level of sophistication. This was a dressy fragrance, I had to step into this - because it was actually a lot more sophisticated and elegant than I was at the time. This would be something that I would reserve for formal dances or times when I would really dress up to the 9's or 10's. I loved this when I had the courage to wear it. Both Tuxedo and Basic Black could allow you to feel elegant for the evening. There was a point where I also began wearing this for daytime events with business suits for work as well as to church, but that took awhile. I was just warming up to wearing more elegant and more grown up scents at the time. This is a gorgeous fragrance on! This brought a constant stream of compliments. It really did SOMETHING with my chemistry! A Great one, truly a Classic! I can see where some people would think that this was unisex or urban chic trendy... I agree with the comment that the new generation needs to rediscover this one. It is truly memorable. I loved it when I had the guts to actually wear it! This is grown up, serious - could be worn for business or for more formal occasions. I have good memories with this perfume. It smells elegant, lovely. ------------- Just bought a small sample bottle for another chance to experience it. This is much better than I remember. There are some notes and the intensity which matches the sophistication of Elizabeth Taylor's Passion, Estee Lauder's Youth Dew, and Jil Sanders No. 4. Basic Black is strong, so much so that you may want to reserve this for the fall, winter, and early spring -- (this may be overly strong in the summer). It is still the same 1980's powerhouse that I remember. There is a richness and elegance to this. It starts with a familiar type incense note with oak moss, a slight black pepper type smell which anchors the perfume. This caramelizes beautifully on the skin within the first couple of minutes after spraying it. Wears hours on the skin. This is in the alto range - where it is not a high soprano, and not too deep... Just the right range for wearing day or evening. If you are craving a perfume with more presence than the present day cotton candy sweet perfumes - and something with an 80's vibe, you'll definitely want to try this one! This is a definitely a keeper - a real winner! ---------- If you like the depth and the general vibe of Basic Black - you will probably like Panthere by Cartier. They are similar - almost like sister fragrances... not exactly twins, but close enough to experience a similar type essence. I like both perfumes, they both have their own character and presence. David Yurman's Exotic Essence is in this same type of fragrance profile - fragrance genre... that one is slightly more unisex - and leans more towards being a fall/winter perfume because of the depth during the first couple of hours of wear.

Nose: Maurice Roucel When I first acquired this fragrance several years ago, my first impression was 'dirty, subversive prohibition in a bottle reminiscent of the 30s and 40s fragrances that were worn by those 'other women', laden with animalic sercretions and cigarette ashes.' For me, it was an assertive, jolie laide (French word for "beautiful ugly") chypre that seemed out of my league. I didn't dislike it but I had yet to grow into its boldness. It colonized the atmosphere and loudly announced my presence in a way that my demure personality could not acclimate to. But I held onto it. The bottle is beautiful, smooth, elegant Bauhaus design and, although it is technically a 90s perfume, it is the bottled last lingering remnant of the bold, brazen art deco revival of the 80s. Today, my impression has evolved. Basic Black is a sophisticated blend of cool spices, narcotic florals, musk and soapy accords. Imagine those molded soaps your mom kept in the bathroom in the 90s that were strictly for decorative purposes only fortified by a similar sharp floral structure as 1986 gem Sung by Alfred Sung, elevated by citrus accords and grounded in cool, peppery earthiness. I get a little honey from this but not the headache-inducing blast of honey that many others get from this. This is not warm, cozy and inviting - this is sophisticated, Olympian exclusivity, unapproachable glamour and silent, surreptitious rebellion. Oh how it takes me back! It captures the spirit of an era beautifully - an era of decadent drama, geometric elegance, tobacco-scented leather, velvet, Venetian blinds, cool chrome, garish florals, sensual sax poured over analog synthesizer, and chiascuro moodiness. The sillage is definitely nothing to play with - I'm surprised it wasn't on any banned lists back in the day that I know of. And it has a long lifespan on the skin. In short, Basic Black is millenial magnificence and I love it. I wonder did the perfume evolve or did I?

This is a review for the current formulation of Basic Black: While there is practically no sillage on my skin, this beautifully blended and subtle chypre could otherwise become seriously addictive. I gave my gorgeous little bottle to my sister, on whom it shines a bit brighter. The sillage is still light, however, and she is inclined to consider it a "skin scent" chypre. No matter. This is the comforting and dependable jewel to whip out on days when quiet confidence is required. Just like that little black dress - aptly named! I see little resemblance to Cassini, which I've recently ( happily! ) sampled. Cassini has a good deal more "oomph" and could even be said to be strikingly vulgar by comparison. So much so that I may eventually have to obtain a bottle of my own. :) You would be hard pressed to find a more chic chypre than Basic Black. Airy, well blended, and perfectly balanced. What more can I say?!

Complex and multi layered. Very Sexy... If this perfume was a lady, she would have long fingernails, a dozen little black dresses in her closet and drive a big black car. She is intelligent, quick, intense and doesn't apologize for anything above. LOL. She also rides horses, calls her mom everyday and loves a poet or a poor artist. I like her... This perfume has a huge opening and all thru the day at unexpected times you can hear/smell the animal in it "roar". Tamed only by the spice and warmth. I think it smells like heat and even hints of leather as it relaxes. But I always smell the honey and vanilla coming thru. As it calms down and gradually thru out the day it develops a warm smoky muskiness on my skin. Like I said, so many layers and notes. Very long lasting and awesome silage, depending on how you apply it. I get a lot of compliments about this perfume.

Growing up I had a best friend whose mother sold Avon and drank. She saved the liquor bottles, dripped candle wax down their sides, and stuck candles in their necks...these bottles were all over their house like trophies. She wore some strong vintage Avon from the seventies (well, it WAS the 70s), not sure what but it was soapy and mossy, and its smell melded with the booze and smoke around her in an amalgamation of seventies womansmells: smoke, moss, incense, candle wax, and something weakly floral. That's how Basic Black smells, pure nostalgia. Perfume-scented perfume with a boozy smokey complex sadness like a drunk divorcee with a bin full of empty bottles on a rainy Sunday morning, the smell of decomposing hope. I really love this.