Black Violet

Definitely the most "me" fragrance I've owned, although life has changed quite a bit from when I first wore it, most likely dressed in all black, with very high heels and short skirt, dancing to deep house with champagne in hand at 4AM. Sadly, I stored my bottle carelessly without the cap and the atomizer straw/nozzle helped the last bit dry out faster than I'd have liked. I thus asked for a decant recently for Christmas from what seems like everyone here's preferred vendor, Decant Boutique. What I received is so different, though it seems like a quality fragrance, that I can't imagine TF calling it the same thing as what I've always smelled. It's giving white flower and/or maybe iris? Could I have gotten black orchid by mistake? I don't remember that one, but might go find some to sniff. I do have one of my tiny Black Violet vials left, purchased before I afforded myself the standard one from TF boutique and have worn it recently, though it's indelible enough in my mind to remember its intoxicating, chypre, purple but not at all cloying scent. So I'm wondering if there was any change in formulation the time or two the big decanter bottles have been available in recent years (I think at Niemans?). I'm also adding this combination review and question, since it's very surprising to come to this page and see fruity and bergamot as the top notes...I feel like I'd have remembered that from past visits, since it's not how the top of this scent strikes me, but maybe it was always so and it's just that I'm still building my fragrance palate recognition. However, if you're considering a very expensive purchase of this, know that in this case I'd advise not to think of top and most prominent notes interchangeably. I think of dark dark, violet, mossy, woody, floral, feminine but not soft or indole, with a tiny bit of patchouli (not seeing a ton of concurrence on that, so again perhaps it's the breadth of my vocabulary there). It's early winter, a late night out during a secret rendezvous far away from home. You've no idea how much any of it costs but it's pure extravagance. To pull a phone out would be gauche, but your eyes are now doing the most important communicating anyway.

This scent is all about violets times three. It definitely has three levels from first sprtiz to dry down...but let me say that I'm very sad and disappointed that this scent was discontinued, because it was one of my all time favorite scents to come along. I still have the original bottle with a cuppla sprtizs left, which I cherish. Just bought a knock off, and it's ok, but the original is soft and sensuous-the knock off is a bit harsher. First blast is LOUD - Violets and Smokey. The smokey/woody/earthy gives it a masculine vibe. Smelled like someone was burning old violets, but the violets wanted to hang on through the smoke. Flowers/smoke - interesting. This is a dark scent and made me think of winter (I live in hot Florida and thought I was gonna perfume the whole state). This stage lasted on me about 20-30 mins. Then the violets with Bergamot and throw in a hint of citrus...this stage was violets, but more clear and clean, the smokeyness was gone and loud had become bright, clean violets. This i liked and felt a more masculine stage. However, scent had already dried down a lot. But at the drydown, oh wow...creamy violets. Geeezuz, beautiful scent, but very close to skin for me. Put it on at 5:30pm and by 8:00pm was pretty much gone. But very faint creamy violets still there. Mmmmmmm. Home and laid down to quietly read...Surprise! Here is steady but faint smokey violets again continuing to waft genlty but darkly. I think wearing this fragrance is mostly about wearing what I like just for me, not to let other's enjoy or score compliments. To me, it was very personal, like I was hanging out in my own personal earthy violet garden and my neighbor was burning leaves. A very unusual scent...have not worn anything like this before, but...I Love It! Still love it 11 years later...what the heck was Tom Ford thinking, letting this one just dry up on the vine!!! I wish he'd just give the recipe of this beauty to someone else so we can still enjoy this stuff!!

This was my favorite perfume and signature scent for a couple of years. A chypre (i see some reviews ripping on the oakmoss on here- but thats a key element of a chypre). I think it is more feminine than masculine, but still unisex- some of the men in my life have loved it when I wear this and wore it themselves when the opportunity arose. It is pretty strong but despite that has rather mediocre lasting power on me which has led me to layer it with clive christians x or killians cruel intentions. Some perfumes, i just breeze through, but i have only purchased one small bottle of this in my life and it has a little less than half the bottle remaining after about 2+ years of use. I can see how much is left because unfortunately I traveled with black violet and shampoo in the same ziplock and the shampoo leaked! All of the black covering on the bottle began to peel off and now it is a mostly clear, ugly looking bottle- but the juice inside is wonderful, deep, dark, woodsy, fruity, floral, mysterious and most importantly beautifully supports the prominent note of violet. I love tom ford and my messed up bottle doesnt make me too sad because i have another from his private collection on my dresser: tobacco vanille. I also own black orchid and black orchid voile de fluer along with a set of samples from the entire private collection! Keep the masterpieces comin' TF!

Nothing is ordinary about this heady scent. Everything is naturally extraordinary. Extraordinary or even extravagant, manufactured for a hedonistic lifestyle of sustainable beauty and excentric elegance. How wonderful! Overt hedonistic sexiness of .... TOM FORD at his apex designing for GUCCI! A Humid Hothouse of Florals exuding strong scent of SEX beautiful Men lost in boredom of a lush ORCHID filled room or is it Sensual Torpor... wearing a GUCCI Black Shirts...and nothing else.... Rubelli VENETIAN opulance takes over a purple laser cut velvet floral dress languid and luxe... Charlotte Rampling as imagined by HELMUT NEWTON at the NEGRESCO Hotel in Nice MAD and BAD and Dangerous to know... this fragrance promises danger....loudly saturated scent which arouses strong sensations, in its pure essence, it dominates the space. after seducing you .... it retreats into the shadows of of those luxurious velvets... sweet fruity notes linger ... as they deliver us to reality we....luxuriate in spreading confiture de myrtilles sauvages, wild berry jam over our Blinis realizing that the BELUGA caviar has long been finished.... ahhhhh how decadent ...

I love Tom Ford, I own four of his Private Blends and 5 of his others. But this Black Violet is not one I like. On me it’s nothing but heavy citrus and powder, that’s all, and it stays that way for a few hrs then it’s gone. I get no flowers, nothing but powdery citrus and no lasting power, I now understand why it was discontinued, it didn’t sell because it’s just not up to TF quality. It is definitely not worth the price TF charges for his perfumes . Never, not for this one. Tom Ford for me is either a hit or miss, I either love the scent or hate it. There is no in between. You’d better really love it if you’re gonna shell out the big $$$$ for it. And I do not. And that’s ok coz he has many other scents that are wonderful. Black Orchid is a masterpiece. Oud Wood is the only Oud I love. Nobody does Oud like Tom Ford....I could go on and on but this is a review for Black Violet, not the TF line.