Summer Guides: Choosing Perfume For A Crawfish Boil

*Current Fragrance: Priment Brulant by L'Artisan Parfumeur
*Currently Listening: Sugar Bee by Wayne Toups & Zydecajun

Happy Summer everyone! Memorial Day has come and gone, so I'm saying it's now summer. My blog, my rules! So, now that it's summertime and the livin' is easy; (well, to a varied degree depending upon your circumstances) it's time for a varied plethora of Summer Perfume Guides on various perfume blogs. Let me tell you what you can expect from No Disassemble Charlie No. 5....well, here's what you WON'T be getting...things like a) What Perfume To Wear With You Gold Lame' Cutout Swimsuit On You Next Trip To Ibiza or b) Perfumes To Snag My Summer Fling. What you WILL be getting are things like these: 4th of July Weekend = SPF 45 All Day Long, Every 2 Hours + What Perfume?, HELP! I'm Stuck On A Road Trip! My Dad Wont Stop & All I'm Getting For Dinner Is A Spoonful Of Peanut Butter! What Perfume Goes With That? (true and personal story, y'all), as well as our entry for today...Choosing Perfume For A Crawfish Boil.

I seriously doubt - well unless you're a HARD CORE perfumista - that you're going to go right out buy a brand new perfume for a crawfish boil. It's outside, it's hot, you're going to end up smelling like mudbug, and most likely beer that some drunken coon-ass spilled on you. (It was most likely Bud, Bud Light, Shiner, Lone Star or Abita). So, this post will act as a guide as to what TYPES of notes that would work best for your next crawfish shin-dig.

*A note about the term coon-ass: I don't want anyone to get offended or send me hate comments, so here we go. Being of Cajun descent on BOTH sides, I can call myself a card carrying coon-ass; if you are in fact, a coon-ass you may call me one as well. If you are NOT a coon-ass, however, calling me one would be just as bad as insulting my mother, watch out. This is just how it works. It's kinda of like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Violet, you're turning violet, Violet!" OK, not really, but the references was fun!

I grew up in what I like to call Texianna. On the TX side of right where TX, LA, and the Gulf of Mexico meet. While it is TECHNICALLY TX (the flags, belt buckles, trucks and egos are all big), the Cajun culture and cuisine still reign supreme, and in the summer it is all about the crawfish boil! Baby? Crawfish Boil! Retirement? Crawfish Boil! The hurricane missed us? Crawfish Boil! It's Wednesday? Crawfish Boil! I have a cold six-pack? Crawfish Boil! Well, you're going to need to get more beer.....

Wait, but Kathleen ...what the hell is a crawfish boil!?!!?!?! Ummm...it's a crawfish boil... Seriously though, click this link for a more far more less rambling explanation than I could ever offer.

It's fragrance time! Here's my biggest advice: KEEP IT LIGHT! It's going to be hot and humid out - that's a given, but also there's going to be a boat-load of butane fueled bubble going on the the pot. Mix that with the smell of crawfish, spice, veggies, spice, beer and well...let's face it BO, this is the type of occasion to leave our grand white florals at home. I'm just going to say it now and beg of all of you: NO JASMINE OR TUBEROSE AT  CRAWFISH BOIL! There, I said it. You now officially have my permission to shun anyone wearing something like Fracas or Truth or Dare at a crawfish boil. The thought of the melding of those scents with the smell o' crawfish boil, honestly is making my stomach turn.

Also in the "things" to avoid category, anything to red-berry-fruit-jammy category. It's might be your instinct to go with a body spray instead of a proper perfume, and I'm right there with you in agreement. Just please, leave the Sun-Ripened Raspberry and Strawberries and Champagne's of the world at home. Think about it, you're not going to slather your mud bugs with raspberry jam or drop them in a glass of bubbly. IT. JUST. CLASHES.

For fragrance inspiration, LOOK TO THE POT! There's a shit-ton a spice in there. So, chili and pepper galore! Also, lemon them in that there pot....so citrus away from fumey-friends!

If I were invited to a crawfish boil RIGHT NOW, what would I wear? Well, my first choice would be L'Artisan's Priment Brulant. Lots of hot pepper, it comes across as what I would call "spicy creamy-fresh" on me. The cocoa in there is unsweetened, and pretty much just acts as a glue, while the vanilla isn't all that sweet - it's just creamy. Any sweetness is completely abolished by the hot pepper. I've got a little sample vial that I've been working on since December. I think it's now time for a small bottle or at least a respectable decant.

Are there any events/outings you have planed for the summer that you're curious to find the perfect scent for? Any summertime activities you feel that you've completely pegged scent wise? Crawfish Boil questions? Comment below. We'll chat!

*Currently Listening: Jolie Blonde by Bayou Roux
**Photo Credits: 1) whatscookingamerica.net 2) artisanparfumeur.com