A Diary of Scents: Gender Expression Through Perfumes

There is a saying that people have several faces. We as a population cycle through different appearances, speech patterns, and body languages based on the culmination of settings and situations we are placed in; however, we alter ourselves in other ways besides sight and sound-The answer: by scent. As someone who doesn't necessarily fit into the societal mold of gender expectations, I change my expression almost daily. I accomplish this through clothes, makeup, but also through fragrance. Each perfume exudes a different ambiance that reflects the individual I long to be. It is as if I am keeping a diary of scents, or of myself.  

Not Another Cherry: cool, comfortable, whimsy 

My “normal” Day-to-day perfume. I wear this when I am the most base-line version of myself. The notes of wild cherry, Turkish rose, and almond amaretto are each traditionally feminine scents, with a darker or curious undertone. I feel like this best represents how I view myself, and how I expect others to view me. This scent is practical, sensible, and reliable. I can fall back onto this version of myself when I feel lost or detached. This scent feels interesting and modern, but yet a twinge of 90’s flair. 

Miss Dior:  powerful, luxurious, confident 

The go to perfume for my office job in communications. I romanticize this task; there is something inherently sexy about being in an office. The historically male-dominant space, that women fought tooth and nail to infiltrate, that is what I romanticize. This scent is feminine, light, but assertive. The notes mentioned are floral bouquet, a California rose, and tender woods, which combine into an essence of my perspective of the perfect woman. Ambitious, yet warm.  Serious, but also lively. I pair this with a sleek pair of black slacks and a chic pair of kitten heels, and suddenly, I can run the world, or simply write an article I am assigned. 

Dark Rum: rough, blunt, secure

A historic scent that ranges from pirate voyages to modern barbershops. This scent is my gender envy, the longing for a life I will never have. Boyhood. Part of my soul longs to be the stereotypical older brother in any tween sitcom: The baggy clothes, shaggy hair, and bratty-swagger. Scents of leather, patchouli, and rum exude this. The dark tones, yet colorful remind me of a poster-clad room from 2003. The strums of a hand-me-down guitar tabs worn in drums. This calls to me. I wear this perfume when I feel disconnected from my body and pulled toward this fantasy. 

Red Jean Woman: playful, youthful, bliss

The first perfume I ever bought for myself. I was around 19 when I bought it, teetering the edge of girlhood and becoming a woman. Naive, optimistic, driven. The entire world was in front of me. The mix of fruity scents and floral scents paired with vanilla and musk create an aura of a distant bliss I associate with being a young girl and growing up in the early 2000s. The scent of cheap makeup and honeysuckles from the backyard. A time of simplicity and safety. I wear this scent when I am feeling reminiscent of my past life, and it helps me be content when it is over—the scent of girlhood. 

I cannot pick which scent is my favorite, for they all feel a part of me. Together, they create a complex and detailed diary of scents. 

Strike Out, 

Maura Rutledge 

Editor: Madelyn Launer

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