Collecting or hoarding?

Sometimes it is pretty hard to tell the difference. My husband has noticed I always buy two of everything. If I decide I must have a cashmere scarf, it ends up being at least two cashmere scarfs. I think it actually ended up being three, not counting the perfect one I lost at the mall. But sometimes you need a backup and sometimes you just aren’t sure which choice will be the best.  

So now, if I really like a scent, I need at least two bottles. Maybe more. Which would make a lot of sense if I was using them. However, I find myself not using the ones I love the most. The Guerlains are must haves, but the wearing is problematic. My life doesn’t seem to have important enough days to break out the good stuff! It seems deeply ingrained, and possible genetic. Or is it just our old survival skills being transferred to more frivolous “needs”?

My grandpa always needs a set of everything for “put back”.  Tshirts (remember when men wore them under their shirt?), socks, underwear. He would have an extra of them in the wrapper in his drawer. Open one package, he would need another! Silly, huh? And guess what I find myself doing with perfumes? Hmm….

Like many of us I have been on eBay a lot since this obsession went into full blossom. I see groups of old perfumes described as the estate of a collector, when the seller didn’t know the deceased. If it is for a relative, she will be called a pack rat or hoarder.  Ok, 22 bottles of the same perfume that we’ve never even heard of evaporating away in a closet somewhere could be excessive. Even for me. But I look at those 22 bottles with that primordial ooze left, and pangs of longing arise. I know how I would love to apply that brown syrup! And I would use that. It is the ones we have heard of that I get torn up about. That is one reason I love to buy used vintage scents, I have no qualms about those. Especially if it is something called Remarkable by Milnet. If it is called Shalimar…isn’t it a little too wonderful to use today? Or if it is a discontinued scent and I don’t have a put back.

And yet, I see bottles up for sale that still have the cords around the neck and nothing left in them. There is something so sad about that, like a doll that was bought to be kept in a box instead of loved and held. It waited and waited for use, for someone to at least sniff it, and finally gave up the last of its life inside the glass wall. Perfume is meant to be smelled or the purpose is lost. Concentration is wonderful, complete evaporation is not. I think I’ll wear a Guerlain. Tomorrow.