Currently, I’m waiting on about six perfumes to arrive via United States Postal Service. Theyr’e all either splits or swaps, which can take a while to arrive, trickling in at random intervals. It’s exciting, in its way, but also puts me in a conundrum…

What perfume should I wear until the mail arrives? It should be something that last for up to four hours—but not a moment longer. Either a new perfume will arrive that I want to test immediately, and I’ll need a clean-ish slate, or, if nothing arrives, I can re-apply the same perfume at lunch time.

What’s this you say? Skip the perfume for four hours while I wait for the mail? Ha! I’d as soon go without pants.

After much deliberation, and a watchful eye on the Chanel No. 5 EDT, I’ve selected Parfums DelRae Coup de Foudre.

Coup de Foudre is a sparkling, sophisticated rose. I think I’ve mentioned before, but when I first smelled this fragrance I immediately thought “this smells like money.” And it does; the old kind. Perhaps more than any other fragrance in my collection (yep, even the Amouage), CdF smells like the kind of lady who doesn’t know how much things cost. I’m reminded of Will Arnett’s new show, Running Wilde: during episode two he gives his assistant $100 to buy six-cans of soda, and tells him he can keep the change (if there is any). He has no concept of such puny amounts of cash.

It’s a beautiful perfume, and it lasts about four hours. Fits the bill perfectly!

Oh, and would I buy another bottle when this one runs out, you wonder? Well, at $150 for 50mL, when two sprays lasts four or fewer hours? Nope.

Painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau, “The Pleasures of Love” (Plaisirs d’amour). 1719.