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"Badgley-Mischka is a strong, smart, sexy, glam-glam fragrance."

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Mossy Woods

Scents that are woody generally have forest-friendly notes. Some perfume writers disdain the use of the word "wood" and "woody" and opt for terms like "chypre" which are not only more fun to say but also more traditional.

The sandalwood and patchouli in this scent probably give it the woody notes.

But very few woody or chypre scents can make it without adding some brightness. In the case of Badgley-Mischka, look for peony, berries, and peach to add sweetness and sparkle.

I don't quite get the "mossy" part. This just shows that sometimes language doesn't stretch far enough to cover our full ofalctory needs.

In terms of genre, I have heard Badgley-Mischka classified with Agent Provacateur and although they are quite different fragrances, there is that rich, haunting, sexy quality about both of them that appeals to so many women.

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Badgley Mischka

I'm not sure I own the right clothes for my Badgley Mischka perfume. This is glam stuff, the kind of thing that should be worn by women who wear $800 shoes and pearls. Most of the time, that's not me. However, there is an imaginary me who is quite at home with diamond jewelry. This imaginary me wears $600 sunglasses and a scarf from Hermes while she drives her convertible along the winding roads of Monaco or San Francisco or wherever else roads wind. That's the me who loves this perfume.

It reminds me of Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, and Bette Davis.Was there a better time to be a glamour girl than the 1940s in Hollywood? Those women were gorgeous, but they were also tough. I think we can learn a lot from women who carved out their destinies in high-heeled shoes.

Anyway, back to Badgley-Mischka. This is the kind of perfume they would wear. They didn't wear it, of course, because Badgley-Mischka is a new scent and ladies back then had fewer choices. But this is the strong, smart, sexy, glam-glam fragrance that a movie diva from the 1940s would want. Even the bottle is stylish. It's faceted (like a girl's best friend) and low to the ground, so it gives the impression of being delicate and small when it's actually quite robust.

One other thing I love about this scent is that nobody is going to mistake it for aftershave. Ladies, this isn't a perfume your boyfriend will borrow. If you are not comfortable with gender-spanning scents (or if the man in your life is making you nervous by his interest in some of your perfumes), this is a nice addition to your collection. This is girly-girl stuff.

Now to describe the scent. It's tough to describe, so I went to the Sephora website which categorized this scent as "mossy woods." There is a smouldering, sexy kind of base with sandalwood and patchouli, but I think there are some very sweet topnotes and some flowers in there. The official roster of notes lists red berries, peach, creme-de-cassis, peony, and carmelized amber (that's a new one on me). I can detect the peachy sweetness to this, but don't think fruity.

This is somewhat strong stuff and the kind of perfume that some websites would caution is better left for "night-time wear." Dare to be glamorous. Darken your eyebrows, strap on those shoulder pads, and start to smell like a star.

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Badgley-Mischka

Badgley-Mischka is actually a fashion house. Mark Badgley and James Mischka met in New York. Both men were fashion designers and had worked with top names in the fashion world, including Donna Karan and Will Smith. The two designers shared the same notions about fashion and teamed up in 1988.

Badgley-Mischka is not a perfume house. In fact, if you go to the company's main website, you'll find everything but fragrance. They do couture, eyewear, swimsuits, and other things.

The team's aesthetic is convenient glamour. They would never say it in those terms, but they feel that old-fashioned glamour never goes out of style but today's woman wants and demands ease and practicality.

Brand History

Badgley-Mischka started out as an independent house in 1988. In 1993, they merged with the Escada brand. This brought a financial infusion to the brand that allowed it to gain broader appeal and recognition. In 2004, Iconix purchased Badgley-Mischka from Escada with the goal of making it more of a lifestyle brand.

What does this mean? Not that much unless you're a business nut or play the stock market. For most consumers of their glam-glam fragrance, it doesn't matter. Badgley-Mischka has retained their own identity despite the recent corporate transitions.