Ralph Lauren fragrances aren’t what they used to be. Long ago, I wore and loved the original Lauren and then Safari. Both were beautiful.

Recently I was remembering a treasured possession of my teen years: a brass atomizer of Lauren (monogrammed, no less!) that had been a gift from my grandmother. I used it until it was empty and I displayed it on my dresser for a long time afterwards…

The reason for this nostalgia was, of all things, an unofficial high school reunion. I loved my high school and I’m still in touch with quite a few classmates (mostly through Facebook, but a few in person) so I was looking forward to having drinks and dinner with about fifteen of the “girls.”

In honor of the occasion, I dabbed on some vintage Lauren from a mini bottle that my fragrance-friend Gaia gifted me a year or two ago, knowing my feelings of love and loss centered around this scent.

When my friend Stacey (possibly the first person I met at high school!) picked me up at the train station, I told her about my fragrance choice for the evening.

“I still have an old bottle of Lauren,” she said. “Don’t ever throw it out!” I cautioned her.

A few days later, she sent me this photo of her bottle (the pure parfum!). She’d decided to bring it back out for a bit and use it. If she’s kept it in a box or drawer all this time, it probably still smells pretty darned good.

All of us shared so many good memories (as well as more recent news and updates) at our mini-reunion that I would have enjoyed it no matter what fragrance I was wearing, but I’m glad I could feel appropriately scented as we stepped back in time together.