Jul et Mad Stilettos on Lex is a perfume inspired by inspired by the rich bitches of New York. It’s more Sex and the City worship (a show that I’ve never ever watched, can you believe that?) in the fashion and beauty world. Out of the three Jul et Mad perfumes, a new luxury, niche perfume house with ties to NYC and France, Stilettos on Lex is the most “accessible” and I imagine they doing very well with it. It seems to be carefully calculated to include all of the things most women seem to adore in perfumes. It’s a sweet, powdery floral with syrupy fruits but it’s done in a good way. It’s had years of boarding school to make it refined.
Stilettos on Lex is a fruity violet liquor in the opening. It reminds me of fizzy cola aldehydes with violet syrup. It reminds me of an Aviation cocktail…but even sweeter. It becomes more powdery, a cherry-almond-heliotrope. And there’s davana which gives a heady, night floral sultriness to this sweet, powdery fruity-floral. It wears as a sweet floral with a faint clove spice and then becomes more abstract. It wears as a sweet abstract floral for most of the wear. The dry-down is a boozy vanilla and musk.
I heard so many wonderful things about Stilettos on Lex, so many wonderful things online. This sort of inflated my pre-opinion of this fragrance which is always dangerous if you test/write about perfumes. After trying it, I do like it but it didn’t live up to my pre-made expectations (which admittedly were very, very inflated expectations). Stilettos on Lex reminds me of a hybrid of Serge Lutens Datura Noir and Guerlain Apres l’Ondee but with the sort of fruits that keep popping up in the top notes of By Kilian Garden of Good and Evil fragrances. It’s modern, yet an “old school” feminine and I can tell it’s “expensive”. But, I guess at this price, I’ll just wear Apres l’Ondee, my favorite sweet, powdery floral that still blows me away after all of these years.
Notes listed include lemon, pear, davana, plum liquor, lily of the valley, violet leaves, rose, heliotrope, iris, carnation, musk, Madagascar vanilla, Indonesian patchouli and cedar. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Dorothee Piot
Give Stilettos on Lex a try if you like powdery florals. Or if you like perfumes like Serge Lutens Datura Noir, Guerlain Apres l’Ondee, Oscar Esprit d’Oscar, DSH Perfumes Guimauve de Soie, By Kilian Forbidden Games, Keiko Mecheri Datura Blanche and/or Van Cleef & Arpels Feerie EDP. It’s one to try if you like sweet, powdery fruity florals. As far as fruity-floral go, this one is well-rounded, looks great and can keep up in the conversation.
Projection and longevity are above average.
The 1.7 oz EDP retails for $280 at Beautyhabit.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sweet, powdery fruity-floral. The brand wanted to make an “everyday” fragrance for day and night and they did just that. Unlike a pair of sky-high stilettos, Stilettos on Lex works in any season, any day of the week and in any environment. It’s a really pretty perfume that is “comfortable” to wear. However, I have my powdery floral bases already covered. If you don’t, you may want to try this one. It’s a mix of all of the sweet, powdery florals.
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I was with you all the way until I got to the price.. wow.. that is expensive. Do you think the quality of the juice is worth of the $280 price?
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“Worth it” is of course, subjective. For me, it isn’t because I didn’t fall in love with it. Like I said, I’ll keep wearing Guerlain. And I better really, really love something that is like $6 a ml.
Also, I don’t own any perfumes that retail for this much. I get my kicks for less.
I did not realize this was so expensive! I haven’t worn it yet, but I was with you in being interested based on what I’ve read online. But that price is pretty darn high; I would have to fall head over stilettos. (Couldn’t resist!)
I didn’t know the price until I wrapped up this review. I know that if I knew before it would have changed how I perceived it. I’m finicky like that.
Oh, and don’t resist. This perfume is asking for it.
I didn’t realize as well the price per ml. Though if you take into the account an additional 7 ml (I think, but maybe 9 – I don’t remember) very nice refillable travel atomizer (I think it comes filled in) that is included into the bundle, it makes this perfume’s cost to be on the level of By Kilian’s perfumes. I don’t know if you saw those bottles in real life – they are extremely nice. So the question is: if a perfume itself is special enough to pay the price. For me out of the three I think Amour de Palazzo is. But I liked the other two as well. Definitely not a FBW but, let’s say, a small decant worth.
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I didn’t price in the extra 7 ml. Nor have I seen these in person and I’m sure at this price they didn’t skimp on packaging (but you never know until you see the things).
Exactly. It’s about is it worth it to you and of course this will vary. For me, I didn’t have a connection although I really like Amour de Palazzo If someone thinks this one is worth it, I won’t argue with them. It’s all about the connection that each individual has with a perfume that determines the value.
I have just received a bottle of Stilettos on Lex (thank you, Santa) and, I must say, it is the very long lasting, floral powdery beautiful feminine fragrance I always craved for! And the packaging is the most luxurious, elegant and refined I’ve seen so far. I had to see it to believe it! Every glass bottle is sand blasted and decorated with pure platinum letters (I’ve also done my research, all is well described on their website). The Nomad Spray is a 7ml that comes alredy filled and is rechargeable. And the leather case that holds everything, lined with white velvet, is a piece of art itself, all hand crafted. The perfume hold is removable, to become a veritable jewelry box.
I don’t know about you, but $280 for 57 ml of “Extrait de Parfum” is quite a good deal!!!
And it seems to me that this is a “normal” price in the niche today: Amouage, MDCI, Neela Vermeire, etc. (all EDP). I’ve seen some comments justifying somehow the expensive price of Kilian ($235 to $395 for 50ml EAU DE PARFUM!!!), but I think Jul et Mad is way above this. Not only by the quality and longevity of the perfume, even in the packaging. I am often frustrated when I see people accepting an expensive perfume just because there is a known name behind it (BTW, Henessy is in the cognacs, no perfume related!) and the big marketing machine that pushes it all… And all this, regardless of its quality and longevity; Be assured, I do like Kilian products, they are beautifully packaged, but I think there are other small perfumers out there that are fantastic and worth mentioning, although they are small and not yet very known. And, to finish, did you know that Jul et mad was the first runner up this year at the FiFi awards for the Indie category, right after Kilian???
Sounds like someone was really good this year!
I really need to see this packaging in person! It sounds amazing.
I always say if you love it, then it’s worth it. And of course price is really subjective.
Not that I’m picking on By Kilian either, but I didn’t realize that some of the bottles are $395. I have been sampling Incense Oud and I do like it (not love, but it’s nice). Looked it up and was floored since I thought they were under $250. Oh well. I assume there are people out there buying it. I just hope they are buying it because they love it and not because they think since it’s expensive that it is the “best”.
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