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Annie Wilson's avatar

My Granny wore Emeraude by Coty, and my Mom (at least in the 80s) wore YSL Rive Gauche in the silver/black/turquoise bottle... I had a friend who passed about 20 years ago and she always wore Anais Anais by Cacharel - all of these scents I know a mile off and give me the feels. Fragrance is so close to emotion and memory...

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Imogen Church's avatar

In sure I read somewhere that department stores factored in women's liberation, simply because they had toilets. Before that, women could only go as far from home as their bladders would allow...

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Raquel Laneri's avatar

Ohhh interesting!!! Hahaha. That could have been a factor! Department stores were really the first place women (women who wanted to keep their respectable standing at least — those who went out solo were widely assumed to be prostitutes) could go unaccompanied by a man. Because they were enclosed (or were all located within a small radius, see the Ladies Mile in NYC) women could safely spend hours and hours there with their other female friends or alone. The stores definitely have them agency. The bathrooms probably helped! (And the fact that these places provided food, childcare, etc etc)

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Jolene Handy's avatar

Raquel, this is wonderful!

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Raquel Laneri's avatar

Thank you!!!

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Giulia C.'s avatar

This piece evoked so many emotions. Raquel you are an incredible writer

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Raquel Laneri's avatar

Thank you so much!!! That really means a lot. ❤️

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