I did a very girly thing tonight. I spent money. (I LOVE having a full time job!!!)

Not only did I spend money, but I bought the cutest pair of red shoes (every woman should have at least one pair) at Macy's (where they weren't outrageously expensive, OMG!).

But then I drifted to the perfume counters. I had smelled a scent in a magazine a while back, one that I had become entranced with, and was determined to find it but I couldn't remember the name, the bottle shape, or the designer.

Hmmm.

Roaming the aisles reminded me of the first time I bought "real" perfume (as opposed to the stuff you can pick up at the grocery or drug store for under $10). Way back in 1985, I had gotten a full time job that paid well, had benefits, and I even had my own desk that I didn't share with anyone.

I felt grown up, at 25 finally feeling a sense of responsibility and maturity as I drove every day to my job in Westwood. Slowly I acquired the clothes, then the shoes, and finally - the perfume. I think it was Christmas of '85 when I hit the perfume counter, looking for something that would hit the right note.

I tried several - my arms were dabbed with scent - and then went shopping. My nose kept going to one spot on the back of my left hand. I went back, bought my red triangular bottle of Liz Claiborne, and wore that scent until late in 1990, when my first child was born and neither of us could bear perfume.

I've dallied with other perfumes - Eternity, Oscar de la Renta, Poison; but none had captured me like Liz. That was my scent - people could tell in the office where I'd been (but funnily enough, no one ever told me I had too much on. I'm thinking I must have had...).

I haven't really had a perfume to call my own since I stopped wearing it. The man behind the perfume counter tonight told me he thought it was 'gone'. But he did lead me to the perfume that had captured me with one sniff in a magazine...

Rose, The One by Dolce & Gabbana. I bought the smaller bottle (knowing how powerful perfume can be, and how long it took me to go through my first bottle of Liz) without testing it on my skin first. I waited until I'd gotten it home, unwrapped the clear, crackly paper from around the pink box, and in the privacy of my bathroom, liberated the squat bottle from its pink prison.

Then I squirted it down the front of my shirt, once, lightly, and inhaled.

Citrus. Pink grapefruit, to be exact. Lightly floral and spicy, together. Reminiscent of Liz in a top note or two.

It doesn't smell like roses. I think I would have been disappointed if it had. But I do love my new perfume, and hope other people like it, too.

I just have to get used to wearing perfume again. And if it's too much, please let me know.

Damn, it was fun being girly tonight.