On Rachel's Christmas List: Kate Spade Live Colorfully perfume

There's something special about receiving perfume for Christmas, and it would appear I've got into the habit of asking for a new one over the past few years. I'm not really sure how much perfume a gal should use on a daily basis, but I like to smell nice, and it seems a year is just about how long it takes me to get through the average perfume bottle, making every Christmas the perfect time to ask for a new one.

And here's the dilemma with perfume: if you find one you like, do you stick with it? Or do you push the boat out and try something new? Are you trying to develop a signature scent? Some people say 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it,' so why change perfumes if you like your current one? And I can understand that.

Over the past few years I've worn Elie Saab Le Parfum, Valentina by Valentino and J'Adore by Dior (channeling Charlize in those ads, natch), and I think my fave of them all was the Elie Saab. My mum wears Chanel No.19 every day, without fail - a quick spritz is basically the first thing she does each morning - and has done for yeeeeeaaaaars. I love that, and whenever I smell it, I think of her. But while we're young, I think it's good to experiment and try out different scents. Live life on the edge, eh?

I'm the type of gal who wears the same perfume every day - it's almost comforting, and it amazes me what a quick spritz can do for your mood, confidence and self-esteem. Never underestimate the power of perfume.

So, as my pretty Valentina bottle is nearly empty, it's perfect timing to ask Father Christmas for a new scent for 2014 (TWENTY FOURTEEN!?) And this year, Kate Spade's Live Colorfully is top of my wishlist.

Don't you just want to be this girl?

I'm not going to harp on about my love for Kate Spade as a whole yet again (I think I did that enough here), but I think Live Colorfully really captures the essence of the brand, of which I'm such a great fan. I visited the Kate Spade Covent Garden store far too many times over the summer, and gave myself a cheeky little spritz each time. And on each occasion, I was left feeling a little cheerier.

The perfume is feminine but fun, sweet but not too little-girly. According to the website, the top notes are mandarin, pink water lily and star anise; the heart is tiare flower, golden gardenia and coconut water; and the back notes are sheer amber, musk and tahitian vanilla. I'll be honest, I don't really know what any of that means but all together, it smells LUSH.

She's having a great time.

'Live Colorfully' is a beautiful message, and a great mantra for life, if you ask me. I quote:

"Kate Spade New York invites you to Live Colorfully, to enchant the world around you while the fragrance's notes shift from delightful water lilies to citrus to a gently seductive musk like light dancing on a prism."

And then:

"The spectrum of possibilities become tantalizingly endless. Love colorfully, dance colorfully, dream colorfully, live colorfully."

And quite frankly, I could not agree more. Isn't that just beautiful?

In my opinion, perfume design is massively important too, and I just love the Kate Spade Live Colorfully bottle. Quelle Surprise. Pretty, elegant, slightly retro, colourful (obvs) and fun, just like everything Kate Spade. And it's gorgeous how the pink and yellow glass overlaps to make orange, creating a different looking bottle from every angle. Genius. Of course, the bottle is topped with the signature Kate Spade bow.

Obviously I've been out of the UK for the past 10 weeks (and didn't that fly by!?), but the trouble is, I'm not sure how easy it is to find Live Colorfully in the UK, or even from British websites. Back in September I asked if they had the perfume in Selfridges, but alas, the answer was no. HOWEVER, the Kate Spade pop-up shop may have changed that. Brits, let me know! But for now, dear Father Christmas, the Kate Spade Covent Garden store may be your best bet. But I'm sure your elves won't have any trouble finding it...

(PS. Remember students and teachers can get a 15% discount! Details here)