My halloween event was geared with fashionable items and upscale accessories. I got excited to contemplate a Lady Gaga look. I was rooting for a hip, rock, subtle ensemble and while shopping for my fashion statement, I wanted a cologne to also match this.

One of the things that became clear to me as I worked on the recent 100 Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try article was just how many perfume brands are entirely off my radar.

If Armani Privé Ambre Soie could be envisioned as richer, sharper, deeper, with the warmth of amber underscored by darkly resinous woods, Paco Rabanne Black XS might be the fragrance that such contemplation would paint.