Why Do We Wear Perfume?

How fragrance shapes mood, meaning, and self.

The other day I was noticing my 24-year old son getting ready for work. He’s a barista at a café here in San Francisco, which means he spends a lot of time interacting with customers. I watched as he stood at the bathroom counter, carefully selecting a fragrance from a small collection, then dabbing it precisely onto his arm and neck. He lifted his wris…