It’s Father’s Day on Sunday which has got me thinking about the night I met the father of my children (and what to give him - a John Varvatos fragrance but more on that below). I still remember that defining night vividly. He was tall, dark and handsome and he had an English accent. And he smelt good. I can’t remember what scent he was wearing at the time, but I had a crush on him from the minute I met him. It’s funny how one night can change your life. I hadn’t expected to meet my future husband that night – I was just going out for a wine (or 10) with my girlfriends...
We’ve since had two children together. It might have been his fragrance (there’s nothing better than a man who smells good) which is why I will often buy him a new scent for his birthday or Father’s Day. He’s been wearing John Varvatos Artisan Acqua for the last year (I gave it to him last Father’s Day) and this year, he’s getting John Varvatos Artisan. It’s a modern fragrance that embodies craftsmanship and luxury and is made with abstract, masculine perfumery notes. The scent starts with a refreshing citrus note and then develops into a spicy, floral blend and finishes with a masculine woody impression. It’s heavenly. I also know he’ll love the distinctly masculine flask which is housed in a handwoven rich, caramel-coloured rattan. I also love John Varvatos Eau de Toilette, “a masculine woody oriental for the discerning modern man.” Basically, when it comes to gifting the men in your life, fragrance is always a good idea. Now scents aside, Father’s Day is a time to celebrate. It’s not easy being a dad (or a mum) and the last five years as new parents have been both happy and hard. When we first fell pregnant, we were over the moon. I didn’t realise that soon, we’d be bickering over whose turn it was to settle our new baby or so deliriously tired that at times, we were too tired to even talk. Both our babies weren’t sleepers. There was none of this ‘sleeping through the night after three months’ business. It was over 10 months before we got a full night’s sleep with both girls. We spent months bouncing up and down on a fit ball ‘shhhh-ing’ our girls. I feel tired just thinking about those days. Just like motherhood, fatherhood was a shock to the system. Those sleepless nights are mostly behind us now and we’ve made the decision not to have any more children. To be honest, I don’t think I could cope with another baby. For us, two is the magic number. Our family feels complete and life feels so full. And nothing makes me smile like watching my girls with their dad (ok, wine, coffee and watching comedian Michael McIntyre makes me smile a lot too). They adore their dad. And he adores them. Because, just like life changed forever for me when I became a mother, life changed for him. Fatherhood is the greatest thing that will ever happen to a man.
As parents of young children, now is the time where we are creating memories which our children will carry through with them for the rest of their lives. It’s now that the girls will start to remember special times with their dad. The other weekend, my husband took Arabella out on a boat. She’d never been on a boat, so he took her down to the local ferry for a ride. She hasn’t stopped talking about it (and her sister hasn’t stopped asking why she hasn’t gone on a boat). I have so many memories of my dad growing up. I still remember him building me a cubby house in the backyard. He spent hours building it from scratch. I remember him throwing me high into the air in the swimming pool. Driving me to my netball games every weekend and cheering me on. I remember annual summer holidays up north by the beach. We spent a lot of time creating memories and I feel very lucky. This Father’s Day, it’s also important to remember that being a dad is far more than biology. Dads come in all forms. My own dad is also the stepfather to three girls who sadly lost their own dad when they were little girls. He has raised them like they are his own. I am also lucky to have a wonderful, loving stepdad in my life. So celebrate all kinds of dads this Sunday and make sure you spoil them with the ultimate gift – a new fragrance. I’ll know I’ll be giving the dads in my life a beautiful John Varvatos fragrance. Happy Father’s Day! In association with John Varvatos | Photography: Grace Alyssa Kyo | Hair and makeup: Sarina Zoe
