Fancy Nights Jessica Simpson (2010)

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7.1 / 10 92 Ratings

Fancy Nights is a perfume by Jessica Simpson for women and was released in 2010. The scent is oriental-earthy. It was last marketed by Perfumania Holdings.

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Perfumer

Steve DeMercado

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Bergamot, Egyptian papyrus
Heart Notes	Bulgarian rose, Indonesian patchouli, Night-blooming jasmine
Base Notes	Amber, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Vanilla

Ratings

Scent

7.1 (92 Ratings)

Longevity

7.3 (64 Ratings)

Sillage

7.1 (64 Ratings)

Bottle

7.5 (74 Ratings)

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 27.09.2018

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Reviews

01/03/2018

Exciter76
32 Reviews

Exciter76

Greatly helpful Review 5

Old Books and Green Vanillas

Jessica Simpson defied expectation with her celebuscent, Fancy Nights. Not that I see her donning a lab coat and protective goggles while comparing methods of oakmoss extraction. Maybe this did, in fact, take place. I highly doubt it but one never knows. Oh, but to take a whiff of this beauty, one has to wonder if maybe she could hold a discussion about such things.

A reviewer below mentioned the smell of books. I love this because it smells like an old opened book. There’s a little dust, an underlying mustiness, and an unusual inky element. Above all, there is the smell of paper. I am no expert but I’ll venture to guess it is due to the papyrus note. The patchouli is a bit dirty but like those found in head shops. It is very verdant here, like reading books in a forest. Longevity is superb, and though I find it is linear it is surprisingly complex, too.

I must confess: I hated this the first few times I tried it. I was reminded of a pine-scented household cleanser. I think this initial reaction was due to the fact I’d grown accustomed to celebrity scents smelling of candy floss and sugar cubes. This defies any and all expectation of what a celebuscent is and could be. Yes, this is sweet but it isn’t gourmand. FN is a very green vanilla—my favorite genre of fragrance—and it is totally inedible. For what it is, FN is very daring and worthy of commendation. Perfume aficionados should try this once, then two more times before either completely dismissing it or falling hopelessly in love.

1 Replies

07/15/2017

7.0 8.0 8.0 7.5/10

Anessa
39 Reviews

Anessa

Helpful Review

Of yellow cats, leaves and big diamonds

An early blind purchase in my fragrance journey, the opening depending on conditions could feel very papery-screechy like a yellow angry cat shrieking and scratching in my face - loud and almost in a vulgar, sweaty-sour way, the 'papyrus' and bergamot with the patchouli apparently playing a wild mix to my unaccustomed nose.
While wondering why I had bought it, it would morph into a slightly floral, vanilla-flavoured amber patchouli with a vintage feeling, like eating a vanilla-flavoured dessert between dusted clothes and wilted books with a recently dried flower bouquet hanging above. The sweetness level of Fancy Nights measured by the original Fancy (not tried) might not be even worth mentioning for the die-hard gourmand fans; however, I find the vanilla still very distinct and often layer it to tone down the sweetness.

The keyword "goth/gothic" was mentioned 18 times by real reviewers on another review site, "hippie" 5 times, while two of the less real reviewers imagined "Halloween" might sound as good. I can't comment on the "hippies" but wonder if they smelt like an oriental perfume. As for the "goth" association, unless it is meant as in "gothic novels" suggested by the ad with Simpson set up as the typical heroine, I can't imagine a Gothic cathedral nor any Gothic architecture smelling like this. Considering the music of that period, the association feels even more unconvincing.

Someone as young as Piguet or Tabu once said, after smelling FN on me, that it smelt "outdated". While it certainly doesn't smell like the Middle Ages, it indeed feels so dustily old that it might shock the clean, soapy, safe and sensual-musk fraction. Personally, the bottle colour and oriental design with its Art Deco fonts do evoke a dark forest and midnight walks on crashing leaves and twigs, some magical elixir sold in the Old Curiosity Shop or placed on the lounge bar shelf of the Roaring Twenties - I would especially love the last image more than that of a "goth"!

Reformulated or not, FN's rep still holds true about its strength both in projection and longevity that requires a very light application.
Note: Jeanne Arthes Sumatra Patchouli smells like a sweetness-deducted dry down of FN, also affordable albeit with apparently dwindling availability.

3 Replies

03/20/2017

3.0 7.0 8.0 1.0/10

Bcars10
90 Reviews

Bcars10

Not a keeper

I like all of these accords, but I got nothin'. No patchouli, no rose. It smelled like citronella bug spray, followed closely by pencil shavings, flat-lining with milky Endust furniture spray. Disappointing. Thank goodness for return policies. (My review from another site)

1 Replies

11/29/2014

7.0/10

ScentFan
325 Reviews

ScentFan

Helpful Review 2

Decent Blind Buy

This is a good oriental. Doesn't match the greats for me, but it's not bad, especially for the price. I like the papyrus note. It calms things down, which is needed because there's something a little acrid or brassy rather than mellow about the components. Still, it's better than the price implies. I may not wear it much since I have several truly great orientals, but Fancy Nights exceeds my expectations.

07/30/2014

Omni
69 Reviews

Omni

Helpful Review 8

It all started with the big Bang

Bang for your buck, yes, this is so cheap you fear the contents. But that's not all, this is the 'Big Bang' fragrance. According to the theme song 'fourteen billion years ago expansion started' And now I know why, clearly Jessica Simpson employed Steve DeMarcado to create Fancy Nights. It's huge, like Giorgio Beverley Hills it starts expanding and enveloping, comets start flying, the air is dense and it's hard to breathe. With a hundred dollars between them the only Patchouli that equals its intensity, in my experience, is in Mon Parfum Cheri EDP. Well, that dries down to uber elegance, this continues to split the atom and burn your nostril hair. I thought the Patchouli was strong in Purplelips Sensual (Dali) It's like Alien on steroids. Riding instructions: Spray the small of your back. If you still like it fifteen minutes later try it somewhere away from your collarbone. Wait five hundred million years for its half-life before you leave the house! The shrivelled old lady who follows your sillage down the street will be me, it's gorgeous from a distance.

02/07/2014

7.5 7.5 7.5 8.0/10

Karinoula
82 Reviews

Karinoula

Helpful Review 2

Surprise!

I got my "fancy nights" just today and I am really shocked with the quality of this perfumes. It is definitely 1st class, very aromatic, lovely bottle, long lasting ..... a lot +1 for this celebrity perfume. Try it is really worth it and for the price is a bargain. I am very very happy with my choice.

1 Replies

02/04/2014

Cyn
3 Reviews

Cyn

Helpful Review 3

Hidden Treasure

Fancy Nights is one of the most beautiful oriental scents I have ever owned. On my skin, it is sensuous and rich, with just enough sillage and the notes harmonize perfectly. I bought this blind on the recommendation of some perfume friends and after testing, immediately purchased a back up bottle. I have no idea who Jessica Simpson is and and don't care. This scent costs under $20.00 and smells way better than some of the Guerlains that I own.

10/23/2013

7.0/10

Belgwen
94 Reviews

Belgwen

Helpful Review 5

Unique celebrity fragrance

Just had a chance to try this out. What an incredible contradiction in styles! I cannot wear Ms. Simpson's few creations because they are too cloyingly sweet; though I wish I could simply because they smell awesome out of the bottle but bomb on my skin.

But this perfume... Whew! I almost dropped down on my knees when they made me smell the tester strip at the mall.

Very masculine, spicy, and avant garde. It has TREMENDOUS presence. Like a strong liquid poison in an exciting gothic story... I don't necessarily WANT to drink it. But I can't stop myself from picking up the toxic green bottle... Curious to see what's inside, I sniff this mysterious potion even if it could possibly kill me to do it.

Unconventional, peculiar, but SO enticing... Needs to be tested first or a direct full dose on your skin could kill you. Don't say you haven't been warned...

10/15/2012

5.0 7.5 7.5 5.0/10

Sherapop
1239 Reviews

Sherapop

Helpful Review 5

Not your typical celebuscent...

Jessica Simpson FANCY NIGHTS is very different from the first two members of this series, FANCY and FANCY LOVE. (I have not tried I FANCY YOU.) FANCY NIGHTS is much less sweet and smells quite synthetic and uninviting to me, turning stale on my skin over the course of minutes. It is actually possible for me to wear this perfume (FANCY NIGHTS), while FANCY is just an altogether unpleasant scrub-worthy experience. FANCY LOVE is a bit better than FANCY, but it's really not a perfume that I would ever choose to wear. It's not repulsive, but neither is it appealing. I have purse sprays of the trio and never wear any of them.

Unlike FANCY and FANCY LOVE, FANCY NIGHTS will not induce a diabetic coma in the wearer, nor does it serve as an effective emetic. It does not make me wonder whether I am willfully poisoning myself. No, the only reason why I do not wear FANCY NIGHTS, although I do believe that it considerably better than its predecessors, certainly in composition, but also in quality of components, is because of the dominant papyrus note. Something about it does not sit well with me. It smells a bit like the pages of old library books. Somewhat stale and uninviting. I realize that some people love the smell of the pages of old library books, and I recommend this fragrance for testing by them. It's a real bargain, so if you happen to like this distinctive "papyrus" note, you're in luck.

A much better papyrus-centric perfume is now being offered by the house of Atelier Cologne: ROSE ANONYME, which also has a strong patchouli presence, in addition to the rose.

04/20/2012

7.5 7.5 7.0/10

Missk
1165 Reviews

Missk

Very helpful Review 5

A risky choice from Miss Simpson

Fancy Nights by Jessica Simpson is a real, big surprise. I'm a fan of patchouli and I adore its scent, however I hadn't managed to find a well-done patchouli fragrance that wasn't niche or from an upscale, commercialised brand, until now.

This particular fragrance has everything I love; a rich oriental feel, green earthiness and great intensity. Le Labo's Patchouli 24 is my favourite patchouli fragrance so far, and believe it or not, Fancy Nights reminds me of it. In truth, Fancy Nights is obviously softer and more feminine, however the distinguishable similarities are there.

The opening top notes are quite rich and bold. Definitely a night fragrance or one you would wear in Winter. First off, I noticed that it smelt a little bit like Prada, yet it was a touch sweeter and minus the amber.

Towards the heart, Fancy Nights takes a strange turn and becomes increasingly powdery. It created that softness that I often desire when my hard-hitting patchouli fragrances become too much. I like this powdery aspect and it think it works well. It's also likely to attract buyers that aren't usually ones to like heavy orientals or patchouli-based scents.

The longevity is rather rewarding and the sillage is moderately strong. I'm rather grateful that Jessica Simpson has released this fragrance seeming that it is a rather risky choice. I'm seriously considering buying this fragrance for the up-coming Winter months.

02/28/2012

6.0/10

Awesomeness
247 Reviews

Awesomeness

Very helpful Review 5

Better than it needs to be

I tried Fancy Nights on the recommendation of some fellow fumies, and they were right. I am both surprised & impressed by this fragrance.

It is much better than it needs to be.

Fancy Nights is wonderfully dark patchouli-vanilla that's relatively simple, a bit sweet, and just on the femme side of unisex. Would make a great fragrance for a rocker-chick or anyone who likes fragrances slightly gothic. In fact, Fancy Nights is much more rocker-chick than Vivienne Westwood's Let It Rock and much more gothic than Loree Rodkin's Gothic I, both of which I own.

Those who are expecting this scent to be like Fancy, or any other sugar-laden confection in the mass market, are sure to be disappointed by Fancy Nights. Good thing too, because now this fragrance can be yours for a song. I might just get me a bottle ...