classic, chic fragrance for a non-fragrance-wearing 29 year-old?

[ChateauMargot]

That's it, really! Wondering about Chanel, Guerlain, Jo Malone?.. Where does one start?

Not Amazing Grace! Again, love it, but it is extremely sweet and some may say cloying. Perhaps Pure Grace, although doesn't smell of much at all!

Balenciaga Paris is lovely, and really light.

Jo Malone is fab - my favourite is Nectarine Blossom and Honey, but Bluebell is light too. Could you try a shower gel or something? The scent in the Jo Malone ones stays on you for a while, but it's not as obvious as a squirt of perfume, so might be a good transition?

I had the same thing at about 31, went to a department store and came out with Stella in 2. Still really like it.

Plum by Mary Greenwell is a very grown up individual perfume.

Do you live near London? If so get thee to Liberty. I couldn't give two tosses for perfume till I spent an hour in their perfume department. The same price as Boots, but massive selection, assistants who know there stuff inside out and adore perfumes, stuff that is nowhere else on the high st. I found three new perfumes that I love, that are unusual that sit nicely on my skin, an aqau di parma, a miller harris, and something obscure modern and French, about which which I have forgotten the details.

If you are not really into perfumes, it could be that you are a bit turned off the synthetic big smells squirted at you by aggressive assistants working on commission on ground floors of house of fraser, et al. Liberty is free of this nonsense, and lets you find something you like in your own time.

Liberty is lovely. In London there is also Les Scenteurs, Selfridges and Harrods for encountering lots of individual fragrances and choice.

I'm going to give a heads-up for Hermes "Hiris", which is a lovely, understated scent. Why? Well partly because it seems to have fallen off the perfume map recently - it's not even stocked in a lot of department stores. that's a shame because I think that there is going to be a turn towards iris-y perfumes over the next year, and this is a really good one.

It's a perfume for wearing a lot of the time - it's understated, not overpowering, and you won't be giving your work colleagues a headache. It might lack the "oomph" and "sweetness" that you are looking for, though (I think when I was 29, I wanted that from a perfume).

By the way, S and B people: the Prada Iris perfume is available in a keyring bottle - with 3 re-fills - this Christmas. so if that is one of your favourites, this might be something you would like. (Must admit, I was somewhat tempted, but I like the Hermes Hiris more.)

If you are looking for somewhere to start, and you are not thrilled with what is being marketed at you in department stores start French and old school, eg gurlaine, hermes etc.

Yes, I thought French and old-school probably a safe bet!

Liberty's a great suggestion. I'd been planning on trying Selfridges, but it is a bit manic in there, especially at this time of year... (I'm also not sure how anyone working on the fragrance floor can smell anything after a few minutes, there's such a stench!)

If you're going to London/in London then Artisan Parfumeur in Covent Garden is worth going to. They sell their own range, and are a bit like Penhaligons or Jo Malone but much lighter, younger fragrances than Penhaligons, and more subtle than Jo Malone.

Every time I've been in the staff have been really knowledgeable and helpful and they should be able to give you an indication of which types of scent/ingredients/base notes you are looking for. If you go mid-week you'll probably be the only person in there (in my experience) so you really do get looked after.