Perfume recommendations for DM

[BabCNesbitt]

It's my DM's birthday coming up, and I'd like to get her some nice perfume. She'll be 76, and she's never really been into buying fancy stuff for herself - she wore Tweed for years, but she's been eking out the same bottle of Anais Anais for the last five years. The only other fragrance she seems to have liked is a Chanel No 5 dusting powder which I bought her as a present when I was an impoverished student and which (of course!) she's still saving "for good".

Her day-to-day mostly consists of going to the supermarket or library and then reading or watching telly, and occasionally going out for a curry with DF, so she doesn't need a scent to knock people out across a crowded room. Just something pleasant, light, maybe a little flowery, but not too old-ladyish - oh, and it needs to be something I can order from Amazon UK and have delivered to her for next week. Any suggestions from those who know about these things? and / in advance!

One of the Sheer Stella by Stella McCartney range - there are a few ones, but I got this for Christmas and it's a very pretty, gentle floral.

Thanks, Pigsus! Will have a look (and still open to other suggestions )

Bab - M & S have got their whole Lyn Harris range half price now (so £12.50). She might like La Poudree - quite a soft smell, smells expensive but not overwhelming, and lasts well.

Lyn Harris is half price??? I'll get my coat.

I think L'Air du Temps will suit any age from teen to Grande Dame. The dove on the lid of the bottle is the dove of peace as l'Air du Temps was launches in 1948 post WW2.

I've never met anyone who dislikes it and it's a classic. It's also remarkably cheap considering it's classic status. You can definitely get it from Amazon. Get her a big bottle and tell her she doesn't have to keep it for best.

Armani Si, it is beautiful!

Ooh, I've just remembered that she did have a bottle of L'Air du Temps in the past, and did actually use it up, so that's a possibility!

Alas, I'm not in the UK, so no trips to M&S :(

But is she likely to use it everyday - or leave it for 'best'. Before mum moved to her new place (and I had the 'privalege (can't bloody spell the word) of going through stuff to chuck' , I came across every bottle of perfume I had bought her - un-opened. Before you say perhaps she did not like it, she asked for them all, but then said that as she did not go out anywhere she had not opened them.

I know in those days they did save them for best but I still think it was wicked.

She liked Paris by YSL I got her a set of the perfume, dusting powder and body lotion - it was unopened. I got her a bottle of Estee Lauder dazzling Gold which she loved fromwhen I got her boxed set of EL perfumes one Christmas and it included this one (this set she did open). I could ill afford it at the time so really rather cross. Never again. She later got me to buy her a cheap dupe of Paris. I thought she had run out of the proper perfume so was happy to do so.

Rant over.

Aw, it's a sahme when people only use perfume for "best". I wear it everyday and choosing my perfume for the day is something I really enjoy. maybe it's a generation thing?

*shame

Estée Lauder White Linen is lovely. Suits all ages, distinctive but light.