So is my perfume for old ladies?

[ferriswheel]

Following on from the other perfume thread I'm now questioning how old-lady my perfume is.

I love wearing Miracle by Lancome.

I'm trying to get myself back after having three small babies under the age of five and going through a traumatic divorce with an abusive partner.

Any other recommendations?

Ageism can affect many different age groups though? Re: that definition. Yes flo that did help! Obviously the granny chic will totally depend on your generation and culture etc so it's definitely not exact , maybe there's a better word for it I can come up with
Op, you've got me curious about that perfume, I'll now have to try it

Of course ageism can affect different age groups. And it's inappropriate for all of those!

Yes I think young people suffer due to ageism too, Of course on S&B 'young' is seen as a compliment but on other boards you often see talk about 'generation snowflake' which I think is equally objectionable.

Perfumes are of their era in a similar way to clothing, home furnishings, music and so on. Tastes change over time and in response to wider social context (including gender roles).
Different generations have grown-up with different fashions (and arguably define themselves in contrast to that which preceded them).

Some smells, like classic chypres, have all but disappeared from display on today's High Street counters as they are often 'read' as old-fashioned or dated. Perfume is an interesting commodity, and we often have long-term and quite emotional affiliations, so some classics remain in production, but are quite literally kept under wraps.

Ageism is wrong. Exploring and enjoying the tastes and fashions of other generations isn't.

Eau de Givenchy is gorgeous, a beautifully light and summery floral even if Luca Turin says it's screechy (it isn't) and doesn't like it. It's now part of the Givenchy Les Mythiques range (i.e.classics) and yes, sadly it's around the £100 mark at Harrods. I love it.
And I am, ahem , not young, I remember when 'Soir de Paris' was the height of sophistication. Today I wore L' Artisan Parfumeur 's Dzongkha.

Can't stand Angel though.

That sounds really interesting Mrs. For me this is all about context and whether the word is used as a straightforward adjective or as shorthand for 'Eww'.

Floisme, Barbara Herman's Scent and Subversion - Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume, is a great read. (Especially the impact of feminism in the 70s).

Thanks Mrs I like a good read. Unfortunately Mr Flo is sensitive to perfume and can't even walk through John Lewis without his eyes streaming so I am lapsed user myself. I did take a look at the perfume lover thread and it sounded fascinating even if most of it went right over my head - although I've picked up a little Flemish

The problem with talking about "old lady perfumes" is that it ties into the bullshit ageist stereotype about older women smelling bad and being somehow stale and past it. Not everyone necessarily thinks that, of course, and I'm certainly not suggesting that anyone on this thread thinks that, including the OP, but surely everyone has at one point seen casually tossed references to old women "smelling of wee"?

Questions like these aren't just "is this for old ladies?" They're "is this an old lady perfume because I don't want anyone to think I'm an old lady because old ladies are seen as unattractive and unpleasant." God forbid that anyone might notice our perfume and think we're menopausal or older!

Questions like these aren't just "is this for old ladies?" They're "is this an old lady perfume because I don't want anyone to think I'm an old lady because old ladies are seen as unattractive and unpleasant." God forbid that anyone might notice our perfume and think we're menopausal or older!

Yes x100

Yes. I think all stereotyping can be dangerous because it encourages prejudice. At the same time, I recognise that language is riddled with it and sometimes you're having a conversation, you reach for a word and a stereotype is the one that comes first. I think we all do that sometimes - I certainly do.

I try and keep my powder dry unless It's used to denote 'ugly' or 'hideous' - which happens a lot. Even then I have to be feeling feisty before I challenge because people tend to get defensive and sometimes downright unpleasant. I wasn't the first to raise it on this thread - another poster did and she got quite a kicking.

@BakerBear

Estée Lauder perfumes are very old lady

What, exactly, do you mean by this?

I like a lot of 'old lady' perfumes. These are the ones (usually) that are classics. Made for women that like to smell like women and not like a cake factory or like a 4 year old!!!

Some smells, like classic chypres, have all but disappeared from display on today's High Street counters as they are often 'read' as old-fashioned or dated.

Yes and it is pissing me poff as I love a good Chypre. Most are aimed at young girls now or those who want to pretend they are about 4! Some are so sweet they would give the wearer diabetes! (Ok slight exaggeration).

As a teenager I always remember visiting my Grandmother and her letting me sneak a spray of her perfume on her beautiful dresser. My absolute favourite one of hers was Youth Dew; it always smelled incredible on her. So I don't think there's really such a thing as "old ladies perfumes", you like what you like and stuff anyone who is a snob about it.

off not poff!

I love Miracle, but my absolute favourite at the minute is Lancôme l'autre oud. It's absolutely gorgeous (if you like oud!)

LOVE Laura Biagiotti Venezia and Roma!! Fabulous perfumes!!

paperdolly gift me your anais anais - about to run out and its my favourite scent in the whole wide world!!! You know you want to :)

I buy Anaïs from perfume Parlour,smells exactly the same and lasts even better as it's an oil,only a couple of quid too.

This thread (and reading some of the long running perfume thread) has got me thinking about whether you can ever subvert a stereotype. Can you reclaim it in the way 'gay' and 'black' were reclaimed? Or will the origins of that stereotype always pop up and drag it down? I don't know the answer but I think it's interesting.

But also op I don't know if you're still following this but last time you posted you said: I am slowly trying to he hip and trendy, kind of. I have no idea how to do that anymore. None at all.
Is that still something you want to talk about? Either on here or by starting another thread?

And OP if you fancy popping over to the perfume thread we always like to help with suggestions where we can.