Old-fashioned Flemish Fragrance Fanciers - Lovely, Friendly Perfume Thread 7

[GreenPolishToGo]

Our old thread

Welcome to our new lovely, friendly thread for perfume lovers. All are most welcome to drop in and chat, whether dabbling in scent for the first time or as full-blown fragrance junkies.

Tell us your Scent of the Day, or latest discovery, or ask a question - because one of us is almost bound to know the answer.

Very thought provoking, MrsMac and Pest, and MrsMac that was a sterling contribution from you on changing fashions in perfume on the controversial thread.

It's a good question whether we scent lovers should or shouldn't use the term "old lady" to describe old style fragrances, given that so many other people use it dismissively.

Among ourselves I tend to think it's not a problem because we subvert its common usage to describe scents far more complex and adventurous than much that is on the market today. With us, "old lady" and variations on it become high praise.

But I wouldn't use the same phrase to describe a scent to a non-perfumista in case I gave the impression I was using it to denigrate. 'Old style', 'classic', 'retro', 'old-fashioned' would all, I think, be a safer choice although, damn it, there is nothing wrong with being an old lady and the phrase shouldn't carry negative associations.

So should we be using "old lady" or not? Are we reclaiming it or inadvertently encouraging its use as an insult? I think we're reclaiming it but...

Personally I wouldn't use 'vintage', although it seems an obvious choice, simply because it is so widely used to describe perfume several years or more old. So I'd think of a bottle of Anais Anais from the 1980s as 'vintage' but a bottle of Vol de Nuit turned out this year as 'old style' etc .

I also think sticking to a signature scent is more likely to encourage over-spraying because we do stop noticing everyday smells - think of how you can only smell your own home when you come back from a holiday. So experimentation is good, as well as a lot of fun, because I don't want to over-spray. I wear perfume for my own enjoyment and have no intention of impinging on others.

And now for some light relief. Mary the finding scents for Harry Potter characters starts halfway down this page on the third thread. I don't think we ever came up with one for Harry himself. Any ideas or suggested alternatives? I now want to Portkey Tom Ford's Fucking Fabulous through a wormhole to James Potter. Such matching levels of arrogance deserve each other!

Morning all!

A blind scent test would be fab. I wonder what it would cost to set up a scentalong - someone could get a load of 1ml vials and fill them with a mix of different perfumes, and then we could all try the same one each day for, say, a week. With the option to scrub and replace of course!

Although, with Christmas coming It'll have to wait a while... -And I've just ordered some Guerlain samples from ebay

SOTD is a vintage sample of Miss Dior. I like this. Very fresh top notes and then a lovely powdery/soapy dry down. It smells very familiar to me but I think it's that soapiness which is part of a certain era. I must have known someone who wore something very like it.

I'm thinking I may have to revisit Chanel no.5 - I remember not liking it all when I first smelled it. My nose is a bit more open to experimentation now and I'd probably appreciate it more.

SOTD is Amour Nocturne. Definitely going on the Christmas wishlist (which is now quite long...) Gorgeous creamy, smoky, spicy, caramelly loveliness, like wearing head to toe cashmere and drinking chai latte in front of a fire.

Sadly I'm standing on the 7.44 to Waterloo with a head cold but hey, you can't have everything.

Boldly- if you can't remember anyone having old Miss Dior, did anyone have Avon Moonwind? Very very similar, and both wonderful.

Green- spot on for James SmugFace Potter. I have just re-read all of the books and his arrogance is astonishing. And the more I re-read, the more I find Harry pretty unlikeable from Book 4 onwards. Finding Sirius in book 3 really did nothing for Harry's ego. Harry would, however, wear something really meh and mainstream to go with his grey and navy and brown clothes. Or possibly something woody to go with Daniel Radcliffe's acting skills.

I am in Panache again, as I was rummaging in that box for Tweed but couldn't find it and it was late. Will go for Tweed later after a shower.

I have to go to the "changing doctor office" now. Wish me luck. I've packed a flask and some Kendal Mint Cake. It's going to be a headpalm morning I feel. I mean, dd turned 14, so no longer has a paediatric GP but has to go to our family doctor. Why, oh why can't that just be automatic? Why do I have to go and fill eleventy forms in?

Good luck with the dentist Judy!

Will I get kicked off the thread if I admit I've never read a HP book or seen any of the films?

Good luck today to all those battling doctors and dentists - remember your perfume armour!

I'm back! Can hardly believe it!
Dodgy moment when fella says to me that my GP is full and I have to choose another for dd, I texted my friend and asked who she was with, and she said "tell yer fella that you have the right to have dd with the same GP" and it was so!

I've celebrated my zofloring the inside of the detergent drawer of the washer.

Don't know if anyone fancies a punt here....

possible ebay wonders

For that price I'd probably risk them being topped up...seller doesn't send to furrin.

to congratulate PIAM on two tasks steadfastly embraced, with fortitude and courage.

Living very dangerously this morning. SockDog is about to go walking with a woman wearing Rhinoceros. At first sniff, she may be the only witness to this experience. It is full on masculine and maybe a bit much. The notes sound good, but it is going to have to fade down a lot.

Good work PIAM!

SOTD here is Tart's Knicker Drawer. Neither strong nor long lasting so happy to spray with gay abandon and no fear of cheesing anyone else off.

Advent calendar alert (ish)... There's an Atelier Cologne one. I haven't tried their stuff but I like the sound of some of it. Any recommendations o wise ones?

The only downer is it's only available through Sephora so you have to spend £75 to qualify for £6 delivery and even then presumably customs could wallop you...

Yes I think I am working my way through the same sample box Green I’ve bought so many of their boxes and it’s a good way to try lots of interesting perfumes, not too many PMs (I gift those to my young colleagues)

I’m in Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540, it smells very sugary but also has a lot of depth and subtle spice from the Saffron, it has a weird antiseptic type smell that I’m really drawn to. DH just said eeww that’s too sweet, very childish. I told it was niche and definitely not accessible to a child. Another PS box gem

Hello to all of you with exquisite noses! This is my first time posting here.

I am drooling over the L'Occitane advent calendar!

My favourite scent is Sisley's Eau de Campagne but it has become so expensive I am looking for an alternative atm.

May I ask please what is behind the 'Flemish' reference in the title? (Intrigued ... .)

Welcome Sandy Carrots

Flemish is a reference to someone’s comment that our perfume chatter might as well be in Flemish it goes over her head. But in reality newbie perfumistas are very welcome. This is a friendly thread - you can ask questions if you don’t understand something and there’s no snobbery here. Anything goes. If it smells good, we will talk about it!

I like L’Occataine fragrances too - must dig out from my collection as I’d forgotten about them. Their AC looks very good value.

I don’t know that Sisley but I have another of theirs and it’s high quality juice hence the price. Sure there are alternatives. I had a look on fragrantica for the notes and Shay and Blue Dandelion Fig might appeal as it’s fresh green and heavy on the tomato leaf. It’s £55 for 100ml and very long lasting on me (it’s on a long list of favourites). That’s the only one I’ve tried that springs to mind. Someone more into green perfumes will be along soon to advise you I’m sure.

Thank you for the warm welcome BluebellGal and for the explanation! (I live in Belgium and wondered if Flemish perfume producers were particular renowned or something! I suspect there are a good lot of "noses" here considering the delicious chocolate flavours they concoct!!)

That's so kind of you to suggest an alternative to "Eau de Campagne"! I've never even heard of Shay and Blue - will definitely investigate - thank you very much!

Definitely drawn to the concept of green perfumes!

Hello and welcome Sandy I don't know Eau de Campagne but I'm sure someone else will. There are so many drool-worthy Advent calendars this year! The "Flemish" reference is just a joke - a poster on another thread said these perfume threads might as well be written in Flemish for all the sense she could make of them...

Sephora has a big shop on the Champs Elysées and it does stock Atelier Cologne. If it has the calendar and will deliver to the UK you wouldn't have to worry about customs charges Cheap. But the website isn't co-operating for me at the moment so I can't check.

It looks a lovely calendar and I like a lot of Atelier Colognes, especially in hot weather, and I love Bergamote Soleil and Trefle Pur. The longevity is more than miss than hit for a lot of people though.

Alternatively, Atelier Cologne does sell a Discovery set which is good value and wouldn't be at risk of customs charges because it would be coming from the EU. You could use it to make your own calendar.

PIAM ,yes, Harry turned into such a grumpy misery once he hit adolescence. He can have a Lynx that's on special offer in the January sales. Well done on sorting out the medical bureaucracy. And I am tempted, only I seem to have bought some vintage Balmain miniatures...

Sock I'm not sure I could keep a straight face asking for Rhinoceros either!

Kittens this thread can cope with Black Opium (and even LVEB) fans, ahem, so I wouldn't worry about Harry Potter being a closed book!

Well, my sample from the Perfume Society Exquisite Essences box is Merchant of Venice Byzantium Saffron and it is lovely - saffron, patchouli, amber and smells like an exotic spice cupboard. Very huff-able.

Thank you very much GreenPolishtogo!

Ooh green lovely SOTD I loved Saffron Byzantium so much I went and purchased a FB (very rare occurrence these days)

I think the Perfume Society Exquisite Essences box was my absolute favourite

Welcome Sandy. I discovered Eau de Campagne this summer and I want some! Think it's the tomato leaf and basil combo that makes me go weak at the knees.

Perfume, that looks a very reasonable price, but I'm trying to rein myself for a while, having spent too much money on irresistible 4160Tuesdays offers! (Looking forward to smelling their Rhubarb & Custard 🙂).

Welcome Sandy! You might like to test Cassis en Feuille by Miller Harris. It seems to share many of the notes. (I'm not that familiar with Eau de Campagne.). It's quite expensive, although not quite as bad as the Sisley, but you can sometimes see it at TKMaxx at a reasonable price.

Gosh, such lovely welcomes from everyone, thank you!

MrsMcNally I know, it's lovely isn't it. Sadly it is also a "lovely" price to match! My dh usually purchases it on his travels but it has become terribly expensive of late, and we are renovating ... . I'm fascinated to know that it is has tomato leaf and basil components; I was just attracted to its lovely "fresh" wafts (forgive terribly amateur terminology!).

Calmwhoknows thank you so much for that alternative recommendation! Again, it is not one I have heard of before. I will definitely look out for it!

Very impressed by everyone's expert knowledge on here!

Green have you tried the Lorenzo Fior di panna yet from the box? It was an unexpected favourite from the PS box. It smells nothing like Chanel No 5 but it gave me the same feeling. I was surprised that it’s not classed as a Chypre as it smells like a very wearable Chypre to me.

I am loving Italian Perfume at the moment. Same with wine, the Italians keep winning my heart (disclaimer- based on a non representative sample and totally biased, as I love all things Italian!)

I’ve not tried any Belgian perfume but would like to

I’m not digging French perfume, not that I’ve tried lots but my favourites right now are British and Italian. Like I saw, based on a totally random sample and influenced by my own biases! I think I would prefer a perfume trip to Venice or Florence over Paris

I’m thinking it must be the style of Italian perfume- at first I thought possibly the bergamot but not all those that I like have bergamot. I wonder what it is which attracts me to Italian perfumes and not to French. Massive generalisation there but I tend not to like Chanel, Guerlain, Dior etc. But liked I said I haven’t tried everything!