Perfume - where to start?

[SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon]

What would be a good perfume for someone in late 20's?

Just need a starting point because I'm overwhelmed by the choices.

I have no advice if you're buying for someone else. But if it's for you - why choose one? Surely more fun to embrace the abundance of choice.

Several perfume-y places run sample schemes. (Have a look at the MN perfume threads.) I'd start with UK websites like Bloom - then go from there.

(Nb - honestly, feeling obliged to use the single bottle you've spent a fortune on can be surprisingly annoying.)

What sorts of scents do you like? Floral, fruity, sweet, spicy, strong, musky?

I'd say go a big department store and have a sniff. Get some cards and spray so you can smell them later and see what you like. Do NOT let the sales assistant push you into buying anything. I wouldn't buy on that day. Just try out lots and see what you like.
I'm late thirties and veer towards strong/spicy or fruity and personal favourites are:

~Obsession - Calvin Klein. Strong and spicy.
~Black Orchid - Tom Ford. Strong. Not to everyones taste. Eyewateringly expensive. Mine was a gift ;)
~Lola - Marc Jacobs. Fruity. Sweet.
~Decadence - Also Marc Jacobs. Sweetish but with a hint of vanilla
~Eternity - Calvin Klein. Strong but not as much as Obsession
~DKNY - Be Delicious (the one in the green bottle) Light and fruity. I think of this one as very much a summer perfume.
~Escada - Island Kiss - As with DKNY.

I'm 33 and I like oriental vanillas, my favourite being D&G The One, and things that contain licorice and blackcurrant like a few of the Diesel scents. My current fragrance of choice though is Paris 1948 from 4160 Tuesdays which is nothing like any of those.

I suggest a good sniff around Boots and then looking up a few to see the notes they have in common.