Classic perfume ?

[BernieBarks]

Good morning all .
My closest friend is very much into '40s and '50s fashion and proper old school glamour .
She's had a shitty year .
I want to buy her a fabulous ,classic fragrance for Christmas .
Any suggestions ?
Thank you xxx

Coco Chanel - my most favourite perfume
Tabu - not a big brand but my mum is 78 and this has been her favourite forever - whenever I smell I think of her ❤️

Cinema by Yves St Laurent 🤩

My favourite is Mitsouko, but as a pp says get the edp, not the edt.

Cabochard is a 50s classic and I think glamorous.

Chanel no 5

The original Miss Dior. Very classy.

Nothing like the overly sweet (and continually re-formulated) newer Miss Dior!

Heaven knows why they gave two completely different perfumes the same name!

Coco is gorgeous but was released in 1984 and has a scent profile to match!

bought my first botttle of L’air du temps in 1978 - it was a classic then -and still wear it. O de lancome was first released in 60s, it’s fresh and citrusy (lost a bit of sparkle when reformulated when some ingredients were banne but still lovely) . But perfume is so very personal and can smell different on everyone. Perhaps look for a set of minis from one range - then she can have fun trying different scents for different occasions .

Balmain's Vent Vert, so beautiful, very difficult to find.

L'Heure Bleue
Fracas
Miss Dior
Joy
Mon Guerlain or Insolence
Serge Lutens Feminite Du Bois
Baccarat Rouge 540, newish, but fairly classic

I’d read what Lady Pamela Hicks said about Chanel No 5 before buying it for your friend!

Estee Lauder Youth Dew

Portrait of a lady - frederic malle

First, by Van Cleef and Arpels.

Miss Dior is in such a beautiful bottle. Would be a gorgeous gift.

I’ve worn Miss Dior (perfum) this month and had at least 5 compliments and people asking me what it was.

Estée Lauder Beautiful is a classic Imo.

For an ‘evening’ fragrance Coco or Estée Lauder Knowing.

Everyone raves about Penhaligon’s Hafete but when I tried it, it smelled like I’d just chucked Merlot over myself.

I loved Vent Vert - wore it for ages!

Je Reviens by Worth - used to be in the most gorgeous blue glass bottle with turquoise box.
Escada by Margaretha Lay - no longer available but such a classic scent.
Arpege by Lanvin - my mother always used this.
But Chanel No. 5 has to be the all-time classic perfume.

I recognised the name and although I've never worn it before nostalgia took me into buying a bottle . I sprayed some on last night and I can still smell it on me today .

WinterBerry40 I have worn it for so many years I just don't notice it on myself now.

I only use the Eau de toilette though and not the stronger perfume.

As many pps have said, fragrances are very personal and do react differently on different people.

For a good old-fashioned British made traditional fragrance, Penhaligons. Expensive for full size at over £200, but depending on price point they do small collections from around £50. More choice!!

My mother wore it all her life, or until we couldn’t find it anymore, and I used to pinch it from her occasionally, later started buying it for myself as a change from my first perfume, “L’Air du Temps”, which I decided I was too old for when I hit 30, I think, if not before (so long ago, I can’t remember!).

Ivoire used to be a classic but was reformulated about 12 years ago. Now it just smells like soap.