Favorite Vintage Perfumes

[zombi]

Right now I wear Guerlain's Shalimar -- Mr Zombi gave it to me this past Winter Solstice! But I'd love to try Guerlain's L'Heure Bleue, Liu, and Mitsuoko.

I'd also like to try Chanel's No. 5 and Gardenia! Can a gal get Gardenia these days -- are they still making it?

 

[Dixie_Amazon]

Sometimes department store Chanel counters have it around Mother's Day and I have seen it around on Amazon.

 

[Romamor4]

I am a huge fan of Miss Dior Cherie as well. I bought a bottle in Paris but only use it every so often because it's so special and very sweet. There are two fragrances that I have been wanting to get my hands on as of late in order to 'update' my stash. I currently use Maybe Baby by Benefit on a daily basis, just because I would like to use it up. When I go out, I use Ralph Lauren Romance but I am also getting tired of that. I would like something with a little more vintage taste and class. The two I have been wanting to get my hands on for years now are Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. I fantasize about that one! Also, I REALLY like Very Hollywood by Michael Kors.

Now you ladies have me tempted to try out Diorissimo! What am I going to do?! Anyone know any discount reputable stores for perfumes?!

 

[TimeWarpWife]

The discount perfume e-tailers I've been using for quite a number of years and are reliable are Scentiments.com and Scentmonkey.com. Unfortunately, as with everything else, their prices have gone up over the last few years. You used to be able to get most designer 'fumes at dirt cheap prices. You can still get some pretty good discounts, just not like you used to get. You can get even better prices if they offer a tester version of your perfume. A tester is not a used bottle, it's unused and new, but it probably won't come with a cap and/or in a plain box. I've bought lots of testers and have been happy with all my purchases. BTW, I'm not affiliated, etc. with any of these sites.

Zombi, if you're going to try L'Heure Bleue and Mitsouko, you may want to try and find vintage bottles because in 2010 the new European perfume laws went into effect and LHB and, in particular, Mitsouko are only ghosts of their former selves because they're now made with synthetic ingredients rather than real oakmoss (which is now illegal to use), etc. In fact, Mitsouko now smells like some kind of chemical mess not even resembling what it used to smell like. I'd try getting something made prior to 2007 if you want the real beauties.

 

[Romamor4]

The discount perfume e-tailers I've been using for quite a number of years and are reliable are Scentiments.com and Scentmonkey.com. Unfortunately, as with everything else, their prices have gone up over the last few years. You used to be able to get most designer 'fumes at dirt cheap prices. You can still get some pretty good discounts, just not like you used to get. You can get even better prices if they offer a tester version of your perfume. A tester is not a used bottle, it's unused and new, but it probably won't come with a cap and/or in a plain box. I've bought lots of testers and have been happy with all my purchases. BTW, I'm not affiliated, etc. with any of these sites.

Thanks, Time Warp Wife! I just LOVE Michael Kors Very Hollywood perfume and they have it! http://www.scentiments.com/Product/ProductInfo.aspx?id=42102

I just love the description too: "
Very Hollywood is the epitome of Old Hollywood glamour. It hearkens back to the days when Beverly Hills was the center of the film universe, and the flash of camera bulbs showered over the legends of Tinseltown."


Perfect for a vintage gal!


Ooooh, wait a minute...just got back from trying Very Hollywood and Mademoiselle again since a long time ago. At first, I didn't like Mademoiselle anymore. As about a half hour passed, I am far preferring Mademoiselle to Very Hollywood! Very Hollywood is way too gardenia smelling, which I like, but too similiar to other perfumes I could find for cheaper. Mademoiselle has a less distinct deeper and fresher tone to it. That's it. I'm hooked!! Now to try Diorissimo...

 

[zombi]

TimeWarpWife,
Yes, I've read about the oakmoss IFRA stuff -- especially in regards to these two perfumes. Many reviewers are saying just what you've said about Mitsouko in particular. I'm hoping I'll be able to find older bottles of them.

 

[Katue]

Daisy by Mark Jacobs smells really vintagy. I like it.

 

[Mojito]

Does anyone collect discontinued vintage perfumes? I've never really thought about doing it, but recently bought a sealed bottle of Babani's "Ming" from the 1920s because I have an interest in the couture house and the associated perfume business set up by Vitaldi Babani's son, Maurice.

 

[Tourbillion]

Mojito, of course people collect discontinued vintage perfumes! One of my friends has at least 100 bottles. I have a few, not sure if you'd call it a collection yet.

I buy mostly vintage perfumes still in production, and newer perfumes myself. However, I buy them to wear, not to collect, so my focus is a little different.

 

[Isis]

After much pondering- my wishlist at tHe Perfumed Court quickly grew very long, I ordered samples of;

Tabac Blond (reformulated version)
Ambre Cannelle
Angélique Encens

I really, really liked the first two, though I'm very curious on the original Tabac Blond now, but Angélique Encens... It's basically the perfect perfume, the embodiment of a scent memory I have hunted for years. I find myself gluing my nose to my wrists over and over again. And it is discontinued, how typical is that. I'm going to splurge on a few more decanted ml to use for special occasions.

I also think I need samples of Shalimar and Femme.

 

[TimeWarpWife]

This summer I'm wearing L'air du Temps and Wind Song. They smell very much alike, but LDT was popular in the late 40s and WS in the 50s - my two favorite eras. In case anyone's interested and is a fan of Estee Lauder's Youth Dew, they've re-introduced the vintage blue bottle and are selling it at Macy's (not affiliated, etc.). I bought a couple of bottles there - one to wear and one to adorn my vintage vanity. I know this is nuts, but the retro blue bottle perfume smells more like the vintage YD than the one that comes in the clear bottle. Of course, at my age, my mind could be playing tricks on me.

 

[Alex Oviatt]

From a man's point of view, I have to say that nothing smells as good as Shalimar. It is as famous as it is for a reason. It smells as great on your grandmother as it does on a nubile young 18 year old. In fact, your grandmother probably wore it as an 18 year old! Guerlain makes wonderful fragrances for both men and women (I am wearing Vetiver right now) but Shalimar really tops the list. I know that there is talk of reformulations and differences among the various strengths, but I have never smelled it without thinking that they really could have just stopped after they made Shalimar--nothing since has beat it. Beautiful bottles, too.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Vol De Nuit 1933

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

I'm always on the lookout for vintage perfumes at yard and estate sales. You can sometimes find some great stuff there, which is kind of sad in a way. Because it meant someone saved it for special occasions and never used it up. . Chanel 19 is my daily default perfume. It's nice, although I wouldn't buy it again, a bit to blah for my taste. I adored Chanel 22, but it's been moved into their Exclusifs line. I used to despair of owning it again, because it was $200 (for a ginormous bottle). But now they have that bunch in smaller bottles for $110, and as is said on a perfume board I frequent, "$100 is the new free". I will probably also get a bottle of Cuir de Russe; that scent makes me swoon.

I have a decent collection, including L' heure bleu and Shalimar. Youth Dew is my cheap thrill, which is nice, because I like to wear it to bed. It makes me feel all cozy. A nice lady at the Guerlain counter hooked be up with L' heure bleu. I went in to try the Mitsouko, and the look on my face must have made my thoughts clear. Ewww. So she suggested L'heur- bless her! There's a bunch I keep meaning to sample, and I'm familiar with the Perfumed Court; it has a really good reputation over at Now Smell This. http://www.nstperfume.com/. Which if you want to read a whole bunch of perfumistas drooling or dissing perfume is a great place.

It's not vintage, but someone else here mentioned Serge Lutens. I don't own any, but I do really love/hate his stuff. I never think of anything of his as blah, which is a good thing. I have a serious lemming going to get a bell jar of Silver Iris Mist. But he had one I couldn't scrub off fast enough. I don't remember the name, but it smelled like cat urine- a reaction a whole bunch of people have.

 

[virgi]

I use to wear shalimar, then moved on to l'hear bleu, then went on to opium, the chanel 5, love youth dew (but am allergic to the spray) and finally I wear as my every day fragrance l'air du temp, which is a lovely flowery fragrance. It's one of those fragrances that isn't overbearing, but light. Chanel 5 started adding fruity notes which I cannot stand. A really nice fragrance if any one can get their hands on it is arpege. It's a very sophisticated fragrance invented in the mid 20s... there's something about fruity notes in fragrances that reminds me of old fermenting guavas and mangos.

 

[amaranth]

I very occasionally wear Opium, but I'm only 24 and thought it smelled a bit 'old' on me - I love the smell of it, just not on me, sadly. So mostly I use Coco Chanel, which I ADORE, but it's so expensive! Or Chloe's signature scent, it comes in the most beautiful bottle I think I've ever seen.

Also, hi - I'm new. Nice to meet you all!

 

[zombi]

When I went to smell L'Heure Bleue I was really disappointed. I wish I could some of the older formulations, pre-oakmoss mess. Mr Zombi really liked it, though, so it may be something I end up wearing just because he likes it so well. Otherwise I'm alternating between Chanel no.5 and Shalimar most of the time these days, if I'm not wearing perfume oils.

eta: welcome amaranth!

 

[Isis]

I just tested Shalimar, which I thought I would love and it smelled truly awful on me. What a disappointment! I'm ususally such a vanilla girl, but Shalimar on me was just cloyingly sweet.

Tabac Blond is wonderful though- I like both the new and the old version. The old version is the best though, the new smells quite different. More like another pefume altogether in my view.

 

[TimeWarpWife]

I love the Shalimar bottle because it's so vintage looking. Unfortunately, the perfume itself ends up smelling like something akin to Lemon Pledge on me. However, anyone who can't wear Shalimar may find they can wear the new Shalimar Parfum Initial. I was leary of it because the juice is pink, which made me think fruity-floral, but I absolutely loved it when I tried it on. I can smell the undertones of the original Shalimar in it, but now there's only a hint of the lemon that used to turn it to furniture polish for me, and it's simply gorgeous. I bought the biggest bottle they offer because I so loved it.

 

[Flicka]

I was thinking of getting Chanel No. 5 - only problem is that smell reminds me so much of my grandmother who always wore it. The things she left me, like her jewellery box, all smell of it. It's cosy in a way of course, but then it's hard to feel smexy when you smell like your gran!

It's not vintage, but I also like Miss Dior Chérie. I'm telling myself that at least they're trying to sell it using ads that clearly try to look very sixties, so it can't be entirely inappropriate!