Beauty

[chessylady]

To me old lady perfume is perfume that has gone bad without the wearer realizing it, made worse by generous application.

[JustJules]

On 12/27/2014 Kind1too said:

I am wondering what it is? Is it something you associate with your grandmother? Is it a new fragrance that an old lady is wearing? Or is it a classic that's been around for many years. Is it good? Is it bad?

Is Viva la Juicy old lady perfume or Chanel No. 5 old lady perfume?

Is it something to avoid or look for?

I have read when women love something because it smells so good just like their grandmother always smelled.

Is it based on the fragrance or the person they associate it with?

I think the connotation of "old lady perfume" was originally meant to be a bad thing, like something out of style or smelly in an unpleasant way. Sort of like old bottles of perfume collected on a dresser that have changed scent. However, today's "old lady" is not the old lady of our grandmother's or great-grandmother's time. I certainly don't think of Chanel No. 5 as an old lady perfume, rather a classic that is timeless. My mother often wore it, and even though she had me at 43 she always acted youthful. I do think certain fragrances are associated with people or experiences in our lives. For me, when someone says "old lady perfume" the first thing I think of is Guerlain's Shalimar (don't throw stones at me Shalimar lovers). The only reason I make that association is that when I was a child my parents had an elderly social acquaintance that wore Shalimar. She was a sweet woman, and very wealthy, but she wore garish makeup, loads of jewelry, and she sort of looked like a drag queen. She also smelled like she bathed in it, you could smell the perfume coming across the room before she arrived. I just associate that fragrance with her. I don't really think there is such a thing as an old lady perfume anymore, woman of all ages can wear whatever they like, and what smells wonderful on one person might smell awful on another.

[Sooner]

On 12/27/2014 VaBelle35 said:

I would say Chanel 5, White Shoulders, Youth Dew are old classics that just about everyone wore back in the day. That's probably what people are referring to.

Chanel 5 is THE classic perfume. I think old lady perfume is powdery, musty, sweet smell. I think Donna Karan Cashmere Mist fits the bill, as well as some rose and violet and other very sweet florals. Chanel 5 is far too sophisticated to me to be "old lady."

[Another new name Sue]

Seems to me some scents should be classics, like Chanel No. 5.

How about men's scents? Old Spice? English Leather?

[colliegirls]

Many teens wear Viva La Juicy. Chanel No 5 is a classic, don't associate it with the elderly. I guess an "old lady perfume" would be whatever your elderly family members wore a long time ago, usually a strong smell.

[BORN AGAIN]

Anything from department store counter. Strong and stinky.

[Snicks1]

I'm being kind of glib here, but to me, "old lady scent" is when you can smell the fragrance 3 aisles over, while at a store or shop. lol Not any particular fragrance, just really strong and permeating all over the place.

[poregirl]

heavy floral, usually something overtly rose.

[Hooty]

Old lady perfume, to me, would remind me of my Grandmother, powdery smell, which I love! Since I am an old lady of 65, I guess it would be whatever I wear, but I wear Philosophy scents, they are not "old lady" IMO!

I love Cashmere Mist!

[Dorothy11]

Emeraude, Jean Naté