Vintage Perfumes
Nothing can transport you back in time like a fragrance. They say that your sense of smell is the most powerful and evocative sense, and it’s true: Emeraude reminds me of my mother, Quorum, my husband, and Halston Z-14 reminded me of my teens and guys who bathed in a cologne—rather than indulging in a spritz or two.
“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel.
This may have been a dramatic overstatement. However, when I was in the business of selling perfume, quotes such as these, gave women confidence when she entered a room! And Chanel No. 5 is one of the most popular fragrances of all time. A bottle of it is sold every 30 seconds (including me).
Coco Chanel also stated that women should wear perfume wherever they hoped to be kissed. Wise words indeed – please note that this does not mean ‘layered’ in perfume, as perfume counter girls armed with spray bottles will advise you. No one should be able to smell your perfume unless they’re that little bit closer than is polite; then, it should be something delicious and intoxicating.
While researching which perfumes were favored over the decades, I was surprised how many of these I’ve actually owned. Over the years, I’ve tried Anais Anais, Shalimar, Opium, Poison, Red, and Patou 1000 before I finally settled on Chanel No. 5. Of course, I selected one of the most expensive perfumes on the market, but I guess there is a good reason why it’s been a bestseller since it was launched in 1921!
Vintage Perfumes: The Fragrances that Defined Each Decade
It’s surprising how many of these perfumes are still best sellers even now, but then why would they go out of fashion?
Popular Perfumes in the 1940s.
L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci (in a pretty glass bottle with a bottle stopper fashioned as two doves).
After the war, lighter and fresher perfumes became more popular, one of which was the still-popular Miss Dior by Christian Dior in 1947
Popular Perfumes in the 1950s.
Femme de Rochas was a rich, sultry perfume aimed at the femme fatale created in 1944.
Arpege by Lanvin is a romantic floral perfume created in 1927 but became particularly popular during the 1950s.
Max Factor’s Hypnotique and Primitif (as advertised by Jean Patchett above) were popular and affordable perfumes for the masses compared to the fragrances by the big fashion houses.
Soir de Paris by Bourjois was a popular fragrance amongst teenagers during the 1950s. It was discontinued in 1969 but relaunched in 1992
Popular Perfumes in the 1960s.
YSL Rive Gauche was a popular 1960s scent.
Hubert de Givenchy created L’Interdit for Audrey Hepburn, and she wore the perfume for many years before it was released to the public in 1957. She featured in the adverts for L’Interdit throughout the 1960s.
Tuvache’s Oh! de London is a bright, sparkling scent that perfectly captured the mood of the swinging sixties.
Guerlain introduced the heady oriental scent Chamade in 1969.
Popular Perfumes in the 1970s.
Charlie by Revlon and Diorella by Christian Dior, a perfume for the independent woman who has everything, were both very popular (both contain citrus and musky notes).
Opium by Yves Saint Laurent was launched in 1977 and was a heady, rich oriental evening perfume. (I also wear the recent release: Black Opium for evening events.)
Anais Anais by Cacharel was launched in 1978 and was an immediate hit (my brother gave this to me as a Christmas Gift).
Did I list one of your favorite perfumes?
Or, did I mention a perhaps a fragrance you’ve never dared to try?
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