Old-School New Fragrance
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| Miss Dior “Le Parfum” |
A few weeks ago I was in Nordstrom on my red lipstick quest, flitting about from cosmetic counter to cosmetic counter. I was standing at the Dior counter waiting for the Sales Associate to sanitize a tester for me to try when I remembered I hadn’t applied any fragrance that day, so decided to help myself to a spritz. I thought what I’d picked up was the Miss Dior Eau de Parfum,* which is a nice light scent for day, but when I sprayed, my immediate reaction was, within the span of a nanosecond: “hey-that’s-not-the-Miss-Dior-I-know-OMG-WHAT-IS-THAT-I-LOVE-IT!”
When it comes to fragrance, I’m an uneducated nose. Ask me about sillage or flankers and you’ll get nothing but a blank stare in return. But I know what I like. What I pick up in this one is amber, vanilla, patchouli, rose and some other stuff I can’t identify. This is an old-fashioned fragrance in the best sense of the word. Not “old-fashioned” like a fusty aunt, but like that woman you knew who was always so well put-together, could order off the French menu and mix a proper drink, knew Klée from Kandinsky, and yet would kick off her shoes to wiggle her toes in the grass on the first warm spring day. Polished, worldly and elegant without taking oneself too seriously.
And men seem to like this fragrance. I’ve received two random compliments in the last week. It seems to last quite a while (which can be a blessing or a curse, but in this case it’s the former).
If you’d like to read reviews from those whose knowledge of les parfums is far greater than mine, try these:
Another Perfume Blog
Fragrantica
Have you tried this one or discovered any fabulous new fragrances lately?
*I’ll admit I find Dior’s fragrance naming conventions irritating and probably confusing. There are several(?) fragrances out right now with some variation of the “Miss Dior” moniker, none of which seem more than vaguely related scent-wise.
Disclosure: actions taken from some links in this post may generate commissions for www.unefemme.net.
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I’ve been wearing Miss Dior for a year or so. I am not a connaisseur either. I just find one I like and stick with it until another I like comes along. I recently read about Chanel Jersey– lavender and vanilla. But haven’t found it to try yet. I hope to get a sniff of it in Paris next month!
I have tried this! I used to wear the Old Miss Dior. I was at first disappointed that it had changed, but was surprised that I did like it.
I know nothing about perfumes and I don’t usually wear any. Oh, I have tons of samples but haven’t found anything I like…except Chanel No.5 which was my mom’s favorite. I put a dab of it for special occasions just b/c it reminds me of mom.
I think I just may try the Dior next time I’m at the mall. I like your description of the fragrance.
I have just tried the new Guerlain “Petite Robe Noire,” (Little Black Dress.) Like most women, I was first attracted to the lovely “flacon” (bottle.) The fragrance is interesting, and more complex than it seems at first. I preferred it after a few minutes, once it had a chance to develop on my skin… Lovely. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)
Anais anais is my go to scent, but lately I have been enjoying Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle.
I’ll put this on my list to try since you and I often like some of the same things. Although I really have to make more inroads in a few of the bottles I’ve got lined up to spritz from (currently alternating mostly between Hermès Eau de Merveilles and YSL La Parisienne (yes, those are two different personalities, but that’s okay, I’m multiple . . . )
You had me at amber and rose. I just discovered to fragrances I’d like to explore more- Balenciaga’s new one and best of all thanks to those irritating samples in the pages of Vogue I want, I need Dolce and Gabbana Pour Femme. It smelled like how you described it: old fashioned in the best possible way.
I also am not a fragrance connoisseur. Just sort of go by what my nose tells me smells good. I’m testing out a new fragrance now which may soon become one of my favorites.
I wear this … among others.
Your review is good enough for me!! I tend to get in ruts and use the same fragrance over and over again, so I am attempting to change that and be less predictable. Your review will lead me to at least try a spritz!
Your reviews, and those that you linked make the perfume seem lovely. Perfumes tend to go very sweet on me though, so I mostly stick to unisex fragrances, and then end up wearing nothing.
Dior still make good-quality frags and I’m delighted you found one that moves you so.
I’m wearing Malle’s Le Parfum de Therese (evening) and for day, L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Cote d’Amour and Lise Watier’s Folies Neiges.
So, if anyone is interested:
Sillage is a parfumer’s term:
http://www.basenotes.net/threads/170683-What-is-sillage
Flanker is a marketing term:
http://www.bellasugar.com/Definition-Flanker-Fragrance-6657107
I am not a perfume expert by any means. I don’t like trying new scents, really; too confusing. I’m inclined to stick with the same old thing. In my case, that’s Shalimar in the winter and L’Air du Temps in summer. Sometimes I get gifts of perfume from my husband’s clients, which I don’t really appreciate (would rather get the chocolates they sometimes send! Perfume is too personal for a corporate gift, IMO). But last year, one of the clients sent a bottle of Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, which I very much liked. So much so that it’s now on my Christmas list for a refill! I could not tell you what “notes” it has, but only that I like it.
—Jill Ann
So I gather that this is a totally new perfume? Be that the case, fine.
Personally, I have never returned back to a perfume I once liked; somehow, it does not work, I don´t like it anymore or the scent might return memories I don´t long for.
Being not an expert on scents either, not even knowing the words describing a certain scent, all I have is my first impression to make a decision. Sometimes, I might fail, as some scents give me a headache, which in some cases ( though I might get hints ) does not appear right away.
Good for you!
Discovered Miss Dior in a similar way as you describe…wasn’t looking, tried a spritz and walked around shopping for a while. HAD to go back and get it. I love it!
My oldest daughter really likes one of the flankers, Miss Dior Cherie L’eau. I used to like Diorissimo and Eau Sauvage but the EU rules on allergens pretty much ruined both those scents. I rotate between about 20 bottles-not many in perfumista territory, but an exorbitant amount for the average non addict. Right now, I bounce between amber fragrances and florals, with L’Heure Bleue and Nahema always in there as well. Trust your nose and wear fragrance the same way you’d wear shoes…different moods call for different representations of your personality!
I go on and off with scent – sometimes I wear it and sometimes I don’t. I have about three Jo Malone fragrances in my cabinet now, and have been exploring them for a while. But now I am inspired by you to go up to Nordstrom and take a little spritz of Miss Dior parfum.
My mother always wore Estee Lauder Youth Dew, which is a memory-trigger for me.
I am still mourning the disappearance of Armani’s White for Women. My skin does terrible things to perfume (Chanel no. 5 is absolutely intoxicating on my dear sister in law. On me it smells like mosquito repellent). I am almost through my emergency stock, and I still have no replacement lined up.
I definitely must try.
Thank you for your always more than interesting comments.
I never thought about it, but the jacket does have a touch of bone china.
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I rarely try new scents these days (preferring my no. 5 lately over anything else) but I have heard very nice things about this one.
The Barne Voyage Gentle Souls boots – I believe you will love them. I’ve never had such a comfortably stylish pair of ankle boots til these came along.
This perfume was on my list to buy this year. I can’t wait to smell them! Love the bottle design too. 🙂
Eula Wyatt