suggestions

When you say "nice", do you mean a designer frag? Or is niche ok?

Edit to say...the obvious choice is probably Shalimar. It comes in EDC, EDT, EDP and parfum. And there is an Eau de Shalimar / Shalimar Light which is an EDT. If she likes the rose in Coco, she may like YSL Rive Gauche. I'm sure I'll think of more.

Have you tried the new Chanel 5...Eau Premiere (sp)? This is what I call one of those beautiful perfumes. I would wear this when I felt beautiful and elegant. I thought you made a thread like this not too long ago for your Moms right? What did you end up getting her? What else did your S/O smell when you were out sniffing. The John Varvatos parfum extrait is very nice. I love Christian Dior's Miss Dior Cherie Printemps even though it turns horrible on me after an hour.....curses I hate when that happens. I really liked the David Yurman perfume as well. A bottle of his perfume and one of his signature bracelets would be a nice gift. From a few of the reviews the new Creed Floralie is nice. It's exclusive to the Saks that carry Creed for now I think. Since you like Opium maybe you should sniff Estee Lauder's Sensuous, Secret Obsession by Calvin Klien, Ange Ou Demon by Givenchy and Dzongkha by L'Artisan. I don't know though. If she didn't care for Black Orchid, then maybe she wouldn't care for these either. I love these type of frags in the winter. I guess you're not getting much "winter" in Cali though right lol.

As you know, we often recommend getting a little stack of samples as a gift, but since you're planning to give your girl the pleasure of a day of perfume shopping, that's even better!

If your girl likes Chanel and you're feeling flush, what about Bois des Iles? I think it's only available through Chanel boutiques though. If she'd like an idea of it, give her some of your Chanel Egoiste to try - apparently, they're built on the same base. And while you're at your perfume collection, get her to try Pi as well, to see how she feels about the vanilla angle. And that Lolita Lempicka au masculin to get her opinion on the whole salty/woody/licorice thang.

I always reckon that a woman will love one of 4 Guerlains: Shalimar, Mitsouko, Vol de Nuit or Jicky. It's all down to personality which one she likes and I can't predict it. I really wanted to be a classy bird and love Shalimar but it just doesn't do it for me. Turns out I'm a Jicky gal. But then, that's the nice thing about Guerlain - if the one you thought would be perfect doesn't quite fit, there are plenty of others to try until you find the right one for you. (Actually, if your girl likes roses, maybe she should try Nahema and if it's the woods, Samsara.)

Caron's Parfum Sacre is a beautiful thing, that might fit the bill.
Dioressence is a big, animalic growl that is very definitely an oriental.
Opium is a classic and she really should try it.
EL Cinnabar is another from the same date and very much in a similar vein
Just because I love it: Worth Courtesan. The notes sound a mess but it's a beautifully composed perfume and it smells good all the way through.

If she likes the Lolita Lempicka au masculin (and IMHO it's a very nice ladies' fragrance - I'd wear it) your girl might like to try the LL perfumes. Personally I prefer L to the original LL as I found it too 'Angely' for me. It all depends on whether your girl likes sweet perfumes.

And what about Bal a Versailles? There's a great review of it on perfumesmellinthings today http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/

Oh - does anyone have a link to that great diagram that looks like a sideways rainbow and puts all the perfumes into a spectrum according to their 'family'? I think this is one of those cases where you just need to look at that and make a list of everything in the oriental family and narrow down from there.

Tell us what you get, won't you?

Seconding the No. 5 Eau Premiere suggestion. It's new and it's lovely, and it's Chanel and comes in a huge bottle, which would make a nice gift. I also like The Different Company's Jasmin de Nuit, which is a spicy oriental composed around jasmine, and smells similar to Opium, but more modern. It's been around a while, but I don't know if it's available in retail stores anymore. I know you can buy it online at Lucky Scent or Luscious Cargo, one of those.

I'm a big fan of Coco myself (my first oriental fragrance love), so I think your girlfriend has excellent taste! If the BBW Cherry Blossom she wears is Japanese Cherry Blossom (they have several Cherry Blossom varieties) that would indicate an appreciation of woods. Therefore, I would suggest another Chanel: Bois des Iles. It has all the quality of a Chanel, but the elegance is pumped up a notch. Its sort of like No. 5 with deeper basenotes.

Coco is truly my all time favorite, and I've worn it longer than any other! I would recommend trying:

Lolita Lempicka (the original - edp)
Luten's Un Bois Vanille
Luten's A La Nuit
Hermes - one from the Un Jardin series
Agent Provocateur - a possiblility

These would be my top 5 picks for her! Don't forget to stop back here and update us on the outcome!

I´d suggest Chinatown. See if you can get her a sample and give her a sniff of that.

If you're absolutely stumped (perfume is so personal) you can buy from Sephora for $50 a box of ten samples (they have three assortments) after she tries the samples she can bring the certificate included in the box in for a bottle of the sample she best liked.

That's not as much fun, it doesn't give you a full world of choices, but it's a safe way to avoid getting something she hates. Another idea is to go to Saks or Barney's or someplace and find something you like. If she doesn't like it, you can drive her over to exchange it.

Specific ideas would include Tocca Cleopatra which is not similar to Black Orchid, but is more floral and not completely dissimilar, or maybe Annick Goutal's Passion which is very feminine but has some spicy notes happening.

I think that Lian's suggestion of Chinatown is excellent. It is quite feminine, girly. Let your GF check out Annick Goutal and do consider Petite Cherie and Songes. In addition to Rive Gauche, try YSL Paris, which is both very feminine and very modern.

I second Bois des Iles for classy woods, and No 5 Eau Premiere is also pretty. What about Chanel Beige if money is no object - that is sweet, soft and feminine.

Le Baiser du Dragon is more of a statement fragrance, but then so is Coco, arguably, so that is another angle.

I concur with the Chinatown suggestions, obviously It is a very feminine scent. I also recommend PdN Sacrebleu,a heartbreakingly beautiful scent.

I hope this is ok, but I just want to mention that the Coco is Coco Mademoiselle, which I've gleaned from prior conversations with our sweet TheAttorney. I think that distinction makes a difference in terms of understanding his GF's tastes.

I'm fully on board with the above recommendations of No 5 Eau Premiere, and Shalimar EDP (I prefer the EDP personally), and trying out the original Lolita Lempicka (bonus: she'll adore the bottle on that one), and Miss Dior Cherie. The last two have some structural similarities to her current fragrance. The only thing about the first two is they have a bit of powder, and if she's not into that she may not like them. Kenzo Amour is a lovely vanilla fragrance without being too foody. Also the Kenzo Amour Indian Holi edition is worth a spray.

And why not try the original Coco on her (the one with the black label)?

For niche, I also think it would be worth heading to Barney's for samples of Frederic Malle's Lipstick Rose, L'Artisans Drole de Roses, Serge Lutens' Bois de Vanille, and particularly Datura Noir (a big hit here). At ScentBar you can try out Fifi Chachnil, ooooh and I totally concur about the Jasmin de Nuit by TDC, and the SA's can help with probably tons of other recommendations. Your Bond friend may be able to hook you up with samples of Chinatown at Saks, but I can't recommend other Bond fragrances (I don't know others well). Chinatown is a very bright, spicy fragrance which is more like the original Coco than Coco Mad., IMHO.

But Shalimar is so utterly beautiful--I just can't imagine NOT having it in my collection. It's a desert-island fragrance, and in many people's top ten.

And then, there's Angel. We all have to try that one. It's very polarizing for people, but some women love it.

This sounds like a lot of fun for you both.

I agree about trying Chanel "Eau Premiere" or Annick Goutal "Songes".

My daughter loves B&BW Cherry Blossom but didn't like the sample of Chinatown I ordered from Beauty Cafe-- she said it smelled "like Yankee Candle" (like being in their store with a hodgepodge of too many incongruous odors.)

Coco is full, rich, luxurious and ultra-feminine. So in that spirit:
Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese
Robert Piguet Visa (Baghari is also worth considering)
Panthere de Cartier
Any of the Delrae line (my favorite is Bois de Paradis)

Also, if you're anywhere around a Tiffany store, check their perfume. And as far as I'm concerned, Shalimar is also an obvious choice.

Coco Mlle...okay, computes! For Bonds then, Bryant Park might be a contender. Or what about L'Eau d'Issey, which reminds me of Rive Gauche in some ways, though I am not sure that it should, notes-wise. Drole de Rose is a good pick by Lushsoup. I also find Chamade heart-stoppingly pretty and it is one of the more accessible Guerlains.

Oh - and the new Estee Lauder - Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang is lovely - sweetish, creamy, rich, a bit spicy. If you're passing the EL counter, worth a sniff.
As is Sensuous, actually.

Whooooops! Coco Mdmse. is definitely a horse of another color! Scratch my previous suggestions and change to:

Hanae Mori (butterfly)- EDP
Flowerbomb by Victor & Rolf
Be Delicious by DKNY

DEFINITELY try these three!!!

Personally, I would recommend Tocca Touch (very feminine scent, very pretty bottle and pink juice - a gorgeous little bauble) and Mazzolari Alessandro, just because it's one of the most feminine scents I've ever smelled and it fits in with the "soft" and "sweet" parts, too, though the sweetness is not offensive or cloying, to me.

I have to agree with Chanel. You really cant go wrong. I love Bois des Iles or if she wants a scent more flowery 31 rue Cambon. Both are to die for!

I don't really get the connection of Bois des Isles with Coco Mlle, but 31 Rue Cambon is a bit closer (even though I think 31RC is more like a cross between No.5 and Coco, not Mlle). I also was thinking Divine L'Inspiratrice could be a good choice. I have not given it a good sampling yet, but my impression is that it is a more luscious rose than Rive Gauche, a little boozy or liquer-like, but much more modern and slightly more bold. I think it is in the same spirit as 31RC.

Regarding Shalimar, I prefer the EDP or parfum. The EDT turns to baby diapers on my skin. Plus I like the slightly dry leather scent that the stronger concentrations have.

I like the way the original Gloria Vanderbilt smells on women, but the women I know don't seem to care one way or the other !

I vote for 31 rue Cambon --- very femme but amber, too. Just class in a bottle. And I also think for an Opium-lover, Jasmin de Nuit.

There are some wonderful suggestions in this thread already. Although I have yet to try it, Eau Premiere has been getting rave reviews and I hope you test it.

I love Shalimar too, but only in the pure parfum concentration. The EDT and EDP are a little too musty on me.

Since she loves Coco I am wondering whether she has it in pure parfum already. Unless she will be testing things on her on skin when you go shopping, you never really know how something will work with someone's chemistry, and a luxurious gift of such a gorgeous favorite fragrance might be well appreciated.

If she will be joining you while you shop, a trip to Scent Bar would be fun to do together. Angela is usually working there, and she's very good at listening to what people like already, and noting their reactions to things she suggests that you sniff. Then, if you ask, she'll make samples of what you both like best. If you prefer to self-direct your exploration I'd give Stephanie Saint-Aignan Le Pot Aux Roses & Berberiades, Anne Pliska, Profumum Alba, and Parfumerie Generale Cadjmere & L'Oiseau de Nuit a shot.

Barneys isn't too far from Scent Bar, and Anthony, the counter manager, would be a great guide there. Miller et Bertaux Close Your Eyes And..., Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Terese, Serge Lutens A La Nuit & Un Lys, Nana Debary, Regina Harris Amber Vanilla and and are all very test-worthy, feminine fragrances.

If you still haven't fallen for something at that point, I imagine you are well aware of the other stores with beautiful offerings nearby and many are within walking distance to Barneys. Saks is right next door and has all the Bond No 9s (Chinatown and Nuit de Noho come to mind for her). They ::might:: have some Escada Collection too. And I think that Neiman Marcus might have some Chantecaille Frangipanne which I consider extremely feminine. They'll have Coco in parfum too.

Have fun!

What exciting news!!!


I agree with socalwoman. Take her with you.

I like Coco too. It's like the only Chanel that doesn't give me a headache. If she likes Coco, she may like other florals. I don't know what's available at the Scent Bar, as I didn't get to go there this weekend. However, if all else fails, you could try to arrange it so that she is able to try the many different versions of Chanel No. 5. Even if she doesn't like any of them, she can at least have bragging rights that she's tried them all!

Just read through this thread with interest. You got some great suggestions, here. I would wager the Chanel no. 5 eau premeir could be on the money. The no. 5 body cream is very similar to this and very luscious, like a sweetened no. 5.

Do tell us what your Macy's visit has yielded.

Whoa! You're planning to sniff all of these over your lunch break! Not to mention that you nose will be fatigued after three or four, I don't think you can get the full flavor of some (including Bois des Iles) without experiencing the drydown.

I am pretty sure Macy's will not have about half of those...so, could be that he gets to smell the whole subset of his list over lunch

Chanel Beige, for no apparent reason, just a hunch

I'd check out Macy's too, but I'd also wait to hit The Scent Bar and the "Big Three" down on Wilshire in Beverly Hills (Barney's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus) before making a decision. Call ahead to The Scent Bar and ask them to provide a sample of anything on their website that is not normally present in the store. (They will do that.) You can have your choice in hand by mid-afternoon on Saturday.

What did you decide? Did Macy's have enough to make a decision?

If you get the opportunity to try L'Artisan, see what she things of La Chasse aux Papillon. It is feminine, soft, and floral. At Sephora or dept store, Eclat d' Arpege is feminine and pretty. Please keep us posted!

I'm doing something similar for my sweetie. To me, it's extremely flattering and personal and difficult. You see them one way and yet they have a whole dialog with the rest of the world that you don't see. How do you find a scent for them that takes that into consideration?

Your are lucky that she doesn't mind going sniffing and already has an idea of what she likes. She might also enjoy something is very different them what she already has. I would definately get her to a Saks, NM, or Bloomies so she can sniff the niches. I ended up ordering lots and lots of 1 & 2ml samples and sort of resigned myself to taking a long time to do this.

Anyways, I'm not familiar enough with SL or Le Labo to make a suggestion but I second the suggestions for a L'artisans or one of the Malle line:

Fleur d'Oranger 2007 - I grew up in an orange grove; I know that smell. Most orangeblossom scents are too sweet where this one is just about perfect - talk about luxury
Parfum de Thérèse - It's a big scent and I hate big florals but this is completely divine. It immediately brings up the image of cashmere, fine 60 yr old needle lace, and perfect Italian shoes. Did I mention I hate big florals and adore this yet? It's worth repeating.
Une Rose or Drôle de Rose - both warmer, darker roses.
La Chasse aux Papillons
Carnal Flower - another big flower scent but getting too popular. I hate running into other women who smell like me which is what drew me to niche in the first place.
Dans Tes Bras (this is a hunch since she like a warmer smell)

Best of luck and let us know how it goes!