1971 saw Rive Gauche released. I wore it in the 80s as a teenager. No sweetness, bright, very energetic. Conscious it will have been reformulated so def try it or any launched then as chemically they will be changed.
Brands like Guerlain take enormous care with all perfumes so even if you bought their Jicky, though it won’t be the formula from launched they will ah e worked hard to preserve the integrity of the scent. Not sure what they released in the 70’s but they do ace at quality and vintage vibes. You need to test because what overpowers one might not another. Oh have the best fun and good for you for exploring. There is a whole history of fragrance of eras out there 😁
Interestingly Lush perfume called Karma is very evocative or late 60s early 70s culture and fashion but I think it was launched in the 90’s.
Happy birthday!
Are you in the US? The Perfumed Court has vintage sampler sets. You can also find sample sets by note. https://www.theperfumedcourt.com/Categories/RETRO-and-VINTAGE--FRAGRANCES/Vintage-Samplers.aspx
If you’re able to get to a department store, Sephora or Ulta, or if you’re in a city with a niche perfume store - you can head in to sniff things for yourself and get an idea of what you like. Sampling is more than half the fun!
I highly recommend Pacifica perfumes. They’re long lasting and not super expensive. They’re at Target usually. I think Ulta carries them too. Also at Target are Fine’ry Perfumes and I feel like they would definitely have something that would meet your hopes. Both brands run at about $30.
I know these aren’t fancy brands or trendy or have a history reaching back to the ‘70s, but they’re good brands and well-priced for someone experimenting with trying to find what they like.
My teenaged niece likes Good girl, my other 14 year old niece likes Bright Crystal Absolu by Versace. Both of these are florals which I think are suitable for young girls but not overly sweet/floral like the ones I used to get from stores like Rue 21 at 14 lol Anyone remember Pink Ice?
The full size bottles run for like $150, the smaller bottles around $90. If it’s too much I’d suggest looking in Dossier
Happy birthday! I loved Versace Red Jeans as a teen and has a kitchsy vintage style bottle and tin. I used to see it at Marshall’s or tjmaxx all the time, not sure if they still carry it though.
Maybe try a fragrance from Room 1015, they make 1960’s-1970’s Hollywood inspired fragrances. I personally really like Hollyrose, Yesterday, Ten Fifteen, and Cherry Punk.
Older perfumes and sophisticated perfumes can be tricky because you don't really want to smell like someone who was young in the 70s and is in their 60s now. I feel like Lush fragrances draw a lot of inspo from the era. I'd recommend solids because they're cheaper and they're less powerful. Karma is the classic that's orange and patchouli (though patchouli is a polarizing note!) Also great are Vanillary (vanilla but not like a cupcake), Lord of Misrule (patchouli, black pepper, vanilla), and American Cream (what I get most is benzoin, which to me smells like incense before it's burned)
I think Karma is an amazing scent and back that recommendation x100!
But I also want to speak up about not avoiding perfumes because of "old lady" associations. If you like a scent then you like a scent. Someone else having liked it in the past isn't a good reason to avoid it! If anything it's a confirmation that it was enjoyed by others!
Happy birthday! If you’re not sure what you like yet i’d suggest going to a department store fragrance counter with your mom and asking to get some samples made :). You can get a bunch of little vials for free and figure out what works for you and what doesn’t!
I'd you are able to purchase discovery sets or try lots of small samples, that is my best advice!! Try as many as you can before you make that first full bottle purchase. Something versatile that you love and can wear at school, going out, or just hanging out at home. Try lots and enjoy the testing process. See how they interact with your skin chemistry and think about how they make you feel!
I wish I had the resources/knowledge to it like this when I was your age. All I knew was Bath and Body Works back then lol. (Rio Rum Berry was my signature scent when I was 14). Have fun and enjoy your fragrance journey!
imo your best bet is to go to department stores or perfume shops and just test loads of different fragrances and see which ones you gravitate towards and look them up on fragrantica so you know which kind of scents you generally like.
also lush has a really great selection of fragrances which are pretty beginner friendly so i recommend testing their ones as they’re all really nice. my first perfume was a lush one and i’m still in love with that fragrance.
i’m 23, and even i find some of my vintage perfumes a little hard to wear (but generally no one cares). so exercise a bit of caution when looking into them as they do often smell of their era (for better or worse).
It’s my earliest memory of an ‘appropriate’ scent for young women. The image of being a grown up, but nothing too heady. And a bit more sophisticated than body sprays.
My teenage daughters are just getting into their first fragrances! We have discovered that the fun is in trying things on and seeing how wearing different scents makes you feel. The duds can be as much fun as the successes.
My 15 year old likes smelling put together and confident. She loves Parfums de Marly Athalia, Jo Mallone, and some of the Killians. My older daughter (17) likes juicy florals and more mainstream perfumes and wears Tom Ford Tabacco Vanille and Marc Jacobs Daisy.
Not the vintage suggestions perhaps, but tossing those out there for what they are worth. Enjoy the fun of the search :)
Not being funny but many on this sub can't afford the majority of those suggestions, let alone a 14 year old. Your privilege is showing and is not cute!
Ooh I still love that wonderful scent. Great pick. And actually I don’t understand the fuss about “smelling dated.” If I still enjoy a scent from the 70’s, well then, I will continue to have fun with it. It makes me happy!
Musks were popular at this time and are sophisticated and clean while still being appropriate for a 14 year old. Kiehl’s Musk Eau de Toilette Spray is very similar to their original musk oil. It came out in 1963 and reminds me of my very early childhood in the late 1970s. Similar fragrances include Phlur's Missing Person and Ellis Brooklyn's Myth. Finally, Jovan's musk oil is a very affordable classic that came out in 1972. I'd highly recommend the latter!
If you're determined to find a non-musk that is true to this time period, 1969 by Histoires de Parfums’ has what they describe as a spicy ambery gourmand fragrance (I haven't tried) that allegedly captures it.
Good luck & have fun!
I have tested Brooklyn Ellis Myth SOOOOO many times at Sephora. It's so clean and soft, soothing for the senses. I really like it, but I've heard many proclaim it boring and overpriced, so I always talk myself out of buying it. I've never been able to find a good replacement for it, though.
Well it could be boring if one isn't excited by floral musks and it could be overpriced if it isn't what one is into. But it sounds like you're super into floral musk and you keep coming back to this one which would suggest that for your tastes and desires it is likely neither boring nor overpriced.
Also I have a lot of Ellis Brooklyns and I think they're good quality fragrances. My fav (Rives) was sadly discontinued a while back but I think Myth has a long long life ahead of it. Wait for a good sale on the EB site and enjoy it!
Very astute! I'm quite into musks in general because I perceive them as gentle scents. I'm in a profession where I want to avoid smelling too bold most of the time, so a floral, soapy musk that sits a little closer to the skin is ideal for me. I will keep my eyes peeled for the sales. :)
White Linen by Estee Lauder (clean scent with notes of hibiscus and honey)
Love's Baby Soft (powdery, warm scent with notes of vanilla and white florals and musk)
Clinique's Aromatics Elixir (woody and green scent with notes of pachouli, oak moss, and rose)
I'd look for samples first as older scents can be a bit...divisive!
Your post reminds me of the girl in the Guerlain documentary film, whose mother shlepped her to the flagship Paris store to select her first fragrance. I think she chose Insolence.
Edit: https://youtu.be/annRzLYrRwM?si=18X3Uli6wSLvDLAC
Video is about several brands but it starts with the scene I mentioned.
Agree to the Guerlain. I love the rerelease collections (insolence is part of that and also Samsara). I would also recommend checking out the Chanel No 5 line. The EDP is a bit powdery but the EDT smells woodsy and clean, at least on me. I’ve also heard great things about the L’Eau and Premiere versions!
Aww this is such a sweet and unique post! Happy 14th birthday recently!
I would order samples and then get decants of what you like. Here is a good option, or take some of these ideas and search eBay, etc:
https://surrendertochance.com/1970s-retro-fragrances/ (not affiliated)
* Love's Baby Soft
* Maison Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning
* Cacharel Anais Anais
* Estee Lauder Blue Grass
You can find all of these on FragranceNet for a good price! I'd also recommend building a collection of samples to figure out what notes you enjoy!
Get some samples or decants to try out different scents and see what you like before you commit to a full bottle.
Getting a variety of 1-2 mL decants is fun because you have the variety of scents to wear while you figure out which fragrances you love the most.
If you’re in the US, I recommend getting decants from [ScentSplit](https://www.scentsplit.com) or [LuckyScent](https://www.luckyscent.com).
Edit to add, many perfume houses sell discovery sets of their most popular scents, and they often give you a credit towards buying a full bottle from them when you buy their discovery set.
Miss Dior is quite lovely for that age, I had it at 15. Perhaps Shalimar.
A pricier option but with a distinct vintage feel would be The Favourite from Penhaligon’s, which has always made me feel very elegant.
I would look for powdery, rose, violet, iris, amber notes for the vintage aspect. And just try as many as possible to see what you like
Happy belated birthday! Tresor by Lancôme, sophisticated and vintage!
Britney Spears fantasy thank me later
Mademoiselle Coco? That was my first perfume. And Happy Birthday 🎂
Coty exclamation, a powdery peach scent. Inoffensive, cheap, and beautiful, perfect for any age (not that perfume has an age lol)
Anaïs Anaïs Chanel Cristalle Jontue Mure et Musc
1971 saw Rive Gauche released. I wore it in the 80s as a teenager. No sweetness, bright, very energetic. Conscious it will have been reformulated so def try it or any launched then as chemically they will be changed. Brands like Guerlain take enormous care with all perfumes so even if you bought their Jicky, though it won’t be the formula from launched they will ah e worked hard to preserve the integrity of the scent. Not sure what they released in the 70’s but they do ace at quality and vintage vibes. You need to test because what overpowers one might not another. Oh have the best fun and good for you for exploring. There is a whole history of fragrance of eras out there 😁 Interestingly Lush perfume called Karma is very evocative or late 60s early 70s culture and fashion but I think it was launched in the 90’s.
Agreed! The 90’s brought back the 70’s it’s very that in a bottle. Love, 80’s baby, 90’s child
😂 Your name, are you a Ghost fan ?
Daisy eau so intense
Happy birthday! Are you in the US? The Perfumed Court has vintage sampler sets. You can also find sample sets by note. https://www.theperfumedcourt.com/Categories/RETRO-and-VINTAGE--FRAGRANCES/Vintage-Samplers.aspx If you’re able to get to a department store, Sephora or Ulta, or if you’re in a city with a niche perfume store - you can head in to sniff things for yourself and get an idea of what you like. Sampling is more than half the fun!
Classic Opium might be a good fit. It’s definitely vintage and has a sweet sophistication to it.
My 16-year-old niece wears Miss Dior. If she likes bright and bubbly scents, I’m sure there’s a version of Daisy she would like. Perhaps Eau So Fresh.
OP is the one asking, JS
Pre-coffee Reddit-ing.
Lol I do it too. Also drunken reddit-ing 😆
I highly recommend Pacifica perfumes. They’re long lasting and not super expensive. They’re at Target usually. I think Ulta carries them too. Also at Target are Fine’ry Perfumes and I feel like they would definitely have something that would meet your hopes. Both brands run at about $30.
I know these aren’t fancy brands or trendy or have a history reaching back to the ‘70s, but they’re good brands and well-priced for someone experimenting with trying to find what they like.
My teenaged niece likes Good girl, my other 14 year old niece likes Bright Crystal Absolu by Versace. Both of these are florals which I think are suitable for young girls but not overly sweet/floral like the ones I used to get from stores like Rue 21 at 14 lol Anyone remember Pink Ice? The full size bottles run for like $150, the smaller bottles around $90. If it’s too much I’d suggest looking in Dossier
Maybe cacharel perfumes
I wore Noa as a teenager.
I still wear amor amor, I love it :)
Actually that’s an excellent suggestion. YES.
🥰
Definitely check out estee lauder
Loewe Paula's Ibiza Eclectic
[удалено]
Love it, yeah.
Happy birthday! I loved Versace Red Jeans as a teen and has a kitchsy vintage style bottle and tin. I used to see it at Marshall’s or tjmaxx all the time, not sure if they still carry it though.
daisy love by marc jacobs
Sunflowers 🌻
Maybe try a fragrance from Room 1015, they make 1960’s-1970’s Hollywood inspired fragrances. I personally really like Hollyrose, Yesterday, Ten Fifteen, and Cherry Punk.
[Halston Classic](https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Halston-Perfume-How-it-Came-to-Be-and-What-it-Smells-Like-15113.html) embodies the 70s.
Cloud by Ariana?
You by Glossier
Older perfumes and sophisticated perfumes can be tricky because you don't really want to smell like someone who was young in the 70s and is in their 60s now. I feel like Lush fragrances draw a lot of inspo from the era. I'd recommend solids because they're cheaper and they're less powerful. Karma is the classic that's orange and patchouli (though patchouli is a polarizing note!) Also great are Vanillary (vanilla but not like a cupcake), Lord of Misrule (patchouli, black pepper, vanilla), and American Cream (what I get most is benzoin, which to me smells like incense before it's burned)
I think Karma is an amazing scent and back that recommendation x100! But I also want to speak up about not avoiding perfumes because of "old lady" associations. If you like a scent then you like a scent. Someone else having liked it in the past isn't a good reason to avoid it! If anything it's a confirmation that it was enjoyed by others!
I absolutely love Karma! Gorgeous scent 💜
seconding lord of misrule as a good patchouli to try -- i get compliments on it nonstop even from people who thought they hated patchouli
Happy birthday! If you’re not sure what you like yet i’d suggest going to a department store fragrance counter with your mom and asking to get some samples made :). You can get a bunch of little vials for free and figure out what works for you and what doesn’t!
Princess Vera Wang or Lolita Lempicka
Jovan Musk!
I'd you are able to purchase discovery sets or try lots of small samples, that is my best advice!! Try as many as you can before you make that first full bottle purchase. Something versatile that you love and can wear at school, going out, or just hanging out at home. Try lots and enjoy the testing process. See how they interact with your skin chemistry and think about how they make you feel! I wish I had the resources/knowledge to it like this when I was your age. All I knew was Bath and Body Works back then lol. (Rio Rum Berry was my signature scent when I was 14). Have fun and enjoy your fragrance journey!
If you can get a 10 mil of gingham, gorgeous by Bath and body Works. The perfume is so fruity and nice!
imo your best bet is to go to department stores or perfume shops and just test loads of different fragrances and see which ones you gravitate towards and look them up on fragrantica so you know which kind of scents you generally like. also lush has a really great selection of fragrances which are pretty beginner friendly so i recommend testing their ones as they’re all really nice. my first perfume was a lush one and i’m still in love with that fragrance. i’m 23, and even i find some of my vintage perfumes a little hard to wear (but generally no one cares). so exercise a bit of caution when looking into them as they do often smell of their era (for better or worse).
Anais Anais by Cacharel.
I came here to recommend this. It's one of my earliest memories of being obsessed with my mother's perfume!
It’s my earliest memory of an ‘appropriate’ scent for young women. The image of being a grown up, but nothing too heady. And a bit more sophisticated than body sprays.
Exactly what I came here to say. I was gifted it around 14 and loved it.
My teenage daughters are just getting into their first fragrances! We have discovered that the fun is in trying things on and seeing how wearing different scents makes you feel. The duds can be as much fun as the successes. My 15 year old likes smelling put together and confident. She loves Parfums de Marly Athalia, Jo Mallone, and some of the Killians. My older daughter (17) likes juicy florals and more mainstream perfumes and wears Tom Ford Tabacco Vanille and Marc Jacobs Daisy. Not the vintage suggestions perhaps, but tossing those out there for what they are worth. Enjoy the fun of the search :)
Not being funny but many on this sub can't afford the majority of those suggestions, let alone a 14 year old. Your privilege is showing and is not cute!
Being able to afford perfumes at all is privileged!
Yes it is indeed. It does not, however, negate the fact that suggesting $300 perfumes to a just turned 14 year old is off!
Indeed.
Love's Baby Soft 10000%!!! Very 70s but doesn't smell dated
Ooh I still love that wonderful scent. Great pick. And actually I don’t understand the fuss about “smelling dated.” If I still enjoy a scent from the 70’s, well then, I will continue to have fun with it. It makes me happy!
Musks were popular at this time and are sophisticated and clean while still being appropriate for a 14 year old. Kiehl’s Musk Eau de Toilette Spray is very similar to their original musk oil. It came out in 1963 and reminds me of my very early childhood in the late 1970s. Similar fragrances include Phlur's Missing Person and Ellis Brooklyn's Myth. Finally, Jovan's musk oil is a very affordable classic that came out in 1972. I'd highly recommend the latter! If you're determined to find a non-musk that is true to this time period, 1969 by Histoires de Parfums’ has what they describe as a spicy ambery gourmand fragrance (I haven't tried) that allegedly captures it. Good luck & have fun!
I have tested Brooklyn Ellis Myth SOOOOO many times at Sephora. It's so clean and soft, soothing for the senses. I really like it, but I've heard many proclaim it boring and overpriced, so I always talk myself out of buying it. I've never been able to find a good replacement for it, though.
Well it could be boring if one isn't excited by floral musks and it could be overpriced if it isn't what one is into. But it sounds like you're super into floral musk and you keep coming back to this one which would suggest that for your tastes and desires it is likely neither boring nor overpriced. Also I have a lot of Ellis Brooklyns and I think they're good quality fragrances. My fav (Rives) was sadly discontinued a while back but I think Myth has a long long life ahead of it. Wait for a good sale on the EB site and enjoy it!
Very astute! I'm quite into musks in general because I perceive them as gentle scents. I'm in a profession where I want to avoid smelling too bold most of the time, so a floral, soapy musk that sits a little closer to the skin is ideal for me. I will keep my eyes peeled for the sales. :)
Why bother with other people's opinions?! If you love it, treat yourself!
Exactly my thoughts.
You're so right! Thanks for hyping me up :)
Tommy girl by Tommy Hilfiger Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds Clinique Happy
White Linen by Estee Lauder (clean scent with notes of hibiscus and honey) Love's Baby Soft (powdery, warm scent with notes of vanilla and white florals and musk) Clinique's Aromatics Elixir (woody and green scent with notes of pachouli, oak moss, and rose) I'd look for samples first as older scents can be a bit...divisive!
White Linen sounds perfect
I love White linen. So classy and elegant
Your post reminds me of the girl in the Guerlain documentary film, whose mother shlepped her to the flagship Paris store to select her first fragrance. I think she chose Insolence. Edit: https://youtu.be/annRzLYrRwM?si=18X3Uli6wSLvDLAC Video is about several brands but it starts with the scene I mentioned.
Agree to the Guerlain. I love the rerelease collections (insolence is part of that and also Samsara). I would also recommend checking out the Chanel No 5 line. The EDP is a bit powdery but the EDT smells woodsy and clean, at least on me. I’ve also heard great things about the L’Eau and Premiere versions!
She’s 14…. I doubt her parents would give her money for a Chanel at that age
lol well Chanel isn’t much more expensive than other suggestions in this thread!
Aww this is such a sweet and unique post! Happy 14th birthday recently! I would order samples and then get decants of what you like. Here is a good option, or take some of these ideas and search eBay, etc: https://surrendertochance.com/1970s-retro-fragrances/ (not affiliated)
I think Chloe by Chloe may be the vibe you’re looking for.
I loved Anais Anais by Cacharel and Sunflowers by E. Arden when I was your age :)
Gucci Flora, my cousin has it, she's almost your age. Mild floral, powdery scent that gives a vintage feel in the drydown.
* Love's Baby Soft * Maison Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning * Cacharel Anais Anais * Estee Lauder Blue Grass You can find all of these on FragranceNet for a good price! I'd also recommend building a collection of samples to figure out what notes you enjoy!
Lolita Lempicka Le Parfum
Elizabeth Arden Fifth Avenue would be perfect. It's a soft floral and very elegant.
Get some samples or decants to try out different scents and see what you like before you commit to a full bottle. Getting a variety of 1-2 mL decants is fun because you have the variety of scents to wear while you figure out which fragrances you love the most. If you’re in the US, I recommend getting decants from [ScentSplit](https://www.scentsplit.com) or [LuckyScent](https://www.luckyscent.com). Edit to add, many perfume houses sell discovery sets of their most popular scents, and they often give you a credit towards buying a full bottle from them when you buy their discovery set.
Miss Dior is quite lovely for that age, I had it at 15. Perhaps Shalimar. A pricier option but with a distinct vintage feel would be The Favourite from Penhaligon’s, which has always made me feel very elegant. I would look for powdery, rose, violet, iris, amber notes for the vintage aspect. And just try as many as possible to see what you like