By Kim Taylor
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The allure of vintage is usually associated with good wine, couture fashion, art prints and antiques, but classic fragrance should be added to the list too. Just as a flapper dress, platform boots or silk stockings can still be appreciated now, so can certain classic fragrances, as their scent appeal never wanes.
Penhaligon of London’s Bluebell was Princess Diana’s favorite fragrance, and it smells like a princess, too: sweet, green, and very expensive. It’s a light blend of citrus, hyancinth, rose, lily and jasmine, with spicy notes of clove and cinnamon for balance. It was launched in 1978; Penhaligon’s has been creating scents since 1870, and is the recipient of three Royal Warrant Awards. Find it at the Vermont Country Store: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com.
Shalimar was created in 1925 by French perfumer Guerlain as a tribute to India’s royal romance: the Indian emperor and the peasant woman he married. He also built the Taj Mahal for her, and the name Shalimar translates to “abode of love.” Women adored this fragrance so much that it was popular well into the 1980s. Rife with vanilla, jasmine, rose and other florals, it’s a bright, sweet, and elegant fragrance akin to bottling the smell of optimism. Find it too at http://www.vermeontcountrystore.com.
Here are some other classic fragrances found at the Vermont Country Store; many may take you on a scented trip down memory lane, evoking various family members: Norell, Evening in Paris, My Sin, Coffret, Ambush, Emeraude, Je Reviens, Windsong, Tweed, Maja, L’air du Temps, Ma Griffe, Blue Grass, Arpege, Ombre Rose, Bal a Versailles, Royal Secret, and Joy.
Real Men Wear Perfume: 
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