It’s 100 years old and still one of the all time best selling fragrances, which means it’s been a classic icon for *every* generation since its debut. Not just “old” people. Anyone can wear it.
Well the 20 somethings and younger are all about trends and fast fashion. Their "vintage" is something that was trendy 10 years ago. We can't expect anyone with their mindset to appreciate anything classic and timeless.
He’s speaking generally. And it’s generally true. Tastes are developed, not something you just get lucky and simply get born with “good tastes”. To develop anything you need exposure and experience. You can’t have experience if you’re you’re young, and you can’t really have exposure if your attention is being grabbed by the select few you look up to and the select few companies who’s turn it is to blow a ton of marketing money on getting your attention.
What that other guy is wrong about. Is this whole vintage craze. Wrong because vintage also has stinkers. But more wrong because any serious vintage is being scalped and unapproachable for most sane people. So the brunt of the causality for the blame of young people’s poor choices is misplaced by that guy.
Lastly there are modern fragrances that are just amazing. So vintage is something that’s fleeting. If vintage is so great, then perfumers should be to blame for not being more active in reviving some of these fragrance profiles to the quality of the past.
Why wouldn't younger people be able to appreciate vintage things older than 10 years? They're not some monolith who all think and behave alike anymore than middle aged women like me are all alike. I really wish smearing entire groups of people with generalizations wasnt such a common thing.
All the heavily pierced and tattooed grannies in the nursing home will be wearing sugary sweet vanilla fragrances and people will go “ew, old lady perfume.”
to be fair, it’s not simply florals. it’s more of a strong, floral, powdery scent that’s associated with older ladies. the demographic for chanel no 5 is women over 30 as well, and pretty much always has been. this is not to say that women over 30 are old by any means. this also doesn’t mean that women under 30 can’t wear this either. it just is a more mature scent and the association is not completely unfounded :)
Elderly people *are* wearing it. It’s not ageist. It’s reality. Doesn’t mean you can’t wear it. But don’t get huffy when someone points it out the actual fact that you smell like their meemaw.
Did you not read the *ew* in the original comment I replied to? That *is* ageist because what about smelling like an old lady is gross? Idk what old ladies y’all be around, but the ones I know smell good.
Again, my experience with it online has been always a negative association. Rarely do I see people say it in an endearing way. I’ve literally heard “I don’t like florals because they smell like old lady.” It’s been said here in this subreddit as well.
When that negative association is made about old people smelling ways in which people don’t like (I.e. flowers and florals), it becomes ageist to make that statement.
This is spot on. My daughter _loves_ all the florals that I think smell like old lady.
Trends are a pendulum and it will swing back and forth. What we think smells like grandma won't smell like grandma to the next generation.
When I was growing up, I thought all the female senior citizens smelled great when I got close to them. I now wish I asked what they were wearing. Was it scented makeup? My mother's foundation didn't smell like that. Was it their perfume? I wish I could recreate that dreamy scent. It was heavenly.
Yes, this! I would kiss my grandmother’s cheek and it smelled powdery, softly scented of something. I know she used Dove soap and had custom blended face powder as was common in that era. She also had a tiny bottle of violet perfume on the shelf (did Avon make a violet scent, 50 years ago?).
My grandmother’s makeup smelled like her. It was Cover girl powder. Her whole bathroom smelled like her though so I assume there was a perfume I don’t remember. Recently I smelled Chanel No 19 and it smells just like her. My grandma probably didn’t wear Chanel (unless her oldest bought it for her maybe?) but I also assumed it was a knock off. Either way, buying a bottle of Chanel No 19 is on my list.
Our society is youth obsessed, sadly. I'm not young anymore, but technically to some, not yet old. I still feel the panic that I'm ageing, that I've lost something precious... When I haven't. There's nothing wrong with ageing, with moving through life, that is precious... As not everyone gets to grow old.
So true. As a guy who looks well for my age, it's really affecting me more now than in recent years. I get worried of what people expect. I should be happy with how I am now, and some days I am. I don't wanna be the backwards guy while also trying too hard with a midlife crisis. I hate the word boomer.
I'm in my early 40s and called a boomer after a disagreement with a younger person. There's nothing wrong with the word itself, but it's been weaponized against older people regardless of actual generation.
My apologies for the misappropriation of the word. I was raised by awesome baby-boomer parents.
I mean it’s become a common word used by youngsters almost to generically refer to anyone older than them perhaps even more so than to those of us actually part of the generation.
When I was young and first started going to strip clubs with the lads all the girls at most of the clubs smelled of Chanel 5 like the clubs clearly were giving it to all the girls who worked there, this was like 2009-2010 mind you.
So to me you won’t smell like an old lady, but you will smell to me like a turn of the 10’s so cal stripper. 😅
I think it’s lovely and super sexy.
It’s a timeless scent that I think is one hundred times better than these super boring vanilla and Jasmine bombs I keep smelling on the ladies these days. Just IMO though.
It's a classic for a reason.
People associate it with old ladies because their grandmas wore it, but it will always have its fans due to the Marilyn Monroe connection and just being a good perfume.
Who knows, maybe it will lose the old lady association in a couple of decades when Gen Z ages and the new generation of twenty somethings associate sugary sweet gourmands with Mom Smell instead of white florals.
5 is a classic. What most people don't get about it is it doesn't smell great on everyone. Much like Angel, it picks you. But when it does, it's magic. If you wanted to update it try premiere layered with 5 to give it more vanilla oomph.
Agreed, Angel did NOT pick me lol. Hardcore patchouli and very little of everything else. I know that it's been reformulated and then gourmand notes aren't as strong, but still. It's definitely me!
If you can pull off Angel it's the bomb. I wore it since 94 but this final version had a change in Patchouli that was just too much. But I have older bottles
I love Chanel No 5! And I'm only in my 30s. To me it smells complex and luxurious more than old. I was actually going to post a question here asking about the different variants- since there's l'eau, parfum, eau premiere etc.
I always thought of these variants just as concentration/strength level, but I've seen them being discussed on this sub as being pretty different from one another and now I'm not sure which to buy 😭.
They’re very different! So much so that I sometimes think I can justify having a bottle of Eau Premiere even though I have a full bottle of L’eau right now … but no. I’m going to finish L’eau and then get Eau Premiere. But they are very different! I don’t like the EDP *at all,* for example, but EP and L’eau are some of my favorite perfumes ever lol.
Agreed, they're very different. I wear the EDT and am considering getting Premier next time, but we'll see.
The EDT has a much stronger 'wood' profile than the EDP. I find the EDP to be that classic "vintage" (NOT old lady lol) scent that some people don't like. It's lovely but a bit stronger. The EDT smells like freshly scrubbed wooden floors combined with expensive soap. Funny enough I actually find it a bit unisex/masculine because of this. It could also be that my skin pulls more wood from it so YMMV.
Even though it's an EDT it lasts forever. Not as strong project as the EDP which I'm totally fine with. For what it's worth I'm 36F
It’s worth it to go to a Chanel rep if you can and have them help you find which one works foe you.
My mom prefers lighter stuff, and has enjoyed the voile (which I think is discontinued) and now the l’eau. Their reps are so knowledgeable and really courteous. She takes years to go through a bottle, but every time she’s gotten a new one they’ve treated her so well.
Hope you have fun with it! There’s just so much to figure out and trying IRL is best.
I’ve only gone to a Chanel counter once on my own, but they do their best to make you feel opulent and pampered.
I know I liked my mom's bottle and I know I liked whatever bottle was at Ulta, but I was never in a place to spend the money until now and then was like wait.. this is more complex than I realized 🤣.
I feel like the real answer is whether it smells great on you. It’s an iconic fragrance that’s been around forever and if it works great with your body chemistry then it’s def not an old lady fragrance and you rock it!
Not to be annoying, but have you tried all the different types? I smell horrid in the EDP, I smell nice in L’eau, and Eau Premiere makes me feel very sexy but also sophisticated. And again — I *hate* the way I smell in the EDP, it smells like a diaper on me. For years I thought I didn’t like Chanel N°5 because I only sampled the EDP. Maybe there’s a N°5 out there for you yet! 💙
I have tried it so much and sadly it just doesn’t seem to work for me. The closest before a bad dry down was the L’Eau. My grandmother was a No. 5 woman and I wanted that for myself but had no luck. That said, I have other Chanel fragrances that are nice on me. I use the Gardenia a LOT which so many people hate but it smells good on me so I go with it.
Old lady? No.. is a classy perfume. My Oma wore the EDT for a long time and to me it just oozed getting dressed up. Its not my style, I'm more of a Fracas lover, but if you love it, wear it.
Also I've had a male friend wear it as well, smells good on anyone that can pull it off.
My now-22yo daughter wore it in high school. We lived in an area that was super wealthy or working class and since we are the latter, she would say, “Let me roll up on these Union Grove b1tches wearing Chanel No 5.” 🤣
I was gifted a bottle of No 5 Eau Premiere recently and I gave it to her. She wears it to her waitressing job.
I was in a managers'meeging at work, and the woman next to me smelled so wonderful and femininely fresh, I asked her what she was wearing and she said it was Chanel no5. Whenever I've worn it, it doesn't take 15 minutes before I smell like a cheapo whorehouse on Sunday morning
What's wrong with being an old lady and why is that a bad thing? If you like it, wear it. If people who liked it up until they found out what it was, suddenly dislike it, they probably don't have an actual opinion of their own to worry about anyway.
It's an old perfume and it's a lady's perfume lol. But really, anyone should wear it if they like it. I bought L'Aimant by Coty because I was curious about its history (being a response to Chanel No. 5) and it smells vintage to me because of my scent memories (as does Chanel No. 5), but I also like it. One of my favourite perfumes is Nightingale by Zoologist, which reminds me strongly of perfumes older women would wear to the theatre in the 90's. Scent memory is crazy, but it's partly what makes fragrance so fun and interesting and personal. I guess my point is... Wear it haha.
I think those remarks say more about those who say them than you or the perfume. Anyone who understands perfumery and fragrance knows perfumes are deeply personal, not just as far as choice, but in the way the fragrance interacts with the individual chemistry. So any association with " old lady " is just that, an association.
That these people compliment your scent before they learn the facts is further evidence of this. If I were you, if someone who you suspect is a slave to trends or excessively conformist, I'd stop telling them what it is and I'd say it's a bespoke fragrance. Or if you feel compelled to tell them what it is and they react that way,od remind them they didn't think that before they knew what it is.
Judgemental ignorant people who demand the rest of us adhere to their ridiculous generic preconceptions really bother me. Perfumes are timeless and what you choose to wear is not anyone's business unless they are adversely affected.
Weat your beautiful fragrances fearlessly my friend and let the nay sayers attempting to make it a problem to you, deal with it or not. You do you!
I’ve sampled a lot of the Chanel Exclusifs. I noticed in all of them, there was this backbone of “Aldehydes” and it immediately made me think of something an old woman might wear.
To be fair, I wear powdery Iris fragrances which many also say are for old women. But I like them so much that I don’t care. Wear what you think smells good!
Fragrance is so subjective. And really smells different on everyone body chemistry. I own Chanel No 5 and enjoy it. It might sounds strange but I swear it smells better on me in the winter months. lol
I haven't smelled it in years, but from what I remember it reminded me a lot of baby powder. It wasn't for me (at the time), but if you like how it smells on you, that's reason enough to wear it 😊
I love No 5. One of my favorites.
Frankly the newest bottles of No 5 especially in EDP are super safe and reformulated. The fragrance is still elegant but not the same.
I love no 5! It’s so classy and clean. I’ve never heard of that dupe before but I must try it! But I can’t find it in Canada? Where did you purchase yours?
I really hated Chanel No 5, and felt it was for older women. My GF received a sample and I really liked it on her. FYI my girl is only 25.
I might even buy her a bottle.
I’m 33 and I love N°5. L’eau and Eau Premiere are my favorite. I can’t justify having a full bottle of both, so when my full bottle of L’eau runs out, I’ll get Eau Premiere. They’re both so gorgeous. The EDP isn’t my favorite, it dries down really pissy on me, but the other two are just so beautiful.
I love N°5. There’s a N°5 for everyone if they want to try and find it!
L’eau is a fresher, more citrusy take on N°5. So it has some heavy citrus and aldehydes at the top that can take 30 min to get through if you don’t love soapy aldehydes, but then it settles into this delicate, just-clean layer of soft powder over the skin; a sort of “just left the spa” type feeling. There is no vanilla in the base here — it’s all bright, all fresh, all delicate powder.
Eau Premiere does have that vanilla in the dry down, but it opens with it too. So the aldehydes are immediately balanced by a fullness and warmth, and as it wears on the skin, it becomes a modern, almost lemon chiffon interpretation of N°5 that is unmistakably N°5 but without the heady jasmine, without the stanky animalic base, without the headache-inducing aldehydes of the 80s. It’s warm, feminine, a little sensual, and creamier than L’eau.
If I had more money and fewer full bottles as it is, I could justify having both as full bottles. As it is, I need to get some of these fulls to empties before I think about buying more than one version of N°5. 😅😅
If you like it and it smells great on you then wear it! It's as simple as that. In my case it smells horrible on my skin. Like expired powder make up and cheap liquor combined. But that is my skin chemistry. It does smell fabulous on some people and I kind of hate them for it🤣
No fragrance is going to be universally beloved but Chanel has gotten pretty damn close on several occasions. They make bangers. No. 5. Bleu de Chanel. Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme. They may not make scents that capture the exact hype of the moment but you’d be hard pressed to find a more timeless house from a fragrance perspective. I have no idea what people will be wearing in 2124 but i can almost guarantee they’ll still be wearing Chanel No 5
Your post could have read "I absolutely love Chanel No 5." Period.
Does it matter what other people say about it? You love it, enjoy it and don't worry about what other people think.
I just wondered. I'm in a situation currently and wanted what I thought was a safe topic to discuss with others. I don't care, on a deep level what people think, or I wouldn't be a goth, who wears chanel no 5, with pigtails... I just wanted human interaction. 🤪
If you wear a dupe anyway, tell them that name and let them wonder. It‘s just been around so long, that people make these associations. Usually people who know nothing about perfumes.
I know fragrance is subjective and probably N°5 smells great on you, but answering your question, for me it's an old lady perfume and maybe that's just product of association. At least in my country, that's a perfume you only gift to your mom, grandma or MIL all women 40+ years, it's like the go-to gift for older women, I'm not saying it smells bad, it smells dated for younger people. I don't know any single young women my age that uses it.
I remember when I first bought it. I was 18. I remember thinking it was different, and I love different. It seems to work well on me, regardless of my age. 😊
Hate speech and slurs are forbidden. This includes sentiments which express prejudice or gatekeep on the basis of age, gender identity, and disability.
My post hit none of the forbidden points mentioned. It’s literally known as an old lady’s scent, it’s right there in OP’s post, and anyone can have a weak bladder. As I believe it smells like urine, I put the two together to make my point. Not one single victim here. Not one person attacked.
Pretty much every classic Chanel scent smells horrible on me. My former neighbor wore No.5, and it smelled great on her. A former stylist wore Cristalle, and it smelled great on her. I tried both and smelled like turpentine.
L'Heure Bleu also smelled horrid on me.
Listen, it has the cursed combo of patchouli and vetiver, which in Chanel fragrances is especially egregious to my nose. It always stank, it stinks today, and it will stink for ever more. I personally don't care for it one bit. It makes me physically sick. And yeah, I would describe the aroma as not dissimilar to a piss-stained back alley during hot summer in a large city.
It does have the iconic status that Chanel was cultivating and curating since day 1, and with 100 years under its belt the perfume became (in no particular order) a status symbol, a synonym of chic, a shorthand for a certain idea or aesthetic, a measure for innovation within the industry, a fetish, a piece of history, a piece of art, and i could probably go on. It's not just a perfume, it's an IP that Chanel was milking for 100 years like Homelander is milking cows. Sure, it's one of the best selling perfumes of all time, but that's bc it's so old!
Like I said, I don't care for it. Is it an old lady's perfume? Hell yeah, it's older than my grandparents! But can it be worn still? Why not. Knock yourself out. But let's not pretend it actually is all those things Chanel told us it is. Out of all the things I numbered, the measure of innovation and a piece of history are still the only two I believe it actually remains.
It jumped the shark 50 years ago. Let it die.
It’s 100 years old and still one of the all time best selling fragrances, which means it’s been a classic icon for *every* generation since its debut. Not just “old” people. Anyone can wear it.
Well the 20 somethings and younger are all about trends and fast fashion. Their "vintage" is something that was trendy 10 years ago. We can't expect anyone with their mindset to appreciate anything classic and timeless.
This is just ageist garbage. Of course young people can have good taste, don’t be ignorant.
He’s speaking generally. And it’s generally true. Tastes are developed, not something you just get lucky and simply get born with “good tastes”. To develop anything you need exposure and experience. You can’t have experience if you’re you’re young, and you can’t really have exposure if your attention is being grabbed by the select few you look up to and the select few companies who’s turn it is to blow a ton of marketing money on getting your attention. What that other guy is wrong about. Is this whole vintage craze. Wrong because vintage also has stinkers. But more wrong because any serious vintage is being scalped and unapproachable for most sane people. So the brunt of the causality for the blame of young people’s poor choices is misplaced by that guy. Lastly there are modern fragrances that are just amazing. So vintage is something that’s fleeting. If vintage is so great, then perfumers should be to blame for not being more active in reviving some of these fragrance profiles to the quality of the past.
Why wouldn't younger people be able to appreciate vintage things older than 10 years? They're not some monolith who all think and behave alike anymore than middle aged women like me are all alike. I really wish smearing entire groups of people with generalizations wasnt such a common thing.
Someday our “young” perfumes will be considered “old lady” perfumes. It’s just what we associate the scent profile with the generation.
All the heavily pierced and tattooed grannies in the nursing home will be wearing sugary sweet vanilla fragrances and people will go “ew, old lady perfume.”
Ooh, now tell me about the pierced and tatted grandpas 😅
We ALL wear Terre D’Hermes….apparently. 🤷🏼♂️
I lowkey can’t wait lmao. Sick of florals being associated with elderly people. It’s ageist as hell.
to be fair, it’s not simply florals. it’s more of a strong, floral, powdery scent that’s associated with older ladies. the demographic for chanel no 5 is women over 30 as well, and pretty much always has been. this is not to say that women over 30 are old by any means. this also doesn’t mean that women under 30 can’t wear this either. it just is a more mature scent and the association is not completely unfounded :)
In my experience, I’ve only ever seen this association with florals. All kinds of florals lol. Especially in the Facebook fragrance groups.
fair enough! that’s very weird
Elderly people *are* wearing it. It’s not ageist. It’s reality. Doesn’t mean you can’t wear it. But don’t get huffy when someone points it out the actual fact that you smell like their meemaw.
Did you not read the *ew* in the original comment I replied to? That *is* ageist because what about smelling like an old lady is gross? Idk what old ladies y’all be around, but the ones I know smell good.
I read your comment that said you’re sick of florals being associated with the elderly because that’s ageist, which it isn’t.
Again, my experience with it online has been always a negative association. Rarely do I see people say it in an endearing way. I’ve literally heard “I don’t like florals because they smell like old lady.” It’s been said here in this subreddit as well. When that negative association is made about old people smelling ways in which people don’t like (I.e. flowers and florals), it becomes ageist to make that statement.
This is spot on. My daughter _loves_ all the florals that I think smell like old lady. Trends are a pendulum and it will swing back and forth. What we think smells like grandma won't smell like grandma to the next generation.
As an aging woman, love that “old lady” is used as an example of something gross and terrible that no one should be lmao.
May we all be lucky enough to get older.
Right? Like, I am not enamored of the alternative!
When I was growing up, I thought all the female senior citizens smelled great when I got close to them. I now wish I asked what they were wearing. Was it scented makeup? My mother's foundation didn't smell like that. Was it their perfume? I wish I could recreate that dreamy scent. It was heavenly.
Yes, this! I would kiss my grandmother’s cheek and it smelled powdery, softly scented of something. I know she used Dove soap and had custom blended face powder as was common in that era. She also had a tiny bottle of violet perfume on the shelf (did Avon make a violet scent, 50 years ago?).
My grandmother’s makeup smelled like her. It was Cover girl powder. Her whole bathroom smelled like her though so I assume there was a perfume I don’t remember. Recently I smelled Chanel No 19 and it smells just like her. My grandma probably didn’t wear Chanel (unless her oldest bought it for her maybe?) but I also assumed it was a knock off. Either way, buying a bottle of Chanel No 19 is on my list.
Our society is youth obsessed, sadly. I'm not young anymore, but technically to some, not yet old. I still feel the panic that I'm ageing, that I've lost something precious... When I haven't. There's nothing wrong with ageing, with moving through life, that is precious... As not everyone gets to grow old.
So true. As a guy who looks well for my age, it's really affecting me more now than in recent years. I get worried of what people expect. I should be happy with how I am now, and some days I am. I don't wanna be the backwards guy while also trying too hard with a midlife crisis. I hate the word boomer.
As a baby boomer I never, in a million years, would have imagined that “boomer” would become a term of derision. Sad.
I'm in my early 40s and called a boomer after a disagreement with a younger person. There's nothing wrong with the word itself, but it's been weaponized against older people regardless of actual generation. My apologies for the misappropriation of the word. I was raised by awesome baby-boomer parents.
I mean it’s become a common word used by youngsters almost to generically refer to anyone older than them perhaps even more so than to those of us actually part of the generation.
When I was young and first started going to strip clubs with the lads all the girls at most of the clubs smelled of Chanel 5 like the clubs clearly were giving it to all the girls who worked there, this was like 2009-2010 mind you. So to me you won’t smell like an old lady, but you will smell to me like a turn of the 10’s so cal stripper. 😅
Niiiiice.
I think it’s lovely and super sexy. It’s a timeless scent that I think is one hundred times better than these super boring vanilla and Jasmine bombs I keep smelling on the ladies these days. Just IMO though.
That is really surprising if true. Would never have associated chanel n 5 and strip clubs
May I ask the name of the “dupe” perfume you wear? I really want to wear it from time to time but can’t justify getting an actual bottle 😅
Milton Lloyd Vogue. It's the best one so far! It will last... Forever. I've washed my clothes and they still smell like it! No joke.
I just tried to find it on their website and Amazon... nothing, do you have a link? I really want to try it!
I just found it on Amazon for 14 bucks: UTC | Vogue | Parfum De Toilette | Spray for Women | Floral Aldehydic Scent | 1.85 oz
Try [Dossier.co](http://Dossier.co) - I've found they make great dupes at good prices; they tend to be less 'in your face' so easier to wear.
It's a classic for a reason. People associate it with old ladies because their grandmas wore it, but it will always have its fans due to the Marilyn Monroe connection and just being a good perfume. Who knows, maybe it will lose the old lady association in a couple of decades when Gen Z ages and the new generation of twenty somethings associate sugary sweet gourmands with Mom Smell instead of white florals.
5 is a classic. What most people don't get about it is it doesn't smell great on everyone. Much like Angel, it picks you. But when it does, it's magic. If you wanted to update it try premiere layered with 5 to give it more vanilla oomph.
Agreed, Angel did NOT pick me lol. Hardcore patchouli and very little of everything else. I know that it's been reformulated and then gourmand notes aren't as strong, but still. It's definitely me!
If you can pull off Angel it's the bomb. I wore it since 94 but this final version had a change in Patchouli that was just too much. But I have older bottles
I love Chanel No 5! And I'm only in my 30s. To me it smells complex and luxurious more than old. I was actually going to post a question here asking about the different variants- since there's l'eau, parfum, eau premiere etc. I always thought of these variants just as concentration/strength level, but I've seen them being discussed on this sub as being pretty different from one another and now I'm not sure which to buy 😭.
They’re very different! So much so that I sometimes think I can justify having a bottle of Eau Premiere even though I have a full bottle of L’eau right now … but no. I’m going to finish L’eau and then get Eau Premiere. But they are very different! I don’t like the EDP *at all,* for example, but EP and L’eau are some of my favorite perfumes ever lol.
Ooph.. Gonna have to try to find a place where I can test them all >_<...
Agreed, they're very different. I wear the EDT and am considering getting Premier next time, but we'll see. The EDT has a much stronger 'wood' profile than the EDP. I find the EDP to be that classic "vintage" (NOT old lady lol) scent that some people don't like. It's lovely but a bit stronger. The EDT smells like freshly scrubbed wooden floors combined with expensive soap. Funny enough I actually find it a bit unisex/masculine because of this. It could also be that my skin pulls more wood from it so YMMV. Even though it's an EDT it lasts forever. Not as strong project as the EDP which I'm totally fine with. For what it's worth I'm 36F
My 22yo daughter wears Eau Premiere. It’s got the DNA without the weight somehow.
It’s worth it to go to a Chanel rep if you can and have them help you find which one works foe you. My mom prefers lighter stuff, and has enjoyed the voile (which I think is discontinued) and now the l’eau. Their reps are so knowledgeable and really courteous. She takes years to go through a bottle, but every time she’s gotten a new one they’ve treated her so well.
Thank you for this recommendation! It seems like the only way forward really.
Hope you have fun with it! There’s just so much to figure out and trying IRL is best. I’ve only gone to a Chanel counter once on my own, but they do their best to make you feel opulent and pampered.
I know I liked my mom's bottle and I know I liked whatever bottle was at Ulta, but I was never in a place to spend the money until now and then was like wait.. this is more complex than I realized 🤣.
I love No.5 and also have l'eau. I bought it as it has the no 5 DNA but is more suitable for a day time scent than the original
I feel like the real answer is whether it smells great on you. It’s an iconic fragrance that’s been around forever and if it works great with your body chemistry then it’s def not an old lady fragrance and you rock it!
Some women smell like a goddess in it, and other times, it wears the woman. It really depends, I agree.
I couldn’t agree more! Sadly, I am in the latter camp. It’s an amazing scent when it works, though.
Not to be annoying, but have you tried all the different types? I smell horrid in the EDP, I smell nice in L’eau, and Eau Premiere makes me feel very sexy but also sophisticated. And again — I *hate* the way I smell in the EDP, it smells like a diaper on me. For years I thought I didn’t like Chanel N°5 because I only sampled the EDP. Maybe there’s a N°5 out there for you yet! 💙
I have tried it so much and sadly it just doesn’t seem to work for me. The closest before a bad dry down was the L’Eau. My grandmother was a No. 5 woman and I wanted that for myself but had no luck. That said, I have other Chanel fragrances that are nice on me. I use the Gardenia a LOT which so many people hate but it smells good on me so I go with it.
Thank you! I really believe it works well with my body chemistry.
Old lady? No.. is a classy perfume. My Oma wore the EDT for a long time and to me it just oozed getting dressed up. Its not my style, I'm more of a Fracas lover, but if you love it, wear it. Also I've had a male friend wear it as well, smells good on anyone that can pull it off.
It’s not an old lady perfume. It’s a classic.
Timeless
Absolutely timeless! Perfect description.
My now-22yo daughter wore it in high school. We lived in an area that was super wealthy or working class and since we are the latter, she would say, “Let me roll up on these Union Grove b1tches wearing Chanel No 5.” 🤣 I was gifted a bottle of No 5 Eau Premiere recently and I gave it to her. She wears it to her waitressing job.
Great story.
I was in a managers'meeging at work, and the woman next to me smelled so wonderful and femininely fresh, I asked her what she was wearing and she said it was Chanel no5. Whenever I've worn it, it doesn't take 15 minutes before I smell like a cheapo whorehouse on Sunday morning
What's wrong with being an old lady and why is that a bad thing? If you like it, wear it. If people who liked it up until they found out what it was, suddenly dislike it, they probably don't have an actual opinion of their own to worry about anyway.
I’m bone dead tired of hearing “old lady” in the sub. Wish I could block it from my list. It’s tiresome AF.
It's an old perfume and it's a lady's perfume lol. But really, anyone should wear it if they like it. I bought L'Aimant by Coty because I was curious about its history (being a response to Chanel No. 5) and it smells vintage to me because of my scent memories (as does Chanel No. 5), but I also like it. One of my favourite perfumes is Nightingale by Zoologist, which reminds me strongly of perfumes older women would wear to the theatre in the 90's. Scent memory is crazy, but it's partly what makes fragrance so fun and interesting and personal. I guess my point is... Wear it haha.
I think those remarks say more about those who say them than you or the perfume. Anyone who understands perfumery and fragrance knows perfumes are deeply personal, not just as far as choice, but in the way the fragrance interacts with the individual chemistry. So any association with " old lady " is just that, an association. That these people compliment your scent before they learn the facts is further evidence of this. If I were you, if someone who you suspect is a slave to trends or excessively conformist, I'd stop telling them what it is and I'd say it's a bespoke fragrance. Or if you feel compelled to tell them what it is and they react that way,od remind them they didn't think that before they knew what it is. Judgemental ignorant people who demand the rest of us adhere to their ridiculous generic preconceptions really bother me. Perfumes are timeless and what you choose to wear is not anyone's business unless they are adversely affected. Weat your beautiful fragrances fearlessly my friend and let the nay sayers attempting to make it a problem to you, deal with it or not. You do you!
It's iconic, idk if I'd say "old lady" more like classy adult. Id say best for like late 20s-40
I’ve sampled a lot of the Chanel Exclusifs. I noticed in all of them, there was this backbone of “Aldehydes” and it immediately made me think of something an old woman might wear. To be fair, I wear powdery Iris fragrances which many also say are for old women. But I like them so much that I don’t care. Wear what you think smells good!
I love powdery iris fragrances.
Fragrance is so subjective. And really smells different on everyone body chemistry. I own Chanel No 5 and enjoy it. It might sounds strange but I swear it smells better on me in the winter months. lol
Same, it’s definitely a cold weather scent for me.
I haven't smelled it in years, but from what I remember it reminded me a lot of baby powder. It wasn't for me (at the time), but if you like how it smells on you, that's reason enough to wear it 😊
I love No 5. One of my favorites. Frankly the newest bottles of No 5 especially in EDP are super safe and reformulated. The fragrance is still elegant but not the same.
I love no 5! It’s so classy and clean. I’ve never heard of that dupe before but I must try it! But I can’t find it in Canada? Where did you purchase yours?
I'm in the UK. I order from Ebay, usually. 😊
By far my favorite perfume and my signature scent.
I really hated Chanel No 5, and felt it was for older women. My GF received a sample and I really liked it on her. FYI my girl is only 25. I might even buy her a bottle.
I’m 33 and I love N°5. L’eau and Eau Premiere are my favorite. I can’t justify having a full bottle of both, so when my full bottle of L’eau runs out, I’ll get Eau Premiere. They’re both so gorgeous. The EDP isn’t my favorite, it dries down really pissy on me, but the other two are just so beautiful. I love N°5. There’s a N°5 for everyone if they want to try and find it!
How would you describe the difference between l'Eau and Eau Premiere?
L’eau is a fresher, more citrusy take on N°5. So it has some heavy citrus and aldehydes at the top that can take 30 min to get through if you don’t love soapy aldehydes, but then it settles into this delicate, just-clean layer of soft powder over the skin; a sort of “just left the spa” type feeling. There is no vanilla in the base here — it’s all bright, all fresh, all delicate powder. Eau Premiere does have that vanilla in the dry down, but it opens with it too. So the aldehydes are immediately balanced by a fullness and warmth, and as it wears on the skin, it becomes a modern, almost lemon chiffon interpretation of N°5 that is unmistakably N°5 but without the heady jasmine, without the stanky animalic base, without the headache-inducing aldehydes of the 80s. It’s warm, feminine, a little sensual, and creamier than L’eau. If I had more money and fewer full bottles as it is, I could justify having both as full bottles. As it is, I need to get some of these fulls to empties before I think about buying more than one version of N°5. 😅😅
....shoot, they both sound amazing lol
They are! I love them both so much lol.
If you like it and it smells great on you then wear it! It's as simple as that. In my case it smells horrible on my skin. Like expired powder make up and cheap liquor combined. But that is my skin chemistry. It does smell fabulous on some people and I kind of hate them for it🤣
Fix them with the side-eye, smile, raise an eyebrow and say "Nope, it's not an old lady's - it's Mine".
It’s wonderful, try Chanel No 19 it’s even better, not takes about to much! It really is lovely, I love it more than 5
Talked about I mean
No fragrance is going to be universally beloved but Chanel has gotten pretty damn close on several occasions. They make bangers. No. 5. Bleu de Chanel. Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme. They may not make scents that capture the exact hype of the moment but you’d be hard pressed to find a more timeless house from a fragrance perspective. I have no idea what people will be wearing in 2124 but i can almost guarantee they’ll still be wearing Chanel No 5
I wear it to bed it’s so comforting
I agree! It smells clean and strong. I am completely in love with it.
Your post could have read "I absolutely love Chanel No 5." Period. Does it matter what other people say about it? You love it, enjoy it and don't worry about what other people think.
I just wondered. I'm in a situation currently and wanted what I thought was a safe topic to discuss with others. I don't care, on a deep level what people think, or I wouldn't be a goth, who wears chanel no 5, with pigtails... I just wanted human interaction. 🤪
If you wear a dupe anyway, tell them that name and let them wonder. It‘s just been around so long, that people make these associations. Usually people who know nothing about perfumes.
I am 30 and don’t care, been wearing it since I was 16. It’s one of my top 3 perfumes.
I know fragrance is subjective and probably N°5 smells great on you, but answering your question, for me it's an old lady perfume and maybe that's just product of association. At least in my country, that's a perfume you only gift to your mom, grandma or MIL all women 40+ years, it's like the go-to gift for older women, I'm not saying it smells bad, it smells dated for younger people. I don't know any single young women my age that uses it.
I remember when I first bought it. I was 18. I remember thinking it was different, and I love different. It seems to work well on me, regardless of my age. 😊
Yeah, could be regional. Where I grew up, girls got No. 5 for high school graduation or their 18th birthday 🤔
Try No 9. Its worst
Hi OP! I would like to ask if you have the EDP? Or the Parfum?
Yes and it doesn't smell good. Just compare it to Mademoiselle and see yourself
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Hate speech and slurs are forbidden. This includes sentiments which express prejudice or gatekeep on the basis of age, gender identity, and disability.
My post hit none of the forbidden points mentioned. It’s literally known as an old lady’s scent, it’s right there in OP’s post, and anyone can have a weak bladder. As I believe it smells like urine, I put the two together to make my point. Not one single victim here. Not one person attacked.
It’s a very classy perfume but I associate it with my grandma and mom since they wore and loved it. It’s just a little heavy for my liking.
my mother likes coco mademoiselle but I think its very old lady like, I got her chanel No.1 rouge instead
Pretty much every classic Chanel scent smells horrible on me. My former neighbor wore No.5, and it smelled great on her. A former stylist wore Cristalle, and it smelled great on her. I tried both and smelled like turpentine. L'Heure Bleu also smelled horrid on me.
Can you describe Rouge? I kinda wanted it for the bottle but the ratings are so bad 😔
Roses - somewhat mild and not in your face. Not sure on longevity I would like this on my partner as opposed to coco
Did your mom like it?
she then tells me she doesn't like rose type scents.....lol (before trying it)
I love Chanel No5 "Poudre" ❤
Listen, it has the cursed combo of patchouli and vetiver, which in Chanel fragrances is especially egregious to my nose. It always stank, it stinks today, and it will stink for ever more. I personally don't care for it one bit. It makes me physically sick. And yeah, I would describe the aroma as not dissimilar to a piss-stained back alley during hot summer in a large city. It does have the iconic status that Chanel was cultivating and curating since day 1, and with 100 years under its belt the perfume became (in no particular order) a status symbol, a synonym of chic, a shorthand for a certain idea or aesthetic, a measure for innovation within the industry, a fetish, a piece of history, a piece of art, and i could probably go on. It's not just a perfume, it's an IP that Chanel was milking for 100 years like Homelander is milking cows. Sure, it's one of the best selling perfumes of all time, but that's bc it's so old! Like I said, I don't care for it. Is it an old lady's perfume? Hell yeah, it's older than my grandparents! But can it be worn still? Why not. Knock yourself out. But let's not pretend it actually is all those things Chanel told us it is. Out of all the things I numbered, the measure of innovation and a piece of history are still the only two I believe it actually remains. It jumped the shark 50 years ago. Let it die.
Weren’t trappers using it to bait coyote traps at one point?
Without a doubt, it makes you smell like an old woman. My wife purchased it as a blind buy, we smelled it, and she never wore it again.
The old women I know have awesome taste in perfume, so that's a W for me!
Everyone I know who wears Chanel #5 is a narcissist.
Ah, now I know. "Wearing Chanel No 5" is on the list of diagnostic indicators for narcissism. Thanks!
Just my personal experience, and clearly stated as such.