Your challenge, should you accept it: you are off to Macy’s. You have $75, and you are to buy one bottle of perfume as a gift for a woman you hardly know. She is in her mid-20s, and all you know about her is that she wears trendy clothing.
What will you buy?
It would really help if you’d do a quick search before leaving your comment — if someone else has already mentioned your choice, add your vote to theirs instead of starting a new thread.
Note: image is Macy’s on 34th by paulaloe at flickr; some rights reserved.
194 Comments
Read more about commenting at Now Smell This.
Fun!
I’m not from US but if Macy’s stock it and it’s within budget then I’d probably go with Comme des Garcons 2.
I’d also perhaps consider Bulgari Black.
I second the Bvlgari Black, great choice!
You’re out of luck on the CdG, but they do carry the Black.
Not at my Macy’s. It is the worst. I’ve tried to buy something there twice and nobody in the store could help me with fragrances. “It’s a different department.” Can’t I just get her a gift certificate and let her get some shoes or something?
LOL…no! But you can decline the challenge
Another vote for Bvlgari Black. I also priced Cristalle, but it’s $80 on Macy’s website, so I don’t have to think about whether a young non-perfumista would like it.
Chicken, I was trying to write a comment on your 2nd blog, but none of the options will work for me as my ‘identity’. I’m trying not to be concerned about what this might mean…
(Sorry, Robin, that this is not related to the poll)
I’ll say Juicy Couture, given that young ladies seem to like the fruity florals.
Good idea about the sample.
This had to be with the idea of filomena. Sorry to put the wrong button
I really wonder what is driving that. Do young ladies REALLY like fruity-florals, or do they wear them because there is a dearth of anything else on the mass market and that is what they are told to will like?
I would definitely say that is part of it.
I will add that I think another part of it is that the classics are often hard to find (especially outside metropolitan areas), not well-marketed (if they are still marketed at all) and may also be out of the price range of a fair number of young women & men.
I’d buy her Burberry The Beat, and put a little sample of it in the package along with a gift certicate so that she test it first and then if she did not like it, she could return it unopened. As I would not hardly know her, I couldn’t expect her to enjoy the perfumes I like, plus she’s only in her mid-twenties.
The sample with a gift recipet is a very thoughtful plan.
Good choice and good idea about the sample. Just sniffed this again the other day and it’s not bad!
LOVE this idea! They have something like this at Sephora where you get a bunch of samples plus a certificate for a FB of your choice. It has to be one of the sample frags, and I’ve heard they are rather difficult to redeem, but this way you can pick your own! Very good idea!
Yeah, I think you can only redeem them in-store. But it is a nifty little idea. Before I knew that there was life beyond the department store perfume counter, I was really into the Sephora sampler every year. (Yes, for myself. No, I don’t really buy anything for anyone else. What is wrong with me???)
I got one of these as a gift and didn’t have any problem redeeming. I got my fiance the male sampler for x-mas, hopefully he won’t have trouble!
I’m sure it will be great, and it is a great gift idea – the samples are a nice size and you get the atomizer and the cute little funnel. The only trouble I’ve had is that you do have to redeem in store, and sometimes they are out of stock and will not sub a different size or concentration. For example, you want perfume X and the coupon is for the 30ml. EdP. They are out of it, so you ask if you can have the 50ml. EdT of perfume X instead which has the same retail value (or even less). The answer is no. You can only get the exact quantity and concentration listed on the certificate. It is really only a problem in that you are now inconvenienced by having to wait until they get what you want back in stock and then make another trip to the store.
The idea with the sample is great.
With a $75 budget, Id probably get her either Flora by Gucci or Love & Luck Ed Hardy. Both are fun and perfectly trendy and youthful. I happen to luv them both and think they’re both perfectly giftable. : )
I second the Flora suggestion. It’s nice, young, and inoffensive enough to be worn any wear, and even by those who don’t particularly like perfume.
Yes, Flora is lovely and inoffensive and wearable, and Gucci’s a recognizable name.
Love and Luck Ed Hardy was the first one I thought of- it fits the trendy description and yet it stood out to me as more interesting and pleasant than most fruity florals. I think it would be a pretty safe bet!
Definitely Ed Hardy Love and Luck – it’s one of my favorites!
Another vote for Love and Luck! All the trendy 20-somethings I see on campus wear Ed Hardy, so if she didn’t like the juice, at least she could display the bottle.
As a 20 year old woman, I can testify that for most of the 20 somethings I know, Ed Hardy is associated with Jon Gosselin. I would have to say Miss Dior Cherie or Flowerbomb– I believe the smaller sizes of each are around $75.
As a 40 year old woman, Ed Hardy is also associated with Jon Gosselin. The first time I saw the perfumes in Ulta I HAD to have them – so cute! I told everybody about them and explained how neat the bottle was with the long cap, the painting, etc. I wasn’t really a “perfumista” yet and they soon fell off my radar and I never purchased them. Enter Gosselin, and now I can’t stand to look at any of them because I see his stupid face. A friend of mine tricked me by giving me a blind sniff test and I liked the one she was sampling, but I just can’t get over the association.
I only just vaguely know who JG is, so not a problem for me
If I was looking for a safe bet I would go for Narciso Rodriguez For Her or Coco Mademoiselle.
Me too.
Second Coco Mademoiselle. Chanel will always go with whatever trend is happening this minute, and Coco Mademoiselle is probably the safest pick for that age bracket for that price (unless there’s a $75 bottle of Eau Premiere at the counter). Besides, even if it’s not her exact taste, a lot of women would be happy to be gifted with a Chanel to spritz on and play dress-up, or even to keep as an objet on their nightstand.
They did just release a smaller bottle of Eau Premiere. I don’t know what it is going for, and am too lazy to look.
Ooh! Do you mean smaller than the 75 mls? I might be tempted at last …
2.5 ounce, $88.
Third the CM! I’ve seen it work on a lot of people…I personally enjoy it, and I’m in the appropriate age range haha
I’d go with Coco Mademoiselle on this one!
I actually helped my mom select a gift for a young woman who was really helpful to her and who was getting married. We picked out CM for her and she loved it.
Yep, I agree Coco Mademoiselle.
My trendy 22 year old daughter loves Coco Mlle.and that is a great suggestion. It is a nice, easy introduction to a classic perfume house, and maybe she will work her way up to No.5 or another classic Chanel (after she pays off her student loans of course). Chanel is trendy, but in a timeless way that connotes elegance, and by giving it you are complimenting her on her sense of style. They also have a beautiful little coffret this year which would be the perfect gift for our girl, but it runs about $105.
Totally unrelated, but I love your gravatar, Julia. I just now noticed that it was Shalimar.
Thank you! They cropped it – there is a caption along the top that reads, “Are you her type?” Guerlain put out a series of these ads for several of their perfumes with the same copy.
Nthing Coco Mademoiselle! I know they have a small EDT for around $65 and I’m sure there is a nice coffret available. It’s young, elegant, attractively packaged, classic, and a prestige brand (therefore a safe bet for a stranger – they could be status conscious – who knows?). And it’s pretty damn likable! I’d say it’s the Veuve Cliquot of fragrance.
Coco Mlle. I was just thinking of buying this for one of my nieces.
CM is all over Ebay for extremely good prices.
Both are great choices!
I’m going to assume that this girl isn’t a “perfumista” so she might find something like “Gucci” hard to wear, and something like “Infusian d’Iris” too subtle. I also wouldn’t get her anything that has been around for a while because chances are she has already smelled it and either liked it and has it or doesn’t like it.
I think I might go for Blvgari Blv Notte. I smelled it the other day and I thought it was pleasant enough to be a crowd-pleaser, but also somewhat unusual. It is something that I might buy for myself if I find it for a good price at Marshall’s.
…which you probably will. I got a bottle unsniffed at TJ Maxx last year for about $25.
Check TJ Maxx if you have one. I have seen it there several times.
Guerlain Idylle may just be a good choice here. The fun, floral and sexy formula is made for trendy ladies nowadays.
Also the bottle is chic.
I totally would vote for the 1.0oz bottle of Idylle, but I’m not sure Macy’s carries it yet.
Oh it’s not available in Macy’s at the moment? Idylle is at my local department store for a while, also the duty-free stores I’ve been to last 3 months.
My bad if it’s not on Macy’s shelf.
“LOLA”!!!
Seconding the Lola. I haven’t smelled ANY of the fragrances mentioned here today, but I just went and did my homework on Macy’s website. Lola had the highest customer rating, and it’s in a fun bottle.
BTW, Robin, are you using us to help you Christmas shop?!?
LOL — can you imagine us as perfume shopping consultants? everyone would be broke in no time!!! BTW Rapple—what’s your decision on Attrape Coeur??
You are not asking me, but I bought a large sample of it and I really like it. I don’t like it enough for a FB, but I love 15mls. of it!
you and Rapple need to talk—she’s thinking of buying a bottle but doesn’t use oceans of perfume….but if it’s going to be gone–I say get it while the getting’s good.
Dithering…..
$$$$ vs. lemming
You might want to make up your mind fast. According to Perfumeshrine today, it’s being discontinued. I haven’t even had the chance to try it yet, but I’m sad to hear this. Maybe I’ll spring for a nice decant.
I saw that at 6:30 a.m.! That’s why I’m dithering – I realize this may be my last chance.
I heard that news today too. As if Guerlain needed to make another decision to enrage perfume lovers. I’m curious if the discontinuation will really happen.
HA — no, I am done with my shopping!
Rapple, I just sent you a MUA msg – Pls ck your email! Tks.
My 13-yr-old looked interested in Lola last time we were in Nordstrom’s. She’s relatively mature for her age, so I’ll go with this one as well. I *thought* she liked the Ed Hardy, but when pressed, she said she wouldn’t actually wear it (spoiled by Miller et Bertaux already. ack.).
The new Ed Hardy Hearts and Daggers is pretty good as well. I managed to snag a sample of it and Christian Audigier from Macy’s. Surprising, I know…
You know, I don’t really have trouble getting samples at Macy’s… or at least didn’t, when I worked near one. Sounds like that must be “Minnesota Nice” in action though.
I haven’t sniffed the majority of the things at the Macy’s website!! I’ve turned into such a Niche Ho ! But I agree that the customer ratings for Lola are high so if I were pressed to buy a bottle for Miss Mid-20′s Trendy….it’d probably be the Lola…..although Practical Daisy (I know, hahahaha “practical daisy” !) says to get samples to give with a gift certificate.
You know that’s what we all call you behind your back: Niche Ho.
When we’re not calling her Practical Daisy.
yeah, sure….let me know as soon as ANYONE calls me Practical Daisy, ok?
well, I guess that’s better than just calling me “Ho” behind my back….
I’ll add another vote for Lola. It’s too sweet for me, but the bottle is great and it seems to represent all those “big” things from the 80s that are coming back in style (shoulder pads and aqua net anyone?)
Yeah, have to go with the Lola, too. The juice isn’t bad, and the plasticky flower bottle top seems to add an interesting edge.
In the event Idylle isn’t carried by Macy’s, I’d probably pick up YSL Parisienne, though I haven’t smelled it.
I also put my vote in for YSL Parisienne. It has all the elements: young berry and floral notes and Kate Moss.
I think we should do this for a guy next time.
I’m thinking that’s why Robin called it Part 1. This concept could really have some longevity!
Yes, guys next! Then niche.
Juicy’s Couture Couture, Lola, Angel, or the Harajuku Lovers. (Snow bunny coffret set! Only $65!)
Okay, I second the Harajuku Lover’s coffret, but I stil hate my local Macy’s fragrance department. I have the full set of the original ones in the large doll size and they are adorable, but I just can’t bring myself to buy them in a different outfit. I think the summer ones are out now, too.
I’m with you on all of that. But I think the summer set is new scents, isn’t it? That’s something at least. (But hard to keep up with: new outfits, old scent… new scents, new outfit… don’t know which is which… They keep the confusion alive if nothing else.)
I don’t know if they are new scents or not. I’ve sniffed the ones I own, but I’ve never worn any of them. I think the blond one is the best of the bunch. I would not be unhappy if somebody gave me the coffret of solids.
The summer ones are new fragrances, the winter ones are not.
As someone in the age range but probably not trendy, I’d just get a gift certificate for them. As I rarely like anything others pick for me.
If somebody bought me Angel I’d ask them if they hated me… haha
Cheating!!
neener neener
Yeah, I tried the gift certificate route and she called me on it, too.
That’s the thing about bunnies: they get away with a lot because they’re cute!
I’m glad to know I’m not the only non-trendy 20-something. Pastel sweaters and jeans covered in cat hair rule!
Hmmmm… mid-twenties, trendy?
Are we talking about a trendy-as-in-OMG-like-you-know has to follow the pack? Then maybe Viva la Juicy ?
Or trendy as in follows fashion trends for herself, not giving a damn about what others think? Dior Addict? Cashmere Mist?
I would prefer to go for Costume National Scent but I didn’t see it on the Macy’s web site. (Not from the US either so I can only go with what is on their website
I was sorta struggling with the “type” of hipness, too. There’s the mindlessly-following-trends hip and then there’s the independently-and-effortlessly-artsy hip. Quite a different persona.
If she were the “effortlessly artsy hip” one, I’d by-pass all of the dreck that’s been mentioned and give her a bottle of either Guerlain Mitsouko or L’Heure Bleue edp.
I wish someone would get me L’Heure Bleu EDP, sigh…
Kaly -
Email me at rappleyea11 at yahoo dot com.
Yeah, but I guess what I was after is that it’s someone you don’t know that much about: what’s a good gift in that scenario? Because face it, this is how much perfume changes hands at the holidays!
I’d do one of Mugler’s Garden of Stars. I’ve never smelled them, but I don’t really know this woman, so I could say, “I thought the bobttle was really pretty!” And Mugler’s still consideded hip, right? lol She probs really wants a bottle of vintage Le De, age and style of dress dictate nothing
Those are pretty bottles!
Hmmm… I think I’d go for Stella. Narciso Rodriguez For her was my first choice while browsing the website, and I like it more, but I’m so fed up with smelling it everywhere that I couldn’t really go for it…
I also would choose Stella.
I vote for Stella as well. It’s rose done well and slightly spicy.
Another vote for Stella.
Clinique Wrappings, none of her friends have it, and its amazing.
Only sold at the holidays….
Whether that helps our little trendster or not I don’t know, but it helps me. I had no idea it was only sold this time of year. Now I’m going to have to stop at the mall on the way home…
Comes in a set with lotion, you may have to ask for it…its usually behind the counter.
Ok, good to know! (Another gift for myself… sigh…)
You deserve it. Or maybe your pets haven’t finished their holiday shopping yet? My dog still hasn’t purchased that bottle of Daphne I want, and my cat is deciding between Ormond Jayne Woman, L’Air du Desert Morocain, and Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanilla. Good thing there are still a couple of days of Chanukah left! Then there is my birthday later this month….
Don’t forget Cesar Chavez day on March 31!
Yes, I celebrate many holidays…. Actually Cesar Chavez day is pretty big down here in S.A. But MLK day comes first.
Yep, usually only around at the holidays, and sometimes goes very quickly. I meant to look for it this year to see if they’d reformulated it to death, but I forgot. As usual.
Love Stella Absolute! Great recommendation but as an alternative I would get her Intuition by Estee Lauder. I found it very pretty and young but not young in the over the top fruity way. I haven’t heard anyone ever even mention it on here before, so I don’t think it’s something everyone else will be wearing which may appeal to someone trendy but yet still needs to be unique. Price is right and I even like the bottle.
I wore Intuition almost exclusively for several years in my mid to late 20s. I have since stopped wearing it but still like it very much.
Have not smelled Intuition, what is it like?
I am not very good at recognizing distinct scents yet but am working on it. Intuition is pretty “light” for an EL perfume. It’s a warm (woodsy) and sweet (floral) but yet it’s refreshing too (citrus fruits). It’s something I would be more inclined to wear in the spring. I would describe it as modest but pretty, probably a little boring to a perfumista but a very pleasing scent all the same. It’s long lasting and has medium sillage (compared to other EL’s). Hope this helps. Merry, Merry!
I get the D&G Collection Gift Set: trendy clothes and a selection to find a favorite of the bunch.
Change that to “a designer of trendy clothes” and a …
a coffret is always a good idea. Although I didn’t personally like any of the D & G’s and was a little dissapointed because the idea of fragrances based on tarot cards is really cool. imagine if it were done by a niche house!
*Pre-emptive warning: not a US-ian, so no clue what Macy’s carries*
My top choice would be Versace Crystal Noir. Pros: it has a flashy, displayable bottle, it smells accessible enough but it’s not a dime in a dozen fruityfloralchouli, and the whole “Noir” theme is pretty seasonal.
Failing that, I’d opt for Gucci EDP (she could give it back to me if she didn’t like it) or cKone (isn’t that old enough to be hip again?).
Ck 1 is old enough to be hip again! And it’s better than the CK In2U.
It’s true! A younger classmate admired my watch and said “I am soooo into the 90′s!” It’s back baby!
In that case: 90210 Original Series, here I come!
Oh, Gawd. Really? Already? Actually, now that you mention it, I did see some show that focused on plaid shirts and how to wear them. Unfortunately, it is all making sense now.
“sooooooo into the 90s” ??? That is such a bizarre idea to me. I didn’t find much remarkably distinctive about the decade, and grunge rock wasn’t all that up my alley.
My thoughts exactly! I liked Nirvana but didn’t really care for any of the other bands that were considered “grunge”.
There are some historical parallels (in this very short time frame)- a penny pinching country in a recession after huge market crash, a young Democratic president popular with American youth enters the white house, we are extracting ourselves from Iraq – again.
And somehow this all gets distilled to a revival of Buffalo plaid and stretch pants.
Instant nostalgia really irks me. I think the 90s were mostly remarkable for NOT being the 80s. No big hair, no big flashy clothing, no big music, etc. Fragrance trends in the 90′s certainly reflected that with perfumes that were NOT Poison, Giorgio Beverly Hills, Opium, etc. Grunge and “heroin chic” are the trends I think of when somebody says “90s.” Oh well, another thing for me to skip. My understanding is that if you were old enough to participate in the trend the first time around, you are too old to engage in it when it comes back – which is why you haven’t caught me in a pair of leggings since I was a teenager in 1985. However, I am a little curious about going back and sniffing Poison with a “new” nose….
Agreed, the 90s were awful. I distinctly remember, in the year 2000, suddenly noticing that there was a lot of really good music again for the first time in ages.
Exactly, I remember the 90s as toning down the 80s. One trend that sticks out in my mind was the delicate little waiflike women wearing the filmy little floral frocks together with a huge pair of black Doc Martens. I sat out that trend.
I’d go for Be Delicious which is ideal for a girl in her 20s and is a guilty pleasure of mine – although I’m older by a couple of decades.
What did I wear in my 20s? Dune and loved it. Although most likely not right for today’s young woman, even with 80s retro all around.
I second Be Delicious – I would particularly specify Be Delicious NIghts, as it actually a very unusual scent as dept.store frags go. And funny, but a work colleague who is 20 yrs old asked my help to find a perfume for his girlfriend – I made a list of dept.store frags (including Stella, Prada, Narciso, a few Chanel and Diors etc etc) and he tested all of them, only to walk out with Be Delicious Nights!!!
What about the little MAC Creations frags. Have no idea what they smell like but the bottles are kind of hip and design-y and they’re $25 apiece. Looks like they have 4 versions–Turquatic, Pinkaura, MV2 and MV3. $75 buys 3…
That’s an excellent idea. Do they sell MAC at Macy’s? They don’t at any of the stores near me, but I recall they sell it online.
Oops, don’t know about in-store… They do have these on the website.
And I seem to have blithely ignored the rule about one bottle…so maybe Nina or Nina Precious? Darling LE bottles…
The one-bottle rule got past me, too. You are not alone.
My Macy’s has an MAC boutique in store. I asked the scary lady made up like an escapee from Insane Klown Kollege if I could test some, but she quickly dismissed me. The testers were empty, she wouldn’t open new boxes to smell, and they were out of most of them anyway. I was most interested in the honey one (Naked Honey?) and she told me it was discontinued.
My suggestion is Prada Infusion d’Iris.
A nice one!
on sale on Gilt today if you’re interested (admittedly don’t know how their prices compare to the discounters)
I know it says one bottle of fragrance, but how about a few solids? The only redeeming quality my local Macy’s has is a LUSH boutique in the store. It seems to be the trendiest of the bath & body set and our trendy girl has to bathe, right? I would probably give her a couple of solid perfumes with some of their luscious soaps to match. She will smell great and I will avoid the loathesome fragrance department.
Oh, I wish there was a Lush at my Macy’s!
It just opened. Maybe yours will get one soon? My next door neighbour gives me an inappropriately large gift certificate to Macy’s every year, and I think I will spend it at LUSH this year.
Infusion d’Iris or Harajuki Lovers… Not much to pick from. If I felt she had some chops, I’d get Magie Noire – even the reformuated version is still pretty good.
Maybe the Magie Noire would magically give her some chops
Sobbing here now…do you really think it’s still pretty good? I was so disappointed, I didn’t even recognize it when I put it on. What did they do it? I can’t figure out what they took out but I feel the magic is all gone! Boo- hoo! I feel like a lost a piece of “me” when they changed this!
Oh! FD you are right — Magie Noire *is* a shell of it’s former self, and I am fortunate enough to have some vintage to know.. but even the eviscerated MN is better than most of the new stuff being put out these days. I’d rather smell a faded old MN or even EL’s Knowing, Youth Dew, Clinque’s Aromatics Elixer, et al, than most of the musky-shampoo-dryer sheet stuff being released in a current Macy’s. I think a hip young woman would show a lot of moxie if she reached for one of these older major fragrances, regardless of whether or not they’ve been reformulated. At least she’d give me some hope for the future! Today’s curious young person is tomorrow’s customer for Serge Lutens, Frederic Malle, Tauer Perfumes, etc…
I would choose Bvlgari Omnia or Gucci by Gucci. I’m only slightly over the age range, though wouldn’t consider myself to be trendy. I love some of the other recs as well though!
So surprised this is the first mention of Omnia! Although the problem is you’d have to hope she’s in the % of the population that can smell it…seems like so many people can’t.
Hmm, not sure about what exactly “trendy” entails nowadays, but I think i would go with a Prada, eau ambré or something like that.
LOL…I’m sure I don’t know what trendy entails these days either. I’d like a bottle of Eau Ambree though.
It’s one of the specials on Gilt today. (and in some cute coffrets.) I don’t really know how their prices compare to the discounters, but I get excited whenever they feature fragrance.
What is Gilt?
Gilt is one of the online luxury/designer discount sites that are so popular right now (like Ideeli, Rue La La, etc.). They do mostly clothes, but occasionally home decor, gifts,…and on really good days beauty and fragrance items. Oh, and they just started Jetsetter which offers really high end hotels at discounts…a girl can dream…
Anyway, each sale is 36 hours. The Prada fragrance sale will go through 11pm CST tonight (Friday). I found their prices to be quite good. I bought the Infusion D’Iris gift set with 1.7 oz EDP spray, 3.4 oz body lotion and two refreshing tissues for $49 plus $6 shipping. They have a bigger gift set with a 6.75 oz. EDP spray, 8.5 oz lotion, and bar of soap for $90. I think shipping is $10 for that one though. They also have the linen water, and 10 tissue pack, and a few Amber Tendre items.
It is a members only site, free to join. You can apply at gilt.com. They say they accept new members daily, but I have no idea how long it will take to go through. If you would like a referral so you can join immediately I’ll be happy to give you one.
Sorry for the long post, but I am very excited about the Christmas present I just bought for myself!
Thanks for the explanation, and congrats on your new Prada!
Hi Everyone! I’m Lucy. I’ve been following this site for about a year, but this is my first post.
Although I really don’t care for it myself, I think Very Hollywood Michael Kors falls under the trendy but still safe category. I also think Euphoria is an okay choice, but mostly because Macy’s is giving away a free box of Chocolates with its purchase.
Good idea! I LOVE gifts with purchase almost as much as I love free samples. They get the perfume and you get the chocolate! Everybody is happy! My boss is ever amused by my quest for samples and the fact that I will do almost anything for them. I often have packages sent to work and I tear into the samples first. She started to call me a sample slut but didn’t want to offend. I assured her that sample ‘ho was more appropriate and all is well. My best gift with purchase was a beautiful 50/50 silk cashmere wrap with a bottle of Hanae Mori in the “red butterfly” parfum. I like the perfume okay, though it is a little too sweetly gourmand for me, but I wear the wrap almost every day!
Hi Lucy, and welcome!
Chocolates never hurt, esp. if she hates the perfume
I’d rather have the chocolates than the Very Hollywood. I DID sample that at a Macy’s. I thought it was meh – though I like the flashy bottle-for-squealing-girls!
If you have an invite I would gladly take it off your hands (lemonprint@gmail.com) – I’m excited about the present you got for yourself TOO!
My suggestion is Sensuous from Estée Lauder, AND a sample as Filomena suggested, so that it can be returned unopened. My mom bougt me often a bottle of perfume, and while she did not know whether I would like it, there was always a sprayed sample card at the packaging.
Sensuous is a good one.
Chanel no. 5! (for under $75 one can get a small edp, edt or sensual elixir – but I haven’t decided which formulation to get.) Even if it’s not her taste, there’s a little flattery in receiving something that has become an icon of refined femininity and sex appeal. The packaging is classic, and if she doesn’t like it she can exchange it for whatever her heart desires, knowing that someone thought her mature enough to run with the big girls.
Always a safe choice. She can even return it for the Eau Premiere
I might pick her some Sarah Jessica Lovely or the Classic Jean Paul Gualtier
I don’t love Classic or Fragile but would love to have either of those bottles!
light blue. duh.
I was thinking tha one too. Everybody likes Light Blue.
except me LOL
Awww! Have you tried the Brooklyn Bunny scents by Christopher Brosius? (Lettuce & Apple) I’m curious how an actually bunny would like them…
no I haven’t tried those, but I do love the Brooklyn Bunny!
And me. It’s my Nemesis. Maybe we should start an anti-fan club?
I’d be a charter member of that club!
I actually loved it – for about half an hour. Something horrible happened in the drydown.
My pick is Gucci by Gucci EDT. And/or Stella McCartney.
Stella is probably safer, but I like either!
I considered both of those for my sister who is older than our “mystery girl” but who isn’t really experienced with perfume. I ended up with the gucci based on the fact that she loves CK obsession and I think they have more in common than that and Stella. But I agree with Robin, Stella is safer.
Sitting in traffic on the way home tonight, it occurred to me that I hadn’t thought of the perfumes worn by the two twenty-somethings that I know well enough to know their perfume choices. One wears Chanel Chance and the other wears Dior J’Adore.
Both really nice! (I know there are a lot of Chance haters, but I happen to enjoy it even if it doesn’t really break new ground.)
Chance smells great on my young friend. It never smells the same way twice on her though and I always ask her what she’s wearing!
I’m not from the states and searching the macys site draws a blank but my pick would be hugo boss orange. It’s a fruity floral, with a pleasant vanilla/sandalwood drydown. Bought a bottle myself & i’m waaaaaaaaaaaaay past my mid 20s. Sienna Miller is the face of this 1 so that would surely make it trendy enough no?
I’d think it would be trendy enough, sure!
Couture Couture by Juicy Couture.
Anything Juicy Couture should work!
Lolita Lempicka. If nothing else, she should like the bottle.
I second this!
I’m not sure they have LL at Macy’s but I actually bought this for my neighbor for this Christmas when I found it at Marshall’s for $20! I also bought myself a bottle and have been using it frequently.
ok, we don’t have one clear answer
one group goes for the gucci flora or chanel chance,
one group goes for stella, orNR and or jp gaultier,classic
one group goes for Harajuki or juicy
and the rarer group goes for idylle
so i hear my friend screeching “there is always one person who cannot fit into the box”…but hey…there cannot be only ONE 20 yr old wearing trendy clothes!!! so cheers to all of them
Bright Crystal (is that versace?) or Bvl. Jasmine Noir…I think aroudn 20 you start to realize that jasmine is a sexy scent!
WIth that info alone, I would go for Gaultier’s Madame.
It is a young fragrance (as in gearet to the young ones
) and also has the allure of the gaultier brand, which is classy… but provocative and trashy in a way that only the french can get away with. 
But hey, “trendy clothing” can mean a lot of things to a lot of people…
For me Trendy Clothing right NOW is a mix of minimalism and Hippie Chic, and you certainly have to be in your mid 20′s to pull it off, unless you want to go more minimalist than hippie to avoid looking like you are wearing a halloween hippie costume.
And there you have my 2 cents about the latest trends in fashion!! hehehehehee.
Gearet =geared
Yep, Ma Dame was the first thing I thought about when I read “young, trendy”.
I liked Ma Dame much better than other people, I think — I thought it was great fun.
I DO have a twenty-something to buy for, and Wrappings is what I bought her this year. She’s at the stage where she’s beginning to appreciate something unusual or unique, without being willing to stray too far from the brand names her friends recognize. And it’s a pretty terrific scent. If for any reason she doesn’t like it, I’m more than willing to buy it back from her. lol
Shazzbat! This was supposed to go under the Wrappings posting.
I know I’m a little late on this one but I would definitely go for Calyx by Perscriptives. Inoffensive, but not lacking in character and certainly rather beautiful.
I love Calyx