I'm not sure if the title means much to anybody who isn't British but to everybody who IS and is over a certain age, they'll know EXACTLY what I mean. The 70s were distinguished by many things but one of them was that bathrooms across the land turned a certain muted, sickly green colour. It became synonymous with bad taste as well as the rise of the home owing middle class, thinking they were sophisticated ( those of us living in council houses bathrooms were white, enamel and very utilitarian !) So it became an object of fun and derision for a long time. Ironically things have turned full circle and you can hear of people paying loss of money at scrap merchants to put them back in. I personally always loved them and was quite sad when my mother-in-law s was finally taken out only about 10 years ago. She used to accessorised it with plastic faux tortoise shell bathroom set

Now, I'm not sure this was the inspiration for that lovely shade of green that they used for Alliage, ( though it may have helped sell it over here !) It went from a being that yellowy sage to something a bit more olive green later on ( see other images ). I imagine that and the rough hewn, linen-like texture were meant to represent natural fabrics and the landscape. Because this was the first outdoorsy "Sport" fragrance from Ms Lauder.

Created by EL in house perfumer , Bernard Chant along with Francis Camail. The story goes that inspiration struck while driving to her country club to play tennis. It marked a point where heavy, formal evening perfumes, were seemingly becoming a bit dated too. This was a fresh, casual, and very green chypre scent meant for daytime and active lifestyles. Ladies who played sports and walked, not ladies who shopped and lunched.

The name is always struck me as a bit odd. Like Azuree, it's French ( not uncommon, French was still the language of fragrance ) but in English it translates to alloy which is rather less appealing ( it's one I always laugh at when Fragrantica decides that I need the page in English, some frags do not sound great when translated, would you want to wear something called Green Wind 😆 ). It's also odd for a fragrance meant to smell of all things natural as opposed to industrial. Again the story that's entered popular culture is that it has nothing to do with metal alloys but was because the fragrance is a combination of masculine and feminine notes for the new emancipated woman. It's certainly unisex. I'm not sure if that's apocryphal but I guess it's as good a reason as any.

Also is it Aliage or Alliage? Again common wisdom appears to be that it was two ll's in Europe more so than in the US. I don't think it's that clear cut ( although I knew it as Alliage ). From what I can tell, in the US, Lauder’s trademark on Alliage expired in 1992. Whilst Aliage is currently registered to Estée Lauder, and that’s the spelling the company currently uses for the Classic version.

More importantly, what does it smell like ? Green. It smells green. They put in anything they could find in: not just galbanum and oakmoss but artemisia and vetiver. There is citrus there , a little rose, cedar and nutmeg even jasmine ( but not a great deal, I can't smell any tbh ). It's just SOO green, as to give the feeling of a meadow. It's grass. It's dry, parched sunbaked fields. It's the long hot summers of the 70's lying in the park, holding your hand to shield the sun and feeling the dry stalks tickle your bare legs. Not a care in the world It's a summertime that I think we've lost forever.

So many great green fragrances were released join the 70s and I don't think it's any coincidence that they seeped into my young consciousness and remained there. I love green fragrances. I can probably list a dozen I adore but maybe that's for others to add their favourites. Alliage is certainly mine.

Notes: images utilise AI backgrounds but all the products are genuine and my own. I've picked out what I feel are the oldest and more interesting examples out of those I own but I have included a couple tutorial pics for anybody who's interested in trying to date or wants to look for the older as opposed to the ( relatively ) newer versions. I believe most of the products here featured originate from the 70s or early 80s ( I mean just look at the price stickers.Yes "10-8" is pre decimal ! Which marks it as being from 1971 as you can see how they adjusted the price to £5 new pounds - and then reduced it to £2 because clearly it didn't sell 😆)

As the token Brit on the Mod team, I thought it's probably behoves to me to wish all our US members Happy Independence Day ! ( yes, we've gotten over it 😆 ) Both that and this Post https://www.reddit.com/r/vintageperfume/s/XtyQBI0aWp then got me thinking :

🇺🇸 WHAT PERFUME SAYS ALL AMERICAN TO YOU ? 🇺🇸

We know that there was always a tradition of European, especially French, perfumery certainly in the decades leading up to and immediately after WWII. It was only with the rise of the teenager in the 50's ( I've seen Grease, I know 😂) and London beginning to swing in the 60's, did young, fun, affordable perfumes begin to emerge. British as well as American offerings too. These became the thing to wear. Then the European brands joined in too.

Certainly when I started getting into perfume it was what I call the "New World" perfumes that I could see/smell my (just a bit) older relatives wearing. My 20yo cousin, 25 yo SIL and 30 yo aunt. They didn't want what their parents had worn. It was Smitty ( made me do it !) not Shalimar; ( sexy-young ) Charlie not Chanel. We wanted a piece of Americana, the TV shows ( I wanted to be Rhoda ) and the fashion ( you saw far more US flags than union ones on T-shirts ). We might have got a bit cool during the punk/ new wave era it but during a lot of the late 70s and 80s, America was where it was at. Later in the 80's it would me the Italian's turn with Armani and Gianni Versace and we know that French perfumery never died, we know that Guerlain and Chanel in is still the top of most people's lists, but for a period things were a little different. The young, brash upstarts had their time in the sun.

So, for me, my coming of age fragrances in the late 70's were Alliage, made for being out in the country playing tennis. Azuree while going to the beach and getting tanned and freckled. Halston dancing the night away at Studio 54. It's Lauren as seen in the linked Post. These ( and Smitty and Charlie of course !). THESE say All American to me. I guess if we go forward a little, it's something like Tommy girl....Young, fun and full of hope. The world is your lobster and the party never stops.

It doesn't even have to be an American brand (we all know Coty was French) it's just what to you FEELS like an All-American fragrance. What captured that glorious time when there really was an "American dream".

Take it away, Tim Petty: 🎵"She was an American Girl" ( or boy !)

Hoping the VP collective consciousness can riddle me this: When is White Linen, not White Linen, when it's White Linen Estée.

I feel a bit foolish asking this as I always considered myself pretty knowledgeable as regards to vintage Lauder but I'm into YD, Alliage, Azuree, PC, Estee and Cinnabar etc. The ones I had at the very beginning. White Linen I wore for awhile in the late 80's/ early 90's but tired of it quickly and never liked the modern version much ( to much of a in-your-face Persil washing powder vibe ). However, I occasionally still fancy wearing the vintage, and like having a complete Lauder back catalogue, so have bought the odd one. This was one such purchase.

From the off I really couldn't decide: fake or real ? On the one hand the box design looks and feels real, it has a slightly ribbed texture ( can't get the pic to pick this up ) and the older sand dollar motif instead of the later scallop shell. Well detailed, foiled and embossed. A simplified motif is moulded onto the glass on the back, too. On the other hand, I've never seen one of that shape; with a black top and just Estée as opposed to Estée Lauder.

One thing that's convincing is the smell. Well kind of. It lacks the really overwhelming soapy aldehydes of the modern version; it's actually far more floral, crisp lilac, hyacinth, lily and iris. It's better. It smells more like it used to do. Maybe more so. Then I started thinking - what smells kinda similar but florals than aldehyde ? Estee. Could it be ?? Am I just smelling what I want to smell. So I tried to reason it out -

How often do you get older versions of Estée called Estee Lauder ( the solids especially do this); that are called Estee, Estee Super, Estee Extract, there's a few versions. Then I thought of how Cinnabar was once called "Soft Youth Dew" ( third pic ) and AE was once called Clinique Aromatics and occupied an EL hexagonal gold collared bottle ( fourth pic ). I always thought Dazzling Silver was a play on White Linen, an attempt to update it for the Pleasures generation. Does Lauder have form with kind of thing ?

Then how WL was part of the New Romantic trio with Pavilion and Celedon ( if the universe ever gifts me them, I'll be one happy old broad ). How we have adverts of the original splash bottles. How we know sprays existed too, at some point. How the others fell by the wayside but we know very little of how long they lingered. It wasn't exactly before my time but I wasn't standing at Lauder counters aged 12. WL is just cited as circa 1978 same as Celedon and Pavillion. When did it go solo ? Did the others stop after a year or was it more like five ? I don't remember them on the shelves but see above 🤷🏼‍♀️ Did WL just carry on fully formed as the other pass beyond the veil. Could it have been an intermediate stage ? Was there ever a missing link ? A flanker ? A crossover ? A SOMETHING

It's an oddity for sure. I certainly can't find another. Google Lens can't get past the motif and the name, it just thinks it's White Linen. Which points more towards fake. I mean it would be out there somewhere. Wouldn't it. Then I remember a couple of others such as the Balmain one I mentioned not long ago I was told that it had got to be a fake, it didn't come in that bottle. Til I did some research. I've had this twice with the same perfume actually and it turns out both of them were just rare versions, there WERE others and explanations about where they came from, too. So, despite being a natural pessimist or cynic at least, I don't like to assume either way anymore !

If it IS fake bad one. Or an odd one at least. Because if you're going to do it, why replicate the motif perfectly but omit the Lauder. Most later ones have a gold top but some had white, especially the early purse sprays, none has black though. Yet the smell. That's FAR from bad. They managed to recreate it SOOO well or even do a better version.

In the end it's not a massive deal. I didn't pay much. I've got something I'll definitely wear. Yet, I'd love to solve the mystery ! So, help a Mod out 😉🙏💜

I was going to title this: "the future is bright, the futures orange" . Except the future isn't particularly bright but the past was, indeed, orange ( in places ) so...

Dior - Diorissimo ( 1956, this is far more recent though, the one before Les Creations..) This is here because weirdly it turns bright coral over time. Try to get pre 80s though when it still had a bit of animal about it. I prefer my 70's version but it wasn't orange so...

I never was a LOTValley girl, back in the day, I was definitely more a Diorella or Diorama kinda gal but maybe we change with age and I'm actively seeking out any muguet I can get my hands on these days. Perhaps wanting something simpler, who knows ? What else can I say about Diorissimo that hasn't already been said ? It's the epitome of a white floral. It's naughtier than it seems. Queen of the LOTVs, the ultimate bridal scent long before Beautiful came along. Brides might have still looked virginal in the 1970's but they wore a garter under all that white lace. Old school Diorissimo hides secrets under white flowers. New Diorissimo ? Well, without the lillal will it even exist ?

Kenzo - Kashaya ( 1993, mine's 90's ). I still have no idea what that bottle is supposed to be but I've always loved it so I kept it in my collection. Some of these were in the box I had from the closing down pharmacy that I mentioned the other day ( if anybody read that ). Hence I can date them to a few years. I'm kind of coming round to the perfume itself, as well, even though it IS a Grojsman one.

Cerruti - Image ( 2000 ) This is another from the box above. So it's the VERY first run ( but it's back and REALLY cheap currently ! ) Both this and 1881 were safe, everyday favourites of mine for a while. Which sounds like faint praise but it isn't. They're very different, the floral powdery 1881 was very feminine, ( but get the vintage with the marbled top, it has already changed enough before they've removed Illial. Grr ). This was far more unisex. Quite fresh and herbal. It always made me think of a vodka tonic for some reason ! I've seen it compared to Light Blue but I really disagree. Unless the current one's different.

Max Factor - Exuberance (1967 but these are c70/80's ) . I've been looking for an excuse to squeeze these in. Exuberance seems less well known than many other Max Fax cheapies from this era. I remember it on the shelves alongside things like Electrique, Hypnotique and Primitif. My then SIL had these ( I begged the flock cats from her, she kept the perfume 😻) whereas when I reached my teens, I was buying Call Me Maxi, Eris, Rapport, Gemninese and Blaze. She was wearing the grown up scents, I was still on a teen favourites 😆 and it's DEFINITELY adult. Leather, civet and patch. It's got a good deal of skank about it, that's for sure ! Love it !!

Lentheric - Amber. 80's cheapie, warm and resinous, if you couldn't afford Opium you bought this. It's quite lovely.

Weil - Antelope ( see previous post for the og, I believe this was the 80/90's version before it was discontinued, it was another from "the box" ). Unfortunately, it had been neutered by then and lacks some of the skank. It's the PG version. Not bad but it's strange to have an animalic like without any animal.

Lauder - Pleasures Summer Fun. I left the og Pleasures behind in the 90's but some flankers are nice. Mainly it's here because it's apricot 🍑 coloured 😆

Gres - Quidproquo ( 1975, same as the dimple splash bottle. I have both, I think they smell the same ). Gres' gender bending fragrance, hence the name, I'm sure it was supposed to be unisex I just haven't got any proof of that. They added citrus and green, herbal notes to Chant's Cabochard and basically recreated EL Azuree. I LOVE both of those, and while it just doesn't quite reach the heights of Cab and it's quite "subtle" *in comparison* to that (and Azuree, given the strength of both, I think they dialled down the leather ) it's still fantastic. Ok, it's not quite as full on isoquin-leather but it's a great combination and should have done so much better. PLEASE spread the word and anybody who loves the above frags as much as I do - grab it !

Rochas - Poupee (2004 so not really vintage though discontinued - I think ? ) Doll head + pineapple. Tuberose at it's most plastic-y. I bought it because I was still buying Rochas at this stage. I shouldn't like this, not sure I want to wear it, but it holds a weird fascination. I love the cheeky name and the orange flock top.

Lush - Karma . This is a modern Limited Edition, og is cited as Ludh c1995 but I'm sure it was earlier. I had the Cosmetics to Go version so it's actually pre 94. I know as I used to sell their products at work in the early 90's ( I was a hippie Avon lady 😂 I've still got images from the catalogue somewhere if anyone's ever interested ). Even the more recent Lush version with the white label was different though, I swear they've reduced the fizzy orangeness. That's part of the reason it's here because I think I'm going loopy, unless anybody else agrees ? It's definitely missing *something* compared to my older bottle. Even so, it's still worth getting if you love traditional patch as I do. I find Lush problematic generally, they're very hit and miss. When they were good they were very good but a lot of them are just unfinished. Unblended and unsophisticated . Like somebody threw three random essential oils in a bottle, gave em a shake and thought that will do.

Mary Greenwell - Fire ( modern but discontinued) . All the Greenwells' are different but intentionally produced in vintage styles of the 70-90's. This one is a the Diva-ish rose chypre. I really want to sing the praises of Mary Greenwell but it would break Sub rules to do so and I'd have to ban myself - because they're not vintage even though they smell like it.

Scents 💜

( Please see all images for all items, boxed and unboxed. Please note that the images have been edited . The backgrounds have been replaced but the perfumes, as always, are all genuine ! )

In many places June is Pride month. We actually have our's in the UK, on various weekends throughout the summer but June is where communities now often come together online. It occurred to me we haven't had a chance to celebrate, with all the changes and June is nearly over.

A few years ago I created the picture for a perfume sub and when it popped up as a throwback it gave me an idea - I wonder if anyone would like to do the same ? Mine's a traditional rainbow as was the original Gilbert Baker Pride flag 🏳️‍🌈 ( & the one I remember from my very first Pride 🥹 ) but as we all know, it's come on a bit and been joined by MANY more 🏳️‍⚧️....

🌈Rainbows are also a symbol of joy; good luck ; rebirth or good times coming after bad. They mean whatever you want them to mean really !! Also as you'll see mine ISN'T all vintage just mainly discontinued ( I decided to make it hard on myself and stick to one house🤦🏼‍♀️ ). I appreciate vintage aren't exactly the most colourful either, don't sweat it, just get out your most colourful scents and as long as you make some vintage, I think that will just make everyone happy, anyway !

So whether you want to reproduce the flag you identify with; pick the colours that vibe for you or just paint a rainbow....

Join in and show us YOUR true colours ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

These are mine -

🩷Eau de Rochas Escapade 2019

🧡Tocade 1994 (v, r)

❤️Absolu Red 2004 (d)

💚Tocadilly 1997 (v, d)

💛Byzantine 1995 (v,d)

🩵Fleur d'Eau 1996 (v,d)

💙Byzance 1987 ( v,r)

💜Les Cascades de Rochas Songe d'Iris 2013 (d)

* v vintage, d discontinued, r reformulated

HERE COMES THE SUN 🔆🌞

Turns out in a sea of white and black boxes there's a few that stand out and buck the trend. 🍋 These are my yellow scents 🍋 Some but not all have a summery vibe. See other picks for boxes and bottles plus a couple on their own.

Estee Lauder -

- 3 x Intuition EDPs ( one with gems / minerals inside of which I know nothing ?) plus Shimmering Hair Mist

- a couple of Azuree Colognes. Spray and splash.

Jean Nate - various bath products including Body Powder Spray; Cologne Stick and Bath Oil.

Patou - Sublime

Dana - Zig Zag ( bottle not shown as it's purple and looked too jarring 😵‍💫 see separate image )

Capucci - Graffiti Parfum

Jean Couturier - Eau de Coriandre

Jean Despez - Bal a Versailles EDT splash

Fabergé - Kiku roll on parfum plus, in another image, splash cologne ( cos it's massive and I couldn't fit it anywhere. I have one of those ball talcs somewhere too, remember those ? )

Just seen -

Clinique - Aromatics Elixir Gift Set to act as a stand.

Happy Sunny Sunday ☀️

Weil Antelope - back in the USSR

Weil Antelope 118ml Splash PDT boxed, and kinda sealed ( torn cello, some damage later as the inner section of tortoiseshell plastic outer cap cracked on opening - see pic - but I have the bits so once I get some super glue, it's jigsaw time 🧩 It's definitely hadn't been opened though, that unfortunately was the issue ! )

Not sure of the age. I'd guess late 70's/ 80's at a push but it would be a guess, so if anyone knows their Weils’ ? Theres a faint embossed 6 and 3 too ( pic 3 ) and the number 005411 ( early EMB maybe );. I believe as a general guide, PDTs were a thing that we're around in the late 70s / early 80s but were gone by the end of the 80's/early 90's, so it points that way. I know PDTs more for Guerlain and Rochas who apparently used them quite a bit ( I have a few myself ) but I think this is probably a useful way to date this one too (There's a longer story to be told here about PDTs, but I think that's for another time )

However, I don't know very much about Weil or didn't until fairly recently. I never wore them back in the day. The only one I can remember from the 80's, was Bamboo was obviously a later incarnation of the brand, when the owner was gone, the brand sold on. Similar to what happened to Patou around the 90's, what came after just wasn't the same. I remember it being quite popular for a while but clearly it was the oakmoss that made it ( isn't it always the way ! ) I've tried the current version but without it, it's not much to write home about. ( Clear green bottle, generic fresh green floral, if you fancy it )

Antelope though is the real deal. From the era of Weil's the Furrier making perfumes to spray on the coats of his well-to-do clients. This also explains why I didn't get into them. Once they were on my radar I was curious about the names. I heard of W de W first and thought ok, typical name for a first scent but the other names are a bit odd. I quickly realised it was because of the connection to fur; why else call something Antelope Zibeline or Chinchilla, and I didn't like it. I was an occasional omnivore raised by a vegetarian ( so a complete hypocrite really ) I couldn't bear fur worn for fashion ( I definitely could bear bear fur - boom boom 😆 ).and I didn't want to wear a perfume that celebrated that, so I gave them a wide berth.

Eventually I got over myself and my first proper Weil was W de W. It's still my favourite but Antelope is a close second ( I have a Zibeline and Chunga too is Chunga the honey bear one ? Sweet and scatty ? ). Yes, another classic aldehyde, one that's powdery too and a bit skanky It starts with an Aperge but ends with patchouli and sandalwood via orris and a little green herby clary sage I have the ( older ) turquoise and cream box EDC too. ( By memory ) I think that's dryer and a bit sharper, this one might have been amped up a bit. It's fanciful, no doubt, but it DOES make me think of burying your nose in clean fur. Just preferably still attached to a still living creature !

And we have to end with a puzzle, obviously ! See the third image ? On the base of my box was a white sticker on which was Balenciaga and the trademark embossed bow. My first thought was it looked a little newer and maybe ended up there later, someone looking for somewhere to stick a label taken off something else ( after all I've got a Bal a Versailles box with a Marks and Spencer's knicker label stuck on the back and, no I didn't put it there ! ). The more I look at it though, the more I think it might be intentional. So I went looking for a connection and the only thing I can find is an old ( very odd ) advert that seemed to be taken out jointly in a magazine showing Weil's furs over Balenciaga’s frocks. Who knows, maybe the boutique stocked the perfumes or maybe like Revlon and Balmain they were one and the same ?

**Charlie is my darling. Always has been and always will be**

Charlie came up a few weeks ago in a query and I started adding some *not very good* photos. Then Revlon too. So I thought it's time for some Charlie. From a little 12ml parfum to nearly half a litre. From Wedgewood blue to lapis lazuli. Different strengths, Eau Fraiche and original but spanning the 70 through to the 90's. It's all good.

What hasn't been said about Charlie ? Everyone knows it, most have probably owed it. It's the girl's perfume with a boy's name. It's Shelly Hack in a trouser suit with legs that go in forever living life by her own rules. It's Sharon Stone with a perm. It's necklaces that looked like apples or envelopes with hidden perfume inside ( yep, got them too !) It's cherry rollerball lip gloss replied in the loos at the school discos. It's Hubba Bubba, Ricci pop, roller skates and cassette tapes. Later, it's that first job in the typing pool and a girl's city flatshare. It's kissing in the back row of the movies on a Saturday night ( with a boy that *could* be Michael J Fox if it's dark enough). It's running up that hill to womanhood. It's all of us 70's teenagers who became 80's working girls.

It's surprisingly sophisticated though, 70' and 80's teenagers might have chewed bubble gum but we didn't smell like it. Like №5, it's a classic floral aldehydic chypre. It's green, the tarragon is noticeable, with a hint of peach ( think Rochas Femme ) there's some leather there, too, some powdery sandalwood and of course, a good dash of oakmoss. I honestly think you could kid a 20 yo today that it was Chanel. While the modern one is all about the aldehydes, the dry down in the modern one is actually quite "clean" I'll buck common opinion and say I STILL like it. I've often said if I was on my uppers but with a fiver to spend only on perfume, this is what I'd buy. Seriously what else could you get for a fiver ? If there were no decants available. Not much.

As the title suggests though it comes with a little puzzle. See the darker bottle ? If you scroll to the end of the pics you'll see it doesn't say Charlie. I acquired it recently from the lady who'd owned it from the 70's. A little older than me, she was parting with her own teenage memories. I bought a few of them ( some survived the tender machinations of Evri, the courier was none too pleased to find a dripping box that stunk out his car. A 470ml bottle had been defenestrated 🤦🏼‍♀️ ) The lady said she was well traveled as a student, picking up all sorts as she went ( the Dana Emir I mentioned recently was her's too - I'll have to do a post about that too at the moment it's still sealed with a metal crimp although it's lose enough to get a hint of what's inside ). Others were just fond favourites that she found in a drawer, old memories she wanted to find a good home for. One of the things I love about vintage is when I do buy from somebody to whom they were special enough to save. It's both providence and a privilege

THIS Charlie was from the old USSR before perestroika. It even has a tag with the store on it but it didn't survive. Only the string remains.

On the base is -

Союзпарфюмерпром,

- Москва, СССР

- Charlie-Revlon, Inc.

- New York,

- U.S.A.

To the best of my knowledge, it reads -

<Shop name> xxxxPerfumerie

Moscow, CPPP ( aka USSR ).

**Charlie - Revlon New York USA**

On the front : ***Чарли*** or Charlie in Russian ( I think )

How did Revlon come to export perfume ? Was this common ? It's fascinating to wonder if we were misled into thinking American products were forbidden for fear of catching Capitalism and Western luxury goods like the legend of 501s being smuggled in. That it was all Red Moscow and knock off Climat. I suspect the truth is somewhat more complicated. They had stores for wealthy tourists and party officials after all.

https://zeithistorische-forschungen.de/2-2013/4536

There's nothing like personal knowledge though and I'm just hoping somebody reading this is from that part of the world and might recognise it. If not, it's just a nice oddity to add to the Charlie collection !

PS - Checkpoint Charlie - obviously a gag and reference to East Germany not Russia, just the Iron Curtain in general, and naturally leads to another short story ( or should that be a tall tail )

My mate's mum has just turned 8O. A modest quietly spoken lady, with a Scottish burr who I only knew as an accountant but who turns quite an interesting past. Scottish by birth she actually emigrated to South Africa in the late 60's due to her husband's work in the fledging nuclear industry. It's where my friend was born ( though she came to the UK many years ago to study and stayed ). Her mum did clerical work but due to connections between South Africa and West Germany particularly in that field, she found herself a temporary job than led to secondment to Germany *and in a position as a records clerk at Checkpoint Charlie* ! And that's pretty much all she can tell us. An unassuming lady, a retired accountant but one with a very interesting past !