Are the under-40s done with perfume and wristwatches?

[Jambalaya]

I know this is an odd combo - perfume and watches - but they are two things that I've noticed people under 40 don't seem to use.

Perfume - this seems to be seriously out of fashion. I love perfume and use it every day. But I never smell it on anyone else, and no one ever comments on mine. 25 years ago, people would remark on your perfume and ask what it was, and I think people wore it more. Even so, in my teens/twenties (born late Sixties/early Seventies) I don't remember many people wearing it. Perhaps people wore it more in the Fifties and Sixties? When I was around 10-12, I remember a craze for scented body sprays.

What do people think? Did people wear perfume more in decades past? Do you smell it on people in your everyday life? I have a very sharp sense of smell, and perfume seems to be non-existent now. To me, that's a pity, because I love nice scents.

Watches - I've read that the decline in watch-wearing is down to phones. Perhaps the Apple watch has helped reverse this to some extent. But I was thinking, recently, that watches are still the best for telling the time, because I hate having to dig through my bag to find my phone instead of just looking at my wrist, and if you lose your phone, you don't know what time it is! Phones are great, but IMHO, you can't beat the convenience and security of a watch on your wrist for good time-keeping.

Do you wear a non-Apple watch, and approximately what age are you?

 

[missy]

I’m over 50 but will answer anyway

I occasionally wear perfume but haven’t worn my watches since early 2014.

 

[Jambalaya]

Hi, Missy! Thanks for replying. And do people around you wear perfume?

 

[Phoenix]

I'm over 40 and have stopped wearing perfumes and watches...the former bc of a sensitivity I seem to have developed and the latter bc I've never been that much of a watch person. I still have a drawer full of perfumes, some still not opened from 2-3 years ago. I wish I could still wear perfumes. I like the subtle ones though and cannot stand strong perfumes (they give me a massive headache, even before I developed my sensitivity).

 

[dk168]

Like @missy I am over 50.

I would not go out of my house without perfume (Chanel No. 19 for the past 20+ years).

I used to wear a watch when I was working or travelling, however, lately, I have been wearing a Fitbit that serves as a watch all the time. I changed the strap from plastic to chunky stainless steel so that it looks more like a watch.

DK

 

[missy]

On the subway yes. Too strong a scent generally too. Isn’t that how it goes.

I don’t want anyone smelling my perfume unless very close to me and even then it should be in a gentle soft way. Not too much applied.

Having said that my DH compliments me all the time when I wear my perfumes. And occasionally I get compliments from others. But you have to be close to me to smell the perfume.

In regular situations I don’t smell it on others much. Only in close quarters ie subway situation.

 

[FL_Sol]

Perfume has always made me ill. I would avoid the cosmetics counter in department stores and find other ways into the mall because of it.
Never wore watches until I got my Apple Watch. It has to do more than tell time for me to want to wear it and the Apple fits the bill (I love the walkie talkie feature even though it isn't very dependable at times).
I am 39.

 

[Phoenix]

Perfume has always made me ill. I would avoid the cosmetics counter in department stores and find other ways into the mall because of it.
Never wore watches until I got my Apple Watch. It has to do more than tell time for me to want to wear it and the Apple fits the bill (I love the walkie talkie feature even though it isn't very dependable at times).
I am 39.

This is me now. I even ask friends not to wear any when they meet up with me.

 

[Rhea]

I don't wear perfume. We're discouraged from wearing it at work and that makes sense because I smelled it on a person entering the building the other day and a couple people around me started sneezing.

I wear a Fitbit, one of the slim kinda girly ones with a black band. It goes with everything I wear and some of us compare stats each week to see how many steps we've done.

 

[Phoenix]

I think also people maybe are becoming more conscious of the adverse effects of ingesting/inhaling chemicals...idk.

 

[Ally T]

I'm 45 & as with @dk168 I do not leave the house without perfume each day.

But I also wear my watch every single day - it goes on with my jewellery when I dress & comes off at bedtime. I'm not dressed without my watch & use it constantly, particularly at work. I'm at a Primary School so phones get left in the Staff Room. I have to record the time of all accidents when filling out paperwork & also have to get the children outside to play, inside in year groups to eat lunch & then inside on time at the end of break, which also signals to other staff that classes are starting & they need to gulp their coffee. I reckon I must look at my watch multiple hundreds of times a day.

 

[marymm]

I have a sturdy Timex with a large face and a slimmer Seiko dress watch - I like to wear the Timex when I go to the movies or the theatre so I can unobtrusively check on the time - I also like to wear the Timex when I am headed to the ER with my Mom - I wear the Seiko perhaps once or twice a year; my DH gave it to me and I adore it.

I still notice plenty of people wear fragrances - unfortunately in my experience many people wear too much fragrance which become offensive rather than pleasing to my nose - I generally wear a fragrance but use it sparingly; it is more for me and I definitely do not want my fragrance broadcasting past my immediate person - in other words, if you can pick up on my scent, either you're my DH or a close friend/family who is hugging me!

 

[pearlsngems]

I am in my 60s. I stopped wearing a watch just 2 or 3 years ago, when I could not be bothered to go have my watchband adjusted for length, and discovered that I don't miss it. So that was the end of decades of wearing a watch daily.

But I have many perfumes, and love wearing them-- when I'm not wearing my pearls. Generally it's one or the other.

My daughter, who is in her 20s, has never cared to wear a watch. Rarely she will wear a tiny spray of some scent on her wrist (only ever on her wrist) so she can sniff it. But that's all.

 

[dk168]

I went through a phase in my late 20s/early 30s when I had a selection of perfumes that I liked, including Obsession that was very heady and strong.

My ex-hubby bought me a Chanel No. 19 perfume spray in a duty free shop during one of his work trips, and I was hooked and never wanted to wear another scent after that.

It is an old scent, and It annoys me a bit that Chanel has cut down on its range through the years, as I like to layer it with body lotion. They stopped making the body lotion and soap etc. about 2 years ago, and have cut down on the size and format variation of EDT/EDP/Perfume.

They brought out a different version, the Poudré a few years ago which is a slightly different ? lighter formulation. They have also reformulated the original No. 19 due to issues with a certain ingredient.

The Poudré is no match to the reformulated No. 19 to me.

There must still be a large and worthy market for perfumes out there, judging by the amount of adverts I see on TV and in glossy magazines.

DK

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I’m under 40 and do both wristwatch and perfume!

 

[dk168]

The reason I did not wear a watch all the time when I was younger is because I worked in controlled environments where jewellery and make-up are not allowed. I would only wear a watch when I was at meetings or when I was travelling.

DK

 

[eapj]

Mid-40s and have worn a watch everyday for years. I don’t like looking at a phone for the time. I’m time obsessed and watch obsessed (not with fancy watches, just with watches I’m general).

perfume gives me terrible headaches and I wish it would go completely out of fashion! I avoid the cosmetics counter in department stores because of this.

I have under 40 relatives and friends and perfume isn’t common with them at all. I see watches about 20% of the time but mine is a small sample size.

 

[Arcadian]

My nieces still wear perfume, they're in their 20's. Certain scents are probably generational. They love when I send them stuff though....lol

I got a "Hi, aren't we supposed to be getting boxes soon" message on facebook

I don't send them "old pple perfume" though.

The most interesting thing is that perfumes have (especially now) become much more aromachemical than natural, all thanks to IFRA. I don't really buy as much as I used to though I do have a bunch already...

I really hated wearing watches because I'm a leftie and wearing one was always a pain in a right handed world (I used to get told it was on the wrong wrist, etc). I have one but still rarely wear it. I don't miss it and frankly its non wear is the reason why I never upgraded to something nicer. (I have an Oris Artelier)

 

[Niel]

I’m one of those damned millennials and I wear both.

 

[MeowMeow]

Under 40. Generally don't wear perfume except for special occasions. Mostly because I forget about it. I don't have a vanity or a special place to get ready to my perfume sits out of my sight and if something is out of my sight I rarely remember to use it. As for watches. I get skin irritation easily so unless I could somehow get a platinum watch that is not happening lol.

 

[Sunstorm]

I am 44 and stopped wearing a watch around 2012, no longer own one. I was always very much into perfume, I studied them, made one, love to sniff them at home but mostly I either do not wear any anymore or prefer to wear understated ones unless it is a special occassion. I mostly wear niche as I seem to be less sensitive to them than the chemical synthetic ones. I love a lot of Chanel but I get a major headache from the aldehydes.

 

[MrsBlue]

Under 50. I don't wear perfume to work and most coworkers don't either. In my opinion, perfume should be subtle but some people seem to apply it by the quart. I do wear a small amount of perfume for social occasions or on weekends if I'm in the mood.

I enjoy wearing an analog watch but I'm the only woman in my friend/professional group who does. The men still wear watches.

 

[janlwf]

Scent-free workplaces in Ottawa means I rarely smell anyone wearing perfume these days.

A lot less watches too.

 

[KLE]

35 here. I wear perfume almost every day, but I prefer simple fragrances by Jo Malone.

As far as watches go, I was a smart 21 year old and asked for a Cartier watch for that milestone bday from my parents and that’s the only watch I wear, a few times a week. I used to wear an Apple Watch all the time and now only wear it to workout.

 

[nala]

Not from what I see!

 

[Laila619]

I am under 40. I don’t know anyone my age who wears a watch. As for perfume, I like it and generally wear it nearly every day. But the days of big, heavy ’80s power perfumes are gone, which might be why you can’t smell others’ fragrances. The popular scents these days are much lighter and don’t tend to have monster longevity or projection. Also, I think I remember reading somewhere that perfumes are not selling like they used to at Sephora, Ulta, and other department stores. Maybe because of the crazy prices? $130 a bottle, and that isn’t even for a high end one.

 

[redwood66]

Over 50 here and wear perfume or a scented body creme and a watch whenever I leave the house. My perfume is not too strong though. I love watches and have a small collection. Good perfumes are expensive as @Laila619 said so maybe that does have something to do with it. I don't notice perfume out and about but I don't get close enough to anyone to smell them.

 

[Begonia]

Forgetting to wear my watch is as unnerving as forgetting my bra!
I’m very time conscious and also love the look of a watch on the wrist. It’s feminine on women and sexy on men. Mind you hands and wrists do it for me. Or did bf menopause...

Scent? Not at work bc of others sensitivity, but a wee wee drop at home. Like missy, you gotta be close.

 

[facetgirl]

Over 50. Occasionally wear perfume and a watch during the week. I bought a carrier tank last year after not wearing a watch for years. Best decision I've made jewelry wise. Both make me feel like I'm Audrey Hepburn lol . It's a good feeling

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I also work in a scent free environment; but I like to wear fragrances on my days off. I'll use it even when I am at home/not going out.

As for watches, I often forget to put it on and use it mostly as jewellery. Kinda sad, as it is a really nice piece (albeit heavy).

cheer--Sharon