Dior Vintage Miss Dior (EDT & EDC)

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Vintage Miss Dior by Christian Dior is a fragrance loved by men and women alike. I finally understood why when I went back in time to try a 1950s/60s eau de toilette version. It was extremely different than the Miss Dior eau de toilettes that I’d tried in passing during the 1980s and 1990s. What an absolute stunner! It was a highly sophisticated, unisex, floral, smoky cuir de russie leather on me as much as a floral chypre

Oddly, however, when doing a comparative review with the same era cologne concentration, I had a dramatically different experience.

Vintage Miss Dior EDC, left, and Vintage Miss Dior EDT, right. Both from the same era.

I cannot explain why the 1950s/60s Miss Dior cologne was so different in scent and performance to the same-era eau de toilette. Counterfeit fragrances were uncommon in the 1950s/1960s, the era of the houndstooth black-and-white bottles that I own. Further, the vintage cologne had the definite DNA of the vintage Miss Dior eau de toilette: the aldehydes, citrus, vetiver, and oakmoss. But what stunned me so much about the latter was its gorgeous floral leather aspect, its lush gardenia over cuir de russie style leather, its castoreum style muskiness replete with ambered goodness.

Little to none of that was in the vintage cologne. I don’t think my bottle was off because nothing smelled rancid; it was simply that much of the middle and bottom tier notes were missing. Not the oakmoss, however, which remained in the cologne. It’s not a material that someone could easily counterfeit in the 2020 era, so my guess is that the cologne concentration simply does not fare well with my particular skin chemistry. In fact, my skin tends to eat through cologne concentrations from any age, including modern ones. It’s the only possible explanation I can come up with.

Let’s start with Miss Dior’s notes:

Aldehydes, Galbanum, Clary Sage, Gardenia, Bergamot, Narcissus, Iris, Carnation, Orris, Muguet, Jasmine, Rose, Neroli, Oakmoss, Leather, Vetiver, Patchouli, Labdanum, Sandalwood & Amber.

Men, don’t be misled by how many florals are on this list.

So, what does the glorious, gorgeous, fully unisex vintage Miss Dior EDT smell like? My detailed review:

Now, the hugely disappointing vintage Miss Dior cologne:

A few final points that I either mentioned in passing or elsewhere on Twitter. First, I purchased by 80% full 4 oz, 120 ml vintage Miss Dior eau de toilette for an incredible bargain price of $18.99, excluding shipping. The smaller 2 oz EDC was more expensive but not by much. If I recall correctly, it was somewhere around $22. However, many vintage Miss Dior EDT bottles go for more than I paid, especially when they’re a full 4 oz. Yet, even then, they are a bargain by modern pricing standards. One Twitter follower said he paid roughly $65 for his full 4oz vintage EDT.

Second, a few people had difficulty using my Twitter link within the thread to a site that helps you identify vintage Miss Dior bottles, so let me post to it here to avoid any trouble: Christian Dior Perfume Bottles. Per that site, the houndstooth-marked Miss Dior bottles were first released in the 1950s. Keep in mind that Miss Dior was launched in 1947, so the houndstooth bottles are what I would tell you to look for because they are most likely to have the original formulation. I’ve heard, however, that the bottles with the white caps from the 1970s aren’t bad, either.

Third, I want to emphasize again that the vintage Miss Dior eau de toilette is fully unisex. In fact, in terms of my personal acquaintances, I know more men who wear it than women. I believe that’s because it has a strong leather or floral cuir de russie aspect in addition to being a chypre with lots of pre-IFRA/EU oakmoss.

Lastly, I would recommend looking for an eau de toilette over the eau de cologne. It’s not related to my trouble, per se, but simply more of a general rule that eau de toilettes will always be richer, fuller, and last longer, not to mention perform better in sillage and potentially have a higher concentration of raw materials than a cologne concentration. The latter always has the thinnest, lightest, and shortest-lived formula. (Obviously, a vintage pure parfum would be the best of all, but those are expensive on eBay and I’m trying to recommend something that could work with more people’s budgets.)

Have a great day and, if my reviews interested you, happy hunting!

22 thoughts on “Dior Vintage Miss Dior (EDT & EDC)”

  1. I know you put heart, soul, and blood into all of your reviews. I appreciate your Herculean burdens, but, God, I’m glad you’re back. I’ve never really comprehended the Twitter thing, but I’ll follow you anywhere. Your words are like a spring in the desert.

    • Given the day I’m having, these words were like a balm to my wounded spirit. (Things unrelated to perfumery.) Thank you!

  2. Have you tried the Guy Roberts version of Dioressence? Luca Turin’s story of its genesis sounded interesting, a cheap miss Dior knockoff combined with a block of ambergris

    • I haven’t, no, but I’ll keep it in mind. The “block of ambergris” comment made me sit up, lol.

        • Many thanks for the link! It will be perfect late night reading for me once my demanding Teutonic Overlord, an immensely rambunctious, energetic German Shepherd teenager, takes a nap or goes to sleep. (Pray for me that that is sooner rather than later, lol.)

          • I found some old old Dioressence bath oil once and it is transcendent.

            The teenage years will be over soon…..you can do it. I watched an old video of my current GSD as a young dog the other day, and I remember filming it because I was totally convinced at that moment that I would never make it and I wanted something to show people when I lost it and donated him to the circus. Just remember, at least you have a dog that wants to work with you. Imagine a teenage husky or some breed like that….

          • “donated him to the circus” made me laugh so much, you have no idea. I really relate, too.

            I’ve had GSDs for 25 years now but Apollo was the only one to make me contemplate giving him back to the breeder. The thoughts were brief but repeated during the first 5 months. Thankfully, I found a trainer so top-notch that she teaches vets and other trainers. She really turned him around. It was almost like magic. But she too agreed that, even by the standards of Schutzhund-bred GSDs and of GSDs being hard-headed, Apollo was pretty extreme lol. I still haven’t managed to nail down his off-leash recall, but that is a whole other story.

            How old is your current boy and what’s his name? What type of German Shepherd is he? I’d love to hear more.

          • He is 6 now, and is practically perfect after that very inauspicious start. I too have had GSDs for around 30 years, all working lines. I have had other breeds, but nothing compares. I worry that I will soon be too old to manage a large dog and he will be my last.

            I am glad to hear that you found a good trainer. What kind of training does she specialize in?

    • Joe, I just ordered a sample of it from STC! Other versions as well for comparison purposes. May take me some time to test and write about all 3, but I will do it. TY again for the tip..

      • No problem, Happy to inspire you to try a sample. I just thought from the description it sounded right up your alley, look forward to the write up. Whether it be positive or negative

  3. Welcome back, dear K! A joy indeed to see you updating here this week. Wishing you and the family a wonderful new year, and here’s hoping that 2022 is a stonking great improvement over the last couple!

    I am so glad the lovely Miss has finally enticed you with her charms. I love, love, love this one (in deep vintage) and it’s probably one of the most represented scents in my collection. She truly is a beauty. I am one of those fortunate ones that also gets the refined leather in this. With the animalic aspects of the narcissus, and the plump gardenia, this one has my name all over it.

    Your experience with the EDT/EDC is not uncommon, though the differences are much lessened with an EDC that has been sealed away from light and heat. She can vary considerably based on date and preservation: there are some juicy top notes if you’re lucky enough to find a bottle that has been stored carefully. These can actually sparkle more in a well-preserved EDC, though the longevity issue is ever-present with the older bottles.

    I agree that despite her moniker, Miss D is totally unisex. It’s equally refined on any gender: there’s an elegance that makes it timeless. Like all the early Diors, there is a superb structure, an incredible balance and a wonderful tension within it that sings a clear tune without any one note standing out. No need for anyone to fear the florals, here!

    Huge hugs my dear, and belly cuddles for his handsomeness, Apollonius terrificus! Stay well xx

  4. Welcome back, dear K! A joy indeed to see you updating here this week. Wishing you and the family a wonderful new year, and here’s hoping that 2022 is a stonking great improvement over the last couple!

    I am so glad the lovely Miss has finally enticed you with her charms. I love, love, love this one (in deep vintage) and it’s probably one of the most represented scents in my collection. She truly is a beauty. I am one of those fortunate ones that also gets the refined leather in this. With the animalic aspects of the narcissus, and the plump gardenia, this one has my name all over it.

    Your experience with the EDT/EDC is not uncommon, though the differences are much lessened with an EDC that has been sealed away from light and heat. She can vary considerably based on date and preservation: there are some juicy top notes if you’re lucky enough to find a bottle that has been stored carefully. These can actually sparkle more in a well-preserved EDC, though the longevity issue is ever-present with the older bottles.

    I agree that despite her moniker, Miss D is totally unisex. It’s equally refined on any gender: there’s an elegance that makes it timeless. Like all the early Diors, there is a superb structure, an incredible balance and a wonderful tension within it that sings a clear tune without any one note standing out. No need for anyone to fear the florals, here!

    Huge hugs my dear, and belly cuddles for his handsomeness, Apollonius terrificus! Stay well xx

    (Hoping this isn’t a double post; the page disappeared when I hit ‘submit’…)

  5. So good to see you back!
    I´ve found a vintage bottle of Chamade but it´s written in English: Recharge, Spray, Eau de Toilette, Chamade. Can I trust it? I have no experience buying vintage…

    • Can you send me a photo or photos of the bottle from whatever site you found it on? My email address is in the About Me page. I’m loathe to add it here lest I get even more spam mail than I already do. But it’s basically AKafkaesqueLife at that G***l site. I’m about to go to bed now but I will look at it tomorrow. 🙂

  6. Love seeing your blog posts again! May Apollo slumber peacefully and smile upon you benevolently when he wakens, lol. I have the same Miss Dior EDT you have, in the houndstooth bottle. Lovely stuff. I haven’t read your Twitter thread — I wonder if you’ve read the recent book about the real Miss Dior, Christian’s younger sister Catherine? Unlike the execrable Coco C, she was a genuine heroine of the French Resistance who survived capture and torture by the Nazis, and the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Apparently her brother adored her.

  7. I just found a bottle of Miss Dior EDC. I don’t know whose perfume it was or when it’s from. Maybe it was my grandmother’s who didn’t really wear perfumes… The cap is gold and the package is with the B/W houndstooth pattern. It smells really good, it’s fresh, green and “vintage”. Reminds me a bit of Aromatics Elixir, but I like this one better. I keep smelling my arm, but unfortunately it has not so good staying power..

  8. Thanks to you, Dear Kafkaesque, I found the valuable info I was seeking this evening on vintage Miss Dior EdT. There was a full 2 oz flask of it in excellent condition
    up for auction tonight,
    dressed in classic black-white houndstooth & with original box & satin ribbon. I just won it for a lot less than I’d been willing to pay for it. I wouldn’t have known to go for it without your generous sharing of your fragrance experiences & experiments, as presented in your magnificent prose. Thank you so very much!

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