A woman can never go wrong by wearing a classic luxury perfume. They exude a timeless elegance and chic which is rare in the more modern fragrances. As Chanel said: "Perfume is a part of you, no elegance is possible without it". There are many classic luxury fragrances. Some of the best-loved and the most famous include: Chanel No.5, Joy, Arpege, Shalimar, Miss Dior and L’Air du Temps.

Chanel No.5:

Ernest Beaux, the perfumer who created this scent, was introduced to Chanel by her lover, a Russian Grand Duke. Originally perfumer to the Tsars, Beaux’s trip to the Arctic Circle inspired him to create a fragrance which was similar to the smell of the water at midnight.

Two legends surround the creation of the luxury scent which Marilyn Monroe famously wore to bed. According to the first Beaux created six perfumes. Chanel tried these and loved the fifth so much that she named it No.5. According to the other story, Chanel said that the number five had always been lucky for her. She said that: "I launch my collection on May 5th, fifth month of the year, leave it to the number which it carries and this number 5 will carry chance."

Joy: Joy was once called 'the most expensive perfume in the world’ by Elsa

Lisa-Anne Sanderson | Image Istockphoto