Stella Stella McCartney 2003 Eau de Parfum

At the ripe old age of 21 I decided that, as an adult, I could justify spending a little money on a bottle of “real” fragrance and leave behind all those gifted body splashes. Stella is the fragrance I came home with. It’s a sophisticated and grounded floral that’s given some extremely well blended sharpness by the mandarin, and some heft from the amber. Peony adds a twirling descant around the rose heart that adds dimension. While lately I’ve started to explore the niche houses that carry a heftier price tag, I’m not sure I can truly dethrone Stella, even as I find new favorites. It’s aged remarkably well and I’m sort of shocked that it still feels appropriate on me 17 years later. I may not wear it every day anymore, but Stella is my still-relevant first love.