Beauty Clinic: A fragrance for the groom's mother

Q. Can you suggest a delicious perfume to wear as mother of the groom to my son's wedding this summer please?  I'm looking for pretty, memorable and appropriate - beautiful enough to be noticed without being overpowering!  I've been enjoying Mitsouko over the winter and generally like 'powdery' and florals - particularly rose - as long as they don't stray into old lady territory…

 A. We absolutely understand your wanting to wear something that is not available everywhere. We love perfume ourselves – in fact Jo is such a devotee that she co-founded The Perfume Society www.perfumesociety.org.

One option would be to set aside time to visit a perfumer like Miller Harris (www.millerharris.com) to sniff - and stop - and sniff again.  They have some truly lovely fragrances. Alternatively, Jo Malone London can introduce you to their 'Fragrance Layering' concept at any counter (and there are many, in stand-alone boutiques and department stores around the country).

Another option is L'Artisan Parfumeur (www.artisanparfumeur.com).  Their Drôle de Rose eau de toilette is described as 'an accord of vintage rose, inspired by the powdery aroma of glamorous women preparing for a night out…'.

If you can't get to either of these outlets, Devon-based perfumer Cath Collins offers four floral EDT samples for £7/www.cathcollins.com. You might like to know that The Perfume Society also offer 'Discovery Boxes' which showcase around a dozen scents in each  box for you to try before you buy, at home: Jo says that feedback tells her the Beautiful Blossoms box is wonderfully 'wedding-appropriate', with its bouquet of very wearable florals, many from less well-known perfume houses. It's priced £17.50 (or £15 if you're signed up to The Perfume Society as a VIP Subscriber), here.

And do have a wonderful celebration, won't you?