Guess 1981 Indigo for Women

Short version: I love this, but had to give it time. Long version: I hated this perfume when I first tried it. I blind bought the 100 mL with very high hopes given the great reviews. When I first sprayed it on me, the sea notes came across as overpoweringly briny and metallic. Smelling it on myself made me feel like my mouth was full of blood- that's how intense the scent was. After about 30 minutes it settled into a really pleasant grape-forward wine scent. The opening put me off so much that I almost didn't revisit this perfume. Even smelling the nozzle of the bottle made my mouth feel like it was bloody. I stuck it out and tried it a second time: same opening. Again, after 30 minutes it opened up into a beautiful wine fig scent. It was only on my third wear (thankfully I gave it a chance!) that I fell in love with this. The opening had turned into a beautiful aquatic scent, the brininess reminiscent of a chlorinated pool (not in exact scent but more in the pleasantness) instead of blood. The fig blends much more seamlessly with the aquatic notes and turns this into a clean scent without being too sweet, which is hard to find. While the longevity is only about 2-3 hours, I was able to smell this on my clothes after my 8 hour shift. My coworker commented that I smelled "fresh and aquatic," which is about everything I hoped for from this perfume. For the price point, you can really douse yourself in this without it being too intense or feeling too wasteful. I highly recommend this, and recommend that you give this a chance to open up before writing it off.

Oh how I adore this perfume. It will always be a favorite and will always be in my collection. It’s certainly not for everyone and does not last long at all. But it’s beautiful while it lasts. I imagine a very put together woman in a silky white suit drinking a glass of red wine in a cafe by the ocean. As the sun sets, dark storm clouds roll in and rain begins to fall. The sea turns weary as the storm roars. The sky is dark and filled with racing storm clouds releasing lightning into the sea below. Read ‘The Other Wife’ by Colette, the imagery pairs well with this perfume. It’s a true stunner, and as other reviewers have stated- it’s a bit ghostly. You’ll pick up on the scent every once in a while after applying it. Which I think only adds to the magic of this. This perfume is a story, and if that’s what you’re looking for definitely get it. It’s well priced for something that evokes so much. To me, scent wise only. It’s simply red wine by the sea. Have looked for some time for anything similar that lasts longer but to no avail. The closest would be “On a Date” by Replica. But that one lacks the dark stormy quality.

This one is surprisingly dope. The rest of the 1981s are kinda meh to me. You never know with Guess; the fragrances can either be bargain basement blahs or total bangers. I find this to be the latter. I was impressed by how unique this was — the fig and lilac openers create a sexy, velvety, mysterious cool yet earthy vibe that kind of reminds me of Tom Ford Violet Blonde. Imagine if you crossed David Lynch’s Blue Velvet with Silk Stalkings. It has an aquatic, marine vibe (Silk Stalkings, Palm Beach circa 1990) but is met with an earthier, woodier, muskier accord (Blue Velvet’s North Carolina, circa 1986) and the two sides of this perfume dance, nay, fuck with each other so nicely. Very unexpected and cool. Projection and longevity are nothing to write home about but I got this bottle for $12.99 at Marshalls so wasn’t expecting across-the-room silage. As a skin scent it’s totally baller, so I would spray this on my neck on a third date, if you get my vibe.

I blind bought this because ... well, because. It's not pricey and the notes seemed nice. At first - no fruit, no wine, it's like a lightly spiced wood rubbed all over with iris (but not a suffocating iris) then misted with ocean water. A bit later - hello lilac, but so subtle, a bit more sweetness but no clear fruitiness. That said, the sweetness is not gourmand from a confection or candy, it's a natural sweet that could only come from fruit. Later still - I get the feeling of fruit without actual fruit. It's like fruit in the air. Spiced wood + flower + ocean mist still, with more flower, and less mist. And that's how it stays, for a few hours. Really nice. Wearable, peaceful, fresh but not like air freshener, clean but not soapy, soft but not babyish. Not a lusty or seductive fragrance. Someone might love your scent and get romantic with you, of course, but this scent is centered on you, your peace, your space, your dreams.

Just bought it. I tried it, I was always curious about Indigo especially as it has notes iris, fig and cedar that don't suit me in other perfumes. But it's aquatic in its nature and lilac has always been a favourite so, I risked it. I'm pleased I did. Again with my nose I can't pick out notes as such but I know what smells awful on me. So I'm trying it on a 23 degree day (73 in Fahrenheit), during the day I get the wine note fleetingly, the sweetness of the lilac, no powder and no fusty smell,it smells lightly aquatic but didn't last. However I sprayed again after showering wore it in bed, and then the scent preformed much better, slightly musky, maybe it was the right body temperature, I don't know. Thing is i think it's more of a daytime scent, but it worked better at night. But I like it. Slightly unusual and quite pretty. Edit. I liked it so much I bought a back up bottle it makes me happy.

Bonfire at the beach with your glass of fruity wine. Someone comes out with a charcuterie tray. Wearing this a lot lately and I love it. There is something sweet and salty and fruity in an interesting way about this -but it is like a changeling: within 30 minutes the sea notes come in with the smoky vetiver I guess and it creates a very earthy, salty beach vibe even while that fruity (wine? Fig?) note plays alongside. This is a really great ride and lasts all day. Subtle, not a loud announcer. Seems sophisticated but still fun and a bit quirky. I love fragrances that are not linear and this doesn’t disappoint. The cap of the bottle is the worst but whatever. Don’t pass this up if you see it. I thought it would be soapy and generic or cliche but I’m so glad I snagged it. Very unique and beautiful in my opinion. Note: this is really beautiful in the heat. The sea breeze notes bloom...wow

Ugh this smells so good and im pist that it doesnt last long lol 🙃 this scent is so unique i havnt smelled anything like it before. Its spicy but fresh as well. Its warm but also bright. Im telling you, unique. It lasts about an hour on my skin but much longer on clothes. I dont care though, it smells so frickin good im going to keep buying it just cause of that and obviously the price. I feel like this is a great transitional scent from summer to fall or winter to spring because of that spicy but fresh element. Maybe too light for a full on winter or fall scent but i mean wear whatever u want whenever u want! Just my opinion. Unisex but leans much more feminine to me. I pick up on all notes simultaneously especially the wine fig sea notes and cedar. Like drinking a fruity spiced wine on a slightly colder day near the ocean. So good, love it 💜

Whoa ... don't underestimate Guess Indigo! This is a dark mysterious fragrance, definitely woodsy, sweet and intoxicating. It has an innocently seductive feel - sexy - just like the cover of "Flashdance" in terms of an American classic image of a sweatshirt or white t-shirt slightly slipping off the shoulder and clean (warm-just out of the dryer) jeans that fit you so well. I am very used to buying expensive perfumes that don't even come close to delivering the way "Indigo" does. My boyfriend loves it and gets this look in his eyes when I'm wearing it ... I think it's the Pinot Noir wine (lol) his favorite and my secret! ;) Another fragrance that you can buy inexpensively on Ebay.

Love love love this scent. I picked it up for 5 dollars from a thrift store, and at first I couldn’t smell anything from it! It smelled very faint and like baby powder. But after another sprite I got a good sniff and it was love at first smell! It’s got a very yummy fig wine fragrance. It’s kind of androgynous and to me, but that’s what I like in a perfume! It’s very sweet, but in a way that works. You could definitely wear it for a casual occasion or for something a bit more formal. I feel like it lasts a good amount of time. I love to put it on fresh out of the shower.

If you can't pick out any individual notes in a fragrance, does that mean it's well balanced? If so, 1981 could make the Olympic gymnastics team. Even after I read the notes, the only one my nose could *maybe* discern is cedar, and only because I know it's there. 1981 is a beautiful scent- perfect for hot weather, linear on my skin, inoffensive, likeable and an incredible value. I agree with other reviewers who say it has a youthful aspect, and I might go so far as to call it unsophisticated, but do I think it's appropriate for all ages, especially in the summer.

Had this sitting around as a sample for a long time and eventually tried it. Fell in love with it when I finally used it but then was not able to find it anywhere. Just found it at Marshall's so I had to purchase it. On me it smells very clean and young. Really embodies the idea of Guess jeans with the crisp jeans and a t-shirt feeling to it. I love it and am happy to have it in my collection! Would recommend, especially because I don't feel like it is a super common scent. There is something intriguing and original to it while being very simple.

This is a beautiful scent. when I initially saw this perfume I was scared to blind buy it. I watched and read a lot of reviews and it didn't help my decision lol. As a lot of people hated this scent. I will say it's a bit unisex but done wonderfully. it does have a cologne vibe but is warm and cozy at the same time. if I was to be a point of reference for anyone who is going to blind buy this gem, I would say it smells like a distant cousin of bath and body works "Suger and Figs", you won't be disappointed.

This was a blind buy for me. I was extremely intrigued by the notes. I absolutely adore the scent. This is a perfect, evening by the sea, Mediterranean perfume. Weirdly, I detect a solar note. It has a certain warmth to it, almost as if you’d take a swim in the sea and then let your skin sun dry. Absolute perfection, smells like a clean, niche fragrance, which is surprising for the price. It lasts long enough for a light scent, about 4 hours on my skin.

Would never have expected to like this one! It is not your average fig-scent, nor is it too aquatic or salty. If you like the new version of Feminité du bois by Lutens and you want to smell it in light dilution, give this one a try. It adds a touch of sea water to the rather woody base and plays around with different sapects of "dirty" versus "watery". Quite a fascinating scent, surprisingly cheap, too.

I really like this one. I tend to stay away from aquatics, but the wine note saves it for me! It smells like a white wine instead of red, very light. Light floral, I can't quite figure out which one it all blends together nicely. It really is like a summer day with a sea breeze. Lovely! I wear this out of the shower, but sadly the scent doesn't last long at all. I wish it did but maybe 2 hrs tops.

Indigo was a real surprise for me, a good surprise! It's got this beautiful clean berry scent that is so crisp & unusual to me. Sweet but not sickening just clean & yummy I can not compare it to anything I've encountered which makes me like it so much more! Update: not keen on the dry down, reminded me of a cleaning product or toilet spray. I'm disappointed because it was so promising.

At first, I was not impressed with this perfume. I debated on returning it but decided to wait a couple of days. I am so glad I did! The more I wear it, the more addictive it becomes! This is not overpowering, lasts for hours on my skin and is very unique! It makes me feel happy when catching whiffs of it! It is perfect for warmer weather. I would highly recommend this one! :)

this perfume reminds me of when you eat something sweet but then need something salty right after. when i first sprayed it, i really smelled sweet wine and then it dried and i smelled like a ocean. then sometimes i smelled like flowers but it went right back to salty again. i really love this fragrance!! someone else said it’s kinda sad and nostalgic which i agree with

Oh gosh. This was a blind purchase for me ... absolutely ADORE this scent . To me the fig comes out right away, not a sickly as most figs tend to be. Its an extremely light and refreshing scent. Pretty . It has aquatic undertones that pair perfectly with that fig note. It doesn’t last long though. Sweet & Fresh . Simple & Clean.

This is sooo beautiful. My nose isn't skilled enough to pick up notes but if the colour deep translucent blue had a scent it would be this. It's not fresh or beachy or breezy. It's dreamy, it's refined, transportative, enveloping and there's a depth to it that pulls me in like a siren's song.

Such a beautiful, sensual and unique fragrance! To me it smells like luxurious vacation in Spain. You sit on the balcony of your hotel room. The breeze is softly caressing your skin and the fruity notes of your wine spread in your mouth.

I really like this one, it's the perfect freshie for me, the lasting power sucks, but for the price it may be worth having for when you run errands I guess. Also the winey grape scent it's very unique for a freshie.

I love this perfume, I use it every summer when I’m in Amalfi coast so it reminds me of that. If wear it when I’m not in a seaside location, it makes me a bit nauseous, I can only wear it when the sea is in sight.

I am super impressed with this perfume. It is very refreshing and very feminine. It doesn't smell too exotic, but it also doesn't smell like my other myriad perfumes. It was an excellent blind buy.

Can anyone tell me if there are any markings or differences on the bottle for women or men...not the box... someone gave me a bottle and i love it...i just can't tell which one it is on the bottle

This smells sooooo good and fresh I first thought that it was gonna smell and because of the fig note but now I’m in love with fig notes in fragrances it smells kinda nostalgic to

The grape note is absolutely gorgeous and with the fig and woodsy notes it almost smells like the cork of a fine wine. Feels perfect to put on and wistfully stare into the ocean.

Like putting your nose in a glass with freshly poured red wine and munching on ripe figs next to the breezy seaside. Closest you can get to paradise!

Perfect for summer and hot days, it’s so fresh and little bit sweet, mid longevity and sillage

This is quite different from the scents I usually buy; it’s different in a good way. I wouldn’t think that smelling of wine could be pleasant; it’s important to note that the wine does not mean it smells of alcohol/booze. It’s more the dark-colored grape scent. There’s also an unusual overall synthetic sweetness that makes this feel weightier than an EDT; this style of sweetness reminds me of the popular body sprays of the early 2000s. It’s bordering on heavy, IMO, and could easily cloy if over-sprayed. It is not linear, but the sweetness is throughout. This is strangely watery, salty, floral, and intensely synthetically sweet. After spending a little time with it, the sweetness makes it smell a bit cheap. I still think this is passable if sprayed sparingly, though. One year later: This has become one of my most worn scents. My thoughts on this remain unchanged; smells super synthetic and I suppose that’s what made me think “cheap”. However the compliments this one garners is baffling. People love it, women especially, and often stop to ask me what it is and where they can get it.

To me, this is a salty perfume. Somehow sparkly-metallic. I don't get the flowers, I only picture the rough sea on an overcast day. I blind-bought it last year and I didn't regret it. I would never say that this was from Guess, it feels more niche because it's so particular on my skin. It feels like tasting my own tears while sipping red wine. I personally feel like it's very nostalgic in a sad way, in fact I usually wear it when I feel gloomy or when it rains, or when I want to feel a bit more androgynous. I think that it's a very strange perfume, al least on me. I might be nonconformist considering the other reviews, but I avoid wearing it in hot weather because I think that it kinda smells like I'm sweaty if the temperature is too high, haha! It's the salinity in it. I also think that the bottle is lovely. Biggest downside: doesn't last long at all.

When i first got this, i genuinely couldn’t smell much my nose just didn’t pick it up at all. But over time, it slowly started to unfold for me. The opening is soft and not overly sweet, which i like and then it settles into a subtle soft woody dry down that feels sun-warmed air and a hint of green. Really comforting. Tbh the more i wore it, the more i found myself reaching for it it’s just one of those easy, effortless scents. There’s something really beautiful about the composition it feels like it has so much potential, even if it stays pretty close to the skin. I just wish it had more projection and longevit it’s quite faint and intimate. But honestly, it’s so lovely in its own quiet way that i know i’ll end up repurchasing lol.

Was lucky enough to stumble upon this hidden gem at Burlington for $20. First whiff really surprised me, I get a lot of floral with the red wine rounding it out. (am i crazy or is there a super light chocolate note in this??) It quickly dries down to a lovely skin scent which reminds me of Indigo Dreams by Bath & Body Works (which I've been in love with and searching for similars since i first smelled it). Except BBW's doesn't have as much floral or sweetness to it which is expected when comparing body sprays to perfumes. I do still prefer Indigo Dreams to Guess 1981 Indigo though. All in all, it's a great unique perfume that I feel works for many different occasions and seasons. I woke up smelling like it the next day 🤗

Just got it half an hour ago. 19 degrees Celsius, three sprays later and I'm very pleased so far. It's fresh without being astringent and sharp. It's fresh, but cozy. I don't smell the wine note nor the sea notes and I'm hoping they will appear eventually, because I usually get bored of fruity florals quickly. Edit: this fragrance is (kind of) similar to LI's Bloody Wood. It's even better in my opinion. A little lighter at first, but has better longevity and affordability. I get the fruity wine note now. It's wonderful for spring and I appreciate it so much more after trying its posh snobby cousin.

I got this perfume as a birthday gift. I imagine it to smell aquatic and airy because of the packaging, just like D&G Light Blue. But I was totally wrong! At first, the wine scent is very prominent, but at the end of the day, I really liked the way it blends on my skin. Even after I sweat a ton, I can still smell it and it didn't turn sour. It such a unique perfume for me, I never smell anything like this one before. I love to wear this with white tee, jeans, sneakers, and a cap, walking under the sun while exploring the city. The longevity is no joke on my skin. It lasts ALL DAY.

Indigo is a fresh wine scent mixed with sun-dried linen. I never thought I would like a wine scent! At first spray, it smells like lawn clippings. It becomes more beautiful when it dries down and sits for about 30 minutes. The fig is gentle and airy. There is a note of authentic wine that originally was subtle to me, but now I notice it is pretty dominant. The fig and wine combine with fresh, juicy plant-like notes. This is all balanced with the cedar base note. Longevity & sillage are low-medium; I like to layer it w its body spray, or with a complimentary fresh or sweet scent.

Bought this for myself but felt it wasn't quite for me. My boyfriend smelled it and thought I had on a mens cologne. He LOVES it! Long story short, I gave this to him to wear and we both feel this is quite UNISEX. It smells much better on him than it did on me. His skin picks up this salty/sweet fig and aquatic vibe that smells AROMATIC and WOODY with his skin. Its AMAZING on him! He also owns the mens version, but prefers this one a lot more. Men, don't be afraid to try this! It's marketed for women but could easily be pulled off by a man. Fragrance has no gender. <3

So I have the best way to describe this scent. I could go ahead and break down all the notes but others have done a great job already. It smells exactly like opening a brand new catalog and catching a whiff of all the perfume ads and that fresh dry paper. Kind of generic. Kind of like everyone’s elementary school teacher. Pleasant but not long lasting. Edit: This is not my favorite perfume by far, but my 9 yo son keeps telling me how good I smell. So....getting compliments even from the kiddo means something right...?

Very weird and unique. A close, skin scent. NOT a fig scent. This is all about the grapes and the wine with a little musk, lotus and aquatic, meaning watery and not salty or ambergris. Pepper in this for sure. Wine, pepper, water. Wedding at Cana.I really like this one. Dares to be different. Bottle it and put a Vagabond Prince label on it and charge $200 Everyone would think it is niche and something special. Loads of sneezing pepper. And musk, too. This is really growing on me.

This is an interesting one. In terms of marine scents, I do not consider this to be one. If I could describe this, I would picture a gorgeous Tuscan house, full of love and charm. This is warm and cozy. I think I get the wine and floral notes the most, the combination of the iris and blue lotus is stunning, it rests on a bath of red wine and grapes. The fig note also creates a great contrast over the wine notes. This is lovely, and creates a nice confidence boost.

I've just blind bought a 100 ml bottle. The first spray felt so unexpected to me, somewhere between a metallic sea and a glass of alcoholic beverage. The journey of the perfume is so beautifully designed. You can really smell the pathway that starts with lilac and goes into narcissus and fresh wine made from juicy volumptuous grapes. I will be back with an update after I wear it in real life.

Such a unique scent and so affordable too. Smells like summer evenings. For me the floral and fruity notes are quite prominent along with the wine note. The sea note becomes more prominent in the dry down and give the scent a saltiness that reminds me of the ocean in the summer. Its a perfect summer scent in my opinion. Could definitely wear this both day and night too.

I love the notes in this fragrance. This one is boozy, light, figgy and sweet. This is a HOT weather fragrance only in my opinion, performance is soft and fleeting. Nose to skin type of fragrance. It is really unusual however and if it lasted even 2 hours on my skin or clothes I'd be more enthusiastic about it. Meh.

autumn test. i quite like this... its very cool and purple floral with watery fresh feel. quite expensive when i saw it so i wont be getting it, only 3-4 hours longevity... but thats longer than narciso's new noir musk, ardens white tea ginger lily outlasted them all. quite pleasent and soft, fresh and clean

This is the perfect HOT weather scent. I tested it out last summer and it performed so well. It has a cooling effect, while being salty and pretty. A very unique perfume. I smell the lilac and wine notes the most. I like this for daytime wear, it has a subtle presence and works with my skin chemistry.

I was pleasantly surprised by this fragrance. What a great value it is. I own about 75 Fragrances designer and niche and I must say this one is right up there with some of my higher priced perfumes. It's fresh, clean, aquatic but not boring. Takes me on a journey. I found it lasted the day as well.

There’s something really nostalgic about this. It’s very light, fresh, and aquatic, and the slight hints of wine and grape make it a little more interesting. It isn’t complex or deep - it’s just a very pretty clean scent suitable for everyday wear. It reminds me of my childhood for some reason.

Cool and interesting. Lasts decent for what you pay. It smells fresh and definitely like the wine note, but also has that vetiver thing going on that makes it not too perfumey/freshy. I only don't say it's a love because the wine / vetiver notes can be distracting for me after a while.

It is surprisingly charming. The aquatic note creates a picture that is is deep blue and combined with the wine it takes me to a restaurant's balcony on a summers night, looking at the sea from above, just a little after the sun has set. I can almost feel the salty breeze...

I like this quite a bit. I wish it were more powerful. Fresh and nice for work. Goes with well-worn jeans and a white tee shirt. Mixes well with Not a Perfume scent. Long weekend, and no plans other than to relax. That's what this scent is to me.