Cat wants our help finding her fall 2015 perfume – she's says she's been moving towards a "daily wear seasonal model" and has come up short for this time of year. The weather where she lives is still too hot for traditional fall fragrances, but she want something beyond greens or florals, which are too spring-like. She'd like to keep the cost below $250.
Here is what we know about Cat:
She's in her 30s and she lives in the desert.
She works in a semi-conservative office.
She loves yoga, hiking (when it's cooler), reading and luxury handbags.
She's been been collecting fragrances for years, everything from Issey Miyake to Serge Lutens to Sweet Anthem to Aftelier to Byredo.
Cat's other current seasonal fragrances are Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin and Jeux de Peau for winter, Byredo La Tulipe for spring, and Roads' Neon for summer.
Cat doesn't usually care for jasmine or cumin.
So far, Cat's front runner for this fall is Aftelier Parfum de Maroc. The drawback is that she only has a small sample, and it's no longer available without a custom order. She also liked Wiggle Perfume Pink Peppercorn Musk and/or Anna May, but she's worried that the balance of spicier/smokier notes to florals in both of those fragrances might better fit some other season.
What say you?
Note: top image is Bologna - no bill posting [cropped] by on1stsite. at flickr; some rights reserved.
Leather or suede notes are so nice for fall. Since she lives in the desert, softer possibiities that are very wearable are Hermes Kelly Caleche EDP and Daim Blond.
Yes–Cuir d’Ange or the first Bottega Veneta, also?
Yes, exactly – as much leather or suede as she likes. BV, yum.
Pallisandre d’Or and Oeillet Bengale, both by Aedes, might work. PoD is woody/spicy and OB is more floral/spicy. They’re both lovely and perfect for fall. I also like Atelier Blanche Immortelle, which I’m wearing today. It’s got a cozy maple syrup note that’s nice for cooler weather. Good luck!
Seconding Oeillet Bengale
Me three on the Oeillet Bengale. May I also recommend Misia by Chanel? I also live in an area (Texas) where it is still very warm. A lot of NST readers have mentioned that they thought that the violet in Misia is perfect for Fall. I think its perfect because its not overpowering.
Etro Shaal Nur would be nice
I used to live in the desert and I loved scents which reflected the scents of the desert, so I was into anything dry but light, such as:
Tauer’s l’air du desert marocain
Diptyque L’Trois
Hermes Eau des Merveilles (any of these flankers, including L’Ambre des Merveilles)
First thing that came to my mind was Diptyque Volutes, or if that’s too light, maybe Ineke Field Notes from Paris.
Comptoir Sud Pacifique L’Eau du Gouverneur is a great hot-weather spice.
Or, Marni! And bet the newer Marni Spice would work, but haven’t tried it.
Perhaps Cinabre, from Maria Candida Gentile.
As there are two Lutens scents on her list, my recommendation is Feminite du Bois – I personally wear it in summer, too. Neela Vermeire Trayee and Olfactive Studio Lumiere Blanche are two other scents that have that autumn comfort factor, but can be successfully worn when it’s very warm.
I second the Tauer L’air du Desert Morocain! She could try Maroc pour Elle, from Tauer, as well. Here’s a short list of other scents I have associated with the desert, although not all of them work for me – L’Artisan Timbuktu, Amouage Ubar, and Serge Lutens Chergui.
If she want’s something a little lighter, but still nicely warm, Memo Kedu is a wonderful fragrance that works this time of year. I am going to wear that tomorrow.
Oh yes–or Amouage Jub XXV which I feel like is Timbuktu’s wealthy cousin! (Both Duchaufour compositions.)
Oh, you know–do some people find these too cumin-y? I’m a bad judge of this, as I’ve yet to find a fragrance where I thought the cumin was too much ( <3 u miss u Kingdom!!)
That’s why I’m not coming up with many suggestions. I appear to enjoy smelling like sweat and funk, and realize that not everyone else does. (Kingdom rules!)
My favorites for this time of the year are:
SSS Forest Walk
Chanel Cuir de Russie edt (I save the parfum for winter)
Guerlain Bois d’Armenie
and of course most of the Guerlain classics!
Co-sign the Tauer and FdB recommendations (especially if you can find the original FdB).
Adding Le Labo Poivre–spicy, peppery but never heavy and Cuiron, which is the airiest leather ever.
Gourmand:
Like This is a light scent that goes maple on me.
Orlando’s slightly malty honey scent reminds me of traditional honey cakes served at feasts for religious holidays in September.
Incense reminds me of fall, perhaps becuase it used to be a time to get a pile of logs for the fireplace in the coming months, and a time for small fires of burning raked leaves. Mossy Breaches in unfortunately discontinued, but somehow combines the cool of a small forest glen with incense. Seville D’Aube is an orange blossom incense that is a floral without being sweet.
Hi. Given my tastes, I’m being boringly predictable with this, but what about Black Cashmere? It’s warm, but not stifling, woody but not like a carpenter’s shop, spicy but not like a bakery. I think it’s a great “go to” for many occasions and climates. Lightly applied it’s unlikely to offend conservative or sensitive colleagues; a heavier application could go to a party and win appreciation.
So I have not smelled the Aftelier (sadness), but per the Perfume Smellin Things account that it has a “spicy booziness”, it makes me think of Idole–frankly the EDT is better in warm weather but as that’s hard to find too, I do think the EDP is worth a shot. It’s boozier, if also heavier.
Also: I’ve only tried this once, and it may just be far too much in the heat, but verrrrry sparingly applied, I enjoyed the boozy incense of Norma Kamali Incense. Oh drat–maybe that’s not in production anymore either? I’ve never tried to buy it.
Ok I might just be making matters worse here!
Recommending what I like, but my sense is that these could work for Cat:
LesNez Let Me Play The Lion
D.S. & Durga + J. Crew Longshoreman’s Cologne
Happy to see that the old image for The Monday Mail is back!
I’d also consider J. Crew/Arquiste No.57– it’s warm and slightly spicy without being heavy and is currently on clearance so if you’re just looking for this fall, it could work very well
Additional votes for Bottega Veneta and Like This. Also thinking maybe Dzongkha?
How about a soft leather like Cuirelle? Field Notes From Paris is a nice fall scent too. I’ll add another vote for Like This and also say she might want to give La Fin du Monde a sniff for something slightly less sweet.
Seconding La Fin du Monde. How about The Architects Club? I seem to remember it had a dry, airy woodiness that didn’t feel stifling.
Also, this is a long shot because it’s green, but bitter-herbal and not too springy to me, Coven (Andrea Maack) might be worth trying. Perhaps not an every day office-friendly scent though. I re-discovered my sample and am feeling a bit evangelical about it today so feel free to disregard 🙂
I would recommend Diptyque Eau Duelle or Volutes, L’Artisan Traversee du Bosphore, Chanel Bois des Iles parfum.