We pick the dates for the seasonal top 10 posts far in advance, and sometimes that works out fine. This year, it feels odd to be writing about fall so early — we've had strange weather the past few months, so while it stopped feeling like a proper summer here sometime in late July, it still doesn't feel anything like fall. Here are ten fragrances I might wear if it did feel like fall, or that you could wear if there's already a chill in the air where you are. Do add your own fall favorites in the comments!
CB I Hate Perfume Burning Leaves: The perfect way to get into the mood for fall even if the weather won't cooperate, and extra-nice if you live in a place (as I do) where all the leaves get composted (as they should be) instead of burned (I do miss the smell). The last time I wrote the Top 10 of Fall was back in 2008, and I included Burning Leaves on that post too. Some things never change.
Sonoma Scent Studio Forest Walk: Another outdoorsy option, and just what the name implies. Brisk, earthy, comforting, and bonus points for being affordable. (And once cold winds start to blow, Fireside is another great option from the brand.)
Lush Furze: If you're more interested in extending your summer than moving into fall, here's an option that's just beachy enough to make you feel the sunshine on your skin, but not so beachy that you'll feel odd wearing it after Labor Day (I do tend to put away my Bronze Goddess, just as in an earlier era I might have moved my white shoes to the back of the closet).
Prada Infusion d'Iris Absolue: If you will imagine a continuum with "regular" Infusion d'Iris at the summer end and Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d'Iris at the winter end, this 2012 limited edition falls perfectly in between. It can still be found quite easily (although Sephora threatens "only a few left"). If you're an iris lover, and especially if you already liked "regular" Infusion d'Iris, get it while you can; to my mind, it smells like a niche fragrance that costs far more.
Marni: A spicy woods that is sheer enough to wear year round, Marni is perfect to ease you into the back-to-school / la rentrée shift to more serious and weighty fragrances. If even Marni is too serious for you, liven it up by adding a light layer of Marni Rose.
Ormonde Jane Ta’if : a perfect lightweight amber-y oriental based on the Ta'if rose. Jessica included it in her Top 10 of Fall 2010, and reader AnnS noted just last week that "Ta’if is one of the greatest rose fragrances. Ever."
Aedes de Venustas Oeillet Bengale: flowers and spices done up with the signature Aedes incense. I loved it when I tried it in May, and I've been looking forward to wearing it on a crisp autumn day.
Serge Lutens Chêne: Chêne was the first fragrance that came to mind when I sat down to write this list, so I was a little alarmed to see that Angie had already included it in four (!) top 10 lists (Spring 2014, Winter 2013, Fall 2011 and Winter 2008). But why should Angie get all the Chêne? If you've had enough of Chêne already, then Parfums DelRae Panache is a kinder and gentler alternative with the same booze, honey and woods.
Comme des Garçons + Monocle Scent Three Sugi: Sugi is the sort of ever-so-slightly odd yet entirely wearable wood fragrance that has made me a long term fan of Comme des Garçons. It manages to be both calming and energizing, and will wear perfectly from Indian summer right through Thanksgiving.
Hiram Green Moon Bloom: I was torn between including a vetiver (Vétiver Extraordinaire, maybe, or Lalique Encre Noire) and a full-on floral, and the floral won out this time. Moon Bloom isn't as overpowering as some of my other tuberose favorites (Fracas!), but it's still creamy and rich enough to stand up to cooler weather. Plus, it's gorgeous.
Do add your own picks in the comments, and you can find more fall favorites at Bois de Jasmin :: Grain de Musc :: The Non-Blonde.
Note: top image is Cold colours [cropped] by Ranoush at flickr; some rights reserved.
Nice list, Robin!
I would add:
Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay
Prada Candy
Terre d’ Hermes
Le Labo Vanille 44
L’Ambre des Merveilles
… And a whole lot more. I love fall!
It’s so hard to stick to 10! All great suggestions.
Fall is my favorite season and I’m really an oriental gal, so it’s hard for me to pick just 10 too!
CdG Zagorsk, 10 Corso Como, SL Chergui, SL Borneo 1834, L’Artisan Iris Pallida, Villoresi Piper Nigrum, PdN Vanille Tonka, AG Sables, SIP Magazine Street, SIP Fire & Cream.
I was really into my Iris Pallida last spring. Saving it until next spring so I don’t just blow through my whole bottle!!
Nice list, and you stuck to 10 🙂
Hey!!!!!
Vanille Tonka!
Great list. I would add:
Fougere Bengale (Parfums d’Empire)
Extreme Pour Homme (Tom Ford)
Balenciaga Pour Homme (also great in winter)
Sahara Noir (Tom Ford)
But that’s only 4! You get 6 more picks.
I can’t do the math! 😉
Chergui
Amber Pour Homme Extreme (Prada)
M7 (YSL)
Tobacco Oud (Tom Ford)
Oud Wood (Tom Ford)
See, I can’t do the math, this makes 11! 🙂
Math is not generally a strong point around here!
4 for Tom Ford, wow!
I know, realized that after I posted. I have tons of heavier fragrances that I love to put into rotation starting about this time of year.
5 for Tom Ford if you count M7 which was created during his watch at YSL
So true. M7 was a great scent.
Great list! I’m still behind in trying Marni, everyone seems to have such great things to say……
My list would probably include a billion vanillas in rotation so that goes without saying
1. PdN L’eau Chic
2. profumum Dambrosia. This is really enticing to me this fall. Fig and pear and almond….yes please.
3. Guerlain Bois D’Armenie….always so gorgeous
4. Kurkdjian Lumiere Noir
5. Roma Imperiale
6. Guerlain Mon Precieux Nectar…..my next FB purchase. Smells a touch like Desitin on first spray, them I love it
7. Kurkdjian APOM pour femme
8. Profumum Ambre Aurea
9. Bois 1920 Vento di fiori
10. By Kilian Ambre Oud
Of course I want 12, so L’Haie Fleurie and humiecki & Graf Clemency is a popular one right now too. Ugh! Fall is my favorite perfume season.
Ugh! And my freshly acquired bottle of Fourreau Noir! How could I have forgotten????
Good one – I have that too!
But now you’re at 13 😉
*lucky* 13 🙂
Possibly!
We could be Scent Twins: I LOVE Amber Aurea. Just discovered it, and Lumiere Noire is one of my go-to’s as well. AND Bois D’Armenie. A great list! I can’t wait to shower and get on with my decision!
Hooray! I don’t think I’ve ever had a scent twin before. Can’t wait to see your list!
If it makes you feel any better, Marni didn’t work for me. It just kind of disappeared… Good luck!
I was just thinking what Mough wrote! There are a few on your list that are huge loves of mine (Roma Imperiale, APOM, Amber Oud) so I’m adding the others to the top of my sample list! That Dambrosia sounds awesome. I’ve only tried their rose one- Rosae Mundi- and thought it was just beautiful. Thanks Audreylicious! 🙂
Love Lumiere NOire.
Oh boy! Seasonal list time! In the fall I especially like to wear:
No. 5 Eau Premiere
Cartier L’Heure Fougueuse
AC Vanille Insensee
Fall means going through my collection and saying “I haven’t worn this in a long time”, and giving it a spritz. It’s fun to rediscover old favorites that weren’t wearable in the sauna that is summer.
I like rummaging around in the back of the cabinet to see what I haven’t worn all summer too!
Fall is hard for me to limit. Right now, this year, these are the ones I look most forward to getting into:
Guerlain Nahema, SSS Champagne de Bois, Lancome Magie Noire, OJ Ta’if (yeah!); Guerlain Vol de Nuit; Guerlain Mitsouko; Chanel Coco; Amouage Memoir Woman; Guerlain Rose Barbare; Jean Desprez vintage Bal a Versailles.
Two of your picks are also on my list over at Bois de Jasmin: Champagne de Bois and Rose Barbare!
😉 I’m just trying to figure out how to get Alahine on my list. Can this be a baker’s dozen?
Why not? There’s more than 10 days in fall! (Alahine is one my top winter scents.)
A perfumista’s 10 — that’s probably something like 92 in odor-free numbers.
😉
Sotto La Luna
Jardins d’Armide
Ivoire (next to last version)
Oeillet Bengale
Marron Chic
Costume National 21
Dzhari
Indigo Vanilla
Sideris
Arabian Horse (possibly–I need to test in cooler weather)
So glad to see a mention of Costume National 21!
thegoddessrena, where did you find Arabian Horse? I’m not seeing it among the other PGs on luckyscent yet…
I hunted eBay for months to get a sample, though Osswald had a sample of each of the website exclusives that they would spritz on request. Must try Coze Verde the next time I’m there. Maybe PG offers samples directly?
Gee and I already feel awkward when people ask me what perfume I’m wearing… I reckon they’d be thinking I was messing with them if I said I was wearing Arabian Horse.. 😉
Ah… fall!
After all the fun and excitement of summer, I like to get back to routine, a more paced like and more time spent at home cooking the bounties from the farmer’s market.
The citrus collection gets pushed to the back of the shelves and the fall favorites are called to to the front.
1- SL Chypre Rouge. The perfect fall walk in a forest scent in a bottle.
2- Coach Leatherware No. 1.
3- Zara Ambar. The only frag from Zara the I ever loved. Like a light amber cologne.
4- Bottega Veneta pour Homme.
5- Eau de Cartier Essence de Bois.
6- Cabochard. I know, a bit heavy, but fall does have some cold days.
7- Hommage à l’Homme de Lalique
8- SL Daim Blond
9- L’Artisan Parfumeur Méchant Loup
10- Chanel pour Monsieur Concentrée. I know, not as well loved as the original Pour Monsieur, but the more oriental feel is good for fall. Plus that was my as-close-to-a-signature-scent when I started college.
Méchant Loup — another old friend I almost never see mentioned.
Great choices!
Here in Athens, Greece, we basically get winter/summer, with 10 days of spring and autumn each in between. So I only categorize my scents as warm/hot and cool weather.
My rotation for autumn, when it finally arrives, will be:
Chergui
Eau des Merveilles
Shalimar Parfum Initial
Le Temps d’une Fete
L’Air de Rien (ha, that’s wishful thinking as I am currently saving up for it).
All of those with the exception of LTdF will be worn throughout winter too, when I will add Tea for Two and possibly Teint de Neige (if I ever buy it).
Good luck with those pennies for Rien!
It is the same here in San Diego, with 2 seasons. And it never gets cold enough for really wintery perfumes – I’ve given away several things that were just too heavy/sweet to ever wear, even though I liked them. Chene is one of my absolute favorites and I don’t think I even wore it once last year as our “winter” was so mild here. Burning Leaves is also wonderful and reminds me of the east coast. Blackberry & Bay will start getting some wear soon and all the vanillas.
Must de Cartier, Chanel Coco, Samsara, ambers, sandalwood, teas, spice…everything nice. Which reminds me, I need to put an order in for Champagne de Bois…good stuff.
Everything nice always works…
I’m always in a pickle with these lists, especially fall. In Houston we probably wont get fall until November. Leaves don’t really change color; the next thing you know they’re on the pavement, brown as dirt….
My list though, is something like:
Serge Lutens El Attarine (Thank You Morgana!)
Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 (I need to find one of those export bottles somewhere!)
Hermes L’Ambre des Merveilles
Hermes Paprika Brasil
Guerlain Nahema
Dior Diorella (Vintage EdT)
Clinique Aromatics Elixir
L’Artisan Timbuktu
L’Artisan Dzongkha
_________ (Keeping my options open! 😉 )
Is there even a fall to speak of, or just a slow slide into winter?
It may be more accurate to say there isn’t a winter. We very rarely get snow and though it freezes a few times each year, I’ve had many a December 24 where it was in the 70’s.
Hopefully my other Houstonians will offer their comments too!
Oh god! Don’t say that!!!! I’d rather buy a bottle of Beloved than a snowblower!!!!
Timbuktu is great for fall!
My boyfriend prefers I in fall for sure. I actually like it best in summer.
I like Timbuktu in the dead of miserable winter b/c there is so much “sunlight” in that composition. It is warm, green, sparkling… it makes me think of everything but snow and wind.
Fall is my favorite season for perfume! Right about now I start craving Cuir Mauresque, Chergui, Cuir Ottoman, Ambre Russe, Incense Rose, Un Rose Chypree, Tibetan Mountain Temple, Jaisalmer, Fireside Intense, and Absolue Pour la Soir.
Great list!
back from my holidays, the tempertaures are cooler and I’m looking forward to pulling out some old (new) favourites:
Bottega veneta
OJ woman
Iris taizo (or whatever it’s called nowadays)
Dries van Noten
Rose 31
31 rue cambon
Dzing!
and all the others I’ve neglected over the last months
Oh, I love 31 Rue Cambon! How did I forget that?
Thanks for the reminder on 31 Rue Cambon! It’s been too long…
I love a good top 10 list! Since I live where it’s hot most of the time, I look forward to the fall weather coming up… in another month or two. Here’s what I’m waiting to put on:
Cuir de Lancome
Fate (still year round favorite)
Memoir
Tom Ford Santal Blush
Shalimar (vintage only) or it’s Mexico flanker
Mon Precieux Nectar
L’Ambre des Merveilles
SL Chergui
SSS Forest Walk
OJ Woman and/or OJ Tolu (because I about died when I wore this in the summer!)
Tolu is not easy to wear…I can’t pull it off even in winter.
I can wear only the tiniest drop of Tolu, which is just so rich. I almost put it on my list too, but since I only indulge in my small vial once in a blue moon ( and which will probably last me for another 2 years), I decided to pass. Ditto with Ormonde Woman. I have to give OJ props for developing rich, complex fragrances though!!!
Just the prompt I needed to go dig out fragrances the summer months put out of my mind. Thanks Robin!
Going back into rotation for me:
Marni
Acqua di Parma Fico di Amalfi (citrus, but, the spices feel autumnal to me)
Boyfriend
Vanille 44
Lubin Idole
Attrape-Coeur
Dzing
Voyage parfum (no reason not to wear this in summer, but it makes a nice sheer fall fragrance too)
Soir de Lune (likewise totally viable for summer, but fall makes me feel more willing to wear something formal)
…and J.Crew 57 will be a new addition.
Great list…agree about Voyage!
Leaning towards adding J.Crew 57 as well. You can’t beat the quality for the price, right?
If I have a FB of Voyage parfum, it would be on my list!
We have hit the end of summer with a sharp shock of cold fall air here. The conkers are ripe, the leaves are falling, the pumpkins in my yard are ridiculously big already. And this morning I debated between Absolue and Marni – both on your list! I chose Marni, for the bit of sun peaking through, but it actually doesn’t feel warm enough. I’ve also been enjoying L’eau Ambree and Arpege, and have sampled Aftelier Cologne Santal Carmin with lots of pleasure.
I always forget about L’Eau Ambree, I should find mine!
Here’s some of mine:
Costume National 21 (speaking of which, the new CDG Girl is similar and comes in 30ml)
Serge Daim Blond
SSS Tabac Aurea
L’Home Sage Divine
Histoire Tubereuse 3 L’Animale (new for me)
OLO Dark Wave (is awesome!) http://olofragrance.com/
Serge Chypre Rouge
Would like to try the Tom Fords, but so expensive 🙁
…and I think I’ll will purchase Dior Leather Oud this month and see what that’s like.
Have a nice weekend, everyone!
R.
Oh YAY … so glad Girl is in the same ballpark as CN21! Still waiting to get my hands on some.
I adore Tabac Aurea for fall.
Tabac Aurea almost got on my list. If we were doing top 20 for fall, it would definitely be there!
I love Tabac Aurea… And Winter Woods. Those are great from SSS.
I also love pulling out Like This in fall.
Talking about Fall fragrances so early, well it’s like Fall fashion collections, have you noticed this year everything’s gone already! I was looking at this amazing Saint Laurent winter coat at Bergdorf, size 38 and 40 sold out already everywhere: Barneys, Bergdorf, SL boutiques…Next year I’ll buy my new winter coat early August!
This year Fall favorites:
Serge Lutens Feminite
Serge Lutens L’orpheline
Serge Lutens Bas de soie
Serge Lutens De profundis
Chanel 31 Rue Cambon
Chanel No.5 Parfum
L’Artisan Parfumeur Oeillet Sauvage (discontinued)
Hermes Jour d’Hermes Absolu
Sorry you lost the coat!
Holy mackerel! Have I really cited Chene in four top 10 lists? I guess that’s proof of my love….
This year, my decant Tom Ford Tobacco Oud will get some serious use.
Angie, what’s more astonishing is how many times you mention Chene in other perfume posts. I now picture you with a huge vat of Chene…
Wow.I adore autumn.here’s my list
1 wonderoud cdg
2 shams MEMO
3 encens flamboyants Annick Goutal
4 olibanum PROFUMUM
5 Fareb Huitième Art
6 DZING! L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR
7 crystalle de roque OLIVIER DURBANO
8 Avignon cdg
9 havana vanille ap
10 ambre fetiche Annick Goutal
Thought we’d see more mentions of Havana Vanille today, but you’re the first!
Dear Robin you are so nice..I’m not surprised..I think I’m the only one to love havana Vanille
Oops i forgot the eldo i love
Antihero
Fat electrician
Tom of finland
Incense and bubblegum
Jo Malone Dark Amber and Ginger Lily.
Thierry Mugler A*Men Pure Havane.
Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb.
Christian Dior Poison.
YSL M7.
Vera Wang For Men.
Guerlain Samsara.
Chanel Cuir De Russie.
Calvin Klein Obsession.
Gianfranco Ferre For Men (Original)
Oh, I keep forgetting I own that Jo Malone! Must pull it out of the cabinet.
There’s a post poll: what fragrances did you forget you own? 😉
ok, here goes (in no particular order)…
PG Indochine
SL Daim Blonde
SL Une Bois Vanille
Kenzo Jungle l’Elephant
SSS Tabac Aurea
SSS Winter Woods
FM Musc Ravaguer
Tauer Une Rose de Kandehar
PdE Cuir Ottoman
PdE Ambre Russe
And 1 Honorable Mention: l’Ambre des Meveilles
Oh and I forgot Anne Pliska- an olfactory angora sweater!
We have lots of the same favorites.
I’d have to go with:
Bois des Iles
Eau des Merveilles
Chanel 19 extrait
Bottega Veneta
24, Faubourg
Mohur
Vetiver Tonka
Narciso Rodriguez
Coromandel
and the newest member of the family…Bruno Acampora Musc
Bois des Iles, yum.
We supposedly have 4 seasons, but our autumn tends to be an extension of summer, then cooler nights, lengthening shadows, and then it rains and it’s pretty much our winter.
Some of my list:
BK Love
Organza Indecence
Safran Troublant
Gucci edp
Sacrebleu Intense
ELdO Divin Enfant
L’Air de Rein
MdO Vanille
Patchouli 24
La Fille de Berlin
Oy, forgot about Safran Troublant – i love that too for the fall
Yessss, Safran Troublant! One of the only rose scents that I like. So, so nice for fall.
And yay for Organza Indecence!
I like it a bit dressy in fall:
Cuir de Russie
No 22
Rose Nacree du Desert
Homage Amouage
Eau d’Hermes
Like to see Sugi on your list and there are many I have never tried!
And I’m glad to see another fan of Sugi!
This is my favorite article every year, and I loved it again this year! I’m always glad to see Chene on any list, and I agree with AnnS about Ta’if! I still need to check out the Aedes…
Ooh, and Dior Homme is one of my fall favorites.
Oh, so glad you liked it!
If we were doing top 20, I’d also have OJ Woman and Tolu on my list. They only need a dab, but they are just gorgeous too! You know, now that I’m thinking of it, it is super dreary and cold and rainy here today. Maybe I’ll wear some Woman to warm things up!
Did I miss Bvlgari Omnia? Definitely a fall favorite of mine.
And you’re the first to mention it, I think! I love it too though.
I need to try Burning Leaves!! I’ve heard such wonderful things about it (and 7 Billion Hearts, too).
My top 10 would be: Hermès L’Ambre des Merveilles, Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille, Prada Candy, Jo Malone Dark Amber & Ginger Lily, Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Le Couvent des Minimes Cologne of the Missions, Hermessence Ambre Narguilé, L’Artisan Parfumeur Safran Troublant, Diptyque Volutes, and Pacifica Mexican Cocoa. Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb almost made it onto my list, but as it dries down it turns into a stale tobacco smell on me, which is…not great.
I always bust out Cartier’s Déclaration Essence this time of year; it’s sprightly and fresh enough to work during the daytime, while its woody/smoky backbone gives it some heft once the sun drops. It’s as wearable as the original Déclaration with more of an autumnal feel, although it’s still not quite heavy enough for winter wear, at least according to my tastes. A perfect transition scent! I also dig Fresh’s Cannabis Santal right around this time; the caramelized, woody patchouli screams winter, while the vetiver and citrus keep things on the crisper side.
Nice list with whisper from autumn. I love you choices! 🙂
The german-readers can find my list here: http://www.beauty-mekka.de/duefte-parfums/1305-herbstduefte-2014.html
Here’s my list:
Chanel Bois Des Iles
Chanel Cuir Russie
Hermes’ “Hiris
Bottega Vaneta Knot
Serge Lutens Fleur d’Oranger
Serge Lutens Chergui
Hiram Green Moon Bloom
Anubis
Dries von Noten
CdG Kyoto