DISCLAIMER: this is a silly and speculative post, just for fun. I have dabbled in making my own perfume before, but otherwise have precisely zero qualifications on the matter 🙂 I would love to know your thoughts, and whether my guesses for you based on your season and/or clothing personality are correct! Drop me a comment.

I woke up thinking about fragrances, how some are cool where others are warm. Some are sensual and sexy, others innocent. This line of thinking naturally led me to contemplate how these scents might pair with the seasons and clothing personalities.

AUTUMN:

Associated primarily with warmth, of course. These are the notes I think of for Autumn:

• Vanilla
• Honey
• Sandalwood
• Amber
• Oud
• Moss
• Cedar
• Tonka bean
• Cacao
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cumin
• Clove

Exotic, spicy, warm. Burnished bronze. Florals used sparingly, and not as the main event. Certainly nothing sharp.

On the M&S website, I spotted what I suspect would be a delightful Autumn scent: Estee Lauder Cinnabar, with notes of jasmine, orange flower, clove and patchouli. I also stumbled upon Apothecary Warmth EDP: cardamom, cinnamon, cedarwood and sandalwood. Pure warmth. Even the bottle is a beautiful amber colour. Not overtly feminine, a more unisex scent that might be perfectly suited to an Autumn Natural.

What wouldn’t work for this season? Anything too bold or dramatic. This season isn’t sharp, or overtly floral, or loud. I imagine a pure rose scent would be utterly jarring.

I could see tobacco working, perhaps. Leather, suede too, if used carefully. And perhaps something green and herby – tomato leaf, clove, fennel, basil. Cooking spices, too – cumin, clove, cinnamon.

A scent that’s a combination of mandarin, clove & amber would be an interesting, unisex scent for an Autumn. Warm, certainly, with the mandarin giving it a lift.

SPRING:

• Amber
• Neroli
• Lemongrass
• Peach / apricot
• Coconut
• Vanilla
• Basil
• Lime
• Papaya
• Eucalyptus
• Tomato leaf
• Fresh-cut grass

Tropical, bright, sunny. Exotic flowers, not country garden (that’s Summer). Not as earthy or warm as Autumn.

I would be curious about Clinique Happy for Spring: vibrant ruby red grapefruit, bergamot. An uplifting and citrus scent, softened slightly by Hawaiian wedding flower and spring mimosa. Also, Clinique My Happy Lily of the Beach: bergamot, solar lily, ylang ylang, tiare, frangipani, coconut, sandalwood, vanilla, amber. Warm, tropical, exotic florals. Not overtly sexy. Instead: a bright, warm, fun, sunshine scent.

Maybe also sandalwood + jasmine, a classic pairing that I could see working well for Spring. Not as earthy as Autumn, of course. Lighter, more fun.

I’d also be curious about this scent for Spring: DISCOVER White Coconut. According to the website: “Tropical notes of sea-salted coconut and exotic white flowers are lifted by fragrant accents of sweet blossom and iced citrus nuances. A warming base reveals vanilla musks, sea moss and amber.”

I wonder about Lush Karma for Spring, too – warm, joyful, uplifting, not too sweet or warm. This is a scent that seems to have a wide appeal. Some scents, like colours, will be more neutral and balanced; crossover scents will exist. Karma is not too warm, not too sweet, not too sharp. Warm patchouli with the citrusy tang of orange blended to a more balanced, bright scent. Karma makes me think of a joyful sunny day, which makes me think of Spring.

SUMMER:

• Honeysuckle
• Cherry blossom
• Lily of the Valley
• Bluebells
• White musk
• Bergamot
• Rhubarb
• Sweet orange
• Sweet pea
• Rose
• Wisteria
• Lilac

Cool, floral. I think of RHS Sweet Pea, the Body Shop’s Moroccan Rose (which they sadly discontinued). Soft, powdery, too. The Body Shop’s classic White Musk fragrance. Summer is a wildflower meadow, a pretty garden, not a bold bouquet of roses and lilies.

Summer’s florals are best balanced with something else, I believe–something woody or musky–otherwise it’s too sharp. Summer is not vanilla, or caramel, or honey. Too warm, too sweet. Anything with warmth is out unless it’s extremely subtle and is there to balance sharpness. Avoid anything that’s predominantly vanilla. Celebrity scents are usually too sickly-sweet for the cool elegance of this season.

Summer scent perfection, in my opinion (I just wish they did an eau de parfum; I have to make do with the room mist and spray it on my clothes): Flowers by The White Company. “Imagine an early-morning walk through an idyllic country garden. Uplifting notes of just-picked jasmine and pretty rose combine with bright neroli and a hint of warming patchouli for the prettiest of floral scents.”

Patchouli, as a deep, mystical, earthy scent is too much on its own but as a base with sweet orange or florals would work well. For example: Sanctuary Classic EDT. Top notes of citruses and bergamot; middle notes of cardamom, jasmine and rose; base notes of sandalwood, vanille and patchouli.

The mix of scents is vital. Warmth is fine if it’s a very small component and used to offset the sharpness of a louder citrus, oceanic or floral note.

Lavender is a seemingly obvious choice for Summer, but in my opinion it’s a little too sharp on its own.

WINTER:

• Fig
• Vetiver
• Black pepper
• Pomegranate
• Frankincense
• Blackberry
• Cherry
• Black coffee
• Plum
• Cedarwood
• Myrrh
• Tuberose
• Pine
• Smoke
• Leather

Black forest. Woody, crisp; heavier, darker. Can handle a sharper floral. Sexier, sultry, more adult.

Cherry and peony, a fruit and floral pairing, seems to me a good everyday choice for a Winter.

I thought about Lady Million Royal for Winter, too: pomegranate and mandarin, orange blossom, jasmine and tuberose, with musk and cashmeran giving a seductive finish.

I also considered Lord of Misrule; spicy, rich, earthy but also sweet. Gourmand notes of vanilla combined with a smoky black pepper and dark Sumatran patchouli oils. A sweeter, earthy, unisex scent.

For something sexier, YSL Black Opium: “…a blend of light and dark notes that evokes sensuality from the first spritz. With top notes of pear accord and mandarin essence, a heart of vanilla, orange blossom and white flowers, and a base of black coffee accord and cedarwood essence, white musk and patchouli, this perfume is sensual, soft and seriously addictive.”

For something deep, rich and sultry: Tom Ford’s Black Orchid. Notes of blackcurrant, black truffle, ylang ylang, vetiver and dark chocolate make this a spicy, distinctive scent.

What about clothing personalities?

Classic = magnolia, peony. Estee Lauder. White flowers, fresh linen. Subtly romantic. A modern classic: Dolce & Gabbana’s “The One”: lilies and jasmine, lychee and peach, vanilla, amber and musk. Floral, slightly sweet and creamy.

Dramatic = Tom Ford; surprising and perhaps unexpectedly masculine. Tobacco, leather. Scents that someone else wouldn’t necessarily think of as typically beautiful. Intense. Tom Ford Noir Extreme; spicy heat and glowing citrus. Tom Ford Ombre Leather, with its unexpected pairings: a fruity floral reminiscent of honeysuckle with leathery, woody notes and green tobacco.

Ingenue = floral and pretty, soft and youthful; honeysuckle, bluebell, sweet pea. Strawberry, apple. RHS Sweet Pea. The White Company’s “Flowers”. Elegant, light, innocent.

Natural = woody, mossy. Sandalwood, patchouli, cedar. Herby and green, too; basil, thyme. With orange and patchouli notes, I could see Lush’s Karma appealing to the Natural. There’s also more oceanic blends that I would consider for the Natural: sea salt and lemongrass; sea minerals and fennel. I could also see eucalyptus and citrus.

Romantic = floral, but sexier than our ingenue; more overt, more sensual. Blousy. Peony, magnolia, tuberose. Warmth might come in the form of vanilla, honey or amber. Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million: “This is a glass of champagne, bottled.” A modern classic; sparkling fresh florals with an undertone of woodiness. Energising neroli, bitter orange and raspberry is balanced by base notes of patchouli, amber and honey.

Gamine = a masculine or unisex scent, something fresh, citrus and woody. Oddly, I think of the Radox range: eucalyptus with the zesty tang of citrus oil, or their mint and lime pairing. Basil and lime also a good, unisex combination. But citrus notes aren’t enough on their own – the addition of something woody would benefit. Nothing too sweet. Amber better than vanilla or honey.

Ethereal = mysterious, subtle, maybe oceanic. Apple blossom, pear, iris, clary sage, sea fennel. Japanese, white oriental. Reminiscent of a breeze. Elizabeth Arden’s White Tea: Italian mandarin, calming clary sage, sensual sea breeze and fresh Japanese white fern. Subtle musk. White flowers. Fresh cotton.

And how might these two elements pair?

Indeed; how might a clothing personality pair with a season in this fantasy fragrance world?

Summer + Ingénue seems a natural pairing: wildflower, floral, rose. English pear and freesia. Feminine, pretty, light. The White Company’s “Flowers”.

Summer + Natural Ingénue: add woody notes – sandalwood and/or patchouli to the floral. Sanctuary Classic EDT: jasmine and rose, sandalwood and patchouli. Perhaps Clarins Eau Des Jardins: citrus fruits and rose with a woody base.

Autumn + Ingénue: now we want to add warmth to the floral; vanilla, the light woods. Sandalwood rather than patchouli – not as deep and spicy for this ingénue. Maybe honey or caramel. Ilapothecary’s ‘Speak Your Truth’. Mugler’s Angel.

Autumn + Ingénue + Natural: a natural might add more mossy, woody notes.

Autumn + Romantic: warm spicy, sexy, some florals but probably nothing as sharp as rose (which would be more suited to the Winter Romantic).

Autumn + Gamine: spicy, masculine with fruit.

Spring + Gamine: a sporty, unisex scent. Mandarin and basil.

Spring + Natural: tropical coconut, perhaps. An island getaway. The White Company’s “Seychelles”.

Winter + Romantic: blackberry, fig, bay leaf. Tom Ford’s Velvet Orchid. Lady Million Royal, a fruity and floral scent with pomegranate, bold flowers and sensual cashmaran. Fruity, sensual, floral.

Summer + Romantic: fruity, floral, amber. White flowers, jasmine, honey (vanilla might be too warm as a key player). Not as overt or bold. Lady Million, with its neroli, bitter orange and raspberry balanced by base notes of patchouli, amber and honey.

Natural + Ingénue + Gamine: the gamine influence might add a herbal or natural woody note, but with the ingénue added nothing too heavy, and perhaps with something lightly floral in the mix. Think wildflowers, a herbal floral garden.

Dramatic + Romantic: Lush’s Lord of Misrule as a day-to-day scent?

Dramatic: coffee, tobacco, masculine, bonfire, smoke. Bold, unexpected.

Natural + Romantic: Marc Jacobs Daisy – sweet and fruity. Playful.

The combinations are endless – you get the idea!

Scent is so intensely personal, and our choices might change depending on the weather or how we want to feel that day. What fragrances do you wear? And what do you love about them? I would love to know.