Marina asked somewhere in the comments whether I was going to do a post about my autumn perfumes this year. I have to admit this isn’t quite it, it’s just an overview of things I’ve bought and worn recently, so it has more of an end-of-summer, early autumn vibe than a true, rich October-November feel. Many of these I would wear year round, though, so let’s not get too hung up on seasonality and simply talk about the scents.

As you can see, there are two Chanels, both from the same – Les Eaux – line. I have spoken about Paris-Deauville before and I still absolutely love it. It’s my favourite of the five, super easy to wear, but has that Chanel elegance and polish that I enjoy. If I’m entirely truthful, I did not need Paris-Edimbourg: I like it, but not as much as Deauville. I bought it because my daughter (who is 12 and not really into perfume) loved it at the Chanel counter and was so impressed with her taste that I bought a bottle on the spot. Edimbourg isn’t really a scent you would expect a tween girl to like. From the entire Les Eaux line-up, it’s the most masculine, to me it smells almost like a modern fougere – I guess it’s the touch of lavender and other aromatics that makes me think that. It also has a proper dose of juniper and cypress and other woods. If this sounds like your thing, give it a try: the whole collection is excellent, reasonably priced (for Chanel) and overall well thought out.

From the two Vilhelm Parfumerie fragrances on the list, Morning Chess isn’t new to me, but I got the big bottle relatively recently – I ran out of my travel size and in my case, that’s a sign of true love. It is a gorgeous, slightly manly (but also fruity!) cologne that works especially well in August, September and October. Chicago High, however, is a new release: I bought it perhaps two months ago and absolutely adore it. While most of the perfumes on this list are rather understated, this one is potent and unique, a blend of champagne, honey and tobacco. It smells like The Great Gatsby in a bottle and gets only more seductive as it dries down. I have had a man who is not (and has no interest in being) my partner, smell my wrist an entire evening, thanks to this scent.

I also have two Jo Malones on the list. Poppy & Barley is another re-buy and I suspect I should get a big bottle, as I wear it more than I expect. By now, I believe it’s my most-worn JM after Mimosa & Cardamom. I often pair it with cream cashmere, it has the same vaguely feminine, elegantly cosy feel, with an undercurrent of addiction. Tangy Rhubarb was one of this summer’s limited editions and I partly bought it for the bottle. The content matches the aesthetic and the name well – it smells like tangy rhubarb; it’s uncomplicated and slightly nostalgic. I enjoy it a lot, but from all the perfumes here this is probably the one I will not reach for until next spring.

The one I will definitely be wearing, on the other hand, is Celine’s Eau de Californie. It’s one of those perfumes that works pretty much in every season, weather and mood. If I were to guess, I’d say it’s my most worn perfume in the last three months and my enthusiasm isn’t waning. The one I have worn the least is Kamila Aubre’s Villanelle. It’s not entirely my cup of tea: I often find fully botanical perfumes a bit too dense for my taste and this one is 100% natural (and vegan and zero waste). It smells of a forest, a damp and bitter one, with nary a flower or ray of light in sight. But I was, unsurprisingly, drawn to the name and the concept behind Villanelle and I’m glad that I own it. Not every perfume has to be instantly likeable and exceedingly wearable. I have a bunch of those already.

A case in point is my old favourite, Diptyque’s Philosykos, which in my view is still the best late summer perfume available – and the best fig scent too, obviously. It’s included here mostly because I have just bought a beautiful travel spray, as I finished up the 50 ml bottle shown on the picture. I fully expect to own a bottle in ten years as well.

And let’s end with perhaps the only truly autumnal fragrance on this list: Neela Vermeire’s Trayee. I don’t wear it as often as some other perfumes on this list, as it’s more complex, but god, it’s gorgeous. Every time I do wear it, I congratulate myself on my excellent taste and on the decision to finally get a bottle. I know it’s not cheap, but unlike some brands (I’m looking at you, Tom Ford) make me feel slightly embarrassed for my need to fork out all those euros, with Trayee I feel the price is fully justified. I should in fact wear it more often, because despite the intricate spiciness, it is not a difficult perfume.

This is it for now; I seem to be gravitating towards more cologne-y, woody and rather masculine fragrances recently, there aren’t many flowers on display here. We’ll see if it’s a phase or a more fundamental shift in taste. What have you been wearing? Or plan to buy/wear this autumn?