Suddenly, autumn is here – not just de jure, but also de facto. It was still 27 degrees on Wednesday, now it’s barely ten and raining hard. So it seems the right moment to start with my autumn edits, they no longer feel disconnected from reality. I’m in fact looking forward to wearing my autumn clothes, proper makeup and more substantial fragrances. I absolutely love summer and I hate the cold, but in terms of style and beauty, autumn is my favourite season.

So here’s a selection of perfumes that I’ve either already started to wear or very much plan to. As always, this is not an exhaustive list, I’m always trying to wear as many of my 50+ perfume collection as possible. Chances are I’m still liking everything that has been on my previous lists, but I’m trying to have something new on them every time, while still reflecting my favourites more-or-less faithfully.

1. Old Money by Teresa Helbig. This is my most recent scent obsession and it’s an unexpected one. Teresa Helbig is a Spanish fashion house that also has a small line of fragrances (four in total). I hadn’t even heard of them until I saw the lime displayed at Kroonen & Brown in Brussels. All four are nice, but Old Money is absolutely wonderful: it’s mostly fig and vetiver on me, a transparent and subtle perfume. Although they don’t smell similar, in terms of function, this is the autumn version of Chanel Paris-Deauville for me: classy and very effortless. If you have access to it, I highly recommend trying it on: it has been universally liked by my friends and colleagues so far (and yes, I sprayed all of them).

2. Hemingway by Masque Milano. The second new fragrance in my autumn line-up, this is a pretty straightforward vetiver. I don’t mean it’s a simple, unrefined composition – Masque Milano is a very sophisticated house -, I mean that vetiver is pretty much all I smell. This is clearly intentional, as there are only a few other notes mentioned by the brand (ginger, rhubarb, cedar) alongside three different vetivers. As it’s such a complex material, this is not an issue. I’m not sure Hemingway will rival Chanel’s Sycomore in my affections, but I’ll wear it with pleasure.

3. London by Tom Ford. There is a type of perfume that combines leather, wood, smoke and spices into a very potent concoction (Anubis and Nanban come to mind). London is possibly my favourite perfume in this genre and every autumn, I’m looking forward to wearing it. Not that I wouldn’t wear it in summer, I would and I have, but the risk of upsetting other people in the vicinity is much smaller when the temperatures drop. Technically, both this one and Hemingway are my gifts to J, but I will steal them on a regular basis.

4. Sarrasins by Serge Lutens. If I take a very long view, I seem to be wearing less florals and more woods and leather, citrus and fruit. I don’t think I’ll ever give up my white florals entirely, though, and Sarrasins continues its rein as my current favourite. I have written a review on it, so don’t have much to add, only that the little darkness in the composition makes it a good autumn floral.

5. Boxeuses by Serge Lutens. I maintain that Lutens leathers are underrated and there is no leather perfume more autumnal than Boxeuses. With its plum and maple syrup notes, it’s the perfect thing to wear in October. I am also very much looking forward to a leather perfume from MEMO Paris that is not yet launched but I’ve managed to smell and it seemed specifically created for me (leather, iris and vetiver!).

6. Iris Nazarena by Aedes de Venustas. If in the general scheme of things I’m moving from florals to either more masculine or cologne-type scents, I seem to be moving the opposite direction with iris perfumes: I wear my austere irises less and have been drawn to my more approachable versions, Iris Nazarena in particular. I find it very easy to wear, light and almost fruity, but that’s not a universally accepted opinion. Some people get much more of the incense or the vegetal quality of the iris. In any case, it is worth checking out. You should also keep your eye out for La Parfumerie Moderne’s Belles Rives, an absolutely beautiful iris with osmanthus and myrrh that I might buy in the near future. It is such a lovely creation.

7. Twilight by Lush. Autumn always requires a comfort scent and while I still adore Lumiere Blanche and Mimosa & Cardamom, I’m currently really enjoying Twilight. It is a sweet lavender that combines the latter with tonka (like vanilla, but more interesting) and ylang ylang. I loved the shower gel years ago – it was the product that made me realise I don’t actually hate lavender – and now they’ve come out with a body spray. Also, if you love the Rose Jam shower gel, go and check out that body spray as well. If you like your comfort sent more understated and close to skin, the new Peau Santal by Miller Harris is lovely.

8. Bandit by Robert Piguet. The opposite of comfort, Bandit is a scent to wear when you feel badass or want to encourage the feeling of badassery. It is not for everyone and in fact I did not wear it for months, possibly more, until I rediscovered my bottle this summer. It is a completely unique green leather and something everyone interested in perfume should try – even if you turn out to hate it. You can read my review here (you need to scroll down).

What have you been wearing? Is there a scent you are curious about?