I’m a firm believer that fragrance should be approached much in the same way as fashion. You would not dream of having only one outfit for every single occasion or season, so why would you do the same with your scent? There is literally a fragrance for everything and I always try and match my scent to my outfit, whatever it is I may be doing, and the season of the time. For these reasons I’ve got into a cycle of curating a seasonal fragrance wardrobe which sits on a lovely little marble tray in my bedroom. I’ll be sharing this selection with you every season (whether you like it or not….)

Now this comes with the caveat that I have an ADHD brain (this is what the doctors tell me, anyway) so it’s likely that there will be some shift in this selection over the coming weeks. But for now, this is what I’m wearing for Autumn 2024. What’s the vibe of the season, I hear you ask? Well, it’s a bit hard to pin down and you’ll see that my wardrobe is somewhat chaotic, but I’m being drawn to warmer, smokier things, whether those be sparkling gourmands, transparent ambers or haughty chypres. Let’s dive in to The Candy Perfume Boy’s Fragrance Wardrobe for Autumn 2024. Drumroll please…

This is what I’m wearing this season.

Comme des Garçons 2 / 2Man

Forget brat summer, it’s comme autumn. I don’t know why, but I tend to gravitate to the quirky Japanese outfit for an autumn fix and they often have so many wonderful things to wear. Right now I’m alternating between the silvery, creamy, fresh and aldehydic ink tones of 2 and the sexy mechanic shrouded in the smoke from a freshly-snuffed-out candle (with a hint of unwashed armpit) that is 2Man. Both smell fantastic.

Tom Ford Eau d’Ombré Leather

I waxed lyrical about this one in my first post in three years….so I suppose I don’t need to go into too much detail about why I’m considering it a pick of the season. The truth is that it’s new and shiny new things always find their way into my rotation (I am a fragrant magpie) and Eau d’Ombré Leather is that exciting, newbie addition to my wardrobe. The fact that it’s a warm and sexy fusion of cozy amber and skin-tight latex is just an autumn bonus tbh.

Mugler Innocent

This one will be a surprise to nobody. I am, after all, the original Mugler fan boy – the founding member of the Muglerati. Cut me open and I bleed Angel in toxic Xenomorph style. For my autumn Mugler fix I’m opting for Innocent (previously named Angel Innocent), which was the first flanker of Angel and lightens up the glamazon nature of the original. Innocent is airy and fruity, with a crunchy, almond meringue thing going on amongst all of the juicy berries up top. The base is just a more delicate (and polite) version of Angel’s historic, iconic, bionic patchouli-vanilla accord. Heads up – Mugler says this one is being discontinued so grab it whilst you can.

Perfumer H Ink

If you’ve read my interview with Perfumer H founder Lyn Harris, you’ll know that the brand’s central concept is seasonal fragrance wardrobes, so it makes perfect sense that their unofficial flagship scent, Ink, is here in my autumn wardrobe. Being honest, the smooth, slightly spiced and milky-inky tones of Ink are perfect any time of the year. It’s a scent that just always works and it gives off an understated, artsy vibe that makes me feel a lot cooler than I am. It often finds its way in to my current rotation, all throughout the year.

Prada Day for Night

You can’t do autumn without amber. I’m sure that’s the law. OK fine, I’m not a lawyer or anything, but it feels like an autumn wardrobe without an amber is certainly in breach of something, if not common decency at the very least. My go to amber is Day for Night by Prada, which takes the sweet, gauzy nature of a traditional amber accord (labdanum, benzoin, vanilla) with a smoky leather vibe. What I love most is how light and transparent it is – this is not a sticky, resinous gloop of amber, no, it’s an amber that has been diluted from deep browns to an almost watercolour caramel hue. Which makes sense because there is a hint of the gourmand in there too!

Etat Libre d’Orange Vierges et Toreros

Can someone tell me what happened to Etat Libre d’Orange whilst I’ve been away? They are/were one of my favourite brands (I’ve not decided where I still stand yet) and they always pushed the boundaries of perfumery with exciting (and sometimes appalling results) but it seems now they’re so safe and dull! Anyway, I’ve opted to put one of their classics into my autumn wardrobe this year: Vierges et Toreros – The Virgin and the Bullfighter. Now I do not condone bull fights, but I am in full support of the exciting clash of erotic tuberose and heady woodsmoke in this fragrance. It’s sweet, smoky, dirty, fascinating. Great for those days where there is a chill in the air.

Dior New Look

I am a Francis Kurkdjian fanboy, so when he was named as the new perfumer in residence at Dior I must admit that I may have let out a nerdy squeak. His olfactory output for the brand thus far has not disappointed and when New Look was added to La Collection Privée I couldn’t pick up a bottle fast enough. Like Ink, this one stays in rotation for a lot of the year. It’s a bubbly, fresh mix of aldehydes and frankincense that feels cool and silvery – almost mercurial. It’s the chicest thing ever and I love it, especially in the cooler months when the chill in the air adds just a little je ne sais quoi.

Guerlain Shalimar Millésime Jasmin

This one was definitely an impulse purchase. For the last for years Guerlain have been creating ‘millésime’ editions of Shalimar, with each focusing on the fragrance’s signature materials. So far we’ve had vanilla, tonka (also beautiful, btw) and iris, with jasmine as this year’s edition. What I have loved about this one is just how much more of a relaxed take on Shalimar it is. It’s soft and plush, but also much lighter, with the heady, sweet and waxy white floral tones of the jasmine accord to brighten it up. It’s very much Shalimar, but more Shalimar in pyjamas, than Shalimar in killer heels.

Escentric Molecules Molecule 03

Everyone talks about the cult Molecule 01, but nobody talks about the hidden gem Molecule 03 which, if you ask me is the more interesting of the two. As with all of the molecules in the line, Molecule 03 is simply one perfumery material in alcohol, specifically vetiveryl acetate. The most simple way to describe the smell of vetiveryl acetate is this: imagine a Venn diagram with vetiver and grapefruit – vetiveryl acetate is the overlapping bit in the middle where these two things meet. It’s beautifully rooty, juicy, tart, sharp, earthy, smoky and sweet. Great stuff that makes for a perfect scent to throw on when you’re having one of those ‘don’t know what to wear’ days.

Maison Crivelli Neroli Nasimba

I was introduced to this in Harvey Nichols’ 2024 fragrance advent calendar. I’ve learned with Maison Crivelli to always expect the unexpected and just because ‘neroli’ is on the label doesn’t mean you’re going to get a typical neroli fragrance. No, Maison Crivelli always twists and subverts the titular materials they play with and Neroli Nasimba is no exception. To me, it smells like powdered neroli set alight. It’s smoky but also a little creamy. It’s fresh but also quite rich. One of those scents that always keep you guessing.

Chanel Nº19

My good friend Mark has been reminding me to top up on Nº19 for about a year now and if I know anything in this life, it’s that Mark is always right. Nº19 is one of my all time favourite scents and a staple in my wardrobe, so I’ve really missed having a bottle. What I love most about Nº19, is its duality. On one hand it’s all viper green bitch on wheels, with vetiver, galbanum, aldehydes and moss, whilst on the other it’s just so beautifully plush and powdery, with oodles of iris giving it an almost cosmetic feel. Nº19 works if you need to be a boss bitch or a cuddly teddy and it never lets you down. Much like my friend, Mark, who is always right.

That’s what I’ll be wearing this autumn, how about you? Let me know what’s in your autumn rotation in the comments below.

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Disclaimer

Images are my own. All bottles were bought for me, except for Molecule 03, Neroli Nasimba, Day for Night, and Vierges et Toreros, which were press samples (from many moons ago).