Transition Into Fall Perfumes

The evenings are getting decidedly cooler, the days are shorter than one would prefer. I already saw the first signs of leaves changing (it was in August. How depressing!). I'm not necessarily a big advocate of perfume seasons: I wear whatever I feel like, be it Eau d'Hadrien in December or Mitsouko in July, but some perfumes can make the transition between seasons a bit easier and put me in a better mood. Here are my current choices:

1. Chanel No. 19 (the original, preferably in parfum, but other concentrations will also do. Clears the mind on chilly mornings and maintains its coolness as the day gets warmer. Crisp and well-dressed, even if you carry an unneeded cardigan that not necessarily goes with the last minute scarf you picked.

2. Aftelier Cepes et Tubreuse- A balmy tropical flower and the earthy mushroom in an unforgettable combination that smells like nothing else. As temperamental as the weather.

3. Cartier So Pretty- As elegant as the new shoes you picked, romantic and so very French.

4.  Frederic Malle Dans tes Bras- Wraps your skin in a soft and sensual shawl, a little salty, a little powdery. Dans tes Bras is quirky and sexy without being too obvious about it. Like a cashmere wrap dress.

5. Serge Lutens  Rousse- Uncle Serge goes with you apple-picking as the leaves and twigs rustle underneath your feet, and continues into the evening activities as you sip hot cider and stir it with a cinnamon stick.

6. Rien by Etat Libre d'Orange- Urban and black in a modern silhouette. It's smoky and not very perfumy, almost like an armor. Rien puts me in a New York state of mind and settles on the skin in a similar way to Bandit.

What are you wearing these days?

Photo of model Suzy Parker by Georges Dambier for Elle magazine, 1953, from myvintagevogue.com