The Posse’s Top 10

It’s that time of year again — when your friends at the Posse (along with several other blogs) name our Top Ten Scents of Autumn.

These can be old or new scents — whatever’s getting our special attention this time of year.

We figured we’d divide up the booty and give Patty, March, Lee and Bryan each four slots … that adds up to ten, right?

Patty – My list are the four things that I find myself wearing a lot this year, not the fall/winter scents that I think are the best of all time, just for this year. Top on the list that I’m doting on are two from Guerlain – Quend Vient La Pluie parfum and Spirituese Double Vanille. La Pluie is just plush and rich, sweeter than the edp, and perfect. Double Vanille is smoky and dry with that Guerlain vanilla base. I shouldn’t love it, but I do. Fifi Chachnil in EDP makes my list too. It’s perfect for this part of the winter, dramatic, nothing understated, and beautiful. Last, but not least, Serge Lutens Sarrasins. While there’s nothing groundbreaking about this jasmine, the composition of it suits me to a T. It’s not too fecal, not too sweet, it falls right in the perfect middle. P.S. everyone needs to root for the Rockies to win the World Series. If they win, I’ll be in such a great mood and will have awesome giveaways when I get back from Paris. If they lose…. well, let’s just don’t think about that.

March – well, I screwed up. I was supposed to tell everyone three scents each, but it’s too late now, isn’t it? This fall (and every fall) I’m focusing on the three C’s. First: classic — time to break out the Guerlain Mitsouko, baby! Who doesn’t love that cornucopia of chic, all oriental and aloof and mysterious? Well, lots of people don’t. But they should. The EdP is good; the extrait is mind-altering. Second, a comfort scent — I have a million of those, but if the weather ever cools off I’m ready for the tasty, smoky lapsang goodness that is L’Artisan Tea for Two. Finally, there’s cult — the weirdness I can’t deal with in the heat, but feels so right in cooler weather. Again, I have many choices, but I picked up my bottle of Versace The Dreamer the other day and remembered that fantabulous unisex combo of tobacco, tootsie rolls and turpentine (and I believe I owe Robin at Now Smell This a shout-out for the tootsie-roll reference.) It’s freaky, and yet totally wearable and mesmerizing. I almost put this as my comfort scent.

Lee – When I did my spiel about man scents the other day, I forgot my first fall favourite: Burberry London – the 2006 version. If you’re one of the few people who doesn’t love this scent, what the heckypeck is wrong with you? And it lasts too, in spite of what some may say. It’s the smell of a lithe young waiter in an old fashioned gentleman’s club – he’s been standing by the fire, serving port. The smells of tobacco – not tobacco smoke – seem to have been trapped in his hair, and he catches your eye, beckoning you towards the empty library. You follow him, of course. You know serving port isn’t on his mind.. You open the heavy double doors and he’s lying on a worn chaise longue, those chocolate eyes mischievous beneath heavy lashes… Next up should be a cold shower, but I’m going with Penhaligon’s Endymion. I never wear it, but can I tell you again how incredible it smells on Matt? Pure cold weather delight. Third, and unsurprisingly, is recent acquisition Fougere Bengale – this chameleonic number is perfect for the October days we’re having – chill frosty starts followed by almost summer sunshine. I still haven’t worked it out, but am enjoying the journey. And my final pick is a scent of which I have nary a drop – and I’m trying to delay bottle purchase. I know I’ll succumb. Back in January, I said this, right here, on this blog: ‘This has notes of cognac, leather, orris and vetiver, a deliciously rich combination… It´s very much a reading by the fire sort of smell – in an old fashioned sepia world where everything is a shade of brown and the flames flicker caramel colours in the glass of brandy warming in your hand. In fact, this combination of notes smells most like rich pipe tobacco and for that reason alone this brings me comfort.’ Bois d’Ombrie. I’m in London in the next coupla days…. just sayin’. I wonder if I can track down a gentlemen’s club with lithe young waiters…

Bryan – I will exclude Carnal Flower only because I included it for the Summer faves. Truth be told, and I’m sure everyone is just plain sick of “hearing” about it, I wear CF year round. ’nuff said. My first Fall love is Ambre Narguile by the esteemed House of Hermes. This is Mr. Ellena’s amber opus and it is divine. I can’t believe that this so-called water color of a scent wafts fabulously throughout the halls I have wandered, hours after application. Truly a scrumptious scent…without being noxious. Perhaps I am choosing the next scent because I haven’t reached for it of late…meaning I plan to this fall. Une Fleur de Cassie is a remarkably chic perfume that simply exudes class and refinement. I just feel like I should be a guest on Dirty Sexy Money when I wear it….granted that’s a recent insight….guess what I’m hooked on. Next, I plan on spritzing a large amount of Coromandel by Chanel Les Exclusifs. I absolutely love the gourmand quality of the patchouli here….not overly “woodsy” nor “hippy”. Two words I truly despise. This is a scent that lives up to its brand….unlike so many sad and forgetable scents…Escada I’m looking at you. Finally, I have a new love…and yes it’s a big bad Tuberose…..Beyond Love By Kilian. I ordered a decant and the full bottle within hours of each other. There was one bottle left and it had my name on it! This is a dirty Tuberose and I plan to need a refill by Halloween…ok, that’s pushing it a little bit, but I been known to overspray.

Check out the Top 10 posts on our fellow fragrance blogs: Aromascope, Bois de Jasmin, Now Smell This, Perfume-Smellin’ Things, and Scentzilla.