Due to the seasonal lag caused by my propinquity to the equator
and global warming, it’s really just barely beginning to feel like a
true autumn. The leaves here do change color a bit, though nothing
so stunning as what the lucky folks up north get. Still, it pleases me
to see the sumac and pears turning red and flaming, the big pecans
all wreathed in yellow. A big gust of rain sends them twirling down,
their tattered finery littering my doorstep.

Awhile back I promised a post
of my favorite autumnal scents, and I realized last night, in the last
fleeting hours of November, that I had better get to it before it is time to
start writing about wintery perfumes! It’s hard to fathom that it’s December
already, especially when I’ve only had to wear a coat once or twice so far.

http://dlennis.wordpress.com/

(Photograph by D L Ennis)

This is the season when everything grows darker,
and I find myself attracted to heavier, richer smells
of burnished wood, spices and comforting treats.
Many of my deepest memories are awakened
by the aroma of a sudden cold breeze,
a waft of cinnamon, wet earth, bonfires.
Capturing these without cloying or too
heavy-handed is very difficult, but there are
a few who really succeed. I’m always excited to
try new things, so if there are any you love
tell me, do! To be honest, autumnal scents
are what I want to wear most of the time,
but they are not always appropriate for warm
weather. I love rich, dark and spicy perfumes,
thick with russian leather, smoky tea,
and woods of all kinds. I think I also need
to find a good in-between seasons stand-by.

I’m leaning towards Diptyque’s Tam Dao,
an elegant dry sandalwood which I am
adding to my dream wishlist.

I’ve been wearing a combination of my
all time favorites lately, as they blend
nicely together and seem to last longer
when worn that way. Sometimes I’ll also
dab on a little essential oil to boost it up
a few notches: usually Oakmoss, Myrrh,
Texas Cedarwood, Frankincense or Vetiver.
Roots by Oshadhi
This is my all-time favorite number one smell.
Absolutely my signature scent! (I try not to be too
territorial about it, but it’s weird to smell it on someone else…)
I’m out of it right now, actually, and that’s just not right.
It’s sort of hard to find, so if you ever come across it
and want to make me incredibly happy,
this is one fail-safe method!

When I was in New York earlier this fall,
I had the opportunity to visit CB I Hate Perfume,
the haven of smell and memory created by
Christopher Brosius. He is a delightful genius!
Keep an eye out for my interview with him in
the upcoming issue of Coilhouse Magazine.
All of the blends below are ideal for Fall,
and there are quite a few more there I’m lusting
after, Cedarwood Tea and Gingerbread in particular.
Burning Leaves
I’ve been wearing this one every day.
It’s the smell burning maple leaves, pure and simple.

“Not everyone has your passion for dead leaves.”
Jane Austen – Sense & Sensibility

I do! I find it to be totally intoxicating.

The Wild Hunt
“Wild Hunt is the scent of an ancient forest
in the heat of a summer afternoon.
It is a blend of Torn Leaves, Crushed Twigs,
Flowing Sap, Fallen Branches, Old Leaves,
Green Moss, Fir, Pine and Tiny Mushrooms.”
It is a wholly feral scent – a perfume for beasts!

M3 November
“Pumpkin Pie, Fallen Apples, Bonfire, Wood Smoke,
Dried Grass, Fallen Leaves, Wet Branches, Damp Moss,
Chanterelle Mushrooms and a hint of Pine Forest”
I have a little sample of this one that I’ve been playing with –
it’s a very complex, layered perfume that makes me feel
simultaneously cold and cozy. Very delicious.

This is my favorite photo of Vali Myers,
who is my number one witch-woman inspiration and style icon.
She was an Australian sorceress-artist from Australia who lived
in on the Rive Gauche in Paris, in the Chelsea Hotel in NYC
(her art still hangs there!) and in a castle on the beach in Positano, Italy.
She had pet foxes and lots of young lovers, and I would have given
my left pinky toe to have met her before she died. I’ve been thinking
about foxes a lot, since seeing Neko, and also Fantastic Mr. Fox.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I must entreat you to go, as it is so very
sweet and happymaking with lots of dancing animals
and a gorgeous autumnal palette. It cheered me up immensely,
and now I must go find a copy of the book, which I haven’t ever read
though I adore Roald Dahl. Have you read it, or seen the film? Thoughts?

There are some more gourmand perfumes
I’ve been intrigued by- I have samples of both
of these, but found them slightly too sweet.
I tend to wear men’s colognes, so I need
a bit of danger in there! Some cojones, eh?
Tea for Two by L’Artisan –
“Tea for Two celebrates the precious moment
of sharing tea and spicy bread with someone special.
The curling steam of smoky Lapsang Souchong
hides mouthwatering spices of cinnamon, ginger and anise.
Lightly sweetened by honey and vanilla,
the fragrance is fiery and warm, provocative and mysterious.
Deliciously spicy!

Notes: smoky tea, bergamot, cinnamon, ginger, honey, vanilla”

I really want to adore this one, because the name
and description make me think of the last afternoon
my grandfather and I spent in Brussels.
After exploring the fabulous flea markets,
vintage shops and art nouveau architecture
we found the most delightful little tea-shop
to sit and nibble fancy sandwiches and
petit-fours in. One of my happiest memories
ever is thinking of my grandfather and I
waiting for a taxi afterwards, he in his
wheelchair and me doing a little dance
as we sang “Tea for Two” together.

Speaking of Belgium and magical women, the lovely Mlle. Viona
is from there. I love this image of her, even though it’s one of her
less elaborate ensembles – The Grain Girl is just perfection.
Now go and spend hours poring over her incredible costumes
and photographs, if you haven’t already – I promise you’ll thank me later!

Five O’Clock Au Gingembre by Serge Lutens
The Black Luminous Intensity of Ginger
How fabulous is Mimi Frou Frou’s description of this magic elixir?
Um, very! You must go read all about it, but here’s an excerpt
for the nonce – just see if it doesn’t make you want to buy a bottle!

“The palette is gourmand but also composed
of dark tints and literally makes use of black,
a rare sensation in a perfume if not in the visual arts.
Having, consciously at least, forgotten about the insistence
on the color black in Serge Lutens’ description of the scent
in which he makes references to a black Rolls Royce
and a black Wedgwood tea service, one is reminded of it
suddenly as the unusual sensation of a ginger fragrance
that is both luminous and black suddenly unfolds,
letting out the sheen of a branch of jet-black coral.
It is like seeing the eclipse of a normal sensation,
be it the paleness of the moon
or the golden rays of the sun shutting down.
Five O’ Clock thus suggests the midnight-eclipse
version of a ginger fragrance losing its solar quality
to become bitumen-like, tarry, while some light is shone
into the composition anew thanks to citrus-y notes
and the golden glow of honey.
It is therefore a very sophisticated rendering of ginger.
Official notes and accords: bergamot, candied ginger,
honey, pepper, dark cocoa, meltingly soft cookie,
gingerbread, patchouli, vetiver.”

I bought a print of The String Game recently from Miss Katy Horan.
I fell in love with her artwork a while back,
and was thrilled to find out that she had moved to Austin.
Now we work together at Uncommon Objects,
which is fantastic. We have secret Ouija board
seance plans! Her new work featuring alien-witch
lace crones is very hypnotic. Very affordable prints
and such are available in her etsyshop, check it out!
(Uh-oh! I just realized that she’s sold out of everything!
Let’s all cross our fingers, and hope she restocks soon, mm?)

Has anyone tried
Bois d’Ombrie by Eau d’Italie yet?
It sounds incredible. WANT!
Here’s a wonderful description from Mlle. Victoria of Bois de Jasmin:
“The scent of Bois d’Ombrie has autumnal associations
given its nutty plumminess reminiscent of fallen leaves,
its smoky dryness evoking bonfires and its intoxicating
tangy sweetness conjuring the aroma of spiced wine.
I do not know why a fragrance inspired by Italian woods
would evoke an image of Ukrainian rainy autumns,
but for me this fact is undeniable. The somber chill
of iris gently leads into the honeyed warmth of leather
and tobacco. A dried plum note weaves in and out
of the composition, teasing like the refrain of a familiar
melody escaping from an open window.
Warm, mellow and slightly rustic,
Bois d’Ombrie dries down into a myrrh
dominated etude of leather and woods.”

Perfume blogs have become my guilty pleasure,
and I’ve discovered some wonderful writers out
there who seem to have similar taste to my own.
Here’s a couple more, expounding on their favorite
perfumes for Autumn weather – enjoy!

Autumn Smells
from Elena Vosnaki at Perfume Shrine
Perfume Cravings In The Fall: Cornucopia of Dark Fruits
from Marie-Helene Wagner aka. Mimi Frou Frou at The Scented Salamander
Be sure to also check out her five part series (!) on
North-American Originals: Perfumers on Fall & Winter.

So much amazing stuff there! I stand in awe, truly.