In Your Opinion: 314 posts

Andy, whose perfume reviews and tea articles we have been enjoying on these pages, shares a story of how he fell in love with scents.

Like so many others, I didn’t enter the world of fragrance in a contemplative tiptoe. Without plan, and against my better sensibilities, I plummeted into this universe in a headlong nosedive.

Fully explaining my fragrance journey up to now is to tell a true love story though, which is to say that along with incredible serendipity and bliss, has not been without occasional doubt and darkness. Unforgettable is the exhilaration I felt when I first tentatively tested some perfumes, finding myself feeling at once both helplessly surrendered to and strangely in control of my own sense of pleasure. On the other hand, it’s hard to forget the misgivings that initially led me to look deeper into perfume in the first place.

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The other day I finished work early and took a long walk through Musée des Beaux Arts in Brussels. One of my favorite halls contains a long enfilade of exhibition spaces, where one can spend hours peering at Hieronymus Bosch’s The Temptation of Saint Anthony or the elaborate still lifes by Osias Beert, very different in subject matter but equally compelling. Standing in front of this painting and admiring the mouthwatering collection of pastries, Jordan almonds and candies, I could distinctly smell the sweet orange blossom and strawberry perfume. It took me a while to realize that it wasn’t my imagination, but the Guerlain Insolence on a woman who was likewise drawn to Beert’s extravaganza.

Scent Diary is a place where we can share fragrances we encounter, good and bad, perfumes we wear and the scents around us. It’s a way to sharpen our sense of smell, but also just to enjoy the fragrance hobby in a richer way. Whether you write down 1 recollection–“I smelled coffee this morning”–or 10 matters less than simply reminding yourself to smell. You can add as many comments as you wish. You can comment today or over the course of the week; this thread will always be open. Of course, do share what perfume you’re wearing or what particularly good scented products you’ve discovered.

Osias Beert (c. 1580–1624), Still Life with Oysters, Pastry and Fruits. Detail, photography by Bois de Jasmin.

I love the first of the season apples that are still not quite perfect. They may be too small, too bumpy or too soft, but the fragrance of green leaves, honey and butter compensates for any aesthetic flaws. This was the reason why I couldn’t resist getting more apples at the market, even though my fruit basket at home was overflowing.  When it comes to scented things, I’m too easily tempted, especially by the assurances of a sweet-looking lady that she grew these apples herself.

The apples at the market stalls are now competing with the nutty scent of fallen leaves. Golden autumnal light fills the parks and every gust of wind makes the carpet on the ground thicker and thicker. Sometimes I take detours to experience more of that aroma, because few things create that serene, yet bittersweet feeling of time flying by, one chapter closing and another one yet to open.

Scent Diary is a place where we can share fragrances we encounter, good and bad, perfumes we wear and the scents around us. It’s a way to sharpen our sense of smell, but also just to enjoy the fragrance hobby in a richer way. Whether you write down 1 recollection–“I smelled coffee this morning”–or 10 matters less than simply reminding yourself to smell. You can add as many comments as you wish. You can comment today or over the course of the week; this thread will always be open. Of course, do share what perfume you’re wearing or what particularly good scented products you’ve discovered.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

Bois de Jasmin will return on Monday. Today we have our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread. You can use this space to ask any questions about perfume, including fragrance recommendations. If you’ve asked for a recommendation before, we would love to hear how your search went and what you’ve discovered.

How does it work:

1. Please post your requests or questions as comments here. You can also use this space to ask any fragrance related questions. To receive recommendations that are better tailored to your tastes, you can include details on what you like and don’t like, your signature perfumes, and your budget. And please let us know what you end up sampling.

2. Then please check the thread to see if there are other requests you can answer. Your responses are really valuable for navigating the big and sometimes confusing world of perfume, so let’s help each other!

To make this thread easier to read, when you reply to someone, please click on the blue “reply” link under their comment.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin, fall fruits

Elisa’s round up of autumnal favorites.

If summer is a time for frivolity (tropical “beach scents” whether or not one is near a beach) and winter a time for comfort (rich meals and equally rich orientals), fall is, for me, a time for looking and smelling put together.

Perhaps it’s the diehard spirit of “back to school” – I no longer live by the semester system, but when the September issues come out, I start lusting for collegiate looks and their professional equivalent: sweater vests, schoolboy blazers, plaid trousers. I also reach for perfumes that I think of as “smart,” i.e., conducive to getting down to business. To me, that means ladylike woody florals, chypres, and the dry note of leather (a structured handbag/briefcase to top off the look).

Here are my ten favorite autumnal perfumes for smelling clever and in control.

Donna Karan Signature

Like a low-cut silk blouse, DK Signature sits right at the juncture of “office-appropriate” and “sexy.” This leathery, resinous floral reads as complex but still incredibly sleek, with something like the subtle metallic rasp of a snare drum.

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