The scent of autumn carries an unmatched nostalgia. Maybe it’s the engrained smells of school supplies: Nora Ephron wrote about it in the opening scenes of “You’ve Got Mail,” when Tom Hanks’ Joe Fox writes to Meg Ryan’s Kathleen Kelly: “I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” Maybe it’s the aching rot of trees as they agitate into deep oranges and browns. Or the crisp, ozonic morning chill signaling sweater weather and the musky woolens you pull from the closet in response.
Fall offers an opportunity to set aside the bright, playful scents of spring and summer and adopt cozier, more inviting fragrances. This year’s best fall fragrances eschew the fresh and embrace the dirty, spicy, and musty (so basically, rich and unbothered). Here are some of our favorites for the season, from mellow gourmands to soft woods.
Vanilla Vibes
Gourmands with pistachio, vanilla, and sugar blew up this summer; lucky for us, those enticing scents have some perfect autumnal counterparts.
D.S. & Durga has built a reputation as one of the most IYKYK brands in fragrance. From exclusive, experimental “studio juice” drops to retro car scents and adorable new mini bottles, David Seth Moltz and Kavi Moltz specialize in melding the familiar with the strange. This fall, their must-have is Deep Dark Vanilla, an aptly-named juice that pairs vanilla absolute (read: dark and potent, not baked-goods sweet) with verdant ivy and pink peppercorn. It’s toasty and rich, perfect for the niche fragrance fan looking to transition from their on-trend summer pistachio scent to a fall-ready bottle.
Prada’s Paradoxe blew up on TikTok last year, popping up on everyone’s vanities. This season, the brand dropped Paradoxe Intense, a hot pink juice in the same iconic bottle. Here, the neroli top notes are brought down to earth with crisp pear, vanilla, and bourbon.
The scent I can’t stop sniffing this season is Bond No. 9’s New York Forever, a brilliant cocktail of cinnamon, vanilla, and patchouli in an exuberant gold bottle. Definitely a splurge, this new release celebrates 20 years of the famed fragrance house. Fittingly, it’s a mash of notes paying tribute to the brand’s birthplace, New York City. Vanilla and cinnamon bring the nostalgia, while dirty patchouli keeps the sweetness away. It’s surprisingly wearable for such a decadent and luxurious scent.
Sharpened Pencils
Soft, woody scents are an elegant way to transition your fragrance wardrobe from summer to fall.
Juliette Has a Gun practically cornered the skin scent market with its one-note-in-a-good-way fragrance, Not A Perfume. This season, their Ode to Dullness brings some stiff competition to the “everyday” scent category. As the name indicates, Ode to Dullness is a tribute to comfort, routine, and getting cozy. Sandalwood and cashmere notes bring mellow woodiness, and a touch of fresh laundry makes it a perfect post-shower spritz. It’s a seamless signature scent.
Woodphoria from Boy Smells is another soft, comforting option for sweater weather. Cedar, sandalwood, and salt make for everyday wearability, but—in what is increasingly a Boy Smells signature move—a couple of strange notes turn the mix from just ho-hum to a compulsive wrist-sniffer: Fig leaf and coconut water add crisp green energy to the top of the scent, and night-blooming flowers bring some romance to the mix. Folks who don D.S. & Durga’s Debaser or Diptyque’s Philosykos in the summertime might want to turn to Woodphoria for a seasonal fragrance vibe shift.
Saffron
If fall means less leaf-crunching and more scone-baking, you might find love with these spicy new scents. Instead of the classic pumpkin pie mix blends, though, these picks reach further back on the spice shelf for luxe saffron. One of the main notes in Baccarat Rouge 540, saffron is among the quickest routes to richness in a scent. It pairs beautifully with velvety base notes like carrot flower and tonka, but it also loves to be picked up by neroli and ginger.
Thameen London grabbed my attention last summer with its gin-and-tonic-esque Fanfare. Now, with Bravi, the house has a spicy and deep mix that’s perfect for fall. Lively ginger kicks things off, but walnut and saffron lend a milky base for long, cozy wear.
One of the first fragrances to steal my heart was Byredo’s now-discontinued Seven Veils, which was a saffron and tonka bomb (in a good way!). The brand is bringing some of that saffron intensity back with Rouge Chaotique. Here, the saffron spice sits at the base, with blackcurrant and plum bringing sweetness to the top and oud adding a dirty, leathery, and decadent base. “Chaotic,” indeed, but beautiful.
DedCool keeps bringing the hits. While not a new scent, 03 “Blonde” is a great way for fans of cult-classic Milk to keep exploring the DedCool library. Here, saffron plays with buttery violet and spritzy pomelo for a funky, fruity take on the spice.
And finally, Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Faces of Francis is a leathery gourmand worth trying if you want something no one else is wearing. Saffron and oud bring a boozy depth, but the top note is all aldehyde (a.k.a. the iconic note of Chanel No. 5).