Henri Bendel Girl 2015 via harpersbazaar.com
The wax of crayons…chalk dust…the leather from a new pair of shoes. Certain scents will always be associated with back-to-school in my mind, but the one that’s inseparable is the smell of freshly minted money in a bank envelope. In my family, back-to-school meant a huge multigenerational shopping trip, with fashion as much a part of the festivities as school supplies, and with mama and grandma coming home with as many shopping bags as the kids. There’s something about the season that says spend, with the minimal effort of summer giving way to a more polished look head-to-toe, and with thousand-page issues of fall fashion magazines to guide us.
Changing up fragrances is part of the same mindset– as the air gets cooler, our taste turns to more serious scents, or at least those that make more of an impact. Following are five on-trend fragrances for fall:
Chanel Chance Eau Vive
Chanel Chance Eau Vive— This sparkling companion to the iconic Chanel Chance was formulated by Olivier Polge and features a youthful vibe that reminds me of the excitement of those first days of school. Opening with a mouth-watering citrus burst of grapefruit and blood orange, Chanel Chance Eau Vive wakes you up to the possibilities that autumn brings. Crisp heart notes of jasmine and iris lend a sense of sophistication– this beauty spent her summer vacation in the chicest locales. Vetiver, cedar and musk provide a sweet, clean base that makes Chance Eau Vive perfectly suited to those transitional fall days where the weather starts out cool but quickly warms up. Chanel Chance Eau Vive is available from Chanel.com for $77 for 1.7 fl. oz. eau de toilette.
500 Days of Summer 2009 Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Lewitt
Anthropologie LA: She Called But He Was Unreachable is part of Anthropologie’s new Fictions collection and has the added benefit of being packaged in an illustrated “book,” making it a must-have for back-to-school. Created by Josh Meyer of Imaginary Authors, this scent explores the emotions of an unrequited crush (a critical plot point in every high school rom com I’ve ever seen) with a hopeful opening of bergamot and lemon zest. Heart notes of linden and orange blossom lend a bittersweet tinge to the whole affair– there’s a reason we remember the one who got away. Base notes of ambergris and sparkling musk are meant to convey longing for that which we can’t have, but at $48 for 1.7 oz eau de parfum (available at Anthropologie.com and at Anthropologie stores), She Called But He Was Unreachable is happily accessible.
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium via scentofobsession.com
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium is a gourmand twist on the classic Oriental fragrance, and it’s just the thing to satisfy that autumn urge for lattes. A collaboration between Firmenich master perfumers Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc, Black Opium opens with a shot of espresso sweetened by sensual vanilla. A heart of orange blossom feminizes the fragrance, and base notes of cedar and patchouli give it a bohemian twist. Black Opium will fuel your fantasies of Left Bank Paris, even if you’re only studying at your local Starbucks. It is available exclusively from Sephora.com at $67 for 1 oz eau de parfum.
Sexy Professor via hair.lookli.est
In contrast, Atelier Cologne’s Oolang Infini may take tea as its theme, but there is something very sexy professor about it. Top notes of Calabrian bergamot, Tunisian neroli and freesia are fresh like a blank notebook cracked open for the very first time. Heart notes of blue oolang, Egyptian jasmine and blond leather make us show up for office hours, and base notes of Balkan tobacco flower, Indian gaiac and musk are alluring in the manner of an older man. This smoky leather is available from AtelierCologne.com for $80.00 for a 30 ml travel spray.
From the HBO Series True Blood Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and Vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Meyer) P.S They are married in real life …sighhhh
Finally, what would back to school be without a vampire romance fantasy? Sarah Horowitz-Thran’s Coeur de Sang satisfies your True Blood cravings with a deep, gorgeous amber whose name means Heart’s Blood. A mysteriously tantalizing opening of blood orange gives way to a goth heart of black rose and Mysore sandalwood. Complex base notes of Tunisian amber, red amber, labdanum, benzoin, patchouli, Tunisian Opium, vanilla and orris evoke love, longing, and mystery like the best Young Adult novels. Available exclusively from SarahHorowitz.com, Coeur de Sang is $60 for 1 oz. eau de parfum.
Best of all? At $85 and under you can add each of them to your school supply list without breaking the bank. With fragrances this good, you’ll be tempted to take them from your daughter. Be nice and share.
— Nancy Lichtenstein, Monthly Contributor
Disclosure: I received samples from some of the companies mentioned or they are part of my personal collection
1980 Police featuring Sting “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
For our Back to School Draw, we are offering the following
USA, EU and Canada 30 ml travel atomiser of Atelier Cologne Oolang Infini
USA 50 ml Sarah Horowitz-Thran’s Coeur de Sang Le Banque de Parfum
USA 30 ml Anthropologie LA: She Called But He Was Unreachable
To be eligible, you must be a registered (click here) CaFleureBon reader. Please leave a comment with a fun back to school memory or romance, your choice of perfume (country restrictions) and where you live. Draw closes 8/15/15
We announce the winner’s only onsite and on our Facebook page, so Like CaFleureBon and use our RSS option…..or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume