Choosing Your Perfume by Style: Which Scent Matches Your Look?
Each person can choose their perfume based on different factors: seasons, personality, or even clothing style. It is often wise to match your sillage to your allure, ensuring total coherence between how you look and how you smell.
When Perfumery Echoes Fashion
Fashion and perfume are intimately linked. After the era of great perfumers (Guerlain, Coty), couturier Paul Poiret was the first to launch his perfume brand, followed by Chanel and Dior.
Paul Poiret famously said: “My perfumes will do for your soul what my dresses have done for your body.” Perfume is the invisible accessory that completes an outfit.
Which Perfume for Which Style? (The Look Guide)
Depending on your clothing style, the colors of your clothes, and your fabrics, certain fragrances will be more suitable to enhance your allure.
1. The Classic and Timeless Look
If you wear tailored suits, trench coats, white blouses, or pencil skirts, perfumes from the Fougère family or grand florals blend well with this elegance.
- Key notes: Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Vetiver.
- Perfumes: Jicky or Mon Guerlain, Libre by Yves Saint-Laurent.
2. The Preppy Chic (BCBG) Look
Satin scarves, cashmere sweaters, loafers? This polished style pairs perfectly with aldehydic perfumes (clean and metallic) or powdery scents.
- Perfumes: No. 5 by Chanel, Rive Gauche by YSL, Arpège by Lanvin.
3. The Bohemian and “Flower Power” Look
For styles featuring floral or romantic fabrics, adapt the power of the flowers:
- Macro-flower prints: Dare to wear powerful, narcotic white flowers (Tuberose) like Fracas or Poison.
- Romantic small floral prints: Prioritize the softness of rose or orange blossom.
4. The Minimalist and Discreet Look
Simple cuts, pastel, or neutral colors? Turn towards powdery florals or white musks (see Powdery Facet), which act as a veil of softness.
- Perfumes: Flower by Kenzo, Dovana (the scent of clean) or Florentina.
5. The Sexy and Glamorous Look
For low-cut outfits or evenings, vanilla perfumes and orientals are massive weapons of seduction. They bring warmth and mystery.
- Perfumes: Shalimar, Black Opium, or Valkyrie for an audacious vanilla.
6. The Sporty and Casual Look
For relaxed outfits (jeans, t-shirts), prioritize Eaux de Cologne, Eaux Fraîches, or “New Freshness” notes.
The Art of Contrast (Mix & Match)
If you have an avant-garde spirit, create a contrast! Wear a very masculine perfume (Eau Sauvage) with an ultra-feminine outfit, or pair raw denim with a mystical incense perfume (Shalimar or Bois d’Argent). This is the mark of a true signature.
