Dear Reader,
If it feels like a gift guide, you’re already in one.
In case you hadn’t noticed by now, each of our newsletters has a secret Taylor Swift cameo. Whether it’s a subtle lyric, mentioning the pop star, or borrowing her image in the form of a fun gif. We love her as much as we love perfume and romantic comedies. To celebrate her new album Midnights we thought it would be fun to do a holiday gift guide, assigning a perfume to each song. Cassie’s Version and Taylor’s Version, of course.
We want to thank each of you for coming on this scent-filled journey with us. It has been a fun hobby for all of us to stay connected, and we can’t wait to share our review of Roan Parrish’s The Holiday Trap next week! In the meantime, let us know what you’re wearing today or what book you’re currently engrossed in. We’ll be rewatching Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday all season long.
Lavender Haze
(Taylor's Version): Haze by Akro
smells like a love spiral, staring at the ceiling with your lover–sweet absinthe and cannabis auras breaking through a lavender haze with notes of absinthe, eucalyptus, and clary sage.
(Cassie's Version): A Taste of Heaven by Kilian
smells like a lavender haze creeping up on you with notes of vanilla, tonka bean, and lavender.
Maroon
(Taylor's Version): Bloody Wood by Liquides Imaginaries
smells like the burgundy on my tee when you splashed your wine into me, sweet-tempered-noble passion, and carnations you had thought were roses with notes of red wine, cherries, aged oak barrels, and rose.
(Cassie's Version): Flaming Creature by Marissa Zappas
smells like cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf with notes of smoke, rum, pink pepper, juniper and orange.
Anti-Hero
(Taylor's Version): Scorpio Rising by Eris Parfum
smells like monsters on the hill, cashmere sweaters, and your daughter-in-law killing you for the money with notes of pink pepper, cloves, and incense.
(Cassie's Version): Whiskey by Thin Wild Mercury
smells like staring directly in the sun, but never in the mirror, with notes of amber, raspberry, pink pepper, and cardamom.
Snow on the Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)
(Taylor's Version): California Snow by A Lab On Fire
smells like flying in a dream, collecting stars by the pocketful, and a beachy Christmas rom-com, with notes of sage, chamomile tea, and herbal roses.
(Cassie's Version): Milk by Commodity
smells like flecks that could have been lights, this sweet gourmand is cozy and sugary with notes of marshmallow, milk, and tonka.
You’re on Your Own Kid
(Taylor's Version): Telegrama by Imaginary Authors
Smells like: fireplace ashes, telegrams between two long-distanced lovers, and the end of summer, with notes of lavender, fresh linen, and black pepper.
(Cassie's Version): Debaser by D.S. & Durga
smells like summer going away, but the yearning staying with notes of fig, coconut milk, iris, tonka bean, and white woods.
Midnight Rain
(Taylor's Version): Angel’s Share by Killian
smells like slow motion, boozy love potions, and dancing with tom hiddleston at the met gala, with notes of cognac, tonka bean, and vanilla.
(Cassie's Version): When the Rain Stops by Replica
smells like making your own name, chasing that fame with rain notes, bergamot, pink pepper, jasmine, and Turkish rose.
Question . . .?
(Taylor's Version): One Night Only by Mes Bisous
smells like irresistible attraction (for a good girl or sad boy), midnight city lights, and asking the unanswered questions, with notes of cardamom, iris, and leather.
(Cassie's Version): Fable by Ellis Brooklyn
smells like getting swept up in the gray, with notes of cedar, neroli, honeysuckle, black currant, and violet.
Vigilante Shit
(Taylor's Version): Whiskey, 1969 by Thin Wild Mercury
smells like dressing for revenge, uncovering white-collar crimes with notes of pink pepper, raspberry, cardamom, and bourbon.
(Cassie's Version): Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun
smells like drawing a cat eye sharp enough to kill a man, with notes of vanilla, musk, geranium, patchouli, lavender, bergamot, and a bouquet of roses.
Bejeweled
(Taylor's Version): Black Jade by Lubin
smells like spicy floral hearts, unapologetically luxurious, and meeting the band and suddenly being unable to remember if you have a m*n, with notes of bergamot, jasmine, and amber.
(Cassie's Version): Mad Women & Bad Habits by Death & Floral
smells like making the whole place shimmer, with effervescent notes of champagne, sparkling lemon, and lavender.
Labyrinth
(Taylor's Version): I broke my own heart by Pearfat Parfum
smells like leftover teen heartache, cozy sweaters by the fire, and oh no–falling in love again, with notes of toasted coconut, jasmine petals, and hot cocoa.
(Cassie's Version): Wedding in Oaxaca by Kismet Olfactive
smells like falling in love again, with notes of musk, gardenia, violet leaves, geranium, pink pepper, coconut milk, and ginger.
Karma
(Taylor's Version): Queens and Monsters by Henry Rose
smells like the reputation of this gift guide, warm summer gardens, and talking shit for the hell of it, with notes of violet, neroli, vanilla, and musk.
(Cassie's Version): Karma by Lush
smells like the breeze in your hair on the weekend, with citrusy notes of orange and lemon, cinnamon, fir, and pine tree.
Sweet Nothing
(Taylor's Version): Absinthe Boreale by Maison Crivelli
smells like: car ride poems, the lemon twist in a gin and tonic, and kissing under the mistletoe, with notes of juniper, eucalyptus, lemon, and lavender musk.
(Cassie's Version): Slow Dance by Byredo
smells like running home to sweet nothings, with notes of vanilla, cognac, geranium, and violet.
Mastermind
(Taylor's Version): Mad About You by Pierre Guillaume Paris Black Collection
smells like love in the age of social media, the planets and the fates all aligned, with notes of lipstick, violet, leather, licorice, and red fruits.
(Cassie's Version): Florence by Tocca
smells like the planets, the fates, and all the stars aligning, with a romantic floral bouquet of gardenia, tuberose, jasmine, violet leaf, and iris, and notes of pear, apple, bergamot, and grapefruit leaf.
~~~
(Taylor's Version)’s Bonus Tracks
The Great War: Violet Ends by Boy Smells
smells like memory garden vows, tragic Shakespearean metaphors, and smoldering desire, with notes of rhubarb, orris, violet delights, and leather.
Hits Different: Naked Dance by Oddity
smells like: meeting that girl in the club bathroom who compliments your perfume, sending a 2am ‘you up?’ text and renaissance oil paintings, with notes of orange blossom, rice, Turkish rose, and incense.
(Cassie's Version)’s Bonus Tracks
Paris: Parisian Musc by Matiere Premiere
smells like being so in love that you might stop breathing, with notes of musk, ambroxan, and cedar, like breathing in the scent of your lover’s neck.
High Infidelity: Tubéreuse Nue by Tom Ford
smells like blind hoping, with notes of tonka bean, suede, musk, tuberose, jasmine, lily, and Sichuan pepper.
Happy sniffing Swifties, we wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season.
Scent-cerely,
Taylor & Cassie
p.s.
Dear Reader: Book by Commodity
smells like wandering through nights and hiding in plain sight, with notes of musk, velvet, cyprus, amber, eucalyptus, and bergamot.