David Zyla’s book, Color Your Style goes into detail as to which artists, silhouettes, fragrances, and personality traits best depict the various seasonal archetypes, and he does this with each of the archetypes/personalities within each season (Spring, Winter, Summer, Autumn). Here is a brief summary:
1. Spring
Spring fragrances are lively and bright, depicting a fresh, spring day. Within the various Spring archetypes, these can range from rainy, windy days to sunny days, expressed using youthful notes such as citrus and light-handed, often “wilded” flowers, but none of them should be heavy, such as amber, overtly-sexual florals, etc. Springs have an ever-youthful, innocent energy about them.
2. Winter
If you imagine a queen (or, in one case, a playful ballerina), this is the essence of the Winter personalities. They are effective in rose, carnation, mint (for the “Classic Winter”), vanilla (for the “Soft Winter”), etc.: Classic, regal fragrances that express deep emotions which they hardly show in public.
3. Summer
This is the type that is almost always “party perfect” in any situation, and she has an uncanny gift for being naturally pulled-together and appropriate in most situations. Like the Winter, she will often contain her distaste until she is alone with her family, at which time she may pour it all out. Her fragrance (on those occasions when she actually wears anything heavier than a light essential oil or body powder) is usually light and likable, such as lavender and light florals.
4. Autumn
With her fiery personality and daring ambition, no one can pull off a heavy amber or jasmine scent like an Autumn. Her fragrances often remind one of being beside the fireplace in the family home.
Conclusion
My own personal fragrance journey was quite long, but fascinating, and it ended in a classy, unique, playful, feminine, but very fresh place. It was difficult to find one fragrance that ticked all those boxes, but the key (in my case, as a Tawny Spring) finally turned out to be looking for something interesting but sensual (in an elegant, pert way) rather than traditionally beautiful, and I could not be happier with the result. This “key” will be different for everyone, and Scent Split actually specializes in offering samples of niche perfumes! How fun!!!