Le Labo's Iris 39 is a divisive beast: some rave about its earthy, rooty iris, while others are put off by a heavy violet-patchouli combo. It's a proper chypre with an old-school feel that commands attention.

A lighter, more transparent take on Ralph Lauren's Romance. The rose-violet heart is softer and less dewy here, the oakmoss-musk base thinner, and the whole composition reads as a fleeting, 2-3 hour whisper rather than the original's warm, hours-long musky sillage.