Iris, vetiver, oakmoss, soft leather and understated woods are the notes most commonly linked to the ‘old money’ look, favoured over anything overtly sweet, sparkly or attention-seeking.

Why these specific notes

These are notes that read as refined rather than loud — powdery iris and dry vetiver in particular have long been associated with tailoring, libraries and old-school elegance rather than trend-driven, dessert-like fragrances. Soft leather and cedar add a sense of substance without sweetness, which fits the wider aesthetic of quality over visible expense. None of this is an official fragrance category, more a shared vocabulary that’s built up around the trend.

  • Iris (orris) — powdery, cool, understated
  • Vetiver — dry, earthy, slightly smoky
  • Oakmoss and cedar — grounding, classic woody depth
  • Soft suede or leather accords rather than sweet gourmand notes

None of this means sweeter, bolder fragrances are somehow lesser — it’s simply a different aesthetic, and plenty of genuinely excellent perfumes sit well outside this particular, currently fashionable description.

Think of it less as a fixed shopping list and more as a mood board — a set of ingredients that, combined, tend to signal restraint rather than extravagance.

Our guide to fragrance notes explains each of these individually in more depth, and our complete guide to perfume is a good starting point if fragrance families are still new territory for you.