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Taylor Swift’s highly–anticipated Life of a Showgirl  is finally here, and the album is a kaleidoscope of moody-sweet pop and glamour—bold, exuberant, and unapologetically maximalist. Like perfume, music carries an invisible architecture: built on memory and emotion, it conjures worlds we can’t see but can somehow immediately feel. Taylor Swift is a cross-sensory artist in her own right—assigning colors to emotions, shaping eras through textures and tones, and painting vivid, image-driven scenes—a fact that really shines on her 12th album.

In that spirit, I’ve created a perfume playlist that pairs each track on Life of a Showgirl with a fragrance echoing its mood, and what it evokes for me as a musician myself. These scent-song pairings capture the album’s cinematic highs, tender interludes, and its glittering, maximalist heart.

“The Fate of Ophelia:” Maison Margiela Replica When the Rain Stops

I took Taylor’s invocation of the literary figure Ophelia quite literally—specifically the 1851 painting of her by Sir John Everett Millais. This scent smells exactly how I imagine that scene would: water-soaked, earthy, and fresh, with notes of pink pepper, rain, jasmine, and moss.

“Elizabeth Taylor:” Bienaimè Vermeil

I considered Elizabeth Taylor’s own White Diamonds or Violet Eyes, but Vermeil, a floral woody musk, really stole the show. This scent has a soft, elegant retro lipstick smell that screams “haunted Old Hollywood” to me. Notes include aldehydes—a “soapy” note included in many old school fragrances— iris, violet, rose, and white musk.

“Opalite:” D.S. & Durga Pistachio

The pistachio makes this a playful, almost cloying scent, yet its patchouli base gives it a serious, heartfelt core—much like the song, which hides a touching, earnest narrative about growth and love beneath a bright, sugary pop melody. As the name suggests, it’s heavy on the pistachio notes, and is balanced by cardamom, almond, and vanilla.

“Father Figure:” Universal Flowering Daddy

For this one, I had to go with an aromatic spicy fragrance suited for women and men. This scent’s haunted, complex take on masculinity pairs seamlessly with Taylor’s scathing critique of male mentors and the patriarchy. Notes include guaiac wood, black pepper, mushroom, vetiver, and oakmoss.

“Eldest Daughter:” Imaginary Authors Whiff of a Waffle Cone

Described as “a fragrance that evokes a sense of nostalgia and warmth, reminiscent of a visit to an old-fashioned ice cream shop.” I chose it for its sweetness, simplicity, and nostalgia—mirroring the song’s search for and affirmation of authenticity. It smells just like a fresh waffle cone on the boardwalk, with notes of vanilla, salted caramel, heavy cream, and sandalwood.

“Ruin the Friendship:” Hermès Twilly d’Hermès Eau Ginger

A floral woody fragrance that’s playful, bubbly, and fresh—like the beginnings of infatuation paired with heady, impulsive decisions. Notes include ginger, bitter orange, jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla.

“Actually Romantic:” Ousia 03 Milk Jasmine Soufflé

To mirror the biting, playful energy of this song, I chose a scent so extravagantly luxurious and decadent—notes include milk mousse, black cherry, and amaretto—that it practically rubs its sweetness right in your face.

“Wi$h Li$t:” Comme des Garçons Monocle Scent One: Hinoki

A woody fragrance originally designed for men, this scent captures Taylor’s dream-partner fantasy and the domestic bliss they could have: wholesome, green, and woodsy, like a freshly mowed lawn by a white picket fence.

“Wood:” Diptyque L’Eau Papier

This musky “skin scent” is understated yet sensual. Perfect for what might be Taylor’s raunchiest song yet and best worn with nothing at all. Notes include white musks, mimosa, blonde woods, and a rice steam accord.

“Cancelled:” Nasomatto Black Afgano

This song calls for a woody aromatic fragrance. The dark, resinous composition of this scent is perfect for when you are looking to embrace your scarlet letter. It opens with notes of cannabis, green notes, and thyme before cofee, cinnamon, and tobacco come in in the heart, and is grounded by moody incense and tonka.

“Honey:” Chanel Comète

A floral fragrance once described on Fragrantica as “stardust in a bottle.” Bright, optimistic, and sparkling, it mirrors Taylor’s joyful reclamation of terms of endearment like “honey” and “sweetheart” in her new relationship. 

“The Life of a Showgirl:” Britney Spears Fantasy

I included this as a nod to one of Taylor’s vinyl variants called “Vanilla Perfume and Sweat, Portofino Orange Glitter.” While Fantasy doesn’t actually contain vanilla notes, it does have a quality that that phrase evokes—fun, sweet, nostalgic, and unpretentious—like the smell of change rooms at dance competitions or backstage at drag shows. Technically, Comète by Chanel or Vermeil by Bienaimé could also fit this track depending on which era of Showgirl we’re imagining. But I chose Fantasy to represent a fictitious showgirl from the not-so-distant past.