As with food, for every season there are certain scents that just seem to 'go' with the weather. Indulge yourself with our fragrant suggestions

One of the most exciting things about choosing a fragrance is experiencing that 'moment' when you hit on a scent that does something simply amazing for you. Imagine how Coco Chanel felt when, even with a splitting headache, she reached for the bottle of No 5 that her perfumer Ernest Beaux had left on her mantelpiece. Little did she know that his assistant had accidentally poured in a mixture of aldehydes - synthetic scents that add a little 'lift' to a fragrance - that would normally have been 10 times too strong. In that instant, Coco realised this was the perfect expression of luxury and voluptuousness she'd been searching for.

If you're on the hunt for a new scent to add to your fragrance inventory, tuning in to the seasons can help guide you to some fabulous new discoveries. We asked Nada Nutt, a Perfumery Buyer at London's Fenwick department store, and Sonia Seoane, Manager of L'Artisan Parfumeur in London, to suggest their favourite scents for each time of year, and we've added some of our own top choices. All are available at department stores or, where specified, from stockists.

Winter
Cold weather makes fragrance molecules less volatile, which means they last longer. In fact one spritz of a heavy, spicy, aromatic scent may take you through the entire day without having to reapply. Heady, sensual oriental fragrances with amber and musk are top choices for the chilly season. Try Cinnabar by Estee Lauder and Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. Nada recommends the legendary Chanel No 5, which contains aldehydes of ylang ylang, jasmine from Grasse (the centre for perfume manufacturing in the South of France) and woody vetiver.

These particular ingredients are grown and distilled by Chanel, so no other company can ever reproduce them.

Spring
Throw off your dark winter clothes and step into pastels like lilac, pale green or turquoise. Fresh-smelling fragrances and delicate florals are the essences of springtime and are guaranteed to lift your mood, get you ready for love and complement your light, pared-down spring look. Nada recommends Wisteria by Chantecaille, a delicate, elegant blend of dewy green accents, freesia and orange blossom. We also like Salvador Dali's Daliflor with the freshness of sweet grapefruit and mandarin, lily of the valley and Turkish Rose, as well as Dolce & Gabbana's Feminine, featuring yellow mimosa, blue wisteria and 'ozone living flower' - a fresh air smell captured from real flowers.

Summer
Heady nights and sultry days mean that our skins naturally produce more oil at this time of year. Like in winter, our scent stays on longer so a little fragrance will go a long way. You could go for fragrances that contain lush, exotic flowers and fruits such as Prescriptives' Calyx. Or, if you prefer a lighter fragrance on humid days, try an aquatic floral like Eden by Cacharel or Paco Rabanne's Ultraviolet Metal Beach with water lily, vanilla and capsicum.

Some companies are now even producing lightweight versions of their regular scents especially for the summer months, such as Christian Dior's alcohol-free J'Adore and Dune Summer, as well as Issey Miyake's Le Feu Light. Look for alcohol-free formulations if you're going to be in the sun a lot, otherwise you could wind up with a burn or pigmentation mark where you've applied your regular fragrance. Nada suggests Pleasures by Estee Lauder, a blend of jasmine, black lilac and white lilies, while Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea and Nina Ricci's Premier Jour are mood-enhancing alternatives. Finally, L'Artisan Parfumeur's best-selling Premier Figuier, which delivers an incredible hit of fig and coconutty aromas, will instantly transport your senses to the south of France.

Autumn
Earthy, warm notes like oakmoss and lavender combine well with autumnal fruits like blackberry, apple and blackcurrant at this time of the year. When you're sitting in front of a roaring log fire, try the daring mossy-like Mitsouko or a fresh, fernlike fragrance such as Jicky, both by Guerlain. Or, dare to wear the highly addictive Hypnotic Poison by Christian Dior. Nada recommends Agent Provocateur's sensual Eau de Parfum (from SpaceNK; call 0870 169 9999 for a mail order brochure), which is a potent blend of saffron, coriander, Moroccan rose and woody vetiver. Sonia loves L'Artisan Parfumeur's unisex Mure et Musc, which has a touch of Halloween about it with a magical cocktail of blackberry, red fruits and musky notes.