While last year saw the fragrance world going wild for barely-there skin scents, rain scents inspired by nature and lightweight perfume mists, this year looks set to mark a rather dramatic departure in the form of 2024’s biggest TikTok trend so far; the mob wife aesthetic. Inspired by the hedonistic glamour and maximalist beauty looks of the headstrong women that we’ve seen in everything from Scarface to the Sopranos—we’re talking faux-fur coats, cobalt blue eyeshadows, enormous blowouts and more animal print than you ever knew existed—the mob wife movement is a playful shift from the clean-girl aesthetic that has dominated of late.
However, while there are already countless think pieces and trend stories breaking down the appeal of the mob wife wardrobe, I wondered what a mob wife might actually smell like. I’ve spent hours trawling the internet for the key to what some of our favourite fictional mafia women might have been spritzing to show off their expensive taste, but while I’m yet to come up with much concrete evidence (besides a bottle of Guerlain’s iconic Shalimar spotted on mob wife Karen Hill’s dresser in Goodfellas) I have a pretty good idea of what I imagine they’d wear.
The mob wife aesthetic is all about exuding old-money luxury; even if the money that bought the looks might be rather dodgily laundered. Case in point: many a Sopranos obsessive seem convinced that Carmela Soprano’s scent of choice would be something utterly classic and expensive, like Chanel No.5. So, the scents ahead are all utterly audacious, heady with extravagant ingredients like oud, saffron and amber, and will undoubtedly boost your confidence when you wear them. These are head-turning fragrances that will have you channelling your inner Adriana La Cerva after just one spritz.
1. Chanel No.5 Eau de Parfum
I’ve been down many a Reddit rabbit hole this week in a quest to find what on-screen icon Carmela Soprano’s signature scent might have been. The general consensus from Sopranos fans seems to be Chanel No.5—and I have to say I think I’d agree. One of the most iconic perfumes in history, it’s a chic, floral scent that manages to evoke strength, sophistication and, perhaps more importantly, money. Although there are other Chanel scents that I personally prefer, the gravitas that this perfume holds in the world means that I’m sure many a mob wife would be drenching themselves in the stuff. It’s definitely a classic choice though, so I’m not sure that it’s something that the younger mob wives would be wearing.
2. Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous Eau de Parfum
This has all of the expensive-smelling appeal of Chanel No.5—and is similarly loaded with patchouli—but I think this is something that Adriana would wear, rather than Carmela. It feels innately cooler and more modern; perhaps in part to its vivacious name, but also thanks to the strong leather notes and the sweetness from vanilla. It basically smells like a very rich woman on a night out, the kind that carries a pristine leather handbag (newly purchased, I’d imagine) and who leaves behind a cloud of scent in her wake. It’s chic and intense, but with a playful glint.
3. Gucci Guilty for Her Eau de Parfum
Here’s hoping that the name of this mob wife perfume doesn’t arouse any suspicions when she takes it out of her handbag to reapply. For me, this is like an entrypoint to the category of amber and patchouli-rich fragrances that define this trend. It’s slightly more sparkly and fresh than the aforementioned perfumes—there’s a citrus hit from bergamot and a feminine floral bouquet that lingers on the skin. But there’s also an unexpected edge here. Pink pepper adds spice and a little fire, while the classic warmer notes give us a taste of the higher-end. A gateway scent to a life of more expensive perfumes, perhaps?
4. Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin Eau de Parfum
Serge Lutens creates incredibly unique, powerful and luxurious-smelling perfumes, but with the added bonus of being innately cool. This is where the opulence of the mob wife meets the inherent chicness of a rich Parisian. A rose scent might feel like an unexpected choice in this line-up of scents, but while the note itself can often be described as a little old-fashioned this perfume is anything but. Forget smelling like your granny, this floral perfume packs a powerful punch—it’s the smell of 100 waxy red roses being delivered to your fancy hotel room (not that I would know) rather than an English country garden. Plus, there’s a spicy pepperiness that drifts through to the surface to add a little fire to the final dry-down.
5. D. S. & Durga Notorious Oud Eau de Parfum
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, D. S. & Durga is an imaginative fragrance brand that might be a little underground for the average NYC mobster, but this scent in particular has all of the rich intensity that I think a jet-setting mob wife would adore. It really is a celebration of all things oud—often talked about as ‘liquid gold’, it’s one of the most expensive raw ingredients and oozes luxury. And while it is opulent and heady, there are complexities to this fragrance that lend it a worldly sophistication—saffron, Bulgarian rose and even lavender add intensely aromatic touches that linger for hours.
6. Dolce & Gabbana The One Eau de Parfum
The home of the mafia, it feels only natural that a mob wife would reach for a fragrance from a Sicilian designer for date night with her husband. (D&G’s Sicily perfume would make another great choice, but I fear that it’s been discontinued.) Although this fragrance has some of the mob wife classic notes—amber, vanilla and bergamot—it’s a little more demure than others on the list. The fruity notes add a freshness to this fragrance, with peach and lychee in particular lending an almost gourmand sweetness. This one is less about turning heads for others and more about encouraging your mob husband to forget about the fact that the FBI is currently onto him and to just sit back and soak up the sweet (and morally repugnant) life that you’ve built together.
