Fragrance Wardrobe: Brittany Xavier on the Vanilla Cologne She'll Never Get Tired Of

Your perfume isn’t just how you smell—it’s how you feel. Usually, it's an accessory to how you present yourself to the world, but these days, it can serve as a source of comfort and nostalgia during days spent at home. In the upcoming weeks, we're sharing a new version of Fragrance Wardrobe, our series in collaboration with The Fragrance Foundation that highlights the rotating perfume “wardrobes” of tastemakers through key points in their life. In this new take, we'll be asking them to share their favorite scents through the lens of comfort and their at-home routine. Get to know them better via the scents they choose to wear during this uncertain time.

When Brittany Xavier started her blog Thrifts and Threads in 2013, it was supposed to be a side hustle—a creative outlet to document her vintage fashion finds, accessory steals, and investment pieces. In the years since, she's quit her day job and turned her side hustle into a full-time gig, amassing over a million followers on Instagram and inspiring them daily with her streamlined style, family TikToks, and penchant for a colored liner and a matching mani moment. We caught up with the style influencer and asked her for her quarantine Fragrance Wardrobe, from her obsession with vanilla fragrances to the one scent that "smells like summer." Keep scrolling to get to know Brittany Xavier.

How would you describe your Fragrance Wardrobe through the years?

"Throughout the years, one thing has remained consistent—I’ve always layered fragrance. My husband thought it was strange at first, but now he does it too!"

What was the first fragrance you ever bought and why? 

"I remember after I got my first check from an ice cream shop I was working at when I was 16, I went and bought Tommy Girl. I remember only using a little spray each morning before school because I wanted the bottle to last forever."

Do you still wear fragrance even when you don't leave the house?

"Yes! It’s part habit (as my fragrance is right next to my skincare morning routine on my counter), and partly I just feel better with wearing fragrance. I feel clean and put together—it’s amazing what a tiny spritz each morning can do for your mood."

Your WFH fragrance: 

"I have an obsession with the Jo Malone London Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense fragrance, I got it in February and instantly fell in love with the unisex notes of vanilla. I kept wearing it during quarantine because it reminded me of a time when I was travelling and made me hopeful for the future of the world getting better."

Your cozy sweatsuit fragrance: 

"Sundazed by Byredo—it has a refreshing smell of summer."

The fragrance that brings you comfort: 

"Bibliotheque by Byredo. It reminds me of my mom’s house—she’s always burning this candle."

The fragrance you spritz to bring back good memories: 

"It’s actually my husband’s fragrance, he wore it when we first dating 10 years ago—D&G The One. Ironic, huh? He ended up being the one for me; it was such a sexy scent."

The candle you're currently burning right now and why: 

"Jo Malone Sweet Almond and Macaroon candle. This is my favorite candle from their collection and it’s going to be available again in the fall. I always stock up on a few at a time though because I can’t get enough. I think I have an obsession with almond/vanilla scents in general and this one is the perfect mix of the two."

What you smell when you want to unwind/destress: 

"I burn the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lavender Candle at night before bed while drinking my spearmint tea—it helps me unwind and such a calming scent."

The scent you'll associate with this time:

"Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia—it’s the scent I layer over any fragrance I wear because it’s so light, and I wore it everyday in addition to my base scent."