Dark Academia - anyone who loves this style?

[highlandcoo]

And where to find it?

This is how I want to dress this winter. More skirts and dresses rather than trousers as my waist is not the best and the trousers can look bulky unless you have a good waistline I think.

I love tweed and wool and flannel and autumn colours. Not black! Although brown is sometimes hard to find. Love brown leather for boots and bags. I really want to get away from jeans and chunky boots for a change.

I think I can knit some jumpers and cardigans. But I would love a big tweedy coat. I have a couple of really nice brown tweed hats from a shop in Edinburgh who made the hats for Peaky Blinders. But I need the right sort of coat to go with them. My long cosy puffy coat is cosy but totally wrong.

Any aficionados out there?

What do DAs wear in summer?

I'm rejigging my wardrobe because I've lost (and am continuing to lose) a fair bit of weight and it's an excellent opportunity to refine my style which has become a bit lost in recent years.

I think I'm a bit more bohemian than straight DA when it comes to winter - more velvet than tweed, more tunics than lace blouses - but what to wear in summer?

For example, today I'm wearing loose linen trousers and a blue linen sort of painter's smock (from Seasalt). I'm off to a writer's conference in a couple of days and my evening outfit (for example) is more linen with a One Hundred Stars throwover.

DA is where I gravitate to, but maybe it's not me? Maybe I'm something else? But I don't know what. I want to try and arrive at some sort of style so that my new thinner wardrobe doesn't feel as chaotic as my previous one.

@BurningTheToast

Lots of linen apparently

chasingdaisiesblog.com/dark-academia-summer/

I'm wondering if you're going to the conference that I'm not going to because it's location and cost has ruled it out for me this year!

I was in a blue, linen peasant top yesterday, but with jeans (trip to the park) and today a dark, printed tee and jeans - again needed to be practical today.

I think you just use which aspects of the aesthetic suit your personal (life) style. I tend towards bohemian lite in summer, but I can't pull off fully feminine styles and need a bit if feminine/masculine balance. So, the victorian inspired, free people blouse I linked to earlier with say, wide-legged trousers. In winter I add in a few more rock chick (for want of a better phrase) elements in the mix.

@BurningTheToast I meant to say, well done on losing the weight!

I was in Edinburgh Woollen mill today and they had some very nice Harris tweed blazers. £300 though!

@LouisaMayAlcott

I'm wondering if you're going to the conference that I'm not going to because it's location and cost has ruled it out for me this year!

The RNA? Yup, that's where I'm off to. Goodness knows why they're holding it in central London - exorbitant and it's not as though there's any time to do any of the London things that one might want to. I'm in Scotland though, and although in August Edinburgh is a satellite of London, generally we're in Here Be Dragons territory so can't see them making it up here in future years. I did hear a rumour of Leeds for next year...

@quirkychick

I think you just use which aspects of the aesthetic suit your personal (life) style. I tend towards bohemian lite in summer, but I can't pull off fully feminine styles and need a bit if feminine/masculine balance. So, the victorian inspired, free people blouse I linked to earlier with say, wide-legged trousers. In winter I add in a few more rock chick (for want of a better phrase) elements in the mix.

I think you're right. I think if I had to pin it down, I'm more trendy art teacher that full on DA. But I like the idea of adding a bit more rock chick into it!

And thanks re the diet. It's an ongoing process but I feel better for it and I've also reawakened my interest in clothes which is nice!

I'd heard a rumour of Birmingham but apparently that's now off the cards. I've been to one in Leeds and it was a decent venue so 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

I tend to go a bit more Audrey Hepburn casual for summer- cap sleeve boat neck tshirts tucked into jeans or cropped trousers plus ballet flats; or shorts with a light shirt etc. I reckon it still fits the 50s college aesthetic that (I think) chimes with DA.

Cordings might have some bits for you, this tweed coat is on sale: www.cordings.co.uk/gillingham-harris-tweed-coat.html

I've been doing more DA purchasing whilst breastfeeding at 4am. It's particularly addictive via Vinted when you're getting something so much cheaper than new, but still putting a heck of a dent in my bank balance (although I do like when something is "free" because I've managed to sell more maternity / Baby clothes)

So far I've got a Margaret Howell olive green jumper, a pair of brown Bruar trousers, a Harris tweed hat to replace one I lost in a river earlier this year, a Protected Species raincoat which looks half decent and also practical (thanks for the inspiration on that!) And finally a lovely double buckle leather belt similar to House of Bruar that I hope will give a bit of restyling to some of my old jumpers.

So I'd say this thread has cost me around £150 so far, plus I've got my eye on another hat and looking out for a full length tweed skirt...

We are both academics and neither of us, nor anyone we know/work with wears stuff like this? Are you an academic @highlandcoo?

@highlandcoo I am late to this, but had to say that the Cos skirt looks amazing on you. Bizarrely, it reminds me of the ceremonial version of my old school uniform, which was the single most flattering item of clothing I have ever worn.

I have two more Rachel dresses on the way, making a total of five which is a ridiculous number.

Same! Having just discovered House of Bruar from a PP

That was regarding a burgeoning EBay watchlist based on this thread...

Nothing wrong with a bit of trendy art teacher, I like a bit of that myself.

@MoltenLasagne beware, Vinted can be dangerous 😁

@Tangled01 thank you for the One Hundred Stars sales heads-up. I'm expecting my first Rachel dress delivery this afternoon (!) so have been sensible and with difficulty resisted ordering another until I see how the Dhurrie one fits. @BangingOn I'm not sure I will make it to five though!

@smokingcarriageonly the geogiaindublin cycling gear is amazing. I love the waterproof skirt and the jacket laced up the back! Especially in olive. Very tempting.

@Ventureintheslipstream I absolutely get the excitement of the new term (Possibly a little less so when I was a teacher) and autumn is such a lovely season for clothes too.

@MoltenLasagne sounds like you are doing very well on Vinted! I came across an overwhelming number of things there, so it was hard to make a decision; I need to calm down and revisit. Not a bad problem to have.

@PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog no, not an academic (although if I had my life over again I might have tried to go down that path). I did do an MA in English Lit though, and old libraries and bookshops are my absolute favourite places to be. And I do love a nice bit of stationery.
I've always been drawn to the DA look and I've worn it in bits and pieces on and off for years, although like some PPs I've also had to be practical a lot of the time. No young kids around now so I can be as tweedy and velvety as I like! Rather than following fashion, or dressing "smartly" as I sometimes had to in the past, I just feel at home in this style iykwim.

@highlandcoo and @smokingcarriageonly wow, Georgia in Dublin is amazing!!!! I am going to have to lose another size but the Bronte jacket and matching skirt is going to be my reward!

Prompted by this dangerous thread I bought the Emma jacket from Walker Slater. Aah..impeccable tailoring and detail. Just gorgeous.

My Deborah skirt from Walker Slater just arrived and it is honestly a work of art😍

@highlandcoo did your Rachel dress arrive and are you happy? If the shape suits you then it’s a slippery slope….

@RedLem0nade your skirt sounds amazing, does it fit true to size?

@BangingOn Ah, it was a bit disappointing; not the dress itself which was lovely, but the length of the sleeves. I have very long slim arms and not very pretty elbows, and I'm happiest in either sleeveless dresses or 3/4 (which I hoped these were) or long sleeves. Sleeves that finish just above the elbow are the worst. Very unflattering; I always avoid them.
I didn't want to pay that amount of money to then cover it up with a cardigan , however I might consider one of the sale dresses at £40 and do exactly that. A long lightweight cardigan the same length as the dress could look fine I think.
It comes in such a tiny box by the way - I couldn't believe there was actually a dress in there!

That’s a shame, but for the price it needs to be just right. I have the black stork dress and wear it with a full length black silk blend cardigan, but belt the dress to give it some shape. It still shows off the dress but keeps me warm in the freezing office air conditioning.

@BangingOn its fitted around the waist. I’m a 6 and it fits like a glove but there wouldn’t be much room for a food baby😁