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?

Marking

I was going to post something of my own looking for style inspiration and found this thread! This is exactly what I was looking for, but I didn't know this type of style had a name. I now have about 100 tabs open in my browser looking at ideas. Perhaps I should lock my credit card away :)

@Itisallgoingtobeok Hide the credit cards. Close down your accounts. Step away from the computer. This thread will bankrupt you 🤣

At last! Cold enough today to don my lovely Brora cord dress and I even realised I had a well-worn but still good pair of boots that match perfectly😊

Love that dress.

Delurking to show you all this (it's on a Dutch site but I think the brand is British), I love this so I'm now thinking of ways to justify that price...

The site is more rockabilly vintage but they have some lovely 30s and 40s inspired things too, very much DA vibe.

Loveliest cardigan ever

Love this thread!!!! My DS once described my style as Siegfried Sassoon goes to Hogwarts😂 I get most of my knitwear from charity shops and Etsy, am loving all these new places.

It's too late! Save yourselves! 😁

Oh god. I need to get off this thread. I want everything on it, particularly all the Brora dresses and all the brown boots.

God I have spent so much off the back of this thread! Eek

Now this is a thing of beauty!

I love that cardigan!

This skirt has just arrived and it’s got lovely DA vibes when not styled as a co-ord. The fabric is heavy, silky and it swishes beautiful when I move.
https://www.cos.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/skirts/product.flared-ribbed-panel-midi-skirt-black.1147403002.html

@Katiepoes That cardigan😍

Love the midi skirt @BangingOn I love a bit of swishiness!

Oh my that Brora dress is amazing!

Stepping. Away. From. Typing. Brora. In. The. Browser.

not even for one tiny little look…

Hi all dark academicians and welcome to new posters! I haven't been around for a while but it's great that the thread is still going strong.

I love the Brora dress, the Dutch cardigan and the Cos skirt. I can look all round Cos and find only one solitary thing in the shop I want to buy, but that garment will then become an absolute favourite which I'll wear loads.

I'm in a hot climate just now, so currently wearing a short loose cotton dress, but looking forward to autumn clothes on my return, and also more DA chat 😊

@highlandcoo that’s exactly it with Cos. I return 90% of what I order, but what I keep always becomes my favourites.

I love the Brora dress and the cardigan, the link wouldn't open for the skirt.
There is a brown corduroy Toast dress size 14 £55 on Vinted if anyone is interested . I'm tempted but have enough now I think .

Hello! I've lurked on Mumsnet for over 10 years but this thread finally made me take the leap and register 🤗
I love this aesthetic and when I was office based I really enjoyed wearing tartan mini skirts or longer tweed fitted skirts with a black polo neck, black tights and ox blood loafers or shoe boots with a block heel. Now wfh almost all the time so I miss it!
However, this year my lovely sis has gifted me beautiful chunky black brogues and loafers which she bought on line and were too tight on her and it's interesting how they have brought the look up to date for me. It has reignited my interest.
I have a ridiculous collection of tweedy coats but am still trying to find my way with the high waisted wide trousers. At 5 ft 4 I think I'm slightly too short to pull them off with flats. (And I just can't be bothered with heels any more.) Any recommendations would be gratefully received. I also love fitted waistcoats but find them hard to find.

Hope this wasn't too long and rambly - I'm very new to this!

Welcome @helenahandcart78 !

Sounds like you’ve got a lovely collection already!

As a fellow shortie (I’m 5 foot nowt) I have been going for mid to high waist slim fit trousers rather than wide leg. Nicely fitted around the waist, sometimes with a thick belt in dark brown or tan, and tailored/tapered to low ankle length.
Something like these:
https://www.walkerslater.com/cara-trs-lw-rus-dn

I think that would work well with loafers or brogues maybe in a grey colourway, or you could go a herringbone or check?

I have one pair of high waisted pair wide legged trousers which are lovely, but I do go for heels with them as they swamp me a bit otherwise.

Hi @helenahandcart78

it’s a very specific look which might not be to your taste but for your wide leg trousers you could look for a more balloon leg or carrot leg and have them stop at the ankle. I know some people definitely don’t like that in the winter but I find it better with chunky shoes ( I have DM shoes). You can contrast your socks or make it tonal.

In the last week I’ve bought a chocolate brown merino wool top from Cos and brown pleated trousers - unfortunately the trousers are going back. I’m keeping the top and will probably get the bottle green. They have thumb holes which I didn’t realise. I’ve also found a great moss green Zara coat which is new in Oxfam. I think it must be missing a belt as it was only £5.99. It’s a bit like the one shown - I might get a seamstress to add a button or try a brown military style belt. I’ve had a big sort out of clothes and I’m going to make a big effort to wear what I have…. I found some Margaret Howell wool trousers in charcoal grey that I’ve never been able to wear…. Still a bit tight but weight loss going in the right direction. I also dug out flat knee boots which I can get on. Hurrah. They’re at least 12 - 15 years old… maybe Kurt Geiger I can remember.

shorter trouser ideas below ( from Plumo) plus my merino wool top

Ooh thank you so much for responding! I was worried I'd killed the thread! I really like the ankle grazers/cropped trousers but not sure where to go with socks. Do I go low-key with black or all out there with fancy fair isle (my preference is the latter to be honest!).
Not convinced on the balloon shape trousers - I tried on a pair of jeans in that style and just looked like an oompah loompah 🫣
I absolutely adore threads where people show their own looks/purchases, so if you don't mind, I will (attempt) to share some photos of things for some inspiration?
Btw, I absolutely loved the flat riding boots featured above and the asymmetrical Zara skirt - gorgeous! (Haven't worked out how to link/reply yet 😄)

These are Phase 8 trousers I bought recently on sale. They are slightly loose on the waist but defo too long (I'm a complete sucker for a sale item!). Thinking I may need a seamstress to tailor them. But I can picture myself wearing them on a blowy autumn day with a tweed cropped jacket and a mustard scarf 🥰

Oh man, that is a thing of beauty. Again though, I'd need flipping heels and I've divorced them! I'm planning a trip to M&S as I've been looking at their cord straight leg trousers. I do think cord is a definite DA vibe. Mustard, wine or navy.

Lovely trousers! I could see those styled with a waistcoat and laced flat boots. Like this but swap out the skirt and go flat heel with the boots.

https://www.emmydesign.se/en/webshop/shop-by-collection/autumn-winter-2023/waistcoats-jackets/the-dapper-dame-waistcoat-brown-cord.html

That is exactly the look! I need a nipped in waist I think otherwise I can look a bit boxy. I've been searching for a burgundy velvet riding jacket with tails! I only go out to walk the dog or shop in tescos 🤣
Here are some jackets that say autumn to me - not necessarily DA but they suit the autumn pallette I think 🙂 alarm