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?

Sorry, I'm bombarding you all now, but it's a very autumnal evening here and I've my candles lit and am feeling very DA. Here are my autumn boots if you're interested (possibly not, but indulge me?)

Thank you for this. Lots of good info! I am in a dilemma about socks. I'm corporate and need to go to meetings/ court occasionally. Should I embrace the brogues/ankle grazer look and go bright on socks? I have yet to find loafer socks which are actually hidden. If I was your representative ( let's say lawyer) would you judge me harshly? First world problem extraordinaire I know but it's been stopping me going for this style. This is lighthearted by the way, but I am on style and beauty rather than AIBU so hopefully everyone takes it as such 😃

@helenahandcart78 Hmmmmmm…tricky. It would really depend if the judge and jury were a fan of DA. Given what judges have to wear they would probably have an eye for a snazzy fair isle sock to lift the look, so to speak, but the jury is possibly a bit more hit and miss. Could you make sure that the colours tone nicely with whatever the person you are representing is wearing? Ask for a jury selected on the basis of their dress style?

eta…given that my greatest happiness recently has been the purchase of 5 pairs each of black, brown and navy socks to cover all my different coloured loafers, I understand the amount of brain space that this question consumes.

Morning everyone! I've been so enthused by this thread I've been shopping my wardrobe for the last couple of hours, and come up with some DA outfits.

And some footwear / sock ideas...

That’s a very solid set of wardrobe basics @helenahandcart78 ! Do you do polo necks? If so you’re pretty close to sorted and you can start looking for frivolous items :-)

Thank you! Yes, black and grey polo necks as well as a couple of fine knit v necks. I'm hankering after a fitted waistcoat ( lovely one posted above) and/or a fair isle tank top. I passed a charity shop earlier and picked this up - from Warehouse with tags still on! Was £55 and I got it for £12.50. I really love a bargain!

Still plundering my wardrobe! I never realised I had an "aesthetic" before and now I feel I've joined a tribe 😁 I would say 90% of my old work wardrobe is totally dark academia so I am determined to shed the jeggings and fleeces (aside from dog walking) and start getting my money's worth again! Thanks again OP for starting this thread. I'm finally out of the WFH style rut!

Those trousers are perfection! A little beyond my budget and I suspect that's what would make them fit like a dream! Good shape to keep in mind for inspiration though 😀

@helenahandcart78 That green skirt is a dream! And against the blue of the jumper... Love it.

Hello! Thank you. I've had such fun today trying different combos and I liked that colourway too. H&M for the skirt and gap for the jumper - both bought about 5 years ago though!

The green skirt is gorgeous. I have one not that dissimilar but hardly ever wear it. Now having a think about how I could style it for work...(I am an a academic librarian)

I've just ordered these, I think they fit the DA vibe

@Merryhobnobs I am so jealous of your job! To me, being a librarian is dark academia personified!

@Iamanunsafebuilding they are fab! Love the thick sole and pronounced tread. Good value too.

yes the green skirt is lovely. I have a dark green pleated skirt but it’s definitely got an evening look to it. I would probably want to off - set it with an oversized sweater but I don’t have the right one. (I don’t know what the right one is.)

Loving those grey shoes! I've got my eye out for something similar (although lower heel hopefully... I cycle commute and find it more awkward in tall shoes).

I am definitely a fan of remixing things you already like... it's all about texture (IMO) and this is the perfect time of year for DA.

Morning everyone! My mission today, should I choose to accept it (and I do 😁) is to focus on the wide legged trousers and get them to properly work on me. Sadly, I think this is a style which the high street can't really do well as the tailoring is crucial. I've invested in a few pairs and I think I'm going to have to get them nipped in at the waist and taken up otherwise they'll just continue to languish in my wardrobe. Anyway, some more photos for inspiration/criticism/discussion!

And a few more...

I love these shoes @RockyMountainSky ! As I said up thread I have ditched big heels but these are incredibly comfortable and because they are a gun metal grey they go with a whole range of colours.

helenahandcart78 where did you get the black patterned shirt from? I’ve been on the lookout for one just like this, it’s lovely.

From H&M a few years ago. I often find similar in TK Maxx - when I can be bothered to rummage 😄

I'm looking at those photos again and wondering if I haven't strayed from the DA brief a bit and wandered into corporate wear? I think a slouchy tweed coat would probably pull it back into the right territory.

Think these might be a bit more on track? There are definite overlaps with country casual so I think there needs to be something a bit edgy about the outfit to keep the right vibe.

I think you've nailed where I was going wrong with my first set of photos. To keep it DA something needs to be slouchy and relaxed. Something like these?