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?

Oh that is lovely. I remember having an almost identical cardigan from Next back in the Nineties, you know, when they sold quality stuff. I wore it to death x

I wear culottes both with and without tights depending on the weather. If it's really cold I do tights AND warm socks. I am a massive culottes fan and have three pairs.

Thank you. I feel I need to go cullottes shopping x

If you are getting culottes, one word of advice. If in doubt size up.

Oooh, that's interesting. Why do you say that? I have sized down for mine where possible because otherwise I have just way too much bagginess in between my legs. But I am quite short-bodied so this is a common problem for me.

I like this strange brooch; bought in Kingsbridge last year, very tweedy and cashmere ladies who ran the antique shop thought it was 30's and papier maché. Looks gorgeous on a black jacket.

I really like your finds! Good work 💪🏻

I'm loving this thread! I'm not quite with the DA vibe yet, although I do wear some aspects of it. However, I'm in NZ where it's spring at present, so it won't be long before I am wafting around in linen, with the occasional surfer vibe

I was thinking of knitting myself a dark brown cardigan (even as a child brown was one of my favourite colours) but just found a light brown cable cardigan on Etsy which I've bought - getting ready for winter 2024 in advance. For the past couple of years I've been living in trackpants in winter, but I really need to get into some proper clothes. I've always yearned to look a bit vintage so hope to collect some more pieces, although I will always find a place for flared jeans in my wardrobe.

Keep on with the inspirational posts please.

I think that's me too (sorry, reading the thread backwards so just catching up with earlier posts!). I have to confess to a bit of a western influence at times also.

Morning tribe!

Yay, a discussion about culottes and brooches - lovely way to start the weekend!

I agree @BonjourCrisette I need my culottes to be very fitted around the waist and hips otherwise they swamp me. No stretchy material - either swishy or else a stiffer cotton with a centre crease. I've a couple of pairs so may put up pics later. They are a bit of a holy grail when shopping and definitely require trying on - particularly as length is really important to get right. Anyone seen a good selection anywhere recently?

I personally wear them with nude tights or else fitted knee high or shin high boots with a small heel. I've tried them with opaques and think something looks off but I can't put my finger on what.

I think there is a gap in my wardrobe for more DA vibe trousers. (Oh no! I shall need to buy more clothes - woe is me 🤣🤣) Wide trousers are great and hit the vibe but not that practical on rainy days. Skirts ditto. Skinnies can work but I'm falling out of love with denim. All ideas welcome.

And brooches. @venus7 - that is a beautiful and unusual find. I totally get how fab it would look with a black jacket. I'm feeling the urge to spend the day brooch-trawling!

@tiktokoclock love your description of a 70s student embroiled in a campus mystery. You've got me thinking of Daphne from Scooby-Doo!
Personally, I think the Academic look is the umbrella term, and then there are subcategories of dark, light, scruffy, casual, elegant, country, urban, edgy, feminine, masculine etc etc. and you don't need to stick to one subcategory.

I would be very interested in everyone's thoughts on my theory though! And can we define what the Academic part is? That would help enormously when shopping/choosing outfits and trying to decide whether they are orthodox or heretical 🤔😂

Brooch trawling should be a recognised activity...........

I'm also kidding myself - more ageing professor than student 😂

Now I've done a bit more thinking I've decided I might be more on the light academia side, with aspects of dark - combined with preppy (preppy!!! - I'm far too old for preppy!!!). I've just purchased a pair of boots I really don't need - this thread is not good for my credit cards. I would love a pair of culottes, I haven't worn them since the 80s.

@tiktokoclock I've embraced my grey hair (thank you lock down) and have been known to wear it in a bun. And we already know about my Penfold vision 😂 I'm digging the aging professor look - we've just got to make it look fierce!

Preppy is definitely a subcategory. Someone upthread mentioned a cricket jumper which I thought was very interesting. Brideshead Revisited vibes? Could be worn with a floaty skirt and stompy boots...

I like the idea of an Academia umbrella.

Yesterday I wore Grenson brown brogues, striped socks, ankle grazer grey-blue skinnies, a vintage Liberty shirt and a tweedy jacket. Tan woven leather tote and messy bun.

I think it was more or less 'scatty lecturer' but not quite sure if that's an official grouping 😂

Interesting thought about what makes the DA aesthetic look 'academic'. For me, it harks back to when women were first allowed to access higher education, so late Victorian. To compete with the men they deliberately chose a more masculine edge to their clothes to differentiate them from their more feminine, non academic peers.

So, it's really about the accessories with me. Chunky, lace up brogues or boots. Men's watch with leather strap. Sturdy satchel bag. Tortoise shell glasses etc.

@helenahandcart78 Our culottes styling sounds very different - you sound much smarter than I am!

I usually wear mine with low heeled chunky mid-calf boots and woollen socks or opaque dark tights. In fact, with all the slightly cropped wide leg trousers I currently own, chunky boots and long socks are a must in cold weather!

That's such an interesting perspective - nail on head for how I like to dress.

I do like dresses, but these days I don't want to look 'pretty' - I want to project smart and strong. Partly an age thing too, I guess.

Thank you 😊

@teawamutu yes! I wore a lot of flowery tea dresses when I was younger but as I look for want if a better word very “feminine” it looked too pretty pretty.
also I want some blue stockings now to complete the look!

@Bookist - what a wonderfully evocative and inspiring description! I would never have been able to articulate it but you're absolutely spot on. Someone earlier talked about 1930s Harvard in the Autumn and that was brilliant too.

I hadn't thought of it til you said it, but the mannish look is fundamental - even, oddly, when you're going for a skirt/dress. That's where the satchel, the boots, the slouchy tweed jackets come in. And it's also has a "period" feel, which doesn't necessarily mean "classic". And a little rebellious too - not wanting to conform?

I'm starting to think we've uncovered a whole new philosophy here! It really is fascinating.

I am going to carry these theories in my head when I tootle into TK Maxx later.

Oh, and lastly, today I am wearing dark plum straight leg jeans, a white shirt with a grandad collar which has tails at the back with a cropped fine knit navy jumper, and that blue tweedy jacket I picked up yesterday. Worn with ox-blood DMs, grey hair, and a look of defiance 🤣🤣 Which subcategory do I fall into today??

The rain's just come on here - I really need an Academia umbrella 😁

I don't know about the subcategory, but it sounds fabulous - if I saw you out and about I'd want to meet you.