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?

Thank you. I like my Saturday nights to be soothing nowadays. And if I can get a really early night, even better x

Oh no. Why did I look at that beautiful leather backpack? Why? Now I really, really need one. Have also spotted a gorgeous Jigsaw, plum velvet & suede backpack on Vinted that is calling my name x

I re-watched Mona Lisa Smile last night and took some pics for inspiration.

The style is divine on it.

Lots of waistcoats and vests and I really like the cardigans with shirt sleeves peaking out below the arms.

Nice belts and scarves too and good heavy coats. Plenty of tweed and wool.

They’re not shown but shoes were mainly flat loafer style or thick low/mid heels.

@Iamanunsafebuilding sorry - I think you did put up a pic of those boots before and I was very taken with them 😁 I agree about the turned up boyfriend jean with boots - looks more edgy and nonchalant than skinnies.

@RedLem0nade - thank you for the pics. I have this film purchased on Amazon prime but haven't had the chance to watch it yet. I think now I'm almost saving it for a cold stormy night to really immerse myself in it! The clothes are to die for - but will make an effort to follow the plot too 😂

Whispers in @Bookist's ear "Buy the Vinted backpack. Buy it. You know you want it...."

Guys I have found my style icon and need to copy her look. Is this dark academia or something else (if so I'll make a new thread). I'm afraid these photos I found totally don't do her justice: anyone watching Couples Therapy? Every single outfit Orna wears is stunning IMO

Well it is very, very soggy up here in Fife today. I am just glad it isn't a work day as the last time we had flooding like this I stupidly drove to work (12 miles on rural roads) and had to turn straight back. Pre kids days like this would involve a day filled with cups of tea and books. Today it involves lego, baking, squabbles, snacks, jigsaws, TV, colouring and trying not to get cabin fever.

So not wearing DA vibes today, instead I will just go with what we have and my jumper is the vibe I would like!

Oh and I am curious do people's DA tendencies extend to home decor too? I think like with my clothing I have equal parts that love traditional, cosy vibes and colourful bright spaces. Our house has a lot of potential but we have limited time and funds. I did acquire an ex library wooden book trolley last year so that is proudly in our lounge with books and jigsaws on it. Our lounge is more traditional with oak furniture and green tweed curtains. Kids rooms are bright. I have dreams of winning the lottery and adding an extension and turning our dining room into a cosy library. Who knows, one day!

After yesterday's strikeout, a single charity shop in a less posh street turned up: one new Seasalt needlecord dress with pockets; a Jack Wills linen jacket; an Autograph cream cashmere cardigan (slightly shrunk and felted, which suits me fine) - I normally don't do cardigans, but this one's half way between cardie and jacket.

Total spend £23.

Left behind a Jaeger collarless blue mix wool lined jacket with bracelet sleeves. Which I fear is going to haunt me.

I love the look of the Seasalt cords - can anyone tell me anything about the leg lengths please? Do they run long or short? I'm tall & need length
Thanks

@Merryhobnobs a library would be fantastic wouldn't it! We are contemplating knocking through two rooms at the back of the house and adding a side extension which would mean a sitting room/dining room/kitchen all along the back of the house which would free up my dining room at the front for another purpose. I already have bookshelves in the alcoves on either side of the coal fire. I could add a sofa and a wing-backed armchair in tweed and it would be a perfect reading retreat.
Actually having typed this out I've concluded we should definitely do it!

@UhOhGuys I'm not sure she's exactly DA but I don't think that matters. She looks great. Her clothes are really simple and stylish aren't they. So cool and well put-together.

I once read some clothes advice I've tried to keep to. If you're in a changing-room and you're doubtful about what you're trying on, ask yourself: "Would Kristin Scott Thomas wear it?" If no, don't buy it.

I would add myself, if you're doubtful don't try to talk yourself into it; don't buy it unless you immediately feel it's absolutely right, and want to wear it at the first opportunity.Now I just need to follow my own advice and I won't make any more purchasing mistakes ...

Obviously KST can be replaced with, for example, Helena Bonham Carter/ Ines de la Fressange/ any style icon of your choice. KST works pretty well for me though.

In other news, I've been watching an old DVD of The Cazalets. We're in WWII at the moment. Beautiful tweed suits!

@teawamutu excellent haul! The dress is gorgeous. And the jacket is giving off Brideshead Revisited vibes. Will be a good one for spring/summer.

Speaking of which, I've been mulling over how to do DA in warmer/sunnier weather. I think we may need another thread for that in, say, March, if everyone's up for it 😃

@Merryhobnobs ditto for us this afternoon - mucho bickering. DS made a fruit crumble in HE this week and wants to recreate it. I'm dreading the state of the kitchen afterwards!

Anyway, I'm delighted you've brought up another topic - DA decor! As with the clothes. I hadn't realised I have a "style" when it comes to interiors, but I definitely follow the same colour palette. Browns, caramels, dark reds and plums, lots of mustard. Lots of candles, curios, cosy cushions and throws. And plants galore. I love a parlour palm - very Victorian. The front of our house is north facing so darker. I decided to embrace it so the rooms on that side are the dining room which has patterned wall-paper, dark oak wood furniture, plants, caramel leather dining chairs, a little mustard here and there. The other room is small and served as DS's playroom for years. There is a sofa, a coffee table, and a fireplace with an AGA gas stove in there. It is crying out to become a snug with bookshelves in the alcoves, but that is beyond the budget for now 😟

Oh, and we have colonial style shutters in both of the rooms which I hankered after for a long time!

Sorry, this was long! Can't wait to hear others' decor style 🤗

@highlandcoo, love your KST motto - she is such a cool stylish icon. And I will look out that film too.

By the way, I just noticed how many posts there are on this thread! Do you want to do the honours when the time comes and start a new thread? Seems only right when you brought us all together in the first place 😊

I get the feeling there is much more discussion to be had on the DA aesthetic 🤗

Afternoon. I thought of this thread when a picture illustrating traditional British style popped up on Pinterest. Not totally my bag ( because I lean towards the urban) then I saw a Harpers Bizarre spread also featuring / inspired by British style and I thought I could get behind lots of those looks ( and that feature dates to 2012…. But still looks good to me.

It’s still been too hot to wear too many layers here… I’ve relented and I’m back in the sandals. I definitely have ideas for summer looks but I think we should save it for 2024 😏. It’s not easy though…. It’s hard to convey the “dark” side …. Unless you walk around with a copy of the Bell Jar under your arm.

As for interiors - yes I have aspects of my house that are DA I would say. My north facing dining room has dark blue walls, an old Persian rug, dark furniture and a large Phillip Stark copper pendant light. On one wall a row of books and the other the booze, the record player and a steer skull I shipped back from a flea market in North Carolina. A couple of big plants although I can kill anything - I nearly killed the “mother in laws tongue “ and those things are supposed to be invincible. I love seeing books in a house… I’m very suspicious of anyone who doesn’t have books lying around.

@Divebar2021 love that Harper Bazaar article - a really good summary of what I'm aiming for. And my Pinterest looks a lot like that picture!

https://shop.colenimo.com/collections/coats

holy hell - who are Colenimo? I’ve never heard of them and I can’t afford them but there’s a lot to love here.

Very warm here too. I'm in tapered cotton burgundy trousers with turn ups, loafers, and a sleeveless silk top with taupe and burgundy pinstripe. As DA as I can make it in this weather. (And also will be good in spring/summer.)

@Divebar2021, your dining room sounds really lovely. I also am not great with plants - tend to neglect them, then feel guilty and over water them. But I'm doing well with cheese plants, devil's ivy and the parlour palms.

Oh my god. Tweed trousers. Cord trousers. Berets. University scarves. Knitwear. Waistcoats. Overcoats. And all very very expensive 😩

Wow that Shetland wool herringbone coat 😍 and those cord straight leg trousers... Seriously, I need to win the lottery. Or sell a kidney 😂

I need a beret. STAT.