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?

Disappointing! We could have started a whole new thread .. outfits from our youth that have stood the test of time. Or not.

I still have a hat, very similar to this, bought in Venice. I haven't worn it in years but I wore it with my floor length double breasted black velvet highwayman's coat.

I probably looked a total dick too.
Tri-corn hat

" but it can veer towards fancy dress if not careful"

There is that to it.

This would actually be hilarious!

@Spudina this might give you an idea of cost - cannot recommend as not bought anything from here - my son was looking at the menswear part called Hockerty for a tailored suit for his 18th/prom - you can literally build it from scratch like you would from a tailor but cheaper.

https://www.sumissura.com/en-uk/

@NatashaDancing Your hat and my cloak would've been so good together!

I used to wear floppy velvet hats from Camden market - looking back I think I probably looked like the lady who feeds the birds in Mary Poppins.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I had a cape like that, but three quarter length. It still comes out for Halloween! I think with @NatashaDancing 's hat it would give New Romantic vibes, but that combines quite well with DA I think.

Love this thread! I only recently discovered that the Dark Academia aesthetic is very much my vibe. Particularly for work.

I did a search for Dark Academia yesterday and up popped this thread like an encouraging sign from the universe to justify my spending🙈

Thanks to PP for recommending Brora and Walker Slater. Having salivated over both websites I bought a Damson needle cord dress from the former so can’t wait to see what it looks like in real life.

Any thoughts on bringing the look into more casual wear? I can see it working beautifully for dog walking on crisp autumnal days but less so for vacuum cleaning, say, or emptying the dishwasher. I’m thinking maybe dark brown/green skinny jeans with loose shirt or cable knit jumpers or longline cardigans and maybe flat ankle/calf high boots?

Oh gosh - this is literally exactly how I dressed in the mid-2000's in my Nancy Mitford days, and I've been dying to give it a bit of a revival. I have a beautiful wool and cashmere tweed pencil skirt suit in the attic from Ralph Lauren, that may well have been devoured by moths, but I'll dig it out and see.

My Ebay is now just tweed jackets, Toast dresses and knee-high brown boots.

Thank you for the inspiration!

@RedLem0nade,

Have linked to some examples that probably fit the bill.

Only examples, to give you ideas, as they're mostly either high price point or non-UK. And new.
But you can get similar way cheaper/pre-worn/thrift markets etc.
(And they always suit the DA vibe better if faded and the fabric's worn down and softened through being old and washed many times, IMO!)

Russet/brown/berry/olive/navy tones of knitwear and slouchy shirts?

T-shirts?
e.g.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1180859018/dark-academia-academia-clothing-dark?click_key=44045da859befce9b477f65b21740ce82fb23349%3A1180859018&click_sum=be123e37&ref=shop_home_feat_4&sts=1

nice range:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/IHeartSimplicityShop?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1180859018

Darker shades of jeans or cords?
e.g.
https://www.landsend.co.uk/Womens_High_Waisted_Straight_Leg_Wide_Wale_Cord_Jeans/pp/P_42500.html

Tank top over a blouse?
e.g.
https://www.campbellsofbeauly.com/shop/fairisle-tank/

https://www.greatenglish.co.uk/product/the-prince-of-wales-mens-fair-isle-tank-top/

My algorithms after this thread. Bombarded now by DA ads of all sorts!
Some lovely general outfit inspo here, though:
https://www.uptowngirl.com/dark-academia-outfit-ideas-fall-winter/

Thank you @MissoniIMPOSSIBLE

Some lovely ideas there. I actually got a similar t shirt with medieval manuscript lettering on it this summer! Slouchy shirts and skinny cord trousers are a great shout too. Thanks for the inspiration 🙏🏻

You're welcome 🙂

@MissoniIMPOSSIBLE I love the photo on your post. The long coat is a really stylish look. And the muted colours are lovely.

@RedLem0nade I was pondering the same question myself. I have ankle-length tweed and moleskin skirts which could fit the look but they're not always practical for everyday. I have a tendency to tripod them on the stairs!

I had a rummage in my wardrobe and put together a pair of cord trousers. a round-necked brown cardigan and chunky brown ankle boots so a more casual version of the look. I found a nice loose suede coat to wear on top for going out too.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't be hoovering dressed like that. It'll still be leggings and an old t-shirt when I'm getting stuck into the housework, realistically. When the cords get old I could down-grade them though.

Will try to post a photo of the cords outfit; maybe not true DA and I’m trying two different styles of boots to see what might work

Yesterday it was pouring with rain and instead of catching up with boring life admin as planned, I had fun pulling out any clothes that might work, putting them together and taking photos.

I have others I could share but would anyone else like to join in? Some PPs sound as if they already have this look nailed

Yes, please share with us!

Afraid I can't as am away.

A few skirts that could be useful ..

Joe Browns might be up your alley. Affordable and a little bit out there.

Ooh lovely @highlandcoo!

I definitely need some cords in my life. I might post a few looks later if I can motivate myself out of my rocking chair.

Alternatively, there’s this (it was the first thing that sprung to my mind anyways)

https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341064/dark-academia/

might not be what you’re looking for though

This looks so cool . Like an academic who studies pirates. It looks great!

Love the shape of these. I can imagine them with velvet jackets and a battered old satchel

@highlandcoo Loving the photos. In the first one, I really like the pirate boot. Is it Westwood?

Aw thanks for the nice comments. Will motivate me to stop being lazy and just pull on jeans every day!

@2pence yes my son buys from Joe Browns and has some nice stuff. I've had a quick look and will investigate further, thanks.

@RedLem0nade yes definitely get out of your rocking chair ( I am imagining you wearing tortoiseshell spectacles, reading an intelligent novel in a panelled room) and post some photos; that would be great.

@LemonLymanDotCom not quite - just want to have some fun with clothes this autumn - but thank you very much anyway

@crochetmonkey74 yes, velvet jackets are always good. I have two velvet coats and wear them loads. One teal and one the neutral one in the cords photo. Love them both. Oh, and one black All Saints one I picked up at the Clothes Show twenty years ago. I think they described it as acid-treated. It's got an unusual finish that's hard to describe. I've been trying to get away from black as it doesn't really suit my colouring. Love it on other people though.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie nothing like Westwood unfortunately - they're Rieker. So very comfortable. I got them from an old-fashioned wee family shop at the bottom of the Royal Mile in the sale. They're pretty tatty now so I'm on the lookout for something similar as they've been really useful.
I've worn Vivienne Westwood just once, borrowed from a lovely relative for a special party. A very simple black dress but I have to say the cut was amazing.