Dark Academia 2 - the conversation continues..

[highlandcoo]

Hello again to everyone from the last thread and welcome to anyone who enjoys talking about this aesthetic .. and if you have photos to share even better!

We've been discussing woollen jumpers, tweed skirts and jackets (with and without elbow patches), flannel trousers, fair isle tank tops, leather boots, culottes, berets and many other appealing garments, and more recently novels, poetry, libraries in general and even home decor with a DA vibe. Plus tortoiseshell spectacles and lorgnettes. I don't think we've touched on DA hairstyles yet although I've been giving that some thought ..

A DA quote I came across the other day: "I declare after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library." (P&P of course)

If curling up in a wing-backed armchair in front of a log fire, with candles flickering, sipping tea from a china mug while reading your Jane Austen or Bronte novel sounds appealing, this thread might be for you. Or if you just like the clothes - that works too.

Our first thread below:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4861009-dark-academia-anyone-who-loves-this-style?page=39&reply=129785046

Trilby on sale on Etsy here

Get thee behind m... oh, too late, never mind!

May I ask, did yours coming up true to the website sizing? I have such trouble getting hats to fit. <teeny tiny bonce for teeny tiny brain>

I’ll tell you when it arrives. I bought 2 sizes for safety - but I’m usually a small.

Dedication to the cause!

I see they also do newsboy caps. I'm still hankering after a midnight blue one after losing three!

It's not only books which I generously donate to buses...

I don't bother to own umbrellas, their half-life will inevitably be so brief.

I’m the same with umbrellas but my hats are mine.

Morning… I obviously have a lot to catch up on. I’ve had a busy weekend at the Tate Moden and at the Roundhouse to see a band. I will go back to read what you’ve all been up to. I’ve glimpsed some charity shop purchase which looked cool which I will go back and look at properly.
I’ve got a couple to add too… yippee. The first is a pair of brown Russell and Bromley ankle boots like these which I paid £10 (and they currently retail for £349)… they need new heels but that’s it they’re in great condition. The second one was a men’s vintage pea coat by Schott ( who are an American brand) who have been making these coats a long time. I think mine is 1980’s or older but these currently retail for £529 and I paid £15 for it. I didn’t know it was an expensive coat I just knew it felt good on and fitted well. It was from a vintage “kilo” shop that sell by the weight. I’ve found a few bits of menswear in there including some very old heavy weight evening trousers I need to get tailored. (I also found a Mont Blanc pen inside a jacket there… I did not keep it ). They had quite a few country tweed jackets and a ladies tweed skirt / jacket suit. It might be worth checking if you have any kilo sales / shops near you although you really have to enjoy rummaging. ( this one is actually a house clearance company so they do furniture too)

Ooh some lucky finds @Bookist and @teawamutu . where is the Kilo sale ? I don't live by one but do have really good charity shops.

On the subject of hats, I adore hats but they sadly don't fit me a combination of big head and super thick hair .

I've planned my outfit for today the Liberty skirt pictured up thread and rust wool jumper . I'm working (vintage shop) and want to look the part .

Photo taken at work . Note nails thanks to this thread!

Love it, triggers - esp the skirt and boots combo.

Today I'm trying blue culottes, wool jumper with a tie waist, scarf (see Ro3), stripy socks and stampy Camper shoes.

Feeling good about putting thought into how I want the world to see me, I guess?

@SerafinasGoose photos would be brilliant - always welcome!

@teawamutu what a fantastic Jigsaw dress and in one of my favourite colours. Your outfits sound great! I had my kilt on the other day - lovely earthy colours - and meant to take a photo and forgot. I'd hung it up in the wardrobe in the spare room by the time I thought of a photo .. next time ..

@Bookist well done for the declutter. I so need to do the same. Far too many pairs of skinny jeans which I've slightly gone off recently although I will keep some for tucking into boots with a long jumper on top. Practical for living in an area where it trains almost every day unfortunately.!

@Mirabai I love the hat and it's perfect with the scarf

@TressiliansStone umbrellas can be a pain can't they, but I need one most days. The fold-up ones last no time at all so I have finally splashed out and bought a sturdy (I hope) and quite beautiful full-size one hoping that it'll be worth the money. (Not cheap!)So far I've left it behind once but managed to retrieve it ..

@Divebar2021 two brilliant finds there! I really like them both

@triggers34 Your skirt is lovely. I also have thick hair .. and an unfeasibly large head. So when I find a hat that fits me I buy it! They seem to work fine if the brim is big enough. At the craft fair I ordered an oilskin one in very dark green .. a practical one which will fold up in my bag for sudden downpours.

@teawamutu nice outfit! I got lazy in lockdown pulling on the same leggings/long t-shirt or jumper every day. Comfy for round the house but pretty boring.
As a PP was saying upthread, you can fall into dressing like everyone around you whereas it feels really good to dress for yourself.

Posting to say thanks for all the earlier broaches discussion. I love them but never wear them because my clothes are often too fussy and it's too much. This winter due to cost of living I'll be keeping the heating off and dressing in a mini capsule wardrobe consisting of more practical layers in neutral colours that will all mix and match together. Was feeling a little deflated about this but today I've realised it means I can buy some fabulous broaches to liven up my outfits.

Yy, I too have dug out my collection of loved but unworn brooches on the back of this thread.

Am now studying this, as goodness knows I need advice about how to actually wear them:
https://www.interweave.com/article/crochet/10-ways-style-wrap-shawl-pins/

Also need to check out women who give good brooch! Like the late Queen and Lady Hale.
https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/sep/24/say-it-with-a-brooch-how-a-fashion-item-became-a-political-statement
Although Lady Hale did say afterwards that hadn't chosen that particular brooch to send a message. It just happened to be the one she wore that day. Has a fine collection, apparently!
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/lady-hale-spider-brooch-brexit-prorogation-ruling-boris-johnson-supreme-court-a9605506.html

I have secretly always wanted a big Anglo-Saxon pin-through-annulus type brooch... and the opportunity to wear it.

And thank you so much to everyone.

Because of this thread, and others about cord trousers, I have finally acquired some clothes which bring my wardrobe together. All my lovely items which have been hanging there unworn so long, because I could never quite combine them into an outfit, are now coming out to play!

What's more, I feel like I've finally been given permission – and more importantly advice how – to actually dress like me!

As PP have said, it's wonderful!

I offer you all the & of gratitude.

Hello Tribe!
@teawamutu I absolutely love your tie jumper! Really unusual design but very flattering and the sleeves are gorgeous!

As promised, I have taken a few snaps of what I've been wearing the past few days.

And a few more.

@highlandcoo thank-you . Your hat sounds brilliant , I'll look out for similar .
@helenahandcart78 those outfits are fabulous .

You lot I NEED a broach 😂

I've been looking at suffragette brooches - ties in two great passions (DA and grumpy radfemming).

Oooh! Please share! (Even though I could probably get fired for wearing one at work, but that's quite another problem ...)

Love those wide-legged side-buttoned trousers, and the neck on that grey blazer!

Ah, that's why I've been looking for suffragette rather full-on terfy stuff. Like this:

That's really pretty. I do love a nice vintage brooch!

The Waves is a stunning novel

Superficially stunning - original concept, striking imagery that is vivid and pictorial - but lacks the emotional heft of TTL and Mrs D imo. The disembodied voices - forming aspects of VW herself as well as individual characters - never, for me, really coalesce into self-hood or coherent drama and often sound alike, with only their catchphrases to differentiate them. I also agree with Tom Paulin that she can be guilty of what he called “false poeticism” (although I think the same is true of Joyce in Ulysses which I don’t think he would accept). A very interesting and worthwhile experiment, but not as successful as I had hoped at the outset.

Do we have a name for the trilby of delights? I'm leaning toward 'Trixie' for some reason? I've just ordered some clompy black brogues from Clarks with a chunky 2" heel. To be worn with black opaques and the 2 corduroy tunic dresses from Seasalt which somehow fell into my basket yesterday. One is a navy/grey print and the other is a conker brown. I do think Seasalt do a lovely soft, fine cord fabric. Annoyingly you can't tumble dry them though x