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

Wise not to tumble dry anything. Expensive, un-green, and ruins good fabrics.

Me too 😆
@EducatingArti I'm a similar size to you 5ft 2" and 36GG boobs . I've a thick waist. What I've discovered is very wide belts suit me with long skirts or dresses.
I know midi dresses are meant to be over but in my neck of the woods they only just arrived . I have a couple and DA them up a bit by wearing sleeveless jumpers over them . This hides my post c section menopausal tummy . I'm not sure what my colours are I look better with silver than gold . I tend to drift towards browns and navy's reds .

What have I started?

@TressiliansStone
Be afraid, very afraid!

En garde, mes amies!

Well how extraordinary.

In pursuit of a Victorian-style shirt on eBay, I have instead discovered J&P Coats sewing cards. They're essentially cigarette cards... but for cotton thread!

Some are straightforward adverts for Coats threads; others, like the military uniforms series, are clearly intended to be collected and traded.

I had no idea such a thing existed.

Just to make it a little more beautiful for us C19th & early C20th literature lovers... J&P Coats ultimately funded the James Tait Black literary prize. Janet Coats married JT Black and left her family fortune to establish the prize in his memory in 1919.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Coats_Black

I also need to use a walking stick, never thought of a silver topped one till now. Time to trawl antique shops & auction house catalogues methinks!

Hello! I've been away for a few days, so I am delighted to dig back into this thread and have so much to catch up on! :)

A DA book recommendation from me. Just loving this so much. Has such an eerie, dream like quality to it. DH has gone out for a curry so hoping to finish it this evening x

@Bookist that's my next book club read! It's based on a real life mystery isn't it?

@TressiliansStone sewing cards - what an interesting little piece of history!

I'm loving all the photos upthread too 😊

I have an evening to myself too so am planning to light my candles, make a cup of Earl Grey tea, watch an episode of Sewing Bee and then read a chunk of my Anthony Trollope novel. I was going to make soup but that can wait till tomorrow ..

Yes, I think it is. Her writing is so beautiful, almost poetic x

@Bookist I like the sound of your book <adds to list>
@highlandcoo I have a whole week to myself - Dh has gone to Scotland to see his parents , not only can I have candles they can be scented 😂

So today I found what I think is an Edwardian blouse, hand made, embroidered , 58 knot buttons . It fits dd size 10 but she doesn't like it.
I'm on a diet but size 10 feels a stretch ...

I'm just here for the moose plushy.

Actually that's a total lie. I'm in love with that blouse. How gorgeous.

I deliberately zoomed out to get him in the picture - it was a joke present to Dh years ago !

I had to look again for the moose plushie🦌. I had eyes only for that gorgeous blouse 😍

BTW I'm no fashion history expert (or fashion expert full stop), but to me that gorgeous blouse looks much recent than Edwardian. My feeling is the collar is too low. I can't make out the fabric, but the embroidery design looks very much like hand-embroidered Indian pieces I've seen well into the 1980s.

It's ver' nice, whatever its life history!

It’s very pretty but def not Edwardian. Almost certainly Indian as well.

@TressiliansStone @Mirabai of course I hadn't thought of that , I wonder why there are knot buttons , bridal? The groom would be very frustrated 🤣
Anyhow I've offered it to my boss to sell in her shop - I'll see how she dates it . It's made of quite heavy brocade type fabric .

Agree; Indian, probably 80's.

Well! My eBay parcels have arrived!

I wasn't sure about the Joules jacket sizing, so, um, I bought two... One blue tweed, one brown. Turns out I'm more of a 12, but the 14 sits well enough it doesn't matter. And being a bit more roomy will come in handy over woollies.

Bank balance may be whinging, but oh my goodness that was money well spent. These will go with half my wardrobe, and give me so much more wear of other items.

Can't promise to equal the glories of helenahandcart's flat lays, but will do my best when battery has recharged.

Can I ask the advice of you lovely DAers?
I bought the Amazon waistcoat mentioned upthread.
I've attached photos. The large is obviously too small under bust ( see photo done up)
I'm not sure whether to get the XL. My concern is that I think it might be too baggy/loose on underarm/ top of bust ( I think even the large might be too big here?)
Or, do keep this one and mess around with buttons to loosen under bust (maybe change to a single button) and maybe even try and mess around with darts on upper bust ( tricky and perhaps beyond my competence as it is lined).
I'm also not sure if this style is going to work for me anyway as it seems to emphasize my very large tummy ( I am not pregnant but look it sometimes!)
so maybe I just return it and look for something different.
My usual "style" is to go for lots of knitted/ jersey styles rather than fitted and looking at these photos I can see why!
What do you all think?

If it were me, I'd be messing around with the buttons.

But I have quite the ability to look like a bag lady, so you probably want someone else's advice.

@EducatingArti it's tricky isn't it? I think like me you may just be between sizes. We have a great tailor in the village and if you have anyone like that locally you could pop in and ask how much it would cost to alter and more importantly can it be done. If they say too complicated at least you would know, and if someone professional says that I wouldn't be inclined to try to alter it myself. Probably not worth spending a lot of money unless you love it.
What I would say is, if you're conscious of your tummy I think a skirt would look good with it. My tummy is not my best feature and I tend to avoid short tops with jeans as that draws attention to it. Whereas short tops with a skirt seems to give a more flattering line.

@TressiliansStone would love to see your new jackets when you have time