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Dark Academia 3 - de vestibus agamus - the conversation continues

840 replies

highlandcoo · 02/10/2024 22:17

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!

Now that the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us, it might be time to start considering our autumn and winter wardrobes.

Last year as well as discussing leather lace-up boots, vintage handbags, antique brooches and many other desirable items, we pondered how to successfully pursue a DA aesthetic at work, at the theatre and generally out and about (without straying into Carry On Librarian territory, as one PP memorably commented) Grin
I learned about the Wrong Shoe Concept, and the Third Thing Rule .. every day is a school day!

However DA is much more than clothes, and we also shared our favourite childhood books .. memories of robins leading us through gates into secret gardens, the fiery red-haired independence of Anne of Green Gables, and our longing to go to boarding school, get into scrapes and partake in midnight feasts.

Thanks to our erudite posters, we learned about romantic Scottish history exploits recorded in 18th century documents, and considered the injustice of male family members being able to lock up women whose emotions became inconvenient, as well as discussing many inspiring women both in RL and in film.

And we debated the most DA place we've ever visited .. Oxford and Edinburgh featured strongly; in fact there was a suggestion that a perfect place for our DA AGM would be The Witchery in Edinburgh ..

If curling up in a wing-backed chair in front of a log fire, with candles flickering, sipping tea from a china mug while reading Pride and Prejudice or A Room of One's Own sounds appealing, this thread might be for you. Or if you just like the clothes, that works too.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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Notsosecrethistory · 10/03/2025 15:21

Today I am re-discovering how useful a trench coat is for this season:
Cropped trousers, daring hint of ankle, sweater vest over a t-shirt and a trench coat on top. Footwear has proved tricky, tbh. I may need brogues...

Breadcat24 · 10/03/2025 16:21

hi
new to the thread.
I am going back to work in a university and think I want to do dark academia.
Turned up a bit corporate last week and need to adjust (commercial role)
Going for something like this this week with a brown suede jacket and boots and a charcoal knitted dress
is this ok - not exactly dark academia but hopefully acceptable in academia?
I like the color combo. I'd probably wear a lighter jacket and scarf. Like the dress as a piece that could go with lots of things.

Amazon.com: Leggings Outfit For Women - Women's Clothing / Women's Fashion: Clothing, Shoes & … | Winter outfits for work, Fall winter outfits, Winter outfits women

Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest.

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/431923420507733789/

MurdoMunro · 10/03/2025 19:27

Couldn’t really comment on whether that will fit with your role/institution @Breadcat24 as DA is a style name rather than actually worn by academics (these days) so most of us here aren’t in that line of work!

weareallcats · 11/03/2025 00:30

MurdoMunro · 10/03/2025 19:27

Couldn’t really comment on whether that will fit with your role/institution @Breadcat24 as DA is a style name rather than actually worn by academics (these days) so most of us here aren’t in that line of work!

Kind of wish l was though!

Notsosecrethistory · 11/03/2025 11:29

@Breadcat24 I've no idea if it's a suitable outfit, but it sounds really nice... I'm also sporting a brown suede jacket today - it's a vintage blazer style and I'm actually super warm, but keeping it on 😂

weareallcats · 13/03/2025 07:33

Am off to Paris today ON MY OWN! I am so excited to have a few days of just doing as I please. Looking for interesting little nooks off the main tourist track if anyone has any recommendations. That said, I am booked into the Louvre and the catacombs 😂 but otherwise I’m just seeing what happens. Also shops, markets, foodie things…I want to go and see Chopin and Oscar Wilde, but the graveyard is a bit far out and I’m trying to avoid the metro if I can. Staying in the 9th.

weareallcats · 13/03/2025 14:51

Thank you! A friend of mine, whose husband is French, has also suggested the flea markets, so will def check those out. I am already having a flipping lovely time and I haven’t got off the Eurostar yet 😂.

weareallcats · 13/03/2025 14:54

Here’s my outfit if anyone is interested! Think I’m going to go to Notre Dame tonight - it’s open till 10 on Thursdays and I think it will be glorious at night.

Dark Academia 3 - de vestibus agamus - the conversation continues
Arraminta · 13/03/2025 16:02

Your outfit is everything.

SqueakyDinosaur · 13/03/2025 16:33

Caveau de la Huchette is trad jazz in a medieval dungeon, if you like that sort of thing? And I'm fond of the Musee Carnavalet too.

MurdoMunro · 13/03/2025 18:27

The outfit is MINT. Whereforth came the frock from?

weareallcats · 13/03/2025 20:17

SqueakyDinosaur · 13/03/2025 16:33

Caveau de la Huchette is trad jazz in a medieval dungeon, if you like that sort of thing? And I'm fond of the Musee Carnavalet too.

Oooh! Will google now!

evtheria · 13/03/2025 21:34

@weareallcats Have the best time, we are all living vicariously through you!

weareallcats · 25/03/2025 20:54

Hi everyone! I am now in Munich (not usually such a jet setter, but timings have meant I’ve been away quite a bit recently) - just logging on to share a link to a gorgeous shop I’ve found here:

https://www.gottseidank.com/en/

a traditional German vibe, as you will see, but the knitwear and jackets are fabulous.

Gottseidank - Gottseidank

https://www.gottseidank.com/en/

weareallcats · 25/03/2025 20:56

Ps - lederhosen are surprisingly hot - completely unexpected 😂. Many of the waiters wear them!

Notsosecrethistory · 26/03/2025 08:38

I love that link, thank you! Obv I wouldn't wear a lot of that, but lovely to look at!

Lederhosen? Hot = temperature or hot = fit? Enquiring minds want to know 😂

Have fun!

evtheria · 26/03/2025 10:08

@weareallcatsWhat a surprising and brilliant source! The Belinda jacket and Minna skirt are right up my street. Would be funny if they suddenly get an influx of orders from the UK.

EDIT: How to convince DP to wear things like the Helmut jacket…. 🤔

MurdoMunro · 26/03/2025 14:04

Loved looking at that site. The boobie beer hall dresses would do nothing for me (at my stage of life) but 💕 to the knitwear, could definitely pull off one of those cardies.

weareallcats · 27/03/2025 09:25

Notsosecrethistory · 26/03/2025 08:38

I love that link, thank you! Obv I wouldn't wear a lot of that, but lovely to look at!

Lederhosen? Hot = temperature or hot = fit? Enquiring minds want to know 😂

Have fun!

Hot as in fit…on the right person!

MurdoMunro · 27/03/2025 09:59

OK, ladies please, I’m trying to work here. Could you stop plopping the image of Tom Hardy in lederhosen into my head, it’s not helpful.

Notsosecrethistory · 27/03/2025 22:15

MurdoMunro · 27/03/2025 09:59

OK, ladies please, I’m trying to work here. Could you stop plopping the image of Tom Hardy in lederhosen into my head, it’s not helpful.

Well, I certainly didn't put that in there, that's all you! 😂

@weareallcats hope you have had a lovely time

swearsbymoonlight · 02/04/2025 14:15

Hello all,

Can I please ask what kind of summer shoes/sandals are you wearing to fit into this kind of look? I'm really struggling to work this out, but I think they may have to be brown leather?

Anyone have any pics for a bonus :) Thank you

MurdoMunro · 02/04/2025 14:29

Good question…pulls chair up to the table…I haven’t got past soft brown leather lace ups but there’s got to be more options surely?

When I see photos (or costume dramas) of women in the 1930s and 40s wearing day shoes I think ‘YES, that’s what I want’. Back in the day I used to look at a US website called ModCloth who had those sorts of things, are they still going? Will check, although the import tax would have a bloody tariff on top now I expect.