Dark Academia 3 - de vestibus agamus - 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!

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)
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.

I tried another link to the shorts, a more general page. Even thought it showed OK when I first posted. Maybe I just previewed...

Anyway, they were bloomeresque long linen shorts from Trespass. Definitely not exciting enough to be banned!

You DEVIANT!

I love that your bloomers have given mumsnet the vapours 🤣

I'm on a mission now.

Success! 🎉

They absolutely aren't worth the effort, but I couldn't let The Machine defeat me.

😂

If anyone is going to beat the machine, confront the ghost inside then it’s the Dark Academics. Hitch up your flowing skirts, tuck into your bloomers and get stuck in 😆

I've just encountered a man after my own heart – who alas died more that 200 years ago. Robert Boulton, partner of James Watt at the Soho manufactory in Birmingham. They're famous for steam engines but made a huge range of household goods besides.

He never fully built it, but in 1771 this was his dream study:

"A round building for my Study, Library, Museum or Hobby Horsery to hold 6 handsome Book Cases with drawers in the lower parts to hold things which relate to subjects of the books wch are in upper parts, e:g a book Case containing Chymical Books should have drawers under wch contain Metals Minerals & Fossells — between each Book Case should be a Sophie [sofa] & under the Space between [th]e upper parts of [th]e Cases should be fixed such instruments as, Barometer, Thermometer, Pyrometer, Quadrants, all sorts of Optical, Mathematical, Mechanical, Pnumatical & Philosophical instruments also Clocks of Sundry kinds both Geographical & Syderial, Lunar & Solar System & one good regulator of time. A table in [th]e middle of the room & a skylight in [th]e middle of the domical roof [...] Out of this round room should open a private door into a passage in which passage should open doors into sundry conven[ien]t rooms such as Cold & Warm Bath, a Labritory[sic], a dressing & powdering room & an observatory for a transit instrument, etc."

@TressiliansStone he sounds amazing & that's my dream library he's describing!

Can you imagine it!

I think we all appreciate that he included sofas.

Sounds incredible, although I would switch out all the science books for literature and philosophy. My study bookcase has drawers which are supposed to be for my dc to put away their school work - they never use them so may have to claim them back!

It was very slightly chilly today! I didn’t realise until I was dressed and out and so missed the opportunity to wear a jumper.

I also have a vision of a little hatch in the floor with a ladder down to a little wine cellar. And a ceiling painted with clouds for looking at and day dreaming.

Ooh. Now that would be a very fine addition.

(I have just had to correct my typo of "vine". Clearly my subconscious is doing the typing today.)

I have shared that with a couple of my best friends, one of whom suggests that "An Cocktayle Barr" would be the only thing she would add (assuming modern plumbing is just around the corner).

It's Boulton. If it hasn't been invented yet, he'll invent it. Then he'll produce it for you in the Manufactory in a run of 1000...

I say, fellows! Will you have a look at this amazing site. I think you may agree that we have settled the bloomers question (plus petticoats and other delights!)The Witch’s Britches

M&S have just got some bootcut high rise cords in - the claret is a really nice colour. I have to get short, but I presume they do tall.

Oh my!

The care advice for stockings on The Witches Britches has reminded me of this 1775 advert from the Caledonian Mercury in Edinburgh:

Geo. Fulton, at his house, foot of Peeble’s Wynd, intends, on Monday the 15th of May current, to begin teaching,

1. The reading and grammatical institutes of the English language; from eleven to one o’clock afternoon.

2. Arithmetic and book-keeping; from five to seven o’clock in the evening.

It being a general complaint, That the slow progress which youth often make in education, is greatly owing to schools being over crowded, the English class above mentioned will be limited to twenty scholars, and the Arithmetical class to twelve.

N.B. Mrs Fulton, and her Mother Mrs Todd, make silk and Linen Gloves, graff and wash silk Stockings, in the neatest manner.

(I think we have some Eng Lit folk among us, so I can point out that a few years after this advertisement George Fulton taught the Porter sisters, Jane and Anna Maria.)

Perfect, @TressiliansStone. I am coveting a pair of those glorious stockings, but fear I couldn’t meet the washing standards of Mrs Fulton or Mrs Todd.

I did buy some bloomers! By invitation only..

I’ve already had a lovely friendly email from the maker. I can definitely see more purchases in my future!

How fabulous!

Tell me about your autumn wishlists!

I have just bought:
A stack of books including Something Wicked (about the Pendle witches) which I'm looking forward to diving in to.
A Papier notebook for a course I'm starting.
A decant of Eau Duelle perfume.
This skirt from Disturbia - I find them so hit & miss, but this is gorgeous! https://www.disturbia.co.uk/collections/womens-skirts/products/embla-check-ruffle-maxi-skirt?variant=53624953733493

I also have an eye on vinted for a bag and some Mary Janes. My search for a non-shit waterproof coat continues but I have been wearing the same old one for 7+ years, so I don't hold out much hope...

My dd has a similar skirt from Disturbia - it is much better quality than I was expecting, a really good buy.

Celebrating the first day of the ‘ber months by eating a bacon, Brie and chilli jam panini, drinking a coffee with maple and pecan syrup and wearing burnt orange and a brown cord blazer. I’m already well into the reading of gothic and ghost stories (not sure I stopped for the summer tbh). Off to my piano lesson in a minute - currently learning In The Mists by Janacek.

Going to a workshop to make a wicker hare for the garden soon and also plotting a spooky London trip with a friend and our dds - the woman in black, ghost stories, Highgate and the cage at Gordon’s is what we have so far. Dd and I didn’t make it to Edinburgh over the summer, so think we will try for an autumn trip instead.

Flipping love autumn - it’s such a joy to see the leaves turning.

<happy sigh>