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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:
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FeralNun · 30/10/2025 11:06

Welcome! I recently scored 2 pairs of high waisted, wide leg, wool trousers, lined (lined!) from Noa Noa on Vinted. 20 years old, immaculate, fantastic quality. One black, one a tweedy green.

Picking them up from the tailor this weekend as they were massively long! Can’t wait to wear them. A tweed waistcoat to go with would be just the thing..

GlomOfNit · 30/10/2025 11:09

If we're talking DA books, for a long time I was quite rigid and thought the only true DA novel of modern years was The Secret History, but there's plenty out there that's adjacent or maybe not literally set in academia. That said, Naomi Alderman's The Lessons is pretty DA (and is partly set at Oxford). I've just finished reading Daisy Johnson's superb collection of dark folk-horror-y short stories, The Hotel. Did anyone catch that on R4 as a series? It's still up on Sounds, I think. It's a series of interlinked stories all told by women about the same place in the Fens. Weird and unsettling.

The other DA reading I'd recommend for this time of year are the collections from the British Library, Tales of the Weird. They seem limitless! The collections are thematic - Christmas tales, Autumn tales, train tales, woodland, churches, etc. Mostly 'vintage' - there's usually an E.R.James story in most collections. They're a cosy, fireside/candlelit read. The covers are cool, too. Grin

GlomOfNit · 30/10/2025 11:10

FeralNun · 30/10/2025 11:06

Welcome! I recently scored 2 pairs of high waisted, wide leg, wool trousers, lined (lined!) from Noa Noa on Vinted. 20 years old, immaculate, fantastic quality. One black, one a tweedy green.

Picking them up from the tailor this weekend as they were massively long! Can’t wait to wear them. A tweed waistcoat to go with would be just the thing..

ooh those sound wonderful! I'll give Noa Noa a look. Can we see a photo of them when you get them back?

FeralNun · 30/10/2025 11:53

Surely! The owner was genuinely, I think, sad to sell them and had held onto them unworn for years.

Vinted can be great. But also crap now and then. I sold my beloved full length wool and cashmere wrap coat on there recently. It was 3 sizes too big, but I was genuinely sad about it. It elevated every outfit and was dark.

Well. Not only did the buyer not understand what a wrap coat was once they received it (couldn’t work out how it fastened!) they were utterly unappreciative of their utter bargain. I ask you!

FeralNun · 30/10/2025 11:57

I forgot my book. The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, about the plague in Eyam. Beautifully written, am reading a chapter at a time as it is upsetting. Also reading the Cazalet Chronicles as light relief!

MurdoMunro · 30/10/2025 12:38

Hiya @WoolTweedArtandBooks 👋

I’ve not had much success with Vinted because the brands I really want are still out of my budget on there! I have done a bit better with House of Bruar - but that’s mainly because I can fairly regularly drop in there and go poking around in their outlet shed at the back 😆

Someone here shared a good tip for Vinted though - you can enter dark academia as a search term! I then have a good look at the fabric content and a bit of cross-referencing on Google if I don’t recognise the label.

WoolTweedArtandBooks · 30/10/2025 13:10

Ooh I am stalking a couple of house of Bruar waistcoats @MurdoMunro , they look lovely!

MurdoMunro · 30/10/2025 13:40

I got a luscious forest green wool jacket from HoB a few years ago and I live in it at this time of year. Until it gets cold enough to get the big guns out - the thick boiled wool chocolate brown duffle coat.

If you are plodding along the A9 it’s a good stop. Lovely loos and excellent chips 😆. The outlet shed needs a deep breath, get past the going-on-a-cruise-holiday pastels and twiddly things and treasures can be found.

Notsosecrethistory · 10/11/2025 14:19

Dress me for my new job in a haunted library!

It's actually pretty casual from what I can make out, but what COULD I wear??

Notsosecrethistory · 10/11/2025 16:33

Sadly my dressmaking skills are not good, but I love the idea of rocking up to my first day in a cloak!

MurdoMunro · 10/11/2025 17:42

`yeah, me too @Notsosecrethistory that cloak looks well cosy but beyond my skill set too.

When you say ‘could’ wear, are we just on a flight of fancy here and not worrying about your average librarian’s budget? How about this - https://uk.burberry.com/cashmere-belmont-trench-cape-p81150481?pla=true&utmsource=googleads&utmmedium=CPC&utmchannel=psr&utmcampaignid=21354625151&utmplacementid=171725872988&gclsrc=aw.ds&gadsource=1&gadcampaignid=21354625151&gbraid=0AAAAADcqrFhlG1s2VFi4To74vrEercgKg&gclid=CjwKCAiAt8bIBhBpEiwAzH1w6VHdemafQInj2jBYmChB4ITmcQIEsxR8py1G6OOSspPyoGgcu93xhoCVGkQAvDBwE

Notsosecrethistory · 10/11/2025 17:54

Alsoooo,
this job represents a bit of a departure for me, and in my circle a lot of people have reacted in a perplexed way. So, I did think - "I know who will get it" which extends far beyond outfits, so thank you gang :)

MurdoMunro · 10/11/2025 18:02

I’ve not bought from Disturbia but there have been some people here who have so hopefully they’ll drop by with their thoughts soon. The skirt looks super, good amount of swish to it. I’m on a culottes search at the moment, I don’t have a Toast budget but if these were wool and at least half the price I’d be having them

https://www.toa.st/collections/womens-skirts/products/pleated-wrap-denim-culottes-indigo

Pleated Wrap Denim Culottes | Indigo

Pleated Wrap Denim Culottes | Indigo

Organic cotton denim. Yarn-dyed indigo. Lined. Side seam pockets. Back patch pocket. Corozo button.

https://www.toa.st/collections/womens-skirts/products/pleated-wrap-denim-culottes-indigo

Darklane · 10/11/2025 19:21

MurdoMunro · 30/10/2025 13:40

I got a luscious forest green wool jacket from HoB a few years ago and I live in it at this time of year. Until it gets cold enough to get the big guns out - the thick boiled wool chocolate brown duffle coat.

If you are plodding along the A9 it’s a good stop. Lovely loos and excellent chips 😆. The outlet shed needs a deep breath, get past the going-on-a-cruise-holiday pastels and twiddly things and treasures can be found.

I’ve often thought of calling into House of Bruar when driving along the A9 as I already have several things bought mail order from them. So the outlet is worth a look then? I do tend to buy in their sales but have just got a lovely full length tweed coat, birthday present.I’ve heard the chippy there is brilliant as I usually buy pies in Pitlochry on my way through.

MurdoMunro · 10/11/2025 20:48

As always with these things @Darklane you could drop into HoB’s back building and see not so much or at other times land a stonker. If you’re passing and it’s time for a break then I’d recommend. Do you have a dog? If you go to the right hand car park then head the corner and the river there’s a cracking walk up behind HoB to the waterfalls.

Edit: yes, the chips are very good!

TressiliansStone · 02/12/2025 15:27

I'm rushing in to tell you all that I have finally caved and bought the beautiful Dianne balloon trousers from Disturbia that someone recommended ages ago.

Oh my word they're wonderful! The trousers fit all my lumps and bumps as though they were meant to be there, and are fantastic with clumpy shoes.

Disturbia Black Friday sale ends tonight!

TressiliansStone · 02/12/2025 17:55

@Notsosecrethistory , I dithered about whether to post in case you'd bought your lovely Disturbia skirt at full price...

But if you haven't got it yet, today could be the day...

Notsosecrethistory · 02/12/2025 17:59

They're gorgeous, aren't they @TressiliansStone !?
I did get my skirt, but I had a discount code, so all good 😂

What will you wear them with?

WoolTweedArtandBooks · 02/12/2025 18:45

Oh they are nice. I love the embroidery. I hope you enjoy them!

I got a jacket from Indigo Moon and some silver brogues that I want to wear but am afraid people will think I’m dressing up. Tell me no-one else cares what I wear!?

TressiliansStone · 02/12/2025 19:00

WoolTweedArtandBooks · 02/12/2025 18:45

Oh they are nice. I love the embroidery. I hope you enjoy them!

I got a jacket from Indigo Moon and some silver brogues that I want to wear but am afraid people will think I’m dressing up. Tell me no-one else cares what I wear!?

Ah well. I recently gave my Joe Browns winter coat from Vinted its first outing.

It was definitely dressing up.

And guess what? People DID care what I wore. I know because of the number of total strangers serving me in a shop or making way for me on the train who said, "Oh goodness, I LOVE your coat!"Grin

So I'm in the "wear them, wear them!" camp!

TressiliansStone · 02/12/2025 19:18

Notsosecrethistory · 02/12/2025 17:59

They're gorgeous, aren't they @TressiliansStone !?
I did get my skirt, but I had a discount code, so all good 😂

What will you wear them with?

Phew re buying your lovely skirt. It does look nice.

I knoooo! Much experimentation ahead to work out how to wear the trousers.

If the light is good tomorrow I'll try some outfit pics...

TressiliansStone · 03/12/2025 23:25

In case anyone's interested, that splendid film about the Brontes, "To Walk invisible", is on BBC4 at 22:00 on Wed 10 December.

TressiliansStone · 07/12/2025 21:09

Also, may I bring to your attention that 16th December 2025 will be Jane Austen's 250th birthday!

I shall be raising a glass – perhaps you'd care to join me? Wine