Old books, dark libraries, hot lattes, and tweed coats.
Sounds almost like a dream, right?
I’ve been seeing a lot of this “Dark Academia” stuff all over my Pinterest and it got me wondering, “what’s the deal with Dark Academia?
That’s what this post is going to investigate.
It is quite an alluring and mysterious aesthetic, I must admit.
BTW, none of the pieces that are mentioned in this article are sponsored or paying me to link.
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So, what is Dark Academia?
It’s a little hard to describe with words, so here is Dark Academia in a nutshell.
So, from looking at these shots, we can see that Dark Academia is a type of “intellectual” and “sophisticated” sense of style.
Art.
Books.
Classical music.
Learning.
Poetry.
Secret societies.
Think, Dead Poet’s Society.
Ah, I think it’s all coming together.
Recently, a lot of people have been putting together some beautiful preppy outfits that scream Dark Academia.
I have a Pinterest section under my Style tab that focuses solely on Dark Academia fashion if you’re interested. You can find it here.
But, how would you style yourself?
Dark Academia offers plenty of pieces that you can experiment with to fit this aesthetic.
Let’s start looking at the certain pieces of clothing that make up the core of Dark Academia.
Tops:
Tops for Dark Academia consist of:
+ Oxford Shirts: These shirts are pretty much the basics that make up an outfit. Here & here are some good picks. These can be worn under coats or sweater vests. They can also be worn short or long sleeved.
+ Turtlenecks (aka Polo Necks): My favorite. An instant sophisticated look to your outfit. Who can ever doubt someone wearing a turtleneck? Anyway, these are also considered the basics of Dark Academia. They can be worn under a jacket, coat, or a sweater vest. I really like this one, as well as this.
+ Cable Sweaters: These are so cute + they’re super warm. They look great worn under coats, or even alone! Tuck them into some black ankle pants or a little plaid skirt and you’re good to go! This is one that I really like.
+ Sweater Vests: Remember when these were lame? I do. But, boy, did things take a turn. Just shows you how much things can change once you change your perspective. These look amazing over the Oxford Shirts, Turtleneck or any long sleeve. Here is one that caught my eye the other day.
Bottoms:
Bottoms for Dark Academia consist of:
Pants:
+ Dress Pants: This includes Cigarette Pants, Ankle Pants, & Trousers (in LOVE with these wide-leg ones) Dress pants are easy to style, AND, not to mention, super comfortable! They are also customizable. Meaning, you can make these work in a business setting, casual style, etc. They are my go-to for a lot of days.
Skirts:
+ Plaid Skirts: All-time classic preppy go-to look. You can go with a matching set, like this one here. You can accessorize this piece with some long socks or a little bag (perhaps a clutch or quilted bag) Here is an adorable option; as well as this one.
+ Pleated Skirts: These are sort of similar to plaid skirts, however they have this pleated and ruffled look to them. These also give a preppy appearance to your outfit. Tuck them under a thin black turtleneck or a sweater vest. I really like this one.
+ Pinafores: Ever heard of a pinafore? It’s pretty much a sleeveless dress. These look adorable over sweaters and turtlenecks. Here is a good one.
Jackets:
Jackets, most of the time, are the statement pieces of a Dark Academia outfit. They are normally heavy and thick.
Jackets for Dark Academia consist of:
+ Cardigans: These are nice & fluffy, plus super stylish! I normally go for white or beige cardigans, but black, grey, & sage green are such nice looks! They can also be oversized, or relatively short. Here is a great short one and oversized one. Style these with a turtleneck or under a cropped solid color shirt. Why a solid color? I have noticed that most, if not all, Dark Academia outfits are so, so simple that they consist of solid colors (we will go over this very soon :))
+ Trenchcoats: These are great for gloomy & rainy weather. They are very similar to Overcoats. Overcoats are great for the cold, whereas Trenchcoats are great for the rain. They both give off a sophisticated or mysterious look, depending on which end you strive for. For sophisticated, go with some skinny jeans + white pumps! For a more mysterious look, go for some dark colored pants, along with a heavy and dark coat. Wear a hat and some leather boots, as well! Here is a great coat from Zara. It comes in all sorts of colors, so take your pick!
+ Blazers: Hey, blazers aren’t only for job interviews! They look great with the whole Dark Academia look! They can be worn light or heavy, depending on your preference for the day. I especially like beige & grey blazers with a pattern, like this one. These can be styled with some jeans or a skirt, but they can go with pretty much anything you like. Find your way of making it work. You got this!
Shoes:
The best part, in my opinion, haha.
Shoes for Dark Academia consist of:
+ Oxfords: These a very stylish, yet sophisticated type of shoe. Wear these with denim or a plaid skirt. You could also wear these with pretty much anything. I don’t know if it’s just me, but they give your outfit a nice, bookish look (hey, in the good way!) Isn’t that what Dark Academia is all about anyway? Here are some cute ones from Paul Green.
+ Loafers: There are a variety of loafers that you can choose from. Mules? Platform Sole? Heeled? I really like Penny Loafers. Wanna splurge? Go for the Gucci! The options are limitless! Wanna look like an Academic from home? Wear the loafer slippers! Grab a big mug of hot chocolate and The Beautiful & The Damned and you are ready to roll!
+ Doc Martens: There are a variety of Doc Martens to choose from. The Classics, the Oxfords, the Mary-Janes, the Chelseas, and countless others. Hey, go platform if you like! You can also choose the type of leather that you prefer. Matte? Glossy? Vegan? They got your back!
Accessories:
Now that we are done with the solids of Dark Academia, let’s go with the pieces that will help you stand out!
Accessories for Dark Academia consist of:
+ Jewelry: Gold & silver necklaces, bracelets, rings, earring, pendants, pins, & broaches; you get the point! You can find plenty of affordable options here. Wanna go all luxe? I’m your gal! Here you go! Top tip: I notice that a lot of Dark Academiacs (I don’t know if this is a real word, haha; I think Academics would be a better term) wear a lot of rings with their outfits. I know right, hardcore. Here are one & two of my faves.
+ Belts: The best part about accessories is that you can have a lot of fun with them! Choose any belt you like, according to the color scheme, of course (more on that, later) Remember, for this style, simplicity is key!
+ Ties: Bowties, neckties, ascots, ribbon ties, the types are endless. Not only that, but the prints are endless as well!
+ Umbrellas: A bit random, I know. But Dark Academia is a dark and brooding aesthetic. Ergo, rain. Ergo, umbrellas. Capiche? Here is one that I really like. Here, is a designer option, if you like. When choosing an umbrella, go for the wooden stick, it looks more classy, in my opinion.
+ Glasses: These are great pieces of accessories. You have so many creative options to choose from. Don’t have a prescription? You can buy fakes, no problem! Here is a good affordable pair (they have a blue light filter too!) Here is an upscale version from Gucci! Glasses are very fun to style because of the variety of styles, colors, and frames they offer. Make sure to have some fun exploring!
Color Schemes:
You all know this: color makes or breaks an outfit.
Obvi.
So! What color scheme does Dark Academia consist of?
Think earthy, dark, and shadow colors.
However, those are the stereotypical Dark Academia colors.
There are multiple Dark Academia color schemes:
1. Classic Academia
2. Light Academia
3. Pastel Academia
Allow me to illustrate.
1. Classic Academia:
This is the most common type of Dark Academia.
These colors consist of:
+ Black
+ Grey: charcoal, fossil, harbor grey
+ Navy Blue
+ Sage Green
+ Dark Brown: tawny, gingerbread, mocha shades
+ Beige
+ Cream
+ White
~ pretty much dark earthy colors ~
2. Light Academia:
This is the more “lighter” shade part of Dark Academia, hence the name.
These colors consist of:
+ White
+ Light Brown
+ Pale pink
+ Nude
+ Olive Green
+ Grey Blue
+ Ginger
~ pretty much light earthy colors ~
3. Pastel Academia:
This is more of a fun & playful type of Dark Academia. Think, Cher, from Clueless.
These colors consist of:
+ Pastel Pink
+ Pastel Blue
+ Pastel Green
+ Pastel Orange
+ Pastel Yellow
+ Light Grey
+ White
+ Peach
+ Rose
+ Muted Pastels
~ pretty much pastels & light shades ~
What to take from this:
Do you feel ready for that stylish study session at the coffee shop now?
I bet you got this!
After reading this article, look for some things in your closet that fit this aesthetic.
Most likely, you have some things here and there that would look great.
If you need some more inspo, go to Pinterest and search up Dark Academia. See what types of pieces catch your eye and mimic it. You will soon find your personal style through these experiments.
Play around with pieces of clothing, accessories, & colors to find your personal touch.
Keep in mind that this is not a rulebook, it’s just a simple guideline.
For example, we didn’t cover denim in this article, however, you could totally pull these off with a Dark Academic look!
What we went over were the main pieces that make up the core of Dark Academia.
Big fan of sneakers?
Okay! Pair them with some black cigarette pants, a grey turtleneck, and a black trenchcoat!
Love your Levi’s? Same, girl.
Throw them on with a charcoal oxford shirt (try tucking them in) and some tawny colored oxford shoes! Add a caramel colored leather handbag and you’re golden!
Find your touch, make it work.
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So, what do you think of Dark Academia?
Tell us how you feel and what you’re going to try down in the comments!
I really like the style, personally.
I normally wear something like this when the weather is cold, gloomy, or rainy. It works well, don’t you think?
Wonderful thanks to Mitchell Luo, Adrien Olichon, Rita Chuo, Aaron Burden, Andriyko Podilnyk, Thomas Kelley, Annie Spratt, Zhenyu Luo, Giammarco Boscaro, Jez Timms, Javier Grixco, Henry Be for the stunning photos! <3
Don’t forget to Carpe Diem!
~ sara 🙂
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