a guild to the dark academia aesthetic

what to wear:

• TWEED
• trench coats
• dark colours
• black turtle necks
• plaid pants/skirts
• scarfs
• three piece suits
• button ups and collard tops 
• old watches
• lockets
• rings
• glasses

decor/furniture:

• desks (preferably cherry or mahogany)
• towering bookcases
• record players
• art depicting tarot cards or deities
• old photographs
• books e v e r y w h e r e
• vintage tea cups with roses on them
• candles
• old wine bottles
• a chess board
• a skull
• at least one ash tray (even if u don’t smoke!)

make-up/hair

• red lipstick
• brow gel
• any dark lipstick
• bangs
• long hair
• red lipstick
• or collar bone length
• undercuts r also rly rad
• oh and did i mention red lipstick?

food:

• red wine
• gin
• whiskey
• champagne
• coffee
• tea
• blackberries
• pomegranates
• bloody steak
• mushrooms
• candied ginger
• toast-plain toast
• cocain (jk pls don’t)
• soup

what to read:

• the secret history (obvi)
• if we were villains
• the golden finch
• anything by V.E schwab
• shakespeare
• aeschylus
• homer
• plato
• anything by oscar wilde
• ninth house
• song of achilles
• harry potter (don’t @ me it’s da)
• truly devious
• edgar allan poe
• (this list could go on forever but these of some of my faves)

music

• hozier
• lorde
• tears for fears
• depeche mode
• any classical
• lana del ray
• the smiths
• the cranberries
• velvet underground

(again this list could go on forever)

dark academia fashion “tips”

for a basic outfit: a black turtleneck, a trenchcoat, plaid bottoms, oxfords or heels, neutral makeup

for a classy outfit: basic outfit + a red lip or some jewelry or both

for a casual outfit: a black or white blouse, coloured mom jeans, black or white converse or heels if you’d like

for a warm weather outfit: a neutral coloured mid length dress, converse, jewelry, neutral makeup

for a cold weather outfit: a bulky grey sweater, skinny jeans or a skirt with stockings and overknee socks, ankle boots or oxfords or even heels

for a school outfit: a black or white turtleneck, blue mom jeans, converse or oxfords, neutral makeup or a coloured lip, lots of rings, a backpack that matches the vibe

for a party outfit: basic white t-shirt, a coloured blazer, mom jeans, heels or converse, jewelry, matching coloured makeup, a bandana or headband

my kind of academia

- cigarette trousers, beige shirts and tweed blazers

- essay ideas, poetry and classic lit quotes all up my arms in smudged biro

- candle-lit room with books all over the floor, planning an intricate essay on why latin is not dead

- pouring redbull into coffee, telling myself that everything is fine

- leather notebooks full of notes

- adding another tablespoon of coffee for good measure

- deep cleaning my room and finding old trinkets and poems

- sitting in a tree with a book, whispering the words to the leaves

- danse macabre playing as i lie on the floor pretending i’m in a grand theatre

- stuffing torn out pages of poetry under my pillow in hopes it will make me more creative (and pretentious)

- another tablespoon of coffee?

- walking through a field until i find the perfect spot to sit and read

- ignoring the essays my professor asks me to write in favour of ones i find interesting (he doesn’t mind)

- emailing my professor telling him i’ve just finished this book and he has to read it

- reorganising my desk every few days until it has the right level of aesthetic

- wishing desperately to live near a majestic old library but making do with the crummy council one

- walking 50 minutes to go to the sweet little coffee shop with the pretty barista

- crying because of quarantine and the coffee shop is closed

- tattered sketchbooks filled with anatomy sketches

- finding the most awkward way to sit as i thumb through edgar allen poe

- candles

- walking at midnight, sharing poetry with the stars

- switching between strumming my guitar and playing loud, dramatic pieces of mozart on my piano

- hearing a word and scrabbling for a pen to write it on my arm because i must use this word every day for the rest of my life

just...random things i find myself doing

dark academia on a budget

(because not only rich people can be dark academics)

-thrifting with friends for old sweaters that someone’s grandfather must have worn

-getting second (or third or fourth) hand books and reading the notes that other people left in them

-making sure everything is tidy and clean, no matter what

-adopting a minimalist aesthetic

-or making your own decorations (which then makes you better at lettering and art)

-sitting in a local cafe and buying the cheapest thing so that you can study there (and making sure that you tip as much as you can)

-reading poetry online, printing your favorites, and posting them on your walls

-taking as much of your family’s clothing that they’ll let you have

-rotating the same few shirts, pants, and shoes without anyone noticing

-a lack of jewelry (because there are more important things)

-sitting outside at a park to read or write

-looking outside windows on public transport while listening to somber music

Unique Dark Academia Fashion Ideas

By now I think we all know that silk shirts, oxfords, and old blazers are staples of Dark Academia fashion. Here are some ideas for fitting your wardrobe to the aesthetic that I haven’t seen a lot of. 

Tops

Silk button downs are great, but if you want something perhaps less fancy and simple, here are some ideas:

• Cardigans. Specifically, tighter button down cardigans. While they are very similar to silk shirts, they aren’t quite as eye catching, and usually not as bright. I have a cream silk blend cardigan that I’ve been wearing under blazers instead of silk; it’s warmer, for one, and doesn’t make me feel so pretentious when my classmates are all in sweatpants.
• Cotton. Especially for warmer months, a good cotton shirt looks great tucked in a pair of high waisted shorts or trousers. I would suggest one with buttons as an accent, to avoid it being too plain. You can also roll up the sleeves for peak “disgruntled professor/lawyer” look. 
• Sweaters. I don’t just mean a black turtleneck here. Turtlenecks are of course great for winter and fall, but other sweaters are great also. I especially would suggest sweaters with interesting weaves or embroidery, as without the turtleneck they often need a little something extra to dress it up. There’s also the classic look of putting a button down underneath and pulling the collar out. For colors, jewel tones are always best in my opinion: deep reds, emerald greens, midnight blues. But you know yourself best, and if your hair looks great with cream, or light blue makes your eyes pop, go for it. Be sure to tuck over sized sweaters into your bottoms to avoid losing your figure. 

Bottoms

Bottoms are a little easier, as they’re usually not the statement piece of an outfit, especially in dark academia. Still, high waisted, pleated, 100% linen trousers are hard to find in thrift stores, so here’s some alternatives: 

• Black jeans. Personally, I avoid low waisted pants like the plague. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find high waisted suit pants in thrift stores, especially ones with the tighter fit that I prefer. Often, I go for my pair of good quality, 100% cotton, extremely high waisted black skinny jeans instead. Avoid jeans with rips or that aren’t a uniform color. I definitely would suggest black if you’re going to wear jeans, though that may be my inherent dislike of blue jeans talking. 
• High waisted pants of any kind. When it comes to tucking shirts in bottoms, you want a high waist. I can tuck the bulkiest of sweaters easily into my jeans, because they are high waisted and made of a thick material. Thin, flimsy material is hard to hide the lines of your tops in, and lower waisted pants often can’t hold the hem long before the top gets untucked. 
• Skirts. I prefer more masculine clothing, but I do have quite a few skirts that I wear on occasion. And good lord, if they aren’t the most comfortable pieces of clothing I own. Specifically, long flowing skirts made out of 100% silk, cotton, or wool. Wool is great for winter months, and adds an extra layer of protection from the cold. Cotton and silk is best for the hot summer time, and if you’re having trouble with staying in dark academia fashion when you’re sweating out of your fingernails, consider skirts. A long skirt can dress up something like a t-shirt if you do it right. Sandals, a long breathable skirt, and a tied up or tucked in shirt is a great go-to when the sun is sucking away your soul. 

Shoes

I still don’t own a pair of oxfords. 

• Boots. I’m a boot person. For dark academia, I would avoid taller boots; ankle boots or calf-length boots are the way to go. Go for leather, and tighter fits. A great way to pull your outfit together is to match your shoes and your belt or bag, and well as the hardware. If your belt is black with a silver buckle, go with black boots with silver accents. Try to avoid mixing metals (silver with bronze, etc.) if at all possible.
• Ballet shoes. I don’t own any, but personally I think they’d be a great alternative to simple flats; especially if you lace the silk ribbons up your shins a bit. These are definitely best for summer months though, I would not recommend during the winter.

Accessories

A single accessory can completely change your outfit and aesthetic. Personally, some of my most used clothing pieces are not what you’d call dark academia. My go-to jacket is a bomber jacket with patches, and my usual boots are heavy Harley Davidson biker boots with metal caps. Here are some accessories that can turn your everyday outfit to something more dark academia-esque. 

• Suspenders. I would recommend suspenders for everyone honestly. I was having trouble with a pair of trousers, because I needed to keep them high on my waist and tight to tuck in my shirt, but they had no belt loops. Suddenly I realized someone had solved the issue centuries ago, and used my suspenders. It worked perfectly, and also added a whole new level of dark academia to my outfit. I like using them in a subtle way though: under a jacket or blazer usually, that I might take off if it gets hot and just so happen to show off the suspenders underneath. Or, never even take the jacket off and just let people get subtle looks at them. Drawing attention to suspenders makes me feel like a douche for some reason; maybe it’s the images of fedora tipping that flood in. 
• Satchel or book bag. I know this one is a staple, but listen. Buying leather satchel changed everything for my look. I might have a bomber jacket, skinny jeans, and biker boots but a satchel thrown over one shoulder shifts everything about my appearance. If you are able to buy one new, Amazon has some great options under $100 dollars. If not, keep your eye out whenever you go to the thrift store.
• Hair accessories. Try silk ribbons. Pull your hair back with them, braid them into your hair, or use them as headbands. Learn how to braid metal cuffs into your hair if you’re up for a challenge.
• Scarves. Scarves are such an easy way to dress up an outfit, as well as keep you warm. I would suggest long, silk scarves that have enough width that you can style it around your head/hair, which I think is a great look that also keeps your ears warm. Jewel tones are definitely suggested here, especially if you’re wearing all black it’s a great statement. 
• Jewelry. If you’re religious, I would highly suggest jewelry with some sort of religious symbolism. Religious imagery is something I defiantly associate with dark academia. If you have any jewelry pieces that were passed down to you, try them. I like rings a lot, but for my right hand I cover all my finger with heavy steel rings that cover my knuckles (for punching purposes). On my left hand, I have rings from my family. I would again suggest not mixing metals, though it can look eclectic if that’s a look you like. 

That’s all I could think of at this moment, but feel free to add your own or message me!  Go forth and dress to make yourself confident, whatever that may look like.