Chaotic Academia Things I Do (That You Might Do Too!)

dark academic people be like: omg ma fit is fantastic

peep my crooked posture cus i’m wearing my backpack on only one shoulder

Hi, i love your posts and the dark academia aesthetic and I want to start dressing in the da style but there are no good thrift stores where I live, could you recommend some online clothes shops please?

Hey! Sorry for the delay, here are some ideas that will hopefully help.

Facebook Marketplace and ThreadUp are great options for online thrifting, though the former can also depend on your location and honestly the furniture is the greatest selling point, at least for me. But I do often find good shoes on there. 

Etsy is great for higher quality staple pieces, especially for good materials like linen. Though I know it can run a bit more expensive, especially since the stores often sell hand made products. So, for things on the cheaper side, try:

Stein: Stein is great in both price and style. They have a filtering system that includes the “elegant” filter, which gives tons of dark academia styled clothing. The only downside is most of their clothes isn’t great quality in terms of fabric; it’s mostly polyester. You can filter fabric type for higher quality, like cotton. Still, I’d highly recommend them for unique cheap pieces as well as staples. They’re pants especially are great. 

Old Navy: This surprised me at least, but Old Navy has some very high quality items, if you’re willing to hunt. If you use the right keywords (High waisted, ankle pants, trousers, cigarette pants, button down, etc.) most of their stuff is around 100% cotton, and quite cheap. Most of their stuff is pretty basic, but that means they’re good for cheap basics. 

ASOS: A bit more expensive then the previous two, but still on the lower end price wise. Check out their “suits and tailoring”, especially for good pants or matched sets. Plus, they seem to have a broader array of clothing for different body types, so that’s a bonus. Most of their stuff seems like good quality; they have a lot of linen and cotton blends.

White House Black Market: Okay, now we’re at the more expensive side of things. Obviously with that, comes higher quality. WHBM has some gorgeous stuff, and a lot of my favorite pieces come from them, though admittedly I’ve never bought anything from them that wasn’t heavily discounted or thrifted. They have both staples and some wonderful statment pieces. You can try entering higher end brands like them into ThreadUp though, so maybe try that if this is too expensive?

Let me know if you have any more questions, and everyone else feel free to add more in the comments! 

Acadamia Romance Aesthetics:

Classic: reading your favorite books out loud to each other, blooming red roses, neat notebook full of thoughts and ideas, small unexpected gifts, midday cafe dates, walking under a shared umbrella in the rain, delicate milk chocolate, earl grey and green tea, reading quietly on park benches, plaid patterns

Light: peppermints during study sessions, early morning cuddles, soft sunlight coming through the windows, inspirational messages on sticky notes, string tied on your finger so you don't forget something important, 'i love you' texts during the day, nature soundtracks playing in the background, fruit teas and water, thin framed glasses

Dark: rainy days spent inside snuggling, handwritten love letters on your doorstep, vinyl records playing classical music, borrowing each other's cozy sweaters on chilly days, warming up under knitted blankets, cups of black tea/coffee, late night phone calls, philosophical debates, museum dates, binging crime shows on Netflix

Art: stolen kisses in public, a rainbow after a storm, love poems on beautiful stationary, art museum dates, dried paint on your hands, sketch books filled with drawings, lost in your thoughts, late night talks, coffee with cream, pressed flowers, light refracting through a prism, sun showers, motivational quotes on sticky notes, sunflowers and daisies

Romantic: daydreaming of each other, reading romance novels and poetry, passionate kisses in the dark, breakfast in bed, slow dancing to no music, picnic dates in soft meadows, forehead kisses, lace trim and delicate fabric, reading each others writing, swooning

daily I.

listen to classical music while you do your chores. scribble quotes and thought fragments on your arms. fill your margins with sketches. brew coffee and drink it warm at 3am. recite poetry in the shower. scratch your favorite line into the desk. sit in a cold room with your fluffiest blanket. read in public. carve out a space for yourself in this world and thrive in it.

modern dark academia

~ the cold glow of a laptop screen illuminating an otherwise dark room;

~ stacks of printed class handouts piled on the desk, messy and disorganised to all but the one they belong to;

~ textbooks with notes and observations scribbled hastily in the margin in black biro, important passages circled and underlined with feverish vigour;

~ a half-drunk cup of takeout coffee, its contents abandoned in favour of a sudden breakthrough;

~ a jacket draped over the back of a plastic library chair for hours on end;

~ the harsh fluorescent lights of a university corridor late at night, a single set of footsteps cutting through the silence.

thrift haul from the past week or so

i’m feeling like francis abernathy, which is my goal in everything i do

dark academia things

thrifted corduroy trousers from eBay

loose leaf tea

actual grandad shirts because they were two pounds in a charity shop

dog-eared copies of Penguin Classics

patches of sunlight on the book you’re reading

threadbare velvet cushions

candles that smell of lavender and tobacco

trying to memorise more poetry

spending a little too much on nice coffee because you need it

Baring-Gould’s Annotated Sherlock Holmes in two volumes

pots of trailing tradescantia and devil’s ivy

vaguely longing for essays even though you know how stressful they are

word of the day lists

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. 

MBTI: DARK ACADEMIA AESTHETICS

ISTJ: jet black fountain pens and thin wire glasses, illustrated books on lepidology, microscopes with delicate geers, library card-catalogues, neat signatures, the scent of formaldehyde and the art of precision.

ESTJ: shiny black Oxford loafers and white button down shirts, busts of Roman generals, prefect’s badges, sepia maps, grandfather clocks, translating Herodotus, sharp silver letter openers with bloodred handles.

ISTP: leather-banded watches and ships-in bottles, sketched diagrams of bridges, chesterfield coats, bronze protractors and disheveled piles of graph paper, Voltaire quotes, chalk equations, pulling all nighters.

ESTP: roguishly loose striped neckties and crooked grins, varsity sweaters and scraped knees, secret passageways to the rooftops, Beat poetry, the scent of cedar, steam engines barreling through winding mountains.

ESFJ: black monogrammed gloves and red scarves, snowball fights, cups of hot chocolate, angelic choral voices, etiquette books, Jane Austen novels, silk robes, ballet shoes, light through stained glass windows.

ISFJ: cups of Earl Grey and wool button down cardigans, pressed lavender in books of Emily Dickinson poetry, piano sheet music, personalized wax letter seals, watercolor paintings in faded blues and greys.

INFP: Chelsea boots, olive green sweaters and tousled hair, existentialist novels and espresso in rainy cafes, signed postcards and fresh baguettes in bicycle baskets, moving to a new city alone, dried roses and stormy eyes.

ENFP: Disheveled brown corduroy, stradivarius violins, bell towers full of bats, Shakespeare comedies performed for raucous audiences, chai tea, Irish setters, impassioned marginalia, Botticelli curls, ivy creeping over red brick.

ISFP: reading Romantic poetry in grave yards, black turtle-necks, charcoal-stained fingertips, record collections, black and white films on antique projectors, gothic spires through fog, gin cocktails, poker faces.

ESFP: Maps hidden on the backs of paintings, muddy derby shoes, bacchinalia rituals, the scent of pomade, Oscar Wilde essays, crystal goblets and crystal chandeliers, green grapes and purple velvet, curled ram’s horns.

INFJ: tattered paperback copies of Virginia Woolf novels, tower windows, local ghost stories, Faire Isles sweaters, letter-writing by candlelight, flutes, paintings of rosy-cheeked Greek nymphs, pistachio macarons.

ENFJ: reading Whitman aloud, frescos of angels, paisley pocket squares, sumptuous dinner parties, passports and polaroids, oil portraits of royalty, studying multiple languages, plates of pasta, emerald rings.

INTJ: silver cuff links and black umbrellas, antique chess boards, ravens perched on wrought-iron gates, photography dark rooms, anatomical illustrations, suits of armor, stone gargoyles, hedge mazes, horror short stories.

ENTJ: leather-bound planners, tartan scarves, memorized political treatises, debate podiums and briefcases, black coffee, bookstores in the morning, statues of Nike, gold pocketwatches, fresh newspapers, brown berets.

INTP: oversized tweed blazers with elbow patches, tortoises in terrariums, the scent of old books, spiral staircases, stargazing under indigo skies, knee-high socks, Sherlock Holmes stories, breaking secret codes.

ENTP: glasses of dark red wine, laurel crowns, starting arguments about philosophy, tortoise shell glasses, domed ceilings, lore of trickster gods, snowy owls, Socrates’ dialogues, DaVinci sketches, ripe pomegranates.