I don’t know about you, but as soon as the winter hits, the days get shorter, and the air turns crisper, I find myself re-submerged in my obsession with dark academia. I’ve come to discover that the colder months seem to coax out this fascination—a seasonal shift that might resonate with anyone who finds themselves longing for candlelit rooms, vintage fashion, and the intoxicating charm of a rainy day spent reading in solitude.
Dark academia is more than just an aesthetic—it’s a cultural movement that romanticizes intellectualism, classical art, vintage fashion, and gothic atmospheres. It’s a celebration of knowledge for its own sake, with a penchant for darker themes like existentialism, obsession, and mortality. Think ivy-covered libraries, philosophical debates, and rainy days spent pouring over Greek tragedies. At its core, dark academia captures the beauty and melancholy of scholarly life. So, why does winter bring out my yearning for this world? What is it about the colder season that makes dark academia feel like the perfect intellectual escape? After some reflection, I’ve come to discover multiple external factors at play contributing to my love for this aesthetic, so here they are:
- weather
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Fall and winter weather provides the perfect backdrop for the dark academia aesthetic. The overcast skies, gentle rain, and occasional snow create an atmosphere that feels inherently gothic and mysterious. If you’re located in sunny Los Angeles like me (go Bruins), you may also get excited by the novelty this type of weather provides. Whenever I travel to a location where real seasons exist and leaves actually turn different colors (my name is Autumn, after all), I can’t help but take it all in. There’s just something about the way the world slows down and grows quieter under gray skies that invites introspection.
- indoor time
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The shorter days and chilly air naturally push us indoors, creating the ideal setting for indulging in dark academia’s love of intellectual pursuits. Whether it’s reading by the fire, sipping tea while annotating a novel, or engaging in thought-provoking conversations with friends, winter encourages a retreat into cozy, intimate spaces. Everyone knows that winter quarter is the most boring because Californian students are much too frightened by the cold, so why not take advantage of it? These indoor activities lend themselves to a heightened appreciation for the aesthetic’s love of quiet, scholarly routines, and artistic contemplation.
- solitude
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Winter is a season of introspection. Yes, I know that nobody is truly a fan of the shorter days with Daylight Savings, but these darker afternoons and quieter days create a sense of solitude that aligns perfectly with dark academia’s themes of individual reflection and existential musings. As someone who absolutely needs alone time, this is a time to retreat into my thoughts, and even wrestle with questions of life, death, love and loss (if I’m not busy studying for finals, of course). So, let this seasonal solitude feel less like loneliness and more like an opportunity for personal growth—a hallmark of the dark academia ethos that everyone can benefit from.
- staying bundled up
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There’s a reason dark academia is so often associated with fashion staples like tweed blazers, wool scarves, and knit sweaters. Winter is the perfect excuse to don these vintage-inspired layers, creating a look that feels like it was plucked straight out of a 19th-century university or The Dead Poet’s Society. As a native Californian, we don’t usually get to wear this type of gorgeous garb, so when I get the chance, you know that I’m taking it.
- summer nostalgia
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As you may already know, winter often prompts a longing for the summer. In fact, you may be wishing that we were already back in the warmer months right now. But, this nostalgia for a different time complements dark academia’s love of romanticized memory and yearning. Reflecting on sun-dappled afternoons spent reading under a tree or exploring ancient ruins can feel bittersweet when contrasted with the cold, barren beauty of winter. This interplay between seasons—between what was and what is—adds a poignant depth to the aesthetic’s appreciation of time and transience.
- A need to re-read
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There’s just something about this season that compels a return to the classics. Perhaps it’s the slower pace of life or the holiday season’s reflective nature, but this time of year often brings with it a desire to re-read, or re-watch, old favorites. Dark academia thrives on the re-examination of timeless works—Greek tragedies, gothic novels, and philosophical texts. Revisiting these stories feels like reconnecting with an old friend, deepening your understanding of their themes and enriching your own intellectual journey. If you’re personally looking to add some more classics to your reading list, my winter go-tos are Donna Tart’s The Secret History and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Other dark academia classics include Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. However, if you’re also a movie person like me, watching a film like Good Will Hunting or even binging the Harry Potter Series for the tenth time (Half-Blood Prince stans please rise) will have you immersed in the dark academia atmosphere in no time.
So, as the temperature drops and the days grow darker, I invite you to join me in embracing the aesthetic and intellectual allure of dark academia. Whether through revisiting classic books, indulging in vintage-inspired fashion, or finding solace in quiet moments of reflection, the colder months invite us to embrace this world of beauty, knowledge, and solitude. So, wrap yourself in a cozy sweater (or tweed sport coat), light a candle, and lose yourself in the pages of a good book or one of Shakespeare’s classics.