Every year, I’m always changing up the way I dress based on any new trends I come across or styles I just like in general. However, one fashion aesthetic that I’ve long admired and finally got around to wearing more often is the dark academia style. What is dark academia, you ask? Dark academia is an aesthetic that revolves around classic literature, the pursuit of self-discovery and a general passion for knowledge and learning. As someone who has been a lifelong lover of books and knowledge, this aesthetic was made for me. Catch me looking like a normal college student one day and an English literature professor the next—the range of my style has no bounds, and I’ve got to keep people on their toes somehow, right?
The main inspiration for dark academia fashion is 1940s preppy school uniforms. The main color palette for this look includes colors like black, gray, beige, brown, cream, ivory, dark green, burgundy, soft yellow and other earth tones. Below, I have listed different types of clothing that are commonly worn in dark academia.
Tops
Tops like turtlenecks, Oxford shirts, sweater vests and light blouses are commonly worn. Additional styles of tops include:
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Fisherman’s sweaters
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Sweater vests
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Large polo necks
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Cable knit jumpers
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Sailor-collar shirts
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Jumpers
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A-Line dresses
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Blousons
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Drop-waist dress
Bottoms
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Dress pants
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Ankle pants
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High rise pants
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Cigarette pants
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Linen shorts
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Tweed trousers
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Plaid pants or skirts
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Mid-length or long skirts
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Pinafore
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Sailor skirts
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Pleated skirts
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Pencil skirts
Outerwear
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Cardigans
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Blazers
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Waistcoats
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Pea coats
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Suit jackets
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Trench coats
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Overcoats
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Duffle coats
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Chesterfield coat
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Coat dresses
Shoes
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Oxfords/brogues
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Loafers
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Wingtips
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Boat shoes
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Dr. Martens boots
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Mary Janes
Accessories
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Silver or gold jewelry
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Broaches
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Simple rings
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Satchel or messenger bag
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Wire-frame glasses
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Belts that match your shoes
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Knee-high socks
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Watches
Something to note is that while this aesthetic is not inherently negative, it has come under scrutiny due to its seeming encouragement of classist attitudes (ex. menial work being “inferior” to mental work) and unhealthy behaviors (ex. sacrificing sleep, relationships, mental health and personal care for the pursuit of knowledge and study). Please be sure to embrace the positive aspects of this aesthetic and be cautious of the potentially harmful ones. Additionally, while the aesthetic lends itself to Eurocentrism, every culture is welcome to share in the aesthetic and you are encouraged to find ways to blend your heritage with the aesthetic. Please do not feel as if you are not dark academia enough because of your background. While most of the dark academia books are generally written by white authors, I also have provided non-exhaustive POC book recommendations I found that would fit the dark academia theme. You can find more POC works and authors here.
Chinese:
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The Art of War by Sun Tzu
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The Dream of the Red Chamber
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The Water Margin
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Romance of the Three Kingdoms
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The Journey to the West
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The Scholars
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The Peony Pavilion
Pakistani
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Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid
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How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid
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Ghulam Bagh by Mirza Athar Baig
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Masterpieces of Urdu Nazm by K. C. Kanda
Irani/Persian
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Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji
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Savushun by Simin Daneshvar
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Anything by Rumi
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The Book of Kings by Ferdowsi
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The Rubiyat by Omar Khayyam
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Shahnameh (translation by Dick Davis)
Indian
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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
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Aithihyamala, Garland of Legends by Kottarathil Sankunni
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The Gameworld Trilogy by Samir Basu
Native American
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The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
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Starlight by Richard Wagamese
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Almanac of the Dead by L. Silko
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Fools Crow by James Welch
Indigenous Australian
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Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
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First Footprints by Scott Cane
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My Place by Sally Morgan
American
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Works of Gwendolyn Brooks
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Works of Langston Hughes
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A Naked Singularity by Sergio de la Pava (Colombian-American)
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Real Life by Brandon Taylor
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Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
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The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
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Internment by Samir’s Ahmed
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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurtson
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Rivers of London Series by Ben Aaronovitch
Filipino
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Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
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First Footprints by Scott Cane
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My Place by Sally Morgan
Mexican
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Poems by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz
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Laura Esquivel
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El Vampiro de la Colonia Roma by Luis Zapata Quiroz