We have already created a complete Dark Academia Aesthetic Guide for you to follow when you feel in the mood for visiting museums, reading poetry, and channeling your inner Hermione Granger. But, of course, a big part of embracing this lifestyle is how you get dressed. So, in this post, we will list Dark Academia outfit ideas, which means, how women with a scholar soul and old-poet heart can channel an Oxbridge preppy-like vintage with darkish gothic vibes in the way they dress.
I always like to highlight in every post I write that aesthetics and fashion for me are not just about following a trend that everyone else is following, but are the complete opposite. An aesthetic and fashion guide is a visual tool to help you truly connect with what speaks to your heart in the moment of life you are currently living, a way of expressing to the external world what you are feeling, and, most of all, a way of feeling good in your own skin.
If you don’t know where to start with dark academia fashion, we will begin with a list of pieces of clothing and color palettes that represent this aesthetic and outfits ideas.
To understand everything about dark academia aesthetics, from activities to do to personality traits, check out our Dark Academia Aesthetic Guide.
You might also like: Dark Academia Hairstyles & Hair Cuts to Express your inner Enigmatic Preppy Soul
The Dark Academia Aesthetic Fashion
The dark academia fashion style is filled with nostalgic vibes about dressing in a way that makes you feel like a very smart and intellectual student from British elite schools from the past (the 40s and back).
That’s because English prep Schools such as Oxford and Cambridge are big historical symbols of bright minds from the western world.
England is also where some of the greatest and most epic classic and gothic literature novels and books were written, as well as the scenario of this aesthetic fashion.
Dark Academia Aesthetic Outfit Ideas:
Dark academia fashion is basically about dressing like a vintage bookworm. How? Match and mix comfortable trousers, vests, sweaters, and skirts.
Color Palette: Shades of brown, black, beige, and off/dark greens l Pattern and fabric: Plaid, pleated, linen, wool, sweater
✦ Check it out to discover what aesthetic outfit is a match to your current mood: 20 Types of Aesthetic Clothing to Discover your Style
Plaid baggy pants and trousers with wine-red, beige, or brown sweaters
Pairing trousers with cardigans will feel like dressing like your grandpa meets cute prep college girl student style. Today’s colors, fabrics, and cuts add some modern vibes to it.
Plaid or brown/beige baggy pants and trousers with a white blouse
A light, white blouse with a collar, paired with a delicate gold necklace will make you achieve sophisticated and chic dark academia vibes.
Argyle Sweater
This is the most iconic pattern for men and women when you think about prep fashion from the 1940s.
Layer coats, vests, cardigans and sweaters like grandpa would
Sweater, sweater vests, and blouse layered for a soberer, and super vintage look. Although this type of layering might seem extra masculine, we can see from the first picture that the appropriate hairstyle, nails, accessories, and makeup can make a grandpa-inspired dark academia aesthetic outfit look and feel super feminine.
Turtlenecks
High neck tops are basically the white t-shirt from dark academia. It pairs and goes well with everything, and if you follow the color palette, it will be a key piece to create the first intellectual vibes to your outfit.
Short Skirts paired with turtlenecks, trenchcoats and blazers
Wanna feel a little bit more feminine? Then mix Bill Gates with Clueless vibes: Keep the brown tone but add a cute short skirt to it. Be creative and layer Turtlenecks, trench coats, blazers, sweaters and blouses.
Dark Academia Summer Outfits
Although summer dark academia outfits might be a little bit more challenging to create, they are very possible and stunning. Midiskirts, plaited dresses, mini plaited and plaid skirts, and the right accessories will make you realize that you can still evoke the dark academia dark/romantic sophistication also during summer.
Dark Academia Accessories
Any outfit is more complete when matched with the right accessories. They are proof that details make the difference. Beanies, delicate necklaces, embracing glasses, and extra vintage accessories like old watches add extra meaning to a dark academia aesthetic outfit. For the romantic dark academia girl, a hair ribbon is a must.
Character inspired outfits
There are some really inspiring and creative people on the internet, that take the ¨channel your inner favorite character¨ concept very seriously and I absolutely love it. Some dark academia aesthetic inspired by characters below.
@declarearts Created this amazing sober and stylish dark academia outfit inspired by Mr. Darcy.
Beanie, heavy books, an antique watch and the key necklace makes this Sherlock-inspired outfit by @thecozybones nice for living the house expressing a mysterious antique mood or even as inspiration for Sherlock Holmes Costume.
@maitoyokawa just rocket in this vintage outfit inspired by Amelia Earhart.
