A Beginner’s Guide to Dark Academia
tips for the baby aesthete’s out there
academia
actually study! study the things you love, the things you like, the things you know nothing about — the pursuit of knowledge lasts a lifetime, and there is so much to learn
visit your professor’s office hours! it always helps to make yourself known to your teachers (i’ve been given grade bumps and had great conversations with my university lecturers)
avoid and check yourself for the pretension that can often accompany academia — it hurts no one to be kind and mindful
delve into the realm of philosophy (for starters: metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics) it will broaden your mind
stay late at your university library studying (if you can do so safely, preferably with a friend). university campuses feel magical in the evening
style
wear darker, muted colours
plaid coats, pants, or skirts
button-up shirts (Peter Pan collars are a bonus)
turtlenecks
tie your hair with a bow
accessorise! a vintage watch adds sophistication to any outfit. try wearing it with a ring or three
practice good posture — standing tall creates an air of elegance, confidence, and if paired with the right amount of nonchalance, mystery
media
films
dead poets society
cracks
the dreamers
thoroughbreds
breathless (à bout de souffle)
cléo from 5 to 7 (cléo de 5 à 7)
handsome devil
tv shows
gilmore girls
chilling adventures of sabrina
black mirror
the good place
the politician
books
the secret history
the picture of dorian gray
the goldfinch
the line of beauty
persuasion
the collected poems of oscar wilde
ovid’s metamorphoses
music
listen to classical music as you sleep/read/study
you can check out this dark academia playlist for inspiration
aesthetic activities (think of this as a little checklist to get you underway as a fledgling aesthete)
make yourself tea in pretty teacups (you can find plenty in secondhand stores!)
light candles in your bedroom, and read by candlelight
dry flowers for your room/desk
explore secondhand bookstores for old, pretty editions of novels you may or may not have heard of
give handwritten letters to your lovers/friends/yourself
wake up before the sun rises to watch dawn break
brood during a thunderstorm, and write extravagant, flowery poetry on parchment
join a secret society
exist in the real, with your books and art, and your turtlenecks and plaid coats, as a mystery. social media can give too much of you away
host an unceasing bacchanal for you and your pals
I hope this serves as a nice little guide for some of you wanting to get more into the aesthetic! There’s no real right or wrong way to go about it, these are just my suggestions from my own experience and perception of and within the community.
Enjoy,
Juniper x
