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Snobbery, longing and gothic edifices – the aesthetic of dark academia

What is dark academia aesthetic?

The term ‘dark academia’, according to the entry on KnowYourMeme, was coined as early as 2017, but it wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic – which, by the way, seemed to foster interest in many micro-aesthetics and 80s nostalgia – that it really became popular. What is the essence of this trend? Dark academia is the dream of studying at a prestigious Anglo-Saxon university – but not so much a contemporary one, but rather one from a few decades ago. The axis of this dream academic experience, then, is not laboratory classes with state-of-the-art equipment and setting up a start-up after classes but endless discussions with eccentric lecturers, solitary studies of poetry from long ago, gallons of coffee and chain smoking. All this accompanied by the dusky halls of gothic edifices and the immaculate style of tweed jackets.

Aesthetic

So dark academia☕️

Clothes

Dark Academia dressing is mainly known for pieces covered in plaid, as well as crisscross and houndstooth patterns. The plaid can be seen in pieces such as a pleated miniskirt, an oversized jacket, cardigans or a classic white button-up blouse. Plaid is intended to represent the traditional, vintage aspect of the Dark Academia aesthetic.

Coined by many as the poster girl of dark academia fashion is none other than Wednesday Addams. Since being introduced on television in the ’70s, the fictional character is almost always seen dressed in black blazers, pleated skirts and other signature Dark Academia clothing items.

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Architecture

Seasonal imagery of autumn is also common. Imagery of Gothic and Collegiate Gothic architecture, candlelight, dark wooden furniture, and dense, cluttered rooms often occurs.The subculture has been described as maximalist and nostalgic. Universities that are often featured in dark academia imageboards include University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Harvard University.

The subculture has similarities with Goth subculture, tending to romanticise the finding of beauty and poetry in dark themes. Tim Brinkhof of Big Think has stated that "moody architecture and philosophical pessimism" are key aspects of the aesthetic. Hannah Southwick of USA Today has described it as a "melancholic aesthetic," citing a fashion stylist who described it as "boarding school meets goth enthusiast.

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Literature

Dark academia is far from a new trope, but in the past few years, it’s become more popular than ever. Whether it’s set at a private boarding school or a prestigious university, a dark academia novel romanticizes learning while also exploring the darker side of elite academic settings. You can find dark academia books in any genre, including fantasy, science fiction, thriller, and literary fiction, just to name a few. So, what are some of the best dark academia books you can read this year? This article will give you 35 fantastic dark academia books to add to your reading list.

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BOOKS

Recomendations

The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992)

Donna Tartt’s debut novel The Secret History is about six classics students at an elite New England college. They're a strange clique with erratic behaviors that at first seem to make no sense. As the story progresses, we see the ways this situation leads to the murder of a student named Bunny. This book is dark, literary, and gorgeously written.

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Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)

Never Let Me Go is a beautiful novel by Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro. It's about an exclusive boarding school, where the children are special for reasons they don't understand. Later, once the students are grown up, they understand what truly makes them special. And the revelation changes everything they thought they knew.

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A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015)

In this bestselling novel, four classmates move to New York after they graduate from their small Massachusetts college. Their friendships are competitive, intimate, and addictive. As the decades pass, their dynamic changes further, and past traumas continue to haunt them.

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