AD: Gifted. This blog post features a gifted handbag from Beara Beara, but is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
Dark academia is an aesthetic and online subculture built around a romanticised idea of scholarly life: gothic architecture, classic literature, candlelit libraries and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. It pairs a love of learning with a taste for melancholy and beauty in things that are old.
Whether you’re drawn to dimly lit libraries or the soft echo of a piano in an empty hall, dark academia makes room to indulge a love of learning and creativity. It’s about finding beauty in the melancholic, joy in intellectual exploration, and leaning into an artistic, slightly moody way of life.
In this guide I’ll take you through all of it: where the aesthetic came from, how to dress the part (including the bag I carry myself), what to read, watch and listen to, and the real places (many of them in London) that feel like stepping into a dark academia novel.
Where Did Dark Academia Come From?
The look borrows from centuries of material, but the label itself is recent. It took shape on Tumblr in the mid-2010s, where people shared moodboards of libraries, tweed and marble statues.
It then exploded on TikTok and Instagram during the 2020 lockdowns, when many of us were missing the libraries, lecture halls and museums we couldn’t visit! I finished my Master’s degree during lockdown, and I can certainly say I was missing King’s College London’s stunning Maughan library during that time.
The founding text of dark academia almost always said to be Donna Tartt’s The Secret History (1992), in which a small circle of Classics students at an elite American college let their obsession with the ancient world carry them all the way to murder. That’s the “dark” in dark academia: the aesthetic has always flirted with obsession, elitism and the cost of wanting to know too much.
It’s worth remembering, too, that the real institutions it romanticises were for a long time open to very few people, and some of the most interesting corners of the community now spend their energy widening whose books, art and histories get a seat at the table.
Dark Academia vs Light Academia
Light academia is the sunnier summertime sibling. Same love of books and learning, but in creams, whites and linen, with picnics, poetry in a meadow and Italian piazzas instead of candlelight and fog.
Dark Academia Eras and Influences
The thing I love most about dark academia is that it borrows from so many eras at once:
- Classical antiquity: Greek and Roman sculpture, ruins, myth and philosophy (my own area of study).
- Gothic architecture: pointed arches, cloisters and spires.
- The Romantic period. Think Byron, Keats, Shelley.
- The Victorian era, especially the Gothic Revival.
- The Edwardian era.
- The 1930s-40s.
Subjects of Interest for Dark Academics
- Art
- Archaeology
- Classics
- History
- Literature
- Languages
- Philosophy
- Music
Hobbies with Dark Academia Vibes
- Journaling
- Calligraphy
- Reading
- Drinking coffee (or tea)
- Chess
- Playing a musical instrument
- Vintage / thrift shopping
- Second-hand book shopping
- Spending time in the library
- Exploring old buildings
- Writing poetry
- Pressing flowers
- Collecting fossils
Dark Academia Style: How to Dress the Part
Dark academia fashion is essentially a dark twist on the academic look. Basically, you’ll want to dress like a university professor but stick to dark tones, neutrals, and lots of browns.
You can definitely add a bit of colour to your look, like a deep red lipstick or an interesting necktie or pair of socks.
Dark academia clothing basics:
- Pleated skirts.
- White shirts or blouses.
- Minimal makeup / a deep red lip.
- Gold-rimmed or vintage glasses.
- Neutral / Earth tones… lots of brown and beige.
- Tweed and tartan patterns.
- Cardigans.
- Waistcoats!
- Leather (or faux leather) satchels… with books and a journal inside of course!
- Vintage blazers. I have a brown vintage velvet blazer with gold buttons, it only cost me £10 from a London vintage shop!
The Dark Academia Bag: Bernadette by Beara Beara
Every dark academic needs something to carry their books in, ideally something that looks as if it has been carried between lectures for a century. The bag I reach for these days is the Bernadette from Beara Beara.
It was co-designed with Bernadette Banner, the historical fashion YouTuber known for recreating Victorian and Edwardian garments by hand.
The design takes its cue from Gothic architecture, with pointed arches worked into the design – the clasp is stunning! As someone with a weakness for anything Gothic Revival, that detail had me immediately.
It’s also genuinely practical. There’s room for a book alongside your everyday essentials (phone, keys, a journal).
Dark Academia Bedroom Decor
- Candles. I love this vintage-inspired candle holder.
- Journals. This handmade one is perfect.
- A quill and ink if you want to be really fancy. Or a fountain pen if you’re not skilled enough to use a quill like me.
- A skull ornament because memento mori.
- Stacks of books on an array of subjects! Fill your mind with knowledge.
- Vintage-style anatomical or botanical illustrations. I love these postcards!
- A typewriter… or a typewriter-inspired keyboard! I need one of these in my life.
- A retro edison-style lamp, or the classic banker’s lamp.
- Replica Classical sculptures… you can even get a Michelangelo’s David plant pot!
- Fossils, interesting stones, or other curiosities.
Music
- Classical music / opera.
- Romantic-era piano pieces, e.g. Chopin.
- Hozier.
- Anything moody / in a minor key!
Dark Academia Books
Ancient Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and classic literature are all great choices for dark academia.
Here are some classic literature recommendations, gothic novels, and some modern dark academia books:
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt (of course). Arguably the main reason ‘dark academia’ became a thing on social media. I rated it 4/5 stars, because I won’t lie to you – it dragged a little for me.
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- If We Were Villains by M.L.Rio
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – I loved this one, and immediately started reading Silvia’s other books.
- Babel by R.F. Kuang – also a fave of mine!
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Check out the video above or the blog post on 27 Quotes with Dark Academia Vibes.
Plants
- Ivy
- Autumn leaves
- Pressed flowers
- Moss
Places in London with a Dark Academia Feel
I’ve already mentioned The Old Operating Theatre in Borough, but here are some more spaces in London I feel give dark academia vibes.
- Highgate Cemetery. It’s Victorian, and Gothic!
- Sir John Soane’s Museum. One of my all-time faves, this house museum belonging to the famous architect is filled with antiquities.
- The Enlightenment Gallery at the British Museum.
- The British Library. Because, books! They have great temporary exhibitions.
- The Natural History Museum. Truly stunning building, and an awesome collection.
- Daunt Books, Marylebone. This book shop is organised by geography, which is a unique way to discover new authors to check out.
- Bacchanalia. This restaurant is filled with classical-inspired sculptures. It’s a bit beyond my budget so I’ve not checked it out, but it looks stunning.
Two other places in the UK with all the dark academia vibes are Oxford and Edinburgh. Check out my Edinburgh photo diary!
Dark Academia Emojis & Icons
🌙🔱⚜️🌛🕯🏹
🏺🥀🍂🍁🎻
🎞🏛📜🧦📻
🎻💼👁 🕰️⌛👞
☕️⚖️🗞️🫖💀🗡️ ✉️
🗝🖋📓🎼♟️♠️
☞↠✎✧
Links and Sources For Further Reading
What do you think of the Dark Academia Aesthetic?
All the best,
Pin This For Later?
