How To Copy Dark Academia Aesthetic & Outfits | The Fashion Journal

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Hey, pretty people!

Here we are with chapter 2 of The Fashion Journal!

We talked about Giorgio Armani in the previous chapter (check it out here), which is why we are going to change things up a bit now. This time, in fact, we are going to talk about a proper trend, rather than a designer.

The focus of this post is going to be Dark Academia, the fashion trend that has been sweeping everybody off of their feet this year.

WHAT IS DARK ACADEMIA?

Dark Academia is easily one of the most prominent aesthetics for fall and winter, and one that you probably have seen time and time again on your Pinterest and Instagram dash.

It may seem fairly minimalistic at first, but there is actually a bit of research behind every outfit. The colors can vary from time to time, although they tend to stay in the more somber hues, and the items offer you the perfect elegant vibe.

In contrast to the first chapter, this time the post is going to have slightly different categories;. Items, Outfits, Colors and, lastly, Key Items and tips.

I decided to substitute ‘The Cut’ with ‘Items’ just because I thought it was pointless to discuss it. Since Dark Academia is more of a trend, it includes many different clothing pieces. I couldn’t possibly talk about the cut of each and every single one, especially considering you would be getting your clothes from different stores.

In addition to this slight change, I decided to create a total of ten different outfits just for this post. Each one is going to display a possible pairing for your Dark Academia style.

There is also going to be a quick ‘analysis’ of these outfits and the most used items.

So, are you ready to find out how to copy Dark Academia’s Aesthetic and Outfits?

Let’s get started!

THE ITEMS

Even though a fashion trend often includes many different clothing pieces, it is safe to say that each one has their own staples. It is real in this case, too.

Since this trend is usually associated with fall and winter months, there are going to be a lot of sweaters and coats involved. The clothes are going to be thicker and the colors more somber.

Even though you can pretty much pick any item you would like to, this trend favors sweaters, trousers and pleated skirts the most.

Trousers are a recurrent choice in Dark Academia outfits, mainly because they are able to convey an elegant feeling while still being comfortable. They are the perfect everyday choice, especially for the colder months of the year.

Another popular choice is a good, old-fashioned turtleneck – both as a shirt and as a sweater. I feel like it would be smart to have one of both, so that you could pair them with multiple other items. A lighter turtleneck can go with thicker sweaters, blazers and coats, while a sweater can easily complete the look by itself.

Lastly, let’s talk about yet another popular item in Dark Academia outfits: pleated skirts. They are a nice classic piece, and can give a spin to your elegant look and make it slightly more fun. Moreover, if you own a black one, it will be able to pair up with everything!

THE OUTFITS

Like we said before, this trend offers a nice variety of items to choose from – and to pair, of course.

Besides Dark Academia being a general fashion trend and being interpreted by everybody in a different manner, I was able to detect somewhat of a pattern between every outfits I saw. Granted this isn’t a ‘rule’, but more of something fun you may want to keep in mind whilst creating your own outfit.

One of the most famous pairings includes something that is usually perfectly fitted/tight (like a skirt or a pair of trousers), and something that fits more loosely (like a bigger sweater); at times, we can find just the opposite pairing – with something more loose on the bottom and something tighter on top.

Of course, this isn’t a must when it comes to creating your own outfit. You can go about it pretty much however you want to, with a completely tight outfit or an entirely (slightly) baggy and comfortable one.

One of the most popular pairings is a turtleneck sweater with either a pleated skirt or a pair of slightly baggy trousers. Another popular choice seems to be pairing a vest with a simple shirt or light turtleneck underneath, and a skirt or trousers for the bottom.

If you wanted to pick some outerwear, your best option would be a longer coat. Either a black or a camel one, you might consider investing in one of those.

Jackets aren’t really all that popular, but blazers sure are; I would recommend going for a thicker one if you were planning on wearing it throughout fall and winter. Moreover, blazers are perfect to add a touch of elegance to any look.

THE COLORS

Like the name suggests, the entire aesthetic of Dark Academia is based around darker, more somber colors.

Black is, of course, the star of this trend, taking a prominent role in almost every single outfit. This hue pairs well with everything, which is why you may want to consider adding it in your clothing palettes.

Since we’re talking about a genre that bases everything off of a darker vibe, you will want to go for rich, deep shades. Navy, burgundy and dark green are great alternatives to the much classic black.

There really isn’t an abundance of prints in this trend, probably for the same reason Giorgio Armani doesn’t use them much. They can become slightly distracting and defeat the whole elegant theme.

However, that doesn’t mean you should eliminate altogether. If you really love prints, why don’t you go for a more descrete and simple one? This way your look will stay within the theme, and still have a nice, fun element to it!

Something that seems incredibly popular within the Dark Academia aesthetic is plaid. In every color, bigger or smaller, it seems to be one of the backbones of this trend. Plus, it is perfect for fall and winter.

When it comes to patterns in general, there really isn’t an abundance of them. However, the few that are present seem to be more classic and minimalistic – like diamond-prints and checkered ones.

10 KEY ITEMS AND SOME TIPS

Lastly, let’s actually talk about replicating Dark Academia outfits; which items should you go for? Which colors should you leave out?

One thing you should keep in mind that this trend quickly generated another one: Light Academia. This latter aesthetic is quite similar to Dark Academia, although with lighter colors; this is something you want to keep in mind when picking your items.

Since we’re talking about fall and winter, your natural instinct should be to head towards sweaters, coats and thicker clothing in general. If you plan on pursuing this aesthetic throughout warmer months, make sure to pick some lighter items, too.

10 KEY ITEMS YOU SHOULD OWN

Black trousers
Grey trousers
Black turtleneck
White turtleneck
Black sweater
Navy sweater
Black pleated skirt
Camel coat
White shirt
Black flowy dress

You certainly don’t need to stick to this list; these are just basic items that will allow you to create a multitude of looks without breaking the bank. I would encourage you to experiment with different colors, and not to stick to black and grey only.

You can find all of these items in almost every single clothing store. Most of them aren’t all that expensive since they are considered ‘basic’ ones. Moreover, with all of these pictures you definitely have a lot of style inspo!

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