by Alyssa Harrison
Obsessed with leather-bound books, writing letters to loved ones by candlelight and fantasising about reading old classics in ancient libraries until the early morning, Dark Academics love all things vintage.
The Dark Academia aesthetic became popular on the social media platform Tumblr in 2014 and has remained so on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. I admit I don’t pay much attention to internet trends, but this aesthetic definitely caught my eye. Scrolling through Instagram, I’d see pictures of ornate libraries and historical buildings. Or someone in a stylish turtleneck and plaid skirt, a mug of tea in one hand and a book in the other. Often, a quote from an old classic novel or poem overlays the picture. The first word that came to my mind when looking at these posts was nostalgia. Turns out, nostalgia is one of the defining characteristics of this aesthetic.
This subculture is not just about the fashion and style, as I had previously thought. It draws inspiration from other elements as well, such as music and hobbies like writing, reading, knitting, painting, gardening, and calligraphy. Essentially, as Malavika Pradeep explains, Dark Academia romanticises elite education of private boarding schools in Victorian England and the 20th century. Dark academia enthusiasts prioritise a passion for learning and place an emphasis on the liberal arts and humanities subjects, such as the classical languages of Greek and Latin, as well as architecture, philosophy, history and art.
So what makes ‘dark’ academia dark? Literally, this aesthetic uses muted or neutral colours such as grey, black, brown, and creams. Figuratively, however, it centres on melancholy, tragedy and macabre themes with Gothic undertones, including puzzles, murder, danger, cults, and secret clubs. Literary examples of this aesthetic are; The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Dead Poet’s Society, The Secret History, The Great Gatsby, The Queen’s Gambit and even Harry Potter. Its origins are said to be Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, a book filled with suspense and intrigue. In it, a group of classics students attending an elite university in New England and get swiftly embroiled in a murder.
The Dark Academia aesthetic has faced much criticism. It is often regarded as pretentious, elitist and Eurocentric. This is evident in the literature and movie staples of the aesthetic - the casts of characters are overwhelmingly white. For an aesthetic that expresses a passion for knowledge, such a lack of diversity might seem contradictory.
Even the fashion items make this aesthetic seem inaccessible to most. The quintessential look includes cardigans, plaid skirts, sweaters, waistcoats, horn-rimmed glasses, turtlenecks, and blazers. Frequently, classical books serve as accessories. These expensive tastes are further romanticised in a longing to attend private schools and boarding schools. As Isabelle Dudley-Flores says: there is a “need to be in the upper-class to fit into the aesthetic”. Critics also say that Dark Academia has no substance, that there is a focus only on the ‘look’ and not on the actual content of classical literature and art. Others argue that it glamorises depression and unhealthy habits, such as caffeine addiction and staying up impossibly late in the pursuit of knowledge.
For those wanting to delve into this aesthetic, it may be worth considering the potentially harmful and addictive aspects of it. However, it is not without value. In a world where STEM subjects are increasingly prioritised while liberal arts and humanities are disregarded, Dark Academia’s notion of learning for learning’s sake is extremely powerful. It envisions a world where a passion for learning is detached from societal complexities. It romanticises education so as to allow students to feel a sense of control over tedious study sessions and intense deadline seasons. The aesthetic is steeped in a nostalgia that comes perhaps not for a longing to return to past times, but for a world we will never know, where the arts are valued and prioritised alongside other subjects and where the pursuit of knowledge is appreciated as an end in itself.
Even if you are sceptical of this trend, it might still be worth a look. After all, you may be surprised at what you see through someone else’s horn-rimmed glasses.
