Dark Academia Winter Outfit Guide (List Of 27+ Essentials For 2024)

Dark academia winter outfit is a subculture aesthetic based on the Victorian academic, Gothic and Romantic themes of 18th to 19th-century Europe. The aesthetic may often be confused with vintage, preppy and/or minimalist aesthetics. It is classy, elegant and mysterious, many fans find the aesthetic unique as a wedding or quinceanera theme.

Here is the dark academia fashion must-haves list for winter:

Black Dark Academia Dress

Cashmere Mid Length Cardigan

Dark Academia Tops

Dark Academia Bow Tie Ruffle Blouse

Plaid Blazer Outwear

Dark Academia Accessories

High Waist Straight Pants

Dark Academia Shoes

Dark Academia Trench Coat

V Neck Vest

Ralph Lauren Cable Knit Sweater

Dark Academia Rings

Dark Academia Hair Accessories

Dark Academia Skirt

Dark Academia Earrings

Basic Knit Sweater

Casual Corduroy Dress With Pockets

Cashmere Scarf Set

Dark Academia Nails

Dark Academia Phone Case

Dark Academia High Waist Pants

Dark Academia Wedding Dress

Dark Academia Ball Gown

Dark Academia Prom Dress

Dark Academia Jacket

Dark Academia Fashion Hijab

Plus Size Dark Academia Fashion For Female

Check out this guide if you are preparing a dark academia gift for someone who loves the aesthetic or a gift for yourself!

Keep scrolling for more Dark Academia lookbooks!

What should you wear to look dark academia in winter?

Dark academia winter outfit is very popular for women. You can include a dark color cashmere sweater over a light color simple collared shirt, with some corduroy or plaid trousers or jeans, some oxford shoes or loafers, and a wool scarf. Other popular items for your winter dark academia dress code include checked blazers, turtleneck Sweaters, checked or plaid midi skirts, cable knit sweater vests, pleated skirts and trench coats.

The aesthetic has a lot of nice textures for the cold weather — the sweater is knit, the shirt is made out of cotton or silk, and there are elements of leather in the oxfords and corduroy in the pants. The scarf ties it all together: traditionally, academic students would wear these long rectangular scarves on cold days at university.

What are dark academia winter outfit colors?

The dark academia winter outfit color palette consists of black, white, beige, dark brown, forest green, olive, dark orange, cream, gold, navy blue and burgundy.

How do you style your hair for winter dark academia aesthetic?

You can do a lot of things with your hair to embrace the dark academia aesthetic. Long flowy hairstyles are popular among ladies who embrace this aesthetic. If you have long hair and would like to keep it that way, add a few braids and twists to create a more high-class look.

You can also go for bangs and long hair with a side part. If you want to add a bit of color to your hair, consider dyeing it burgundy or darker brown. If you have short hair, consider getting it cut in an angled bob or pixie cut. You can also curl your hair and put it into a high bun for a sophisticated look.

If you want to add some variety to your hairstyle, consider getting braids or twist braids that are close to the head. This keeps the focus on the face and helps you achieve the desired aesthetic. Simple and classy hair accessories can be used as hair grip, think silk or velvet scrunchies or hair bows, vintage claw clip, or tiny hairpins in gold or rose gold colors(maybe decorated with pearls).

How do you do dark academia winter nails?

Dark academia winter fashion includes painting nails in dark shades such as black, gray, brown, navy, burgundy and plum. You can also get acrylic or coffin nails painted in these muted and neutral tones if you prefer them over natural nails, then decorate with dark academia patterns such as plaid, cable knit, or elegant vintage flowers outlines.

How to do makeup for winter dark academia aesthetic?

In general, dark academic winter makeup is fairly muted, so keep your skin makeup pale and muted while emphasizing the eyes. Some of the most popular Dark Academia makeup looks include deep eye shadows, intense lip colors, dramatic brows and a little red on the cheeks. If you don’t want to go for the bold look, the other option for a dark academia look is completely natural.

Whether you’re looking to channel your inner competitor or just want to look a little more put together, these Dark Academia makeup looks are sure to help you achieve your goal.

What accessories to wear with dark academia winter outfits?

Dark academia fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement the dark color winter outfit to add the classy scholar vibe. Popular items include silk or cashmere scarves, watches, monograms, dark color leather bags and belts, Ray-Bans wayfarer or tortoiseshell vintage glasses, hair accessories, pearl studs and lightweight gold or silver jewelry. The accessories you choose should be simple and complement the outfit. Nothing too ostentatious or flashy. The essence of dark academia is mystery and elegance.

How to dress dark academia for college in winter?

Classic pieces, such as tailored trousers, pleated jackets reminiscent of a prep school uniform, plaid or tweed separates, and a sharp pair of loafers, are driving dark academic outfits for winter or fall. A moody color palette of dark neutrals and deepened shades of burgundy, olive, and navy is also essential for your dark academia college style.

How to dress dark academia for winter street style?

In its most basic form, Dark Academia could be described as prep school fashion with a vintage gothic twist. To make this aesthetic for winter street style, you can layer collared shirts, blouses, turtlenecks, vests and knitted sweaters that give off a more academic vibe than a t-shirt. Denim is also not commonly worn in dark academia, but rather plaid dress pants, skinny pants, slacks and trousers.

How to dress dark academia for winter formal wear?

The dark academia winter style is quite formal and classy by nature. To make the look more formal, you can pay homage to classic silhouettes and practical staple pieces by layering them in unexpected and stylish ways. Blazers, cashmere cardigans, and silk shirt underdresses are the ideal dark academic-inspired formal wear. To project authority and formality, you should pay attention to details, dress modestly and decently. It is all about doing more with less.

How to style casual dark academia aesthetic for winter?

The whole concept of Dark Academia is very mysterious, so you need to put together your casual outfit accordingly. These are some basic dark academia outfits that you can try to layer for the coming winter:

• White shirts with black pants- make sure to tuck in your shirt for a more polished look.
• Plaid patterns shirts- go for colors like maroon and blue, not bright colors.
• Crewneck turtleneck sweaters- you can wear these over white/ light colored shirts or just wear them alone with a pair of pants or skirt. They’re perfect for dark academia as they have an aesthetic vibe to them!
• Black pants/skirt- these are great items to have in your closet because they’re versatile and can be dressed up or down depending on what you pair it with. I recommend getting both types of bottoms so that you can mix and match them for different occasions!

What are some outfit styles similar to dark academia aesthetic?

Dark academia clothing is the most popular type of dark core aesthetic outfits, but there are more options gaining traction on social media platforms:

• Chaotic Academia Outfits
• Dark Cottagecore Outfits
• Dark Grunge Aesthetic Outfits
• Soft Dark Aesthetic Outfits
• Vampire Aesthetic Outfits
• Goth Aesthetic Outfits
• Dark Royality Core Outfits
• Dark Fairycore Outfits
• Dark Angel Outfits
• Romantic Academia Outfits
• Light Academia Outfits

==> Read this guide if you want to dress up your boyfriend to match your dark academia vibe.

Where to buy dark academia aesthetic clothes for winter?

Ralph Lauren is a fashion brand that is particularly associated with dark academia for those with a budget. Other store names that carry a lot of pieces for your dark academia winter fashion capsule wardrobe include Nordstrom, ASOS, Anthropologie, Mango, J.Crew, Uniqlo, Urban Outfitters, Zara, Zalando, H&M and YesStyle.

For those who want to dress in dark academia for cheap, you can find a lot of dark academia clothes and fashion websites, so it is easy for you to build a dark academia wardrobe. In fact, similar items can be purchased at a cheaper price on Amazon or eBay. If you want to buy dark academia fashion items at the lowest sale price (and do not care about long-term quality or copyright issues) then you can even explore sources like Shein, AliExpress or Wish.

Another good idea to support small businesses and get quality deals is to shop from your local second-hand stores, vintage shop, flea markets, consignment stores, yard sales and Craigslist. You can even treasure hunt grandmother’s wardrobe. Delivery time is usually the fastest when ordering from Amazon or shopping locally.

If you are into handmade crafting, ethnic clothing and indie styles, you can spend some hours in our DIY session or shop from Etsy to get inspiration for dark academia sewing patterns and your other fashion needs.