The Dark Side: The Origins, Renaissance and Implications of Dark Academia

You’re sitting at an old mahogany desk in a historic library. Warm golden light filters in through stained glass windows as you pore over yellowed pages. Hundreds of hands have passed over these words, and the paper has crinkled and crumpled to account for the years of memories held in the book’s binding. Candlelight flickers throughout the room, highlighting specks of dust that drift lazily in front of you. You push your glasses further up your nose to soak the words in.

This dark academia scenario isn’t too far off for Northwestern students. In fact, it’s just a regular afternoon at Deering Library. The dark academia aesthetic is based in a nostalgia for classic literature, art and architecture, especially when studied at elite private institutions. The aesthetic stems from the literary genre of the same name, which originated in 1992 with the release of “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. The thriller follows a group of pompous classics students at a New England boarding school who, in an attempt to light their “pure fire of being,” try to re-enact an ancient Greek myth and murder one of their peers in the process — don’t worry, this is all on the dust jacket. “The Secret History” sparked an ongoing trend of novels that follow similar themes of wealth, legacy, intellectual curiosity and madness.

Even though it's not exactly a new phenomenon, dark academia has gotten exponentially more popular because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aesthetic’s prominence on social media like TikTok. As of March 2022, #darkacademia on TikTok has 1.9 billion views. The growth of the dark academia hashtag has also given way to a distinct dark academia style. These outfits feature deep colors — think dark neutrals and cool jewel tones — and heavy fabrics like tweed and leather paired with lighter ones like satin and silk. Silhouettes tend to be highly structured. Staple pieces include sweaters, cardigans, turtlenecks and blazers: the more layering the better. 

The recent upsurge in dark academia aesthetics can be attributed to the coronavirus’ effect on the “normal” college experience. Instead of sitting in libraries until the crack of dawn frantically annotating and highlighting notes, the pandemic forced students into Zoomlandia. Students flocked to the dark academia style in order to romanticize the virtual learning experience.

So yes, dark academia has served its purpose. I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t admit that embracing the aesthetic helps me romanticize my life as I slowly progress towards my degree. When done right, the genre even highlights and tackles complex questions about systemic inequality within higher education. In the television show “Dear White People,” a group of Black students navigate life at the fictional Winchester University — a predominantly white institution eerily similar in look and feel to Northwestern. And in the young adult novel “Ace of Spades,” author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé spins together “Pretty Little Liars” and “Get Out” to craft a thriller that’s wholly rooted in reality. But if done wrong, dark academia can preserve and glamorize historic inequality.

The problem with dark academia as a style is that it draws from existing societal associations between intellectualism and white masculinity. The combination of a button-down blouse, structured trousers and a square leather satchel simulates traditional masculinity; this is a tactic that white feminists have historically used to blend into male-dominated spaces and garner power at the expense of women of color. Think of Hillary Clinton in her infamous pantsuit.

In addition, the focus on neutral color schemes is deeply rooted in Eurocentrism. Because I visited India biannually as a child, I grew up surrounded by an explosion of color. The houses I came across were bathed in tangerine orange and cornflower blue. For special occasions my aunties adorned themselves in brightly colored sarees with matching necklaces, earrings and bangles. My upbringing showed me the inextricable tie between neutrals, Slavic minimalism and Greco-Roman art as opposed to the vibrancy of many communities of color.

One of the best things about fashion is that it serves as a vessel to challenge internalized societal assumptions surrounding identity and ability. In the film “Legally Blonde,” main character Elle Woods is initially belittled by her professors and peers at Harvard Law School for embodying characteristics traditionally associated with femininity. Elle is unapologetically happy and bubbly. She has a particular affinity for the color pink and hands her professor a resume on scented, rose-colored paper. Her classmates believe that she is too softhearted to be a capable lawyer, but this exact trait helps her win an important case. “Legally Blonde” taught me that it’s possible to achieve academic success without embodying white masculinity — an idea that remains relevant on Northwestern’s campus. The dark academia aesthetic is not inherently awful. But maybe next time, instead of reaching for a leather bag, carry a fun printed tote. Or layer a fuzzy, pink sweater over the usual button down. Light academia can be just as good.