The dark academia trend was popular during the pandemic, especially on social media platforms such as TikTok. What happened? Has the trend transformed into something else, or is it still in vogue?
According to Google Trends, dark academia peaked in January 2021. The need for distraction or even something to look forward to accounts for why that particular moment in history favored its rise. As we remained confined within the walls of our homes, the thought of exciting experiences buried in libraries and old buildings filled many hearts.
History of Dark Academia
In the 20th century, the campus novel formed a popular genre, featuring works such as Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (1945) or The Group by Mary McCarthy (1963). With the constant changes of the post-WII years, however, the genre faded. Then, in the 1990s, a new genre appeared on the publishing scene. Led by books such as Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, dark academia began rising in popularity once more.
Social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram, and even Pinterest witnessed the trending of the genre. It started with novels like If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (2017) and developed into an aesthetic drawn from those books. By promoting a different vibe — that of ominous, older places — dark academia has since attracted many students as well. It is often related to humanities subjects and has inspired people to romanticize their lives.
@rosatius Respondendo a @opereus this side stain your hands with ink and your heart, with life. ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ#darkacademia #darkacademiaaesthetic #darkacademiavibes #darkacademiafyp #writing #writeraesthetic #writingaesthetic #writingaesthetics #books #booktok #booksaesthetic #bookaesthetic #aestheticfy #aestheticfypシ #poetryaesthetic #lettersaesthetic #deadpoetsociety #vintagevibes #vintageaesthetic #deadpoetsociety #thesecrethistory #aestheticviral ♬ bunnys overture – 𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗔✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩
Cities and towns such as Edinburgh, Oxford, and Cambridge provide the perfect background for the genre, which is both an aesthetic and a subculture. From the old Oxford days of Brideshead Revisited to the more recent ones of Hampden College (inspired by Bennington College) in The Secret History, places play a crucial role in the aesthetic.
Rainy days in Edinburgh or Oxford, cloudy skies in the background of Trinity College…all these settings allow people to dream about what is usually seen as dark and gloomy.
With five hundred posts under #darkacademia on TikTok and 2.8m posts on Instagram, social media has steered the genre since the start. A mixture of book recommendations, outfit inspo, and travel destinations, dark academia is a real inspiration for many social media users.
When and Why Did Dark Academia Become Popular?
Back in 2020, the genre started increasing in popularity. As lockdowns forced people to stay at home, the possibility of romanticization flowered into what is now dark academia.
In dark periods such as the COVID-29 pandemic, thinking outside the box is a great opportunity to distract from the situation. Following the steps of Richard (in The Secret History) or Oliver (in If We Were Villains) is an exciting alternative.
Even though the genre promotes a seclusive lifestyle devoid of technology, it became popular through social media. This apparent contrast demonstrates a clash between the way dark academia spreads and the values of the genre.
What Are The Negative Aspects of Dark Academia?
Lots of readers are aware of the negative features of dark academia novels, from the elitist role of education to the sexist environment. Yet, when focusing on the aesthetic and vibe of the genre, such aspects can easily be overlooked. The adrenaline sparked by the crime makes everything else feel secondary.
In The Secret History, for example, there is only one main female character. She is not a feminine character, per se, as the author doesn’t fixate on her gender. In a way, this shows that there generally isn’t much explicit misogyny against women within dark academia. At the same time, the lack of femininity in the character could mean that to be part of an elitist group, everyone has to blend together and fit in.
The lack of diversity poses another negative aspect of the genre. Almost every character in these books is white and male. This is partially because of the setting, which is usually an elitist college or university in the 1990s.
The schools emphasize humanities subjects such as languages or artistic ones such as drama. These preferences show a predilection for more niche subjects, and the classes are small.
On the whole, the negative aspects are often debated, as readers don’t always see them the same way. There are those who suggest that dark academia could be more inclusive and those who are happy with it the way it is.
Is Dark Academia Still Trending?
Dark academia still seems to be trending, but more as an aesthetic than as a genre. In fact, when asking fellow readers about it, I found that not all of them knew its subculture.
Dark academia has left a visible impact on literature, and some readers acknowledge its role in the publishing world as well. In the end, though, the main trace left behind is the aesthetic. On social media, dark academia places and vibes are popular even now.
@co.nfused anzeige/ad. Living my best dark academia life in Manchester @Visit Manchester 🏛️☕️🍂 It was my first time in Manchester (finally!) and the first impression is already incredible – so much to do and so much to see! ☁️ Dark academia vibes all around at @chethamslibrary, the oldest public library in the UK (don't forget to book a tour), cannot miss John Rylands library and definitely check out Manchester Cathedral and Manchester Art Gallery. 🕯️ Oh and one of my best meals on this trip was at @marayrestaurants. ✨ You also cannot miss the Northern Quarter and Ancoats for incredible coffee shops, restaurants, shopping and so much more. ☕️ I'll definitely be back! 🫶🏻 #mancheste #visitmanchester #england #visitengland #darkacademia #darkacademiaaesthetic #hogwarts #harrypotter ♬ Classic classical gymnopedie solo piano(1034554) – Lyrebirds music
The genre promotes unattainable and impossible ideals — which is why it let readers dream of a secret life. It is more of a comfort and inspirational subculture than a viable possibility.
Nowadays, dark academia is a mixture of aesthetics that inspires people to dress in a certain way, with tweed jackets and old-fashioned or secondhand clothes, to read certain books, to watch certain movies (Dead Poets Society, for example), and to behave with a certain mysterious air.
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