I watched several videos on the academia aesthetic. It grew in popularity during the pandemic. Those with a passion for education, knowledge, productivity, and self-improvement fall in this camp. Needless to say I was curious.
Classic, Dark, Light and Romantic Academia are the most popular styles. But there were others I hadn’t heard of and a few I’d avoid. The look is trending on social media and is easy to spot. Topics like these are ice breakers and opportunities for a word with strangers.
Yes, I’ll compliment someone’s attire, ask what inspired the look, and go from there. He has many tools under His belt!
Additional styles include:
Art, Writer, Scholarly, Theater, Pastel, Vintage, Vibrant, Science, and Ballet.
Darker themes will appear in Gothic, Chaos, Light/Dark Witchy, and Grey Academia (social justice). Given the numerous off-shoots and well defined looks this may be around for a bit.
As with most things there’s downsides too. The culture can promote an excessive focus on learning and romanticize intelligence, moodiness, and occult practices. The emphasis on literature and classic subjects isn’t bad per se. But most of the population doesn’t go down that rabbit hole beyond school.
To say it expands one intellectually is an understatement. There’s a difference between reading Proust and fan fiction or an NYT best seller. Feeding the mind to that degree can encourage separation. You end up with pockets and a lot of people left behind.
Combining it with an aesthetic moves it beyond bookishness. They’re promoting a lifestyle. I’m curious to see where this goes. I have a hunch.