5 different capsule wardrobes to match every mood
Dark academia style and autumn are a match made in heaven. Chunky cardigans, short skirts and wool trousers are all staples of this look. To develop your style and make getting dressed easier, I recommend creating a dark academia capsule wardrobe.
What is dark academia style?
Dark academia style consists of classic items such as tweed blazers and silk blouses. You achieve this look by choosing specific patterns and materials, such as plaid, tweed and corduroy.
Dark academia is also a frame of mind
Dark academia is inspired by the style of Ivy League colleges, this also means that studying, writing poetry and learning about classic literature is part of welcoming dark academia into your life.
Light some candles and let your creativity flow.
How to create a capsule wardrobe in 4 easy steps
- Choose a color palette.
- Decide how many items you want to include. In these 5 examples, I chose 13 items.
- Decide which items you want. In these 5 examples I choose 3 jackets/blazers/cardigans, 5 sweaters/blouses/tops and 5 bottoms. It is a good idea to decide if you prefer pants or skirts and decide how many of each you want to include. When you have decided on a formula, it becomes much easier to start creating.
- Adjust the capsule wardrobe to your style and your lifestyle. Do you prefer pants or skirt? What length do you prefer your skirts to be in? Do you have a lot of social engagements so that you need to dress up? Are you living a casual lifestyle where jeans would be a good idea? How cold will the coming weeks be?
Dark academia capsule wardrobe
Since dark academia is such a classic style, it is very easy to create a dark academia capsule wardrobe. You will see that I use the same items in my capsule wardrobes, those are the exact items you need to create most dark academia outfits. 13 items are more than enough to have an amazing capsule wardrobe.
Buy second hand clothes
Dark academia, more than any style, lends itself to searching second hand stores for that perfect item. A tweed blazer? Classic chocolate brown corduroy pants? An ivory silk blouse? Whatever is missing from your capsule wardrobe, find it at your local second hand store.
Dark academia capsule wardrobe number 1 – Grey, navy and ivory
A dark academia capsule wardrobe doesn’t have to be dark, that’s not what it is all about. In this example, I’m embracing ivory since that’s one of the biggest trends for fall 2023. The result is fresh, crisp and cute.
If you want to try your hand at a light academia style (lots of shades of white,) read my article Light academia female outfits – 19 different outfit ideas.
Top row: Shearling jacket. Plaid short coat. Tweed jacket.
Middle row: Navy cardigan. Ivory turtleneck. Grey polo shirt. Ivory blouse. Argyle sweater vest.
Bottom row: Grey wool pants. Ivory wool pants. Long ivory pleated skirt. Short grey pleated skirt. Corduroy navy skirt.
A classic dark academia capsule wardrobe
Here you have a lot of the key items for achieving those cute and preppy dark academia looks. The colors blend seamlessly together and, at the same time, compliments each other. The shearling jacket is a bit of a wild card, but it looks yummy and warm and on-trend.
An autumn trend
Don’t assume you have to stay away from trends to achieve this style. Dark academia is one of the biggest trends for fall 2023, so make sure you capture the moment and stock up on some of your favorite items while they are easily available.
Dark academia capsule wardrobe number 2 – Black, Camel and burgundy
One of the easiest ways to truly capture this style is to start with a classic color palette.
Black and camel look great together, this combination also looks very scholarly, which is precisely the vibe you need to master this style. Add a healthy dose of burgundy and you have dark academia perfections.
Top row: Camel coat. Burgundy bomber jacket. Burgundy cable knit cardigan.
Middle row: Camel cable knit sweater. Burgundy pussy-bow blouse. Burgundy shirt. Black turtleneck. Camel sweater vest.
Bottom row: Black velvet pants. Camel pants. Burgundy plaid skirt. Black pleated skirt. Camel and black plaid skirt.
A classic dark academia capsule wardrobe, part 2
I cannot deny it, this is equally as classic as the first example, just done with different colors. Since these colors are darker, you get that classic dark academia vibe. Now the question is only which one do you prefer?
Add a wild card
I also added a burgundy leather bomber to this wardrobe, not your typical dark academia item, but I felt that a dose of sportiness balances the “old lady” feeling of some of the other items. (Nothing wrong with being an old lady, but it might not be the look we are going for just yet.)
Dark academia capsule wardrobe number 3 – Beige, brown and green
Chocolate brown might be the most classic color of dark academia style, it is also the easiest way to create these kinds of look. Here I choose beige as a compliment color since beige is both timeless and trendy right now, a double win.
Green is not for everyone, but when its done well, it looks very preppy.
Top row: Beige trench coat. Shearling jacket. Brown cardigan.
Middle row: Beige sweater. Green blouse. beige shirt. Green polo shirt. Brown top.
Bottom row: Brown pants. Brown corduroy pants. Plaid pants. Beige pleated skirt. Short green skirt.
A classic dark academia capsule wardrobe with a fun green accent
In this example, you can see exactly how much energy a good accent color will inject into your capsule wardrobe. By now I’m sure you are starting to see a pattern. That’s the point with a capsule wardrobe, you have a formula and you get a precise result.
You tweak the formula to your color preferences and your unique situation. But the basic items you need always stay the same.
you can create many different outfits from just 13 items
You have also probably noticed that I don’t show all the different outfit possibilities. With 13 pieces, you have a lot of choices, some of which you will like more than others.
Are my picks the same as you would have made, or would you have worn the clothes differently? (I do like a monochromatic outfit.)
Dark academia capsule wardrobe number 4 – Tan, Navy and red
Red is such a punchy color, perfect for when you want to stand out and make a stylish impact. You don’t have to wear a lot of red, a scarf and a beret already take you a long way.
Combining red with navy and white is such a classic all-American preppy styling, I couldn’t miss this opportunity. If you want more preppy style, read my article Preppy fall outfits – 16 outfits channeling old money aesthetic.
Top row: Tan coat. Red coat. Navy blazer.
Middle row: Red cardigan. Navy polo sweater. Ivory silk blouse. Red sweater vest. Navy short-sleeved polo shirt.
Bottom row: Plaid pants. Dark blue jeans. Tan wool pants. Plaid shorts. Tan pleated skirt.
Don’t be narrow minded when it comes to different shades of white and tan
My white items are a little bit all over the place when it comes to their exact shade. But that is fine since most white and tan nuances look great together.
I did want to include a tan because I think that’s a great color for this style.
(Tan is basically a much lighter camel.)
A happy and sporty dark academia capsule wardrobe
The addition of red makes this example such a happy and festive one. The blue jeans keep it casual and, I’m guessing, much more realistic for most of us. You can absolutely include denim in your dark academia capsule. I just stayed away from jeans in these examples because we all probably already have jeans.
Be casual if that’s your natural style
Dark academia is about being put together, it is about pearls and cute hair accessories, but you can also make a casual twist to your fashion. Just include polo shirts and a plaid scarf and you are good to go.
Dark academia capsule wardrobe number 5 – Rust, brown and cream
I love rust in the fall, all shades of orange and brown look great when combined with tweed. A cable knit cardigan and a fair isle sweater make this capsule wardrobe cozy, perfect for long walks in the rain, followed by hot chocolate and jazz.
This capsule wardrobe is everything that is romantic about fall.
Top row: Cream coat. Brown field jacket. Brown corduroy blazer.
Middle row: Orange turtleneck. Cream cable knit cardigan. Fair isle sweater. Brown silk blouse. Orange top.
Bottom row: Orange corduroy pants. Cream jeans. Corduroy brown skirt. Brown tweed skirt. Brown pleated skirt.
Different shades of rust and cream
This is our fifth dark academia capsule wardrobe, by now we have mastered the concept.
Here I wanted to show that you can use many different shades and still get a cohesive wardrobe. Sure not all of these items can be worm together, but the outfits you can create from this wardrobe tell the story of late night study sessions.
Tips for creating a dark academia capsule wardrobe
Since I wanted to focus on the 13 key items that would help you achieve ark academia style, I didn’t include everything that could have been included. Lets take a look at those additions and include them in our planning as well.
If you want more outfit ideas for this style, make sure you read my article Casual dark academia outfits perfect for fall 2023.
- Add a white shirt. A white shirt is always a good idea to add when you want to master this style.
- Add a white blouse. A white blouse will give you that feminine romantic appeal, it will be a nice contrast to tweed blazers and wool pants and cashmere sweaters.
- Add a silk blouse. Sometimes you need to dress up, a nice silk blouse is the best solution for those occasions. Pick a silk blouse in your accent color and you instantly have access to a lot of good outfits. Pair yours with denim, pants and skirts.
- Add dresses. I didn’t include any dresses in these dark academia capsules. Partly because it is hard to find good dresses, partly because wearing a dress is a one and done style, so there is less styling involved. But do go ahead and add one or a couple of dresses. A plaid dress is a particularly good idea.
- Consider your accessories. When you have a look at these outfits, I hope you realize that the right accessories make them more dark academia style. A pair of loafers or over-the-knee boots is essential for achieving this style. The same is true for adding
- Put your capsule wardrobe separately. The best way to get a good grasp of what you have and what you
- Shop for the missing pieces. Look closely at my creations, which outfits are your favorites? What items are you missing to be able to create those outfits? Make a shopping list and go searching for exactly what you need. Also take note of which color you would prefer the new item to be in.
- Add some tank tops and t-shirts. I didn’t include those items since we all probably have them and know we need them. Go ahead and add some t-shirt and tank tops to the capsule wardrobe you’ve created.
A final note on dark academia capsule wardrobe
Clothes and fashion are fun. Experiment, push yourself outside your comfort zone. When you find a great outfit, take a picture so that you remember. Put on music and recreate my outfit ideas.
Wear your new capsule wardrobe with pride and do all those activities we associate with dark academia. Read. Write. Study. Go for long walks.
Moa Ailert is the founder and editor-in-chief of Her Brilliant Friend.
She has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and plenty of insight into human psychology from traveling and living in different places around the world.
Moa is currently based in Portugal where she has a guesthouse; Villa dos Irmaos.
She has various websites, among others Ericeira Insider, but Her brilliant friend is her true passion project.
