29 gifts for the dark academia devotees in your life
Yes, it includes more than stationery and books.
By
Bethany Allard
on
Bethany Allard
Lead Shopping Reporter
Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable.
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Crack open that copy of "A Secret History."
Credit: Mashable Composite
Have you ever been watching a movie where the characters are gallivanting about some sort of academic institution — think Dead Poets Society or Harry Potter — and you catch yourself thinking, “Damn, poring over a book and studying by candlelight would kind of hit right now?” If so, then you understand the basic appeal of dark academia.
Though the origins of this aesthetic’s popularity can be traced to early 2010s Tumblr, dark academia has taken on a new meaning on Instagram and TikTok. It’s not just about dressing up in vintage blazers, muted plaids, and turtleneck sweaters, or just about obsessing over all things neoclassic and gothic (though that’s certainly part of the fun). It’s about discovering community through classic art and literature, engaging with creativity, and overall, unabashedly loving learning — a love that’s been especially fraught for students who’ve attended remote school during the pandemic.
Make no mistake: Dark academia fans don’t have to be actual students in universities with ivy-covered walls. So if you're shopping for someone with a soft spot for museums, old books, and handwritten notes, keep reading to find a gift they'll love.
Topics TikTok
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Credit: KAWECO
Kaweco student fountain pen
Best For Putting Your Thoughts To The Page
A pen is perhaps the most fundamental tool for any academic (dark or otherwise) and this one literally has the word student in its name. This fountain pen writes well, is built to last, and exudes the perfect vintage vibe.
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Credit: RUSTICO
Rustico switchback leather notebook
Best For Long Journal Entries
Sure, you could use your Notes app to jot down any lists, ideas, or journal entries. But whipping out a leather-bound notebook (with refillable pages, no less) and filling it with the bold ink of a fountain pen just hits different.
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Credit: FUNSPACE
FunSpace Greek Roman style statue flowers vase
Best For Neoclassic Greenery
Two hallmarks of dark academia are ivy covered walls and art museums. You can bring both inside your home with this bust planter combo.
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Credit: CRANE & CO
Navy bordered fleur de lis ecru note set
Best For Keeping Up Correspondence
We’ve all kept in touch online through video calls, texts, and emails during the pandemic, but writing letters is a great way to make your notes stand out and make long (or short, tbh) distance communication a little more exciting. The navy borders and fleur de lis symbols add that extra touch of class that any dark academic can appreciate.
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Credit: BORTOLETTI
Bortoletti script monogram wax seal
Best For Adding A Signature Touch
If you want your letters to be recognized before they're even opened, we can almost promise no one will be forgetting an initialed wax sealed envelope anytime soon. Beyond looking incredibly unique, it’s also a functional way to keep your letter safe until it reaches its recipient.
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Credit: UBOTIE
Wireless keyboard
Best For The Typewriter Experience
Though there is something to be said for writing by hand, inevitably you'll have to use a computer at some point. With this typewriter-esque keyboard, you can keep the retro energy while completing your 21st-century tasks.
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Credit: EYEBUYDIRECT
St Michel blue light glasses
Best For Protecting Your Eyes
Look up any dark academia mood board and you'll spot a pair of round wire frame glasses — something about them gives you the air that all you do is read, write, and ponder about what it all means. This pair with blue light lenses offer protection from long days of staring at screens, making them functional, even if you have 20/20 vision.
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Credit: GAME GALLERY
Game Gallery chess and checkers wood set
Best For Risky Gambits
Not only does this chess and checkers set look nice sitting on a table, but it also gives you the perfect opportunity to build your problem solving and strategy skills — and put them to the test against your friends.
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Credit: PENGUIN CLASSICS
The Picture of Dorian Gray (Penguin Clothbound Classics)
Best For Expanding Your Library
The only reason The Secret History by Donna Tartt, a.k.a. the dark academia bible, did not make this list is because we assume it already lives on the shelves of most dark academia fans. While you might think the same could be said for this Oscar Wilde classic, this clothbound version of the famous tale of society, vanity, and morality is gorgeous enough (and gothic enough) that it's worth risking a potential repeat.
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Credit: COFFEE AND A CLASSIC
Coffee and a Classic Book Box subscription
Best For The Voracious Reader
If settling on just one book feels basically impossible, then don't. This classic book subscription makes the choice for you, sending a new book each month along with a coffee or tea, so you can build out your library and drink collection all in one go.
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Credit: LE CREUSET
Le Creuset enameled steel demi tea kettle
Best For The Pensive Sipper
Brooding academics need hot water for all that tea and coffee they live on. You think they're going to use an electric kettle for that? I mean, maybe, but using an old-school stovetop kettle does have a certain appeal to it.
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Credit: BODUM
Caffettiera
Best For Fueling Late Night Study Sessions
What is existence without the robust and slight bitterness of a perfectly brewed cup of coffee, wonders the dark academic. Give them a way to make sure they're never without the coffee they crave with the gift of a French press.
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Credit: EMBER
Ember Mug 2
Best For Always Hot Coffee
Dark academics love the fall and winter, warm cups of coffee and tea, and getting lost in a good book. Thanks to this mug that stays heated for hours, these three loves never have to be at odds.
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Credit: VICTROLA
Victrola 8-in-1 bluetooth record player
Best For Musical Ambience
Whether you’re playing your favorite vinyl or your best Spotify playlist, this 1940s-inspired 8-in-1 Bluetooth record player has got you covered. Besides being a versatile music player, it makes for a great statement piece to add a vintage energy to any space.
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Credit: LITTON LANE
Black chess piece book ends
Best For Ever-growing Stacks Of Books
Yes, there is something to be said for having piles of books everywhere, but if those stacks are starting to reach dangerous heights and you want to add some (but just some) organization to the chaos, these book ends could be right at home on any bookshelf or side table.
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Credit: P.F. CANDLE CO.
Teakwood and tobacco candle
Best For Aromatic Ambience
When I think of a dark academia, I picture cool university students smoking on some remote woodsy campus somewhere. While we are in no way condoning a nicotine habit, we are saying there's a way to immerse yourself in that rustic scene without incurring any health risks.
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Credit: POTTERY BARN
Vintage retro analog alarm clock
Best For The Late Riser
Raise your hand if you've ever lost yourself in a book and suddenly you look up and at some point the sun went away and oh wow, it's actually 2 a.m. Your hand's raised? Investing in an alarm clock probably wouldn't be the worst idea.
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Credit: V-LIGHT
V-Light incandescent desk lamp
Best For Lighting Your Office
We get that dimly lit moody rooms are dark academia's whole thing, but too much eye strain can make reading and writing needlessly difficult. Make sure you can always see the words on the page clearly with this desk lamp that wouldn't be out of place in an old library.
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Credit: CREATIVE CO-OP
Plaid black and tan fringed woven cotton blend throw
Best For Combatting Bitter Cold Days
Yes, cloudy days with freezing winds do create the perfect sort of atmosphere for this aesthetic, but frigid temps are generally regarded as unpleasant for a reason. For the days when you're shivering instead of studying, curl up under this blanket with a warm mug of tea and a book.
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Credit: BLACK DOG & LEVENTHAL
Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
Best For The Classics Major
The experience of unpacking the nuances and meanings of some of the oldest stories in the world alone would make this book a great enough gift for any dark academic out there. But what takes it even further is the gold and black cover that they'll want to display, making this a book they'll love inside and out.
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Credit: LEFONTE
Whiskey decanter set
Best For Unwinding After Studying
Just because you're taking a break from all the reading and studying doesn't mean you need to take a break from living your best dark academia life. Pour a nightcap for you and a friend from this decanter, and continue to have intellectual conversations into the wee hours of the morning.
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Credit: GODINGER
Wine glass set
Best For SoirÉes
What good is cultivating your genius if you can't share it with others at a dinner party? If you want to make sure you and your guests have something appropriate to sip red wine out of, this set of vintage looking wine glasses could do the trick.
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Dusk women's vintage backpack
Best For The Traveling Scholar
If you're looking for something a bit more sophisticated than a JanSport, this vintage backpack is the way to go. With plenty of pockets, enough room for a 15.6" laptop, and a freaking metal clasp, this is a backpack that seamlessly blends into this aesthetic without sacrificing function.
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Credit: CUERO
DHK leather messenger bag
Best For A Backpack Alternative
If backpacks aren’t your jam or you anticipate needing more space, this leather messenger bag is a great way to carry around your laptop, notebooks, and anything else you might need on-the-go.
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What Remains of Edith Finch
For The Darkly Academic Gamer
This game involves exploring a large house, mystery, and family history — and it takes place in the woods. It could not be more darkly academic if it tried. It's also available on PlayStation, XBOX, and Nintendo Switch.
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Credit: FUNEROM
Vintage decorative mirror
Best For Decorating
Mirrors can be an easy and welcome addition to sprucing up any space (just ask Dorian Gray). This one in particular emits an energy that it was maybe once a treasured possession of some heiress with a tragic backstory. In other words, it would look quite in place on the walls of a dark academic's home.
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Credit: CANSON
Sketchbook
Best For When Creative Urges Strike
Ever read a good book, watch a great movie, or witness a particularly beautiful sight and need to channel those emotions somewhere? Art is a great medium for doing just that. Sketchbooks have a low-stakes energy that'll allow you to act on those creative impulses without hesitation and are easy to take with you wherever you go.
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Credit: PAT MCGRATH
Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipstick in Vendetta
Best For Adding A Look Of Intrigue
Admittedly, there’s not a huge emphasis on makeup for this aesthetic — the more your under eye circles make it look like you stayed up late studying, the better. However, a dark red lip is popular in among dark academics for making you look both put together and mysterious, all with an easy swipe of lipstick.
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Credit: VISCACHA
Metal candelabra
Best For Moody Lighting
If you ever want to create some serious atmosphere, use candles to to light up a room. Once you put them in this candelabra, your space will go from "home office" to "study in the 19th century" in no time at all.
Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable.
