If you’ve been using TikTok or Pinterest, chances are you’ve seen the light academia aesthetic trend. Even if you didn’t know it, this aesthetic is perfect for those that love a cozy, neutral, and vintage style. Dressing in light academia is easy.
In this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know!
You probably already have a head start on dressing in the light academia since it is a super easy aesthetic to pull off. It also utilizes a lot of layering pieces and basic items you might already have in your closet.
We’ll also share some of our favorite light academia outfit pieces to help get you started.
Ready to start dressing in the light academia style? Keep reading!
What is Light Academia?
Essentially, light academia fashion is the exact opposite of dark academia fashion. The latter focuses on dark, rich colors, shadows, and silhouettes. Light academia is a much lighter, softer style. It makes use of a brighter color palette, vintage looks, and sunlight.
In essence, light academia is the hopeful, soft aesthetic while dark academia is brooding and mysterious.
Many people also compare light academia to similar aesthetics like cottagecore. However, there are some important differences. We’ll cover those shortly.
When Did Light Academia Fashion Start?
The term light academia was first coined in 2019 on Tumblr by a user called Plantaires. They described it as “wearing light linen sundresses in foreign countries, eating picnics and pastries in the afternoon sun while reading poetry and laughing with your friends… falling asleep in your lover’s arms sunkissed and happy… everything is beautiful and no one dies.”
It sounds like a dream. While there is more to the light academia aesthetic than just fashion, dressing like it can help you live out that dream every day.
Must-Have Items for Your Light Academia Wardrobe
When building your light academia wardrobe, it’s important to start with the right pieces. We’ve got you covered. These items are must-haves for anyone wanting to dress in the light academia aesthetic.
Cable Knit Sweaters and Cardigans
You can’t dress light academia in the fall and winter without a good sweater or cardigan. This aesthetic favors the cable knit style. However, you can also opt for plaid if you prefer. Either way, look for sweaters and cardigans in light colors, including beige, white, brown, and cream. These will match your other pieces and make your accents pop.
Collared Shirts
Whether you’re a man or woman, dressing in the light academia aesthetic means buttoning up and finding your favorite collared shirt. You can layer it under a sweater vest, dress it up with a trench coat, or dress it down with a casual pair of pants. Either way, collars are a big part of light academia fashion. Look for light-colored shirts, especially white and light brown.
Blazers
Nothing says sophisticated like a blazer. This is a light academia staple and will instantly add some flair to your wardrobe. You can choose a lot of different styles, including single or double-breasted and plaid or plain. Pair your blazer with a sweater or collared shirt (see where we’re going) and a pair of your favorite pants. You really can’t go wrong with a blazer.
Plaid and Corduroy Pants
Downstairs, you want to keep the good vibes going. Don’t settle for a plain pair of boring slacks or jeans. Instead, choose corduroy or plaid pants to add to your light academia look. These go great with sweaters in the winter as well as button-downs and lighter shirts in the summer.
Puff Sleeve Tops
Once the weather gets warmer, you don’t have to sacrifice your light academia wardrobe. A nice puff sleeve top is perfect for any light academia wardrobe. Its timeless style adds to the aesthetic and pairs perfectly with your favorite pants or skirt.
Oxford Shoes / Loafers
A cool pair of shoes is essential to finishing your light academia outfit. Loafers and flats, especially those in the Oxford style help complete the look. They perfectly represent that preppy, sophisticated school look associated with the aesthetic.
Light Academia Wardrobe Essentials for Women
Dressing in the light academia aesthetic as a woman is all about putting together your wardrobe basics. There is lots of layering going on in this style and the small details are key to making your outfit pop.
Here are a few examples of what a light academia closet might include:
- Cardigans (like this)
- Sweater vests (like this)
- Plaid v-neck sweaters (like this)
- Plaid pants (like these)
- Relaxed blazers (like this)
- Trench coats (like this)
- Puff sleeve tops (like this)
- Argyle socks (like these)
- Loafers and Oxford shoes (like these)
- Wire-rimmed glasses (like these)
Light Academia Wardrobe Essentials for Men
Though most depictions of light academia fashion feature women, men can also dress in this timeless style. In fact, many people find it incredibly attractive. This is a good fit for men who prefer a softer style that isn’t as brooding as dark academia but is also more refined and sophisticated than other traditional “masculine” styles.
Here are a few examples of pieces to add to your closet:
- Fisherman sweaters or chunky cable knits (like this one)
- Shawl-collar cardigans (like this)
- Plaid blazers (like this)
- Wool ties (like these)
- Corduroy pants (like these)
- Trench coats (like this)
- Oxford shoes (like these)
- Sophisticated glasses (like these)
Light Academia vs. Dark Academia
As mentioned, the differences between light and dark academia fashion are striking. While both aesthetics make use of vintage looks and hints of luxury, the colors are far different.
Dark academia fashion focuses on outfits with dark tones of green, red, black, and brown. This gives those outfits a warm, rich feeling.
Meanwhile, light academia fashion emphasizes lighter shades of white, cream, pastels, and floral accents. These outfits have an airy, dream-like feeling.
The two aesthetics do share some similarities, though. Light and dark academia both emphasize luxurious materials like silk, lace, and velvet. They also seek to emulate the dreamy, curious vibes of art, literature, and learning.
Some people describe light academia as “dark academia, but girlier and in the summer.”
That’s a pretty fitting description of the aesthetic. However, light academia fashion can be worn by anyone—not just females.
Light Academia vs. Cottagecore
Light academia and cottagecore do share some aspects of their fashion, especially at first glance. However, they are different in what they idealize.
The light academia aesthetic is all about romanticizing art and learning. The cottagecore aesthetic focuses on a romantic view of rural life, such as on the farm or a cottage in the woods.
Light academia tends to be a bit less feminine than cottagecore. Where the latter goes all-out on lacy accents and cozy dresses, light academia fashion isn’t afraid to go for sharper lines with a pressed blouse and sweater.
Where to Find Light Academia Clothing
Fortunately, light academia has grown quite popular in the past few years thanks to social media. This means plenty of stores are starting to offer light academia clothing and pieces in the style.
A great place to find women’s light academia fashion is Anthropologie. They have a huge selection of vintage-inspired clothing. Shein is another top choice, especially for those that love to shop online.
Alex Mill has a stunning collection of light academia-inspired clothing if you’ve got a bigger budget.
Finally, Amazon has a massive collection of light academia clothing. You can find any base piece, coat, shoe, or accessory you can imagine.
How to Find Light Academia Fashion Inspiration
If you know where to look, light academia fashion inspiration is everywhere. Of course, right here at Find Your Cozy, we are posting new articles all the time with our favorite finds in light academia, dark academia, and cottagecore.
If you want to go even further, TikTok is a great place to start. We recommend checking out the #lightacademia hashtag and looking for some influencers and users in that space.
Those into literature (and who isn’t?) can check out the light academia reading shelf on Goodreads. This can help get your book nook in line with your fashion.
If you need a good playlist in the background while you’re getting ready, check out Spotify’s light academia playlists as well.
