My Victorian/Witchy/Dark Academia Wardrobe | Fighting Fast Fashion

Other people in Dark Academia: the students Bernadette: The Professor

Bernadette may not be a fashion influencer in the traditional sense, but she has influenced my fashion sense, and style.

"I shaved my legs for this, you are welcome" text cracked me up. Have Like, you deserved it

9:12 "It has huge pockets to carry all the snacks!" Pulls our A BOOK....? You eat books, or are you purely fueled by knowledge? I suppose immortals could very well be fully sustained on knowledge. Makes sense to me.

I really want Bernadette to do a “How to repair clothes” series! Most of the clothes I wear need to be knit jersey material for me to wear it, so many of the methods probably won’t work for me, but I’d love to learn how, anyway!

Oh my god, that red wool cape you found in Edinburgh used to be mine! I ended up giving it to a charity shop because I was a student (always carrying around books) and it was impossible to wear with a backpack

love the clothes! my first thought was "what does she wear in summer?" i love autumn/winter fashion (layers, tweed, wool) but am always at a loss as to summer fashion. i usually just end up in a fast fashion tank and shorts and dreaming about Fall.

Thank you SO MUCH for talking about using real wool. I own an ethical yarn shop and it breaks my heart when I see vegans refusing to use wool. I get it, but from an environmental stand point it's way way better to use natural fibres than plastic. Really appreciate you chatting about everything in this.

I grew up extremely poor, and there's something I've found that's nearly universal among people who did: it leaves us practically allergic to dropping serious money on anything. I saved up for a nice wool coat and still had legit anxiety when I actually bought it, whereas I wouldn't have had that anxiety if I'd purchased two cheaper coats. It makes no sense whatsoever, but growing up poor can instill some bad, bad habits and mindsets that I didn't even question until I was nearly 30. I had to talk myself into believing I deserved that coat -- that I was able to save that money and it was okay for me to spend it on one item instead of multiple cheap things. I’ve slowly tried to assemble a better wardrobe that will last me longer, but there is that persistent near-panic instinct that somehow does not exist when I buy multiple cheaper items. One of the hardest things poor people can do is give themselves permission to own something nice; I know that I am very far from alone in that, even though it’s ultimately self-sabotage. (How much was the coat? $200.00. Even as a no-longer-impoverished adult, my brain persists in telling me that's too much money to drop on one thing that isn't an emergency.) I’ve had friends look at me like I’m absolutely nuts for being so anxious about spending that much, but childhood poverty can warp a person in insidious ways that we often can’t even recognize until it’s pointed out to us. I’m still poor by any objective standard, but I can pay my expenses and still have money to save, which is so much more than I had even as a young adult. I can afford that coat, yet my every instinct tells me that I shouldn’t spend that kind of money on something, even if it will ultimately save me in the long run. If there’s any way to kick that instinct, I don't know what it is.

On a side note: with that red cape and witchy hat, Bernadettte really looks like a younger version of Professor McGonagall. No wonder the tourists be looking on with wide eyes and slack jaws! 🤣

As a Pescatarian, I really enjoyed how you spoke about the environmental impacts of Poly-wool and faux leather, faux-leather harms way more animals than well-made leather shoes do, and wool not only lasts longer and doesn't pollute the environment as much, but also we need to sheer sheep because if you don't they can overheat in the summer

I loved all the disclaimers you included in this video to ensure we don’t beat ourselves up for mistakes already made in buying fast fashion. Instead, you encouraged and inspired us to try and do better in the future ❤️

“I shaved my legs for this. You are welcome” That’s such a big mood...

She’s not a fashion influencer..... she’s a fashion ICON. Fight me on this.

As a man that loves his tailcoats, while your clothes are not for me, they still inspire me to be better and do more with my wardrobe. Edit, oh my, there selection is very limited, but my god, they got men's shoes. I need those boots.

I love how she just doesn’t care at all and wears the most beautiful outfits that people don’t always appreciate

can i just say i would watch the hell out of a "bernadette makes lots of edwardian style blouses" video....or video series??? 😍😍😍 also was cool to see your skirts that normally don't make it into shots :o I am currently trying to make a perfect trouser pattern for myself because as easy as skirts are to make, I work in a soil lab and i feel far more like myself in trousers, but my lower body is not very standard shaped. Progress is slow because it turns out trousers are complicated to fit lol... but once it is done i will be able to have all the comfy LOOSE trousers i need

"Dress however gloriously, wondrously, eccentrically you want and be your full, weirdest, and most wonderful self at all times." Me watching while making a set of armor: 👁👄👁

I know this video is a couple years old, but the talk about fast fashion and avoiding it when possible resonated with me. The vast majority my clothing is thrifted, (I'm not perfect I just bought a fast fashion dress for a party last month) and my friends and I do what we call closet trade parties. We clean out our closets, get together with our discards and maybe some wine, catch up with each other, and trade clothes. It's a way to get new looks without spending money on the fast fashion industry, as well as enjoy an evening with friends.

Bernadette is the entire reason I found American Duchess and now I own the best pair of peak aesthetic shoes on the planet (my brand new blue londoners). Their customer service is the best I have ever encountered. It brings me so much joy to know how these people do so many amazing things.