NMH in Layers: how Students Dress for Fall
Photos by Eliza Krotinger ’26
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Kunmi Ajayi ’28
As the leaves fall and the air gets crisp, NMH students are swapping out tank tops and bright colors for V-neck sweaters and layers of comfortable clothing. This season, our campus is transforming into a runway where students can experiment with preppy styles, streetwear, and everything in between.
Lately on campus, students are wearing warm, earthy tones such as terracotta, mocha brown, and moss green. Occasionally, they add touches of spring colors to give their outfits a whimsical touch. Soccer jerseys, knit sweaters, and matching sweat sets are everywhere, while accessories like matinee gold necklaces, canvas tote bags, and Adidas Handball Spezials allow students to personalize their outfits.
Fashion at NMH is also a blend of high-end brands and thrifted finds. Many students find inspiration from online platforms such as TikTok, Pinterest, and Depop, and thrift stores remain gold mines for vintage pieces.
One trend that stands out this fall is the return of the preppy style. Ralph Lauren pieces, in particular, have become increasingly visible, as students lean into the old-money aesthetic.
Cherrie Ma ‘28 is a two-year sophomore. Her sense of style seems to encapsulate every aesthetic imaginable. It has evolved since joining NMH, shifting from a primarily conservative type of Asian aesthetic, specifically Japanese, to a blend of incorporating American styles with bolder colors.
Ma frequently looks to her peers for fashion inspiration. She first observes what other people on campus are wearing, and buys them if she likes the pieces of clothing a lot. Aside from seeking fashion guidance from her peers, she admits that her style is heavily influenced by trends she sees on TikTok and Pinterest.
“I got a lot of Ralph Lauren stuff for school, and I was trying to look old money,” Ma responded when asked what trends she’s obsessed with this season. “[This fall] I tried to throw away the hoodies because I wanted to be preppy, but I kinda failed,” she added. Even so, preppy staples like V-neck sweaters, headbands, and boots are making their way into everyday wear.
But preppy is certainly not the only story this season. For others, fall fashion is all about oversized silhouettes. Loose-fitting hoodies, baggy jeans, and Uggs are incredibly popular.
George Ning ‘26 is a three-year senior. Like others, he prioritizes comfort and wears clothes that he finds easy to wear. His personal style is heavily influenced by his brother, his peers, trends he sees on TikTok and Pinterest, and films—notably the protagonist in the 1998 Japanese film ‘The Love Letter’, directed by Shunji Iwai.
“Going to boarding school definitely changes how you dress because we have a lot of fashionable people here, and they all dress really cool. I kinda got influenced by them, and, you know, we don’t really have a lot of things to do here on the weekends, so you tend to shop online.”
Similarly, Olive Ott ‘28 describes her style as cozy, comfy, and carefully curated. Inspired by Bridget Jones from the ‘Bridget Jones’ film series, Ott is leaning towards textures this season.
“It’s a very suede fall,” she said, also mentioning how she loves tying ribbons into her hair, but is “over bows as a decal.”
What makes her style stand out is her sharp sense of layering. She often combines cardigans, trench coats, and thrifted pieces to create a look that keeps her warm, while also looking polished.
When asked what she thinks is NMH’s collective look, Ott described what she calls the “NMH uniform”: low-rise medium wash jeans, a White Fox hoodie, or a Brandy Melville top with a cardigan, or sweatpants paired with a Brandy Melville or Edikted top. “Then there’s the other side of the spectrum of the NMH uniform,” she added, “which is like an entirely thrifted outfit.” For Ott, that’s what makes fashion at NMH unique: “It has its own personal style”.
Fall is a season of transition, where the lightness of summer meets the layered warmth of winter. What makes fall fashion here so interesting is not just the clothes themselves, but how students use them to express their individuality. At NMH, fashion is not about following trends blindly; It’s about finding pieces that reflect who you are and discovering ways to stand out while feeling comfortable and confident in yourself.
