Crimson Threads

Autumn has long been established as one of the pinnacle seasons in terms of style. The highly anticipated Vogue September Issue is considered the most important magazine issue in the fashion industry, featuring fall and winter trends that set the tone for the upcoming year. Released in mid-August, it signals a departure from the summer season and instructs individuals to transition into a new, distinct period of personal style. Likewise, September is the month when Harvard students return to campus and once again face the challenge of establishing their college identity for the next year. 

As the foliage turns to shades of crimson and gold and autumn hints at its arrival, Harvard welcomes new students and celebrates the return of familiar faces. Everything about the season creates space for renewal and reinvention, supporting students in their key decisions regarding academics, personal identity, and relationships. Of these decisions, the daily act of deciding what to wear becomes a simple but important beacon of self-expression.

The style choices that students make echo their unique perspectives and personalities. For instance, muted colors and lace can evoke a feeling of femininity, while a leather jacket brings edginess to an outfit. With endless style combinations, students can tailor an outfit for each particular mood or sentiment they want to project for others to see. This form of creative expression is an outer representation of inner identity. On a campus as diverse and accomplished as Harvard, fall fashion trends provide insight into the inner workings of the student body and the similarities that exist, even in heterogeneity.

Harvard’s distinct demographics create an environment lacking just one overarching aesthetic in terms of fashion. Unlike southern SEC schools that are known for their preppy athleisure style, Harvard does not boast a singular uniform. With students from across the United States and all over the world, undergraduates bring their unique heritage and fashion sense to campus. 

So what exactly does fashion mean for the Harvard student?

“Fashion means everything to me,” says Talia Rehill ’28. “So many things are so routine and mundane, and it’s just a conscious decision to have control of one part of my day.” With such busy schedules, fashion can break up the monotony by getting to pick out new and exciting outfits each morning.

For Liya Naod ’29, fashion is more than just articles of clothing. “It not only means identity, but it also means it facilitates a lot of connection with the people around me.” She feels that her style has enabled her to make friends on campus who share similar interests. “People who are drawn to the way I dress come towards me.”

Fashion is an individual statement of identity shared with the broader community. Specific choices become impactful by facilitating discussion and creating connections, most commonly through participating in trends. 

Students predicted brands like Intimissi, Sezane, and Isabel Marant, as well as versatile color palettes, including cream and burgundy, will dominate this fall’s fashion scene. Textures such as leather, lace, and fringe were mentioned alongside the classic stripes and polka dots. Some are hoping for a resurgence of vintage-inspired fashion, while others anticipate creative ingenuity to shine via repurposing clothing, such as scarves and belts. “I’ve been seeing so many riding boots or knee-high boots paired with a skirt and a chunky sweater with a barn jacket,” Lucy Yuan ’28 highlighted. “I’m really excited to wear more fringe, suede, browns, leathers, as we get into the fall,” Lauren Park ’29 said

Naod offered her vision for the potential autumn color palette. “I love a lot of reds and burgundy and crimson.” She also wishes for nostalgic patterns to return. “I want Paisley to come back in,” she added. “I want to see Vera Bradley come back really badly.”

Despite different opinions on personal styles, students generally did not identify any overdone trends that should be left in the past. “There’s nothing that I don’t want to see,” Park said. “I honestly do appreciate every single type of clothing item because it is someone’s expression and they’re entitled to whatever they want to wear.” 

“I think Harvard students should be able to dress how they want, and I think there’s beauty in diversity,” Rehill said. In a school often filled with competitive spirit, fashion seems to be in some sense an outlier—a thread of contiguity and community. 

Responses indicate that there is not as much of a perceived socioeconomic divide on campus when it comes to sense of style. While there are elements of wealth-signalling, many students choose to focus on the representation of identity and personal taste rather than branding. Having a good sense of style is about how you utilize different articles of clothing and accessories, not how much you spend to obtain them. While only some have access to new high-end designers, many believe that second-hand shopping and thrifting have levelled the playing field in terms of accessibility to fashion.

“Harvard is a place that doesn’t just reward you for the brands that you wear, where it’s really more like a place that rewards your intelligence and your understanding of the world,” said Jan Granacher ’27. There are, of course, popular designer bags and shoes that are easily recognizable, such as Goyard totes and Golden Goose sneakers; however, the diminished emphasis on celebrating monetary value has allowed for a greater focus on creativity and developing a strong sense of self through clothing. 

This complexity is important to acknowledge. Fashion acts not as another level of division, but rather a unique way in which differences can be celebrated and community can be formed. At the end of the day, what you wear doesn’t determine your success as a student at Harvard, but it does highlight who you are. 

Students were finally asked to encompass this season’s fall fashion into one short phrase:

Rehill: “Finishing Touches”

Granacher: “Take Ivy”

Park “Unexpected Patterns”

Yuan: “Equestrian”

Naod: “Maximalism”

Caleb Graupera ’28: “Quality of Fabric”

These predictions indicate an Ivy-inspired, equestrian Ralph Lauren. Suede, boots, tailored silhouettes, expert layering, and jewel tones (but no horses) are all sights we can expect over the next few months. 

Still, trends are simply an aggregate representation of likely decisions, or in other words, a baseline from which to build upon. In this transitional period, it’s important to examine pieces in new ways, challenge the norm, and craft a style that is truly representative of yourself. 

The first official day of fall was Monday, Sept. 22. Go forth in style.

Taylor Thorne ’28 (taylorthorne@college.harvard.edu) is seeking additional closet space.