“Fashion is an instant language,” writes Miuccia Prada. Not all members of the Class of 2026 speak the language of Prada’s head designer, but they know what they’re wearing is a way to present themselves to the new campus right away. Some freshmen have ambitious fashion goals, while others are just looking for essentials to keep the breeze going, but students emphasize one thing above all else. Did.

Hugo Hinze ’26 He wore his favorite pair of muted pink khaki shorts with an accented crew neck covering an Andy Warhol graphic t-shirt underneath. When I met him while reading the course syllabus at Harvard Yard, he said he didn’t put much effort into dressing today.Hinze, who hails from Germany, spends his spare time in fashion. I binge YouTube videos from time to time. He said that during his first few days, he felt no outside pressure to keep his appearance in order, but that he was committed to meeting his personal standards.

Alex Fernando ’26 describes herself as an aspiring “fashionista”. The Massachusetts native wore high-top Reeboks, jeans, a black tank top, and a black sweatshirt, reading in the garden.

In high school, Fernando explained that she mostly wore sweatpants and sweatshirts, anything more than that was considered dressy. He says he enjoys being worn by women.

Ellie Criver-Schiff ’26standing to the right of Fernando, wearing a flowing pink dress over a white T-shirt. At first glance, students might classify themselves by their fashion preferences, but “when you actually start conversing with people, it doesn’t matter what you wear at that point,” she says. I was.

Emma Nagler ’26 During her first days at Harvard, she mixed up her style. On her way to Annenberg Hall, she wore Abercrombie shorts, an Aeropostale top, and custom brown and beige Converse. She had worn a skirt the day before, so she felt relatively dressed up.

in the meantime Giovanni D’Antonio ’26 On his way to the gym with a friend, he quickly realized that his outfit, which featured a pair of Air Jordan Maxs, Nike Swoosh shorts, and a matching white Muscle T-shirt, was only suitable for the gym. D’Antonio, who hails from an Italian high school where formal attire was the norm, said he prefers less casual clothing than most Americans, but appreciates Harvard’s variety of outfits. . Whether it’s studying or going to the gym, “school is a place where you feel comfortable,” D’Antonio said.

Dian Yu ’26, Emily Gao ’26, Rui Furui ’26 and Ciao Tin ’26 all headed to dinner together from Weld. “Comfort is important,” said Furui, who wore jeans and a sweater from a brand from her home country of Singapore. Her roommate Ting also accentuated her comfort with her skirt/short piece and stylish Converse.

Yu wears flared Aerie pants and a brandy top, she joked, because it’s “comfortable.” The flared pants were comfortable and perfect for a ’90s-themed party.”In the first few days, there’s pressure to look good,” Yu admitted.

All over the yard these past few days, students were dressed to feel as comfortable as they did to feel stylish. Whether it was socializing, unpacking, or choosing courses, fashion’s number one priority in her first year was to be comfortable with herself.

Proof Schubert Reed ’25 (proofschubertreed@college.harvard.edu) is always looking for the perfect sweatpants.