For some, preparing for the first day of class means picking out book bags, stocking up on notebooks, and planning their class schedules. But for many at Howard University, the first day of class is something much bigger: a runway. Every year on the first day of class, the Yard becomes a student’s fashion playground.
Many outfits are so unique that they’ve taken digital media by storm. Nicknamed “FDOC” (First Day of Class), every year, reels, carousel posts and TikToks flood the internet, gaining thousands of likes.
Katelyne Raymond, a sophomore computer information systems major from Teaneck, New Jersey, shared her appreciation for how the student body’s individuality is showcased through the community’s fashion.
“I personally love how Howard’s has space for everybody; people who want to dress in designer have their section, people who want to dress boho or more Y2K have their section,” Raymond said. “There is space for everyone and their fashion sense here at Howard.”
The diversity in Howard’s style makes the campus more than just a fashion showcase, but a reflection of the many ways students choose to express themselves. Whether dressed in designer labels or curated thrift finds, students actively create a campus culture that showcases individuality.
“I think it’s very easy for people to use fashion as an art and have it reflect their authentic personality,” Raymond said,
For seniors like Chase Irving, it’s not just their first day; it’s their final strut down Howard’s FDOC runway. She views her final first day as a full-circle moment, and one last chance to make a fashion statement reflecting her journey at Howard.
“Since it’s my last year, this first day of class outfit has to be something big,” said Irving, who is a political science major.
Irving also serves as a stylist for Models of The Mecca Incorporated. As a naturally shy person, she said she found fashion as a way of communicating.
“I feel like my clothes are able to draw people towards me in ways that I can’t,” she said.
For many on campus, fashion is a form of identity, a method of communication and a culture. It is not just throwing on an outfit for pictures or to feel confident, but to connect with others and to reflect their identity. In moments of doubt, Irving said she finds comfort in people at Howard with a shared style.
“Especially at Howard, nobody is ever going to think you’re the odd ball out because there is at least one person that will think that you look cool if everybody else doesn’t,” Irving said.
On the first day of classes, what someone wears can show who they are. For freshmen, especially, it can be a way to introduce themselves without having to explain anything.
“If your fit’s fire, people are going to want to come talk to you,” shared Maison Smith, a freshman international business major from New York. He has already mapped out his look weeks before classes are set to start.
For many freshmen, the outfit isn’t just a look; it’s a statement. Smith admitted he didn’t start seriously thinking about his outfit until he was contacted for this story, but once he did, the wheels started turning.
“One of my favorite brands is Eric Emanuel,” he said. “I love Billionaire Boys Club and I’ll probably wear some Jordan 4s too.”
Others, like Jelani Smith, a freshman health management major from St. Louis, Missouri, had been researching outfit ideas the moment he committed to Howard.
“I saw tons of TikToks, people were like, ‘This is how we’re coming,’” he said, noting Pharrell, BAPE, and vintage skatewear as key inspirations.
Beneath all the styling and inspiration boards, the pressure to look the part is real. For freshmen, their first-day outfit is a long-anticipated debut. For upperclassmen, it’s a reset or a statement of growth.
In a new space where names are still being learned and connections are just beginning, clothing becomes a kind of language, an unspoken signal of personality, pride and confidence. Kate Banloman, a sophomore honors psychology major from Kansas City, Missouri, by way of Cameroon, reflected on this from her own experience.
“Me and my roommate loved to play dress up. It was our favorite thing to do. We would literally get up in the morning and coordinate together. Asking, ‘How are we feeling today? What’s the vibe? What’s the move?” she said.
What started as getting dressed became a daily ritual of self-expression and bonding for Banloman and her roommate. Beyond first impressions, fashion becomes a tool for self-definition, giving students the freedom to shape their identities on their terms.
“I’ve come to view clothing as a way of not only reaffirming identity, but building a version of yourself that maybe is a combination of who you were and who you want to be,” said Mena Kourouma, a sophomore political science major from The Bronx, New York, by way of Guinea.
That perspective comes alive on the first day, when the Yard is filled with bold choices and fearless style.
Chelsea Brown, a sophomore psychology major and communications minor from Queens, New York, urged students not to be intimidated by what they see online.
“Don’t be afraid to overdress, Howard celebrates it,” Brown said. “Stepping outside your comfort zone is where growth happens, and your outfit is the first step.”
Copy edited by D’Nyah Jefferson – Philmore