Northwood students between classes. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.
Northwood has set a high standard for the dress code. For the 2025-26 school year, faculty have started to heavily enforce the dress code on the students. While the dress code hasn’t changed since last year, most students are hearing rules that were seldom enforced before, such as no facial hair, no jeans of any color, longer skirts, no crewnecks with graphics, and adhering to the dress code at all times, including breakfast, lunch, and school meetings.
This has been a good adjustment for the school to really showcase the “Prep” in prep school. Some students are enjoying it because it’s now the “norm” to wear the same 3 outfits each week, making mornings easier. Other students feel it suppresses their personality and is uncomfortable. This dress code dates back to when Northwood first started as a preparatory school, and every student was required to wear a uniform to school. The dress code has lightened up significantly since then.
“I think [the dress code] is an oppression of personality,” Jackson Magnus ’27 said. “I think the dress code is in a better place than it was last year, but some things should change. I feel like you should be able to wear jeans, but keep the tops nice. It sucks because I don’t have a lot of bottoms that fit the dress code,” Magnus added.
“I’m chill with the dress code,” Hudson Marshall ’27 said. “Lowkey wear the same stuff.”
“It was annoying to have to buy new clothes,” Asa Schwartzberg ’27 said, “but I figured out a way to do it. I bought clothes from former Northwood students or other secondhand clothes from places.”
“I think it’s a bit too strict, and we should be able to wear jeans as long as they aren’t blue,” Maika Beaudoin ’27 said, “because it keeps a classy look still. I also feel like girls can’t show much skin, and they have been super strict about that.”
The dress code, outlined in the Student Handbook, reads:
Dress Code and Appearance
Northwood School’s class dress code is based on a simple philosophy: school is your job, and your attire should reflect that. Class dress is required during classes (even if you have a ‘free’ period), including during lunch, school meeting, seminar, and in the living room.
Clothing:
- Dress pants, corduroy pants, twill or chino joggers, khakis, leggings, or capris.
- Dresses, skirts (at least fingertip length when standing in a relaxed position with arms at sides).
- Shorts (at least a 3-inch seam) are permitted in the fall and spring.
- Button-down shirts that are buttoned, polos, quarter-zip pull-overs, or other collared shirts may be worn. A student may wear a t-shirt underneath.
- Blouses, dress shirts, and turtlenecks.
- Sweaters, cardigans, official Northwood sweatshirts, and quarter-zips are permitted with a collared shirt or t-shirt underneath.
Footwear:
- Dress shoes, boat shoes, sneakers, sandals, or boots may be worn, as long as they are in good condition. No slippers.
Points of Clarification:
- No athletic wear, such as yoga pants, spandex, or sweatpants.
- No denim of any kind, color, or resemblance.
- No article of clothing may be frayed, cut-off or patched.
- No t-shirts unless worn under dress code attire.
- No sweatshirts except the official Northwood sweatshirts.
- Sweatpants, including Northwood-branded sweatpants, are not permitted as class dress.
- No hats or hoods.
- Hair must be neat and clean, and students are to be clean-shaven at all times.
- No revealing necklines. Exposed backs, shoulders, bottoms, midriffs, or undergarments are also not permitted.
Formal Dress. On more formal occasions, the dress of the community should reflect the added level of formality of the event. At these times, the Northwood community will be in formal dress.
Option One: suit coat or blazer, with dress pants and a belt, a full button-down collared shirt with tie, socks, and dress shoes.
Option Two: dress or skirt of appropriate length, shawl or cardigan is permitted, and dress shoes.
Option Three: dress slacks with a dress blouse, and dress shoes.
Option Four: formal attire and shoes representing a student’s international and/or cultural identity.
Casual Dress. Before or after the class day or formal school events, students are allowed to dress casually while maintaining a level of respect for community standards. Students should be fully clothed in all public or common areas of campus. Footwear is required in all campus buildings except dormitories.
At all times, not just during the academic class day, clothing should be respectful and should not promote concepts or substances that undermine the mission and core values of Northwood School. Hats and headwear, except those prescribed by religious custom, must be removed when entering buildings and remain off in public areas. Hats may only be worn indoors in the Student Center and dormitories.
