Styling a maroon top with a matching headband and newspaper-print leggings, Nika Jovanovic ’26 finishes off her look with a mis-matched pair of neon pink and orange Skechers. Jovanic’s style is anything but subtle. Her outfits often begin with her vibrant shoes, building upward into coordinated looks that stand out amongst the more muted, comfort-driven looks common on campus. Defined by vivid color combinations and an unapologetic boldness, Jovanovic’s style reflects a deeply unique self-expression.
Jovanovic’s stylistic approach begins with her sneakers. A single pair of hot pink Sketchers sparked a newfound approach to fashion where she uses the shoes as both a visual anchor and a starting point.
“As soon as I saw the first Skechers, the hot pink ones, that’s what gave me the idea [of basing my style off of them], and later on I started buying every shoe that came out, and that’s how I made every outfit. They’re the base of my outfits, and I just find cute stores to find my other clothes. It was just one day when I saw them at the store, and I loved the colors, because they were only one color, and they’re so comfortable. I love them. And I just started buying more and more. [I have] 17 [and] all of them [are Skechers],” says Jovanovic.
Close friend Sofiia Skalii ’27 emphasized Jovanovic’s use of bold colors and her consistency as unique attributes of her style.
“I would describe [her style] as bold and very controversial compared to what I see other people wearing on the streets. Usually students try to wear something comfortable, and Nika always tries to stand out, be bold, and not follow the major trends. She always tries to wear neon colors like red, pink, and orange. Sometimes it is toxic green or yellow. I would say that, no matter what day it was, whether it was finals week or just a weekend, she always stuck to her fashion and never missed a day. There was no day when she decided to wear something simple,” said Skalii.
Beyond her collection of Sketchers, color itself has become a defining element of Jovanovic’s style and the way her outfits take shape. Rather than limiting herself to a specific palette, she embraces variation, often combining bright or unexpected shades to create contrast within her outfits.
“I like a lot of colors, but in the last couple months, I [would] say maroon. I also love hot pink a lot. I love to mix and match my shoes. Like, one black and one white shoe. I like bold colors. I try, at least in the week, not to repeat outfits and try to switch the color every day. I just pick out something, but it’s harder here because I don’t have all my clothes from home, so I’m missing a lot of colors,” said Jovanovic.
Skalii described her favorite outfit of Jovanovic, a bold birthday dress that garnered attention around campus.
“My favorite outfit was on her birthday in December when she decided to wear a sparkly maroon dress, to school and a crown. It was very bold, and she was so outstanding, especially in commons when we were eating food, because she was in the dress and she had a crown on her head. It was crazy. I would say that a lot of people were staring, that is for sure. But there were also so many people who complimented her because she decided to be bold and show everyone on campus that it was her birthday,” said Skalii.
Jovanovic’s confidence, which transforms her everyday outfits into distinct statements, reels in comments and reactions that vary from place to place.
“People here are a lot nicer. [They’ll] complement my outfits [which is] nice. In my country, people always hate my outfits and say I’m crazy because of the colors, but I don’t care what the others think. I think that’s how I express myself and be different from others,” says Jovanovic.
Looking ahead, Jovanovic hopes that unfiltered self-expression can extend through the paths of Andover and beyond. Rather than defining fashion through conformity and labels, she envisions a fashion culture where difference is embraced.
“I don’t know how to describe it, but I just want to be myself. I don’t really follow the trends. I like to switch it up and try new things. I just like to be different. I don’t want to be like someone else. I really want to start some new trends [where] people can just wear whatever they want. I want there to be a trend [where] everyone wears [what they like], [even if others] don’t like it. They should wear what they want. I would like to start a trend, maybe jeans, [where] one [side] is short and another is long, [with] mis-matching shoes too,” said Jovanovic.
