“School is a fashion show,” student Jennifer Castillo Reyes said.
The upcoming season presents an opportunity for students to show off new looks while strutting down I-Mall to class at New Mexico State University.
As the leaves on campus change, so do the color pallets, patterns, and trends for student fashion. Fall is the perfect season for students to dress comfy and cozy or fashion forward.
Skirts are the New Jeans
Student Amelia Rosales declared that jeans are not in style anymore as her fall fashion hot take, but maybe this take isn’t so hot. Fashion mogul magazines such as Vogue, Glamour, and W seem to agree by barely mentioning jeans as part of this year’s fall looks on and off the runway.
This trend offers a unique and practical aspect to fall fashion for the Las Cruces heat. Students can still have that fall look while having breathability during long walks anywhere from the Pan Am Center to the agriculture buildings.
Pao Garcia, another NMSU student, agreed, saying that one of her favorite fall fashion trends is long skirts with tall boots, and even combines the trending jean and skirt style that was popular in the early 2000’s.
“I like big baggy jeans with a small skirt on top,” Garcia said.
Whether it’s for fashion or comfort, skirts are the new IT girl of the fall season.
Color Palettes and Patterns
A new color has taken over the usual quiet brown consumers, fashionistas, and students have seen in fall for the past several years. According to Glamour Magazine, purple has made a loud entrance into this year’s fall fashion.
“I feel like in fall, everyone wants to pop out their oranges and their browns, which are really pretty colors,” Garcia said. “But I feel like that’s a trend that’s always been a thing in fall.”
Garcia lists purple, green, navy, and maroon as fall colors she hopes to see more.
As for patterns, Glamour Magazine named Zebra print the new Cheetah print, and Garcia is definitely a fan.
“Zebra is so freaking cool!” Garcia exclaimed.
Sticking to the loud prints, Garcia mentioned that typical plaid flannel is overused in the fall season and recommends that stripes are more unique and fashionable for the season.
However, no shame if flannel is your fashion game because Burberry, Ralph Lauren, and Louis Vuitton all featured plaid on their runway, making it a staple for fall 2025.
Comfy Cozy
As college students, sometimes fashion forward isn’t what’s desired as the semester moves forward, and the temperatures drop. While the end of the semester means finals, the weather begs for cuddling on the couch.
Student Aileen Urbina offers a solution for a cute, comfy, and breathable fall outfit for the brisk Las Cruces mornings that start to sizzle as the day goes on.
“I know linen is for the summer, but it’s so breathable and comfy,” Urbina said.
Urbina pairs her linen pants with what she calls “a grandma sweater”, mini Uggs, and a tote bag to carry her books and computer to class.
Men’s Fashion
Excitement about fall fashion doesn’t exclude men. The best thing about fashion is how interchangeable it is. Anyone can wear anything and show off their masculinity and femininity, regardless of gender identity.
NSMU student William Ochoa describes his style as upscale streetwear with a coffee shop twist. He adds in softer colors and pieces that combine sporty with chic.
“I’m with all the neutral colors from crème to black, but shoes I think is the easiest [way] to splash in color,” Ochoa said.
He likes to use his purple sambas to create an outfit around and let them be the focal point.
Ochoa thinks that layering is one of the most important parts of fall fashion, and to keep cool in the Las Cruces heat, he wears light, cropped t-shirts to show off accessories like belts. As it starts to get cooler, he adds a long-sleeve shirt underneath.
One of the places Ochoa finds fashion inspiration from is Put That Sh*t On Central (PTSO Central), an NMSU student organization that resells clothing and promotes creativity and individuality through fashion.
Roman Boreri, vice president and co-leader of PTSO Central, also likes neutral tones for fall.
Boreri describes his perfect fall fit as baggy, faded black jeans, a blank white tee, a Carhartt WIP jacket, and double sole Timberlands with bracelets and rings to accessorize.
Where to Shop
Garcia, Urbina, and Ochoa all agree their favorite places to shop for fall fashion are thrift stores.
Savers, located at 2340 N Main St., is a student favorite and is an affordable and fashionable option for fall shopping.
Garcia also said there are lots of thrift stores along Main St. that often get overlooked and aren’t always easy to find.
Second-hand store, La Tienda De Jardin, helps fund Jardin de Los Niños, a local non-profit organization for early childcare and education. The store offers a wide variety of women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, as well as a smaller men’s section.
Some other thrift stores located in Las Cruces include La Casa Thrift Store, A Thrift Store, Good News Thrift Store, Rock of Ages Thrift Store, Second Chance Thrift Store, and Nettie’s Thrifties, among many others.
Thrift stores offer a wide variety of clothing and accessories while remaining wallet-conscious for college student budgets. Thrifting also helps the environment by decreasing fast fashion consumption with ever-changing trends.
Boreri mentioned that eBay is where he does most of his shopping and allows him to get upscale vintage pieces cheaper than he would find at a resale vintage store.
Next time you need a study break, flip through a magazine, visit a second-hand store, and create your next best outfit!
