By MIGGY MORENO
The Tower
MANTECA – As the weather gets cooler, people are bringing out cozy sweaters, oversized jackets, baggy jeans, and stylish shoes.
This fall, fashion is about layering clothes experimenting with bold colors and expressing your personal style. From everyday school outfits to trendy accessories, new looks are making their way into closets this season.
Animal prints.
Leather jackets.
Fleece-lined tights.
And Ugg boots.
While traditional fall colors remain popular, mixing unexpected colors and combining vintage pieces with modern clothing are also ways people are creating unique outfits.
Director for the fall fashion trends photoshoot Miguel Moreno surrounded by his models in room V206 on October 29th, 2026. (Kal Ochoa/The Tower)
One trend that is standing out this season is animal print. According to Manteca High CTE Angie Anaya, animal prints continue to be popular, but people are beginning to experiment with more than the traditional leopard and cheetah patterns.
“The biggest fashion trend this fall, in my opinion, is that it’s animal print, but done differently,” Anaya said.
Instead of sticking to familiar patterns, people are incorporating prints such as snakeskin, giraffe, and zebra into their outfits. Anaya also explained that some people wear traditional animal prints in different colors or combining multiple prints to create a more unique look.
“I personally believe that animal print is a classic,” she said. “It’s never going to go out of style."
Although fall is often associated with warm colors such as brown, orange, red and green, Anaya believes that fashion is becoming more colorful. Rather than limiting outfits to traditional autumn shades, people are experimenting with unexpected color combinations.
One combination Anaya pointed out was chocolate brown paired with Mavi pink. Mixing colors that are not usually associated with fall allows people to create outfits that stand out while still incorporating seasonal shades.
Along with colors and patterns, layering is another important part of fall fashion. Jackets, sweaters, scarves, keep people warm while adding style to their looks.
Anaya described her personal style as a mixture of vintage and modern pieces. She enjoys combining casual clothing with dressier items to create a balanced look.
“I like layers, and I like to mix, like old and new, like vintage and then maybe more modern, or maybe dressier with more casual,” Anaya said.
For example, pairing worn-in jeans with an elaborate blouse or blazer can make an outfit without sacrificing comfort. Mixing different styles allows people to express their personalities rather than follow every trend.
Social Media’s influence
Social media, movies, music videos, and friends can also influence the clothing people choose to wear. Anaya explained that even people who have their own sense of style can find inspiration from trends and outfits they see around them.
“Everything from, like, movies or Instagram, music videos, or friends or people that we see,” Anaya said.
While social media makes new trends easier to discover, it can also cause fashion trends to change quickly. With clothing styles constantly appearing online, people may feel encouraged to try new looks or keep up with what is popular.
Ugg slides and Ugg boots and leather boots are also common footwear choices for this fall, according to Arielle Gonzalez.
Manteca High School students are taking a photo in room V206 for James Burns’ journalism class on October 29th, 2026. (Kal Ochoa/The Tower)
Boots are a popular option for fall because they can be paired with different outfits while providing additional warmth. Leather boots can complement jeans, skirts, and dresses, while Ugg boots offer a more casual look.
Arielle also pointed out fleece-lined tights as one of her favorite fall fashion trends because they allow people to continue wearing skirts as the weather gets colder.
“My favorite fall fashion trend would probably be fleece-lined tights. I feel like they make cute outfits. You get to wear skirts. It’s nice,” Arielle Gonzalez said.
Oversized clothing has also remained part of fall fashion, although Arielle believes the trend may be becoming less popular.
“Oversized clothes, I would say, yeah, they’re definitely still in style, but you can kind of see it dying off,” Arielle Gonzalez said.
Invite Summer into the Fall
Even as certain trends become less popular, people can continue wearing pieces they already own. Gonzalez explained that adding jackets and other layering allows people to wear summer clothing into fall without replacing their entire wardrobe.
Although trends change each season, people can use animal prints, unexpected colors, and layering clothing to express their individual styles.