With spring finally arriving, the new fashions will be in full swing. But this year you may not see your typical Iowa State student wearing Girbaud, Mossimo, Calvin Klein or Eddie Bauer.

The fashion stage at Iowa State is being taken by storm but not by the average shorts, sweaters, jeans or slacks. This year more and more people are wearing sweatshirts and parkas.

Abby Zirkle, a freshman in journalism and mass communication, said that athletic apparel is definitely a part of many people’s wardrobes. She said the playing field of apparel used to be one-sided but now seems to be evening out.

“A couple of years ago Nike was everywhere, but now it seems like Adidas is definitely up and coming,” she said.

Many students seem to own something that is athletically oriented whether it be a sweatshirt or a pullover. However not all of it is adorned with a swoosh.

Derrick Hall, a freshman in liberal arts and sciences, said the Greek community has a corner on the athletic apparel market.

“There are people in the Greek community who wear different sweatshirts or t-shirts that have their respective letters on them but they aren’t really brand name, they are more plain and generic,” he said.

Many students wear the different athletic gear because it is comfortable.

“I like a lot of Nike’s stuff, like the warm-ups and their shoes, for the quality and the comfort,” Hall said.

Comfort isn’t the only motive for many people when they pick their wardrobes. While Nike is definitely the product of choice among many students, a large number of students purchase different brands of clothing because of the price factor.

“I usually buy Adidas simply because it’s much cheaper than Nike is,” Zirkle said. “I don’t have $150 to spend on a pair of Nikes.”

Hall said his choice of clothing is based on his own tastes first and his bank account second. “I am a shop-a-holic, so sometimes I just use my credit cards and get what I want,” Hall said. “After all, I like to look good.”

The look-good aspect seems to be very pertinent among all shoppers, not just students.

Jenny Feekes, a cook in the Linden Hall Dining Center, is a self-proclaimed Nike fanatic and said she sees more and more athletic apparel on students on campus.

“I just really like the Nike apparel. Nike makes some of the better looking shoes, shirts and jackets,” she said. “It is definitely what everybody is wearing.”

Whether it be Nike, Reebok or Adidas, athletic clothing is beginning to evoke new styles and more trends in outfits. But even though more and more students are wearing them many do not feel they are going to replace the already present designers.

“The Nike’s and Reebok’s have made a mark on fashion but they probably won’t replace the Eddie Bauer’s, the Girbaud’s and the American Eagle’s,” Hall said.

“Most students dress in the same styles of the same designers, so the athletic stuff isn’t really as big as people think … only to some people,” Zirkle said.