Happy Friday! Today's post is a little bit different. I have received several requests for posts about sorority recruitment (or "rush"), specifically about what to wear. I was a Kappa Delta at UNC Chapel Hill for four years and can honestly say that rushing was the best decision I made in college; however, I went into rush not knowing a THING about it, and it was definitely very overwhelming and intimidating. You can avoid a lot of pre-rush anxiety by being prepared and knowing what to expect.
As much as it sucks, you're only going to have about 15 minutes the first day to make an impression… and a huge part of that is your appearance. What you wear and how you present yourself matters a lot, since the girls can't get to know everything about you (and how awesome you are) in such a short amount of time. Your university's sorority recruitment may be a little different than UNC's, but we have four different rounds, which means you have to have four different outfits prepared. Generally, each day gets a little bit dressier, but let's go through the rounds together.
Round One: Open House
This day is the most fun and relaxed, so you'll want to wear something casual but nice. This is your first chance to make a good impression on each house, so wear something you feel confident in! Keep in mind that you'll be visiting ALL the houses, so you're going to be doing a lot of walking… wear comfortable shoes! Jack Rogers are a good option because they're comfortable to walk in but still look really nice. DO NOT wear flip flops - they aren't dressy enough! Another thing to think about while planning your outfit: it's going to be hot outside and you're probably going to sweat. If your outfit is going to show sweat rings underneath your arms, don't wear it. A pair of bright, trendy shorts paired with a nice blouse is a good option for round one. This outfit will keep you cool but is still classy and cute!
Round Two: Skit Round
During this round, each house puts on a skit they come up with themselves, and you get to spend more time meeting girls. My suggestion for round two is to wear a casual top, a skirt or pants, and sandals. The attire should be slightly nicer than the last round. You'll still be doing a lot of walking, so keep in mind those comfortable shoes! The outfit I put together for this round is bright, colorful but still on the casual side since I paired it with flat sandals.
Round Three: House Tours
This round you'll visit with each house for an extended period of time. You get a tour of the house and you also get to sit with one girl (KD did a craft and watched a video but they are all different). I would definitely wear a sundress this round, or a nice skirt and top combo. Dressy sandals or casual wedges are perfect for this round.
Round Four: Pref Night
Pref Night is definitely the best round of rush - and it's the last one! By now, you'll have narrowed it down to a few houses. If you're at a house on Pref Night, it's because they want you!!! This is a very special night… you'll take part in a ceremony at each house, and this round will allow you to really connect with the chapters and determine in which sorority you would be happiest. For this round, I suggest wearing a dress or formal dinner attire, dressy sandals or heels (this is by far the dressiest night). If heels hurt your feet to walk from house to house, bring sandals to wear between rounds and switch them out before you get to each house (I definitely did this). The outfit I put together below shows off my personality - I love pink and bows, so I included both in my outfit!
Heed my advice about what NOT to wear: Anything too short, too tight, or too revealing. You want to send a positive message to these girls. If you would wear the outfit to a nightclub, then do not wear it to sorority rush.
The best advice I can give is to be yourself! Being yourself includes how you dress, as well. Whatever you wear, make sure that it expresses your personal style. If you hate Lilly Pulitzer and Kate Spade, don't wear it to rush! You want to end up in a house where you truly fit in.. and to do this you have to put your true self forward.
One more thing - I promise! I know that I used some expensive items in these collages, and I just want to say that you DO NOT have to have a lot of money to look great for sorority rush, or to join a sorority in general. I did not have much money when I was in college, in fact the dress I wore to Pref Night was from Forever 21! You can find some really affordable pieces that look just as nice and put together as the expensive options, I promise. And just for kicks… a picture of me on Bid Day, circa 2008 with blonde hair! Haha ;)
If you have any questions about sorority recruitment, leave them in the comments or feel free to email me!