Your story really does take the cake in terms of weird recruitment outfits, but I was also referring to my OWN experiences with recruitment!

The year before that, a woman wore a straw hat (not even like a little feminine cowboy hat when cowboy hats had an unfortunate resurgence in popularity a couple years ago but an actual old-timey farmer's straw hat) because she grew up on a farm and figured that would be a good way for the sorority actives to remember her... She was right about that! She became known as "Farm Girl" or "The One With The Hat." She ended up transferring after freshman year and unfortunately became a "what not to do" story during recruitment orientation.

The following year, a PNM apparently heard this story and thought to her misguided self "Well of COURSE I wouldn't wear a straw hat, that would just be silly! I'll wear a PURPLE FEATHER BOA instead!" She came through wearing the boa and a rhinestone tiara! We were like "This isn't a bachelorette party, girlie..." Apparently her Rho Chi pulled her aside after the first rounds and insisted that she not wear anything weird the next day.

Her response? "I was just wearing something that reflected my personality and made me stand out!!!" Mission accomplished, Boa Girl. Mission accomplished.

It's amazing how some PNMs are just entirely lacking in common sense about this kind of stuff. A nice rule of thumb is that if everyone is looking at you sideways and the other PNMs are trying to distance themselves from you, you're probably wearing something dumb.

Oh, and here's another, related suggestion for PNMs going through traditional/competitive recruitments: If you aren't the most fashion-savvy young woman or you have a rather "awkward" sense of style, get your fashion conscious hallmate or roommate to help you out. Seriously. Go to the best-dressed girl in your hall, be like "I love your sense of style, would you mind helping me put together some outfits for recruitment?" She'd probably be so flattered that she'd do it in a heartbeat (unless she's a huge biotch), and maybe even lend you some stuff.

It's fine to have trouble with fashion and style. It's tricky, and everyone struggles with it from time to time. What's NOT fine is not doing anything about the fact that you look outdated/matronly/skanky/sloppy/mismatched or whatever. In a competitive recruitment, you need to look like you took your time and that you care enough about yourself to look your best. If that doesn't come naturally to you, then there's no shame in asking for help.

i hope this has not been posted already, but don't wear your favorite sorority's colors to fall recruitment. you see it as flattery, but it may translate as obsession. also the other sororites my think you are not willing to give them a chance and may not give you a chance in return.

So when is a good time to rush??????

If you're referring to NPHC Rush, I'd look at the stickies in the specific sorority forums for the answer to that question.

I couldn't agree more. In fact, I recently went through recruitment and a similar thing happened. We had a girl in my rush group dye her hair shocking blue the night before recruitment. She also wore large rhinestone pins all over her shirt, in order to "stand out from all those boring blondes in pink sweaters" (as a blonde in a pink sweater, I was a little offended). I go to a school with 12 NPC sororities, and because it is harder every year to get in (800 girls rush), nothing s guaranteed. This girl is now a cautionary tale...no bright blue (or pink, or green, or anything really weird) hair.

Um, I don't know if you were in my rush group or not
but I'm guessing you were because I don't remember there being many other blue haired girls going through recruitment.

but in case you are talking about me, i never wore rhinestones all over my shirt
nor did I ever say anything about "standing out from boring blondes" EVER.
plus I dyed my hair blue over winter break. i got it touched up before recruitment started because it faded to white.

oh PLUS i've been told a girl with brown and purple hair got into a very good house on campus, so funky colored hair isn't that big of a problem.

No, it was someone else. She ended up dropping after the second round. It was more the attitude than hair anyway

Bump for upcoming Recruitment Season.

I know that some of the original advice that Southern Theta gives is more specific to larger or Southern chapters, but as the thread progresses, the advice is universal.