Great idea on the capris and gauchos. We never had enough tables during philanthropy to all sit down so most of the time we ended up on the floor doing our "craft" project. I use the term craft but normally it was putting together some type of a school sypply kit and then putting a ribbon on. I swear in the total of 6 weeks I did recruitment during college I stuffed more "school supply" bags then in my entire 7 years as a teacher!

I know you guys advised against the leggings, but I bought a pair and I just love them. If it is too hot, I won't wear them.

As for the black dress, I think that I'm supposed to wear a black dress. But, I've heard that other colors are acceptable.

I think you're supposed to wear a cocktaily dress, which it just so happens that most of them are black. But a lot of the sororities wear black too which is why PT said not black. Definitely do something to make it stand out if that's all you have.

Incidentally I was reading InStyle and there was a whole page dedicated to leggings - including HORIZONTAL STRIPED ones. :)

I don't really understand why you're asking for advice then if you're not going to listen to us anyways. A number of posters from a number of different schools with different levels of formality and dress during recruitment all said not to wear leggings. That should say something.

Well, I thought about what everone said, and I decided to go with what I liked. To my knowledge, there are no rules against leggings for my rush; but, if there are I just won't wear them. No biggie. I really don't mean to offend anyone by not taking their advice.

Good point. I'll see what else I can find.

The problem is, leggings are an "up & coming" fad that may or may not catch on. Even in super-trendy places that keep up with the up-to-the-minute styles they'd still be considered risky. But you're rushing in Central IL. Central IL is far from the fashion capital of the world, and in fact tends to be anywhere from 6 months to a year behind the trends, if the trends even catch on at all there.

If you really want to wear leggings because you like them and don't mind dying of the IL heat, go ahead, but be prepared to get some odd looks.

Just because something isn't explicitly stated as being banned does not necessarily make it acceptable. During recruitment, you want to come off as a classy lady. Leggings=not classy.

The choice is yours. It's your recruitment and you can certainly dress however you like. However, the majority of advice-givers on this board are current sorority women, alumnae and advisers from all over the country, including the geographic region where you are attending college. They know what they're talking about and the unspoken "rules" of the events. Like it or not, in addition to grades and your recruitment application, people are evaluating you on how you present yourself. Yes, you want to be unique, but you also want to "go with the flow" and look like you fit into a group.

I don't think leggings are necessarily a no-no. It just depends where you live and what the fashion trend seems to be in your area at that particular time. Right now, it's a little too early to see what will happen in a month.

Also.. having attended rush in Florida, and in NJ.... wow.. what a difference!

I was helping out a pref party in NJ, and all the girls were wearing jeans and Ugg Boots. I couldn't believe it. In Florida, you wouldn't be caught dead in anything but a nice cocktail dress.

On this whole leggings issue: I live near a high school and during the school year there were tons of girls wearing leggings. I personally find them hideous and unflattering, but it appears that the 18-ish crowd thinks they're stylish. I don't know who on here is an alum and who is active (I'm 26 and have been out of college for 5 years), but we may be a little behind (or not privy to) the current style of the high school/early college group. Just a thought.

Eeek....Ugg Boots during rush? And at PREF? eek again.

I have never seen Ugg boots worn to pref at my school, but plenty of girls (both actives and PNMs) wore them to rush. Personally, I think they're ugly as all sin but that's just me.

I think this is a cultural difference--being from NY and going through recruitment in NC was a major difference for me when I went through in 2001. Uggs were all the rage for the past two years in the Northeast. . . They were probably trying to look fashion-forward and hip. I know for the first three years of my sorority involvement, we wore neck-high black cocktail dresses for pref night, and then they changed it in my last year. It depends on what the sorority is trying to convey.

I don't care where you're rushing, or who you are, these three things will never fail you.

If you're a miner or a sanitation work, then they won't work for you. Otherwise yea. I hardly ever leave the house without my pearl studs.