If it were me, I'd err on the side of caution and follow their dress code. There will be other opportunities for you to dress up.

The first two days are casual because they want you to be comfortable. My guess is that you'll be doing a lot of walking as you'll be going to the different houses.

Over here we encourage the PNMs to try to stand out in a good way so that they're memorable to girls rushing them. Being the only girl in a dress might make you stand out, but it may come across as trying too hard.

hmm... what do you guys think about sweater dresses? is that too much?

Didn't you say you go to University of Michigan? I go to UM and formal recruitment was in the fall. One of my sisters is on Panhel Exec and when I saw your post I asked her what recruitment packets were sent out (cuz I'm on the COR committee for our events and we didn't get anything) and she said there weren't any. :confused:

Weeeeeird.

But anyway, yes, she did say she goes to the University of Michigan here.

sorry. i should've clarified. i don't go to u of m in ann arbor, which is probably the one you guys are all thinking of. there's another university of michigan in dearborn, and i go to that one, and they have recruitment in the beginning of winter semester.
sooo any thoughts on the sweater dress? =P

I agree with OTW, I'd go with the dress code for at least the first day to check things out. You can go on the "nicer" end of things with your "good" jeans and "cute" sweater or top, but if you walk in in a dress and heels the first day and everyone else in your rush group is in "cute" clothes and the sisters will likely be in letters or something more casual than dressy (I recall the rounds getting dressier as they went along), you will probably stick out like a sore thumb (and probably not in a good way). Plus, I would imagine rushing in MI in January will be COLD and possibly icy and snowy. You would NOT be comfortable walking around a lot and you don't want to be the only one doing a "shoe change" going into a party.

Paging PM_Mama!

Are the recruitment events on a day all being held in one building? I believe none of the sororities have chapter houses on this campus. If this is correct, you can get away with wearing cute shoes with your pants and a cute top since you won't be outside walking from place to place.

from what I've gathered from alums of that school on GC, a sweater dress would be WAY too dressy. Just say no. Actually, I didn't think they even made sweater dresses (or that college age girls wore them) anymore.

You can still look cute, but dress in a way that goes along with the dress code and that fits the season.

I don't go to your campus, so I'm not sure what your recruitment is like, but I would say wearing a dress on the first day is too dressy. If you have two or three more rounds of recruitment, it will be hard for you to continue to dress up. For example, at my university, we have four rounds of recruitment. If a PNM wore a dress on the first day, I'm not sure what they would wear the next round.

However, if your campus's recruitment isn't that long, maybe. Look around the campus and ask your recruitment counselor. If they're telling you to wear jeans, I really would shy from a dress. However, they tell us to wear jeans, and people wear jean skirts (longer ones, not mini ones) or dress pants to dress it up a bit.

Hope that helps!

Good luck!