I'm sure we all hope PNM's are never judged by their outward appearance, but it isn't helpful to act as though that can't or won't happen. It might.

In this case an easy solution would be to run to Target or TJMaxx and find a $15 pair of shoes to wear in between. Presto, cheap solution.

Reading all of these recruitment outfit threads made me conclude that we don't all hope PNMs are never judged by their outward appearance.

Okkk...well you hope they aren't and I hope they aren't. But personally I'd rather them be prepared in case they are.


And though it's not likely that little things like shoes matter (at least in most normal scenarios) in the "real world", how you look DOES MATTER and people ARE judged by their appearances.

No one on my campus would have noticed the shoes unless they were bright red, or gold hooker heels or something that stood out. I don't think that is about how competitive the campus is, but about how image focused the recruitment is.

And I don't want to hide "image-focused" behind "competitive."

Regardless of semantics, there are some places where that will matter. It doesn't matter whether or not it's shallow, it's still a possibility. (And "image-focused" can be part of "competitive". )

I guess I don't see what the big deal is when it's easy to avoid the possibility of shoes being an issue. No one would tell her to wear the same polo two days in a row. Same thing. Just wear something different. No big.

Of course it's possible, but the shallow part - i was being nice - is independent of the competitive part.

You assume that everyone compares wearing the same shoes to wearing the same shirt. ;) As I said, that's a personal preference that not everyone shares.

Overall, I understand what you mean in your posts because this is an SEC recruitment for which many of the actives are making their "competitive" recruitment an "image-based" one. None of us can change that from the outside looking in.

What I mean in my posts is that on some campuses, appearance matters. Whether it's shallow or not isn't the question, and I do not think it is helpful to PNMs to act as though this never happens.

Especially when it's down to shoes. Change shoes. Damn.

Relax?

I mean it's just as easy for us to say "Shoes aren't the important thing. Damn."

And, "Whether it happens or not it's still shallow."

I have to say it is funny to reduce the shoes sidebar to simplistically inconsequential frivolity when even the very nature of recruitment outfit discussions is considered simplistically inconsequential frivolity by some. :p ;)

There's a line somewhere between "What sorts of things should I wear" to "Here's my entire outfit, tell me what's right and wrong even though you don't know me, my preferences or my body type." The same line is between "Flip flops are bad." and "Don't wear Hollister, wear RL."

Somewhere we crossed it.

I must suck because I totally wear the same shoes two days in a row.

If they're not gross and my feet or shoes don't smell, I don't see a problem with it. Of course, this is how I end up trashing shoes and have to replace them rather quickly.

Completely agree. There are many things a PNM could wear to recruitment that would be appropriate. Many of these threads make it sound like a girl couldn't get a bid at one of these schools without wearing the exact right outfit and shoes, which is preposterous.

Thanks for all the advice!
Honestly, when it comes to shoes - I'm going to wear what goes with my dress, is comfortable and doesn't smell (if this means smelling my shoes, so be it). If they happen to be different each day, cool. If they're the same, that works too. I hope my charming personality, shining recs, wonderful dresses and brilliant good looks can stand on their own (no pun intended, and obviously there was some joking in there haha!).

Once again, thanks for the advice - I'll be posting my recruitment story once rush is over, for better or worse. Until then, I'm going to focus on this whole moving in thing ;).