It was 1979, and I was a challenge to my friends, because I had attended a largely-Jewish high school where the whole concept of "prep" was utterly foreign, so they had to change my look for rush. Out with the shiny qiana disco blouses and in with the Villager. Out with the Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, and in with the madras shorts. Ditch the skinny gold chain necklaces, replace them with twee Pappagallo hunting horn earrings and a watch with a grosgrain ribbon that matched my outfit. Tone down the make-up.

Candies were the only thing from my city-girl past I was allowed to keep and only for pref (which was stupid, because they hurt and probably made me 6'1", which meant I had to stoop to hear anyone). Otherwise, espadrilles or sandals.

I wore both Aigner sandals AND and Aigner belt one round (I hadn't quite got the preppy thing down, and may have overdone it). Oh, and an Aigner purse.

Farrah Fawcett hair was mandatory - but my hair doesn't hold a curl, so it only looked good for the first party or two, then it was just long and straight with a slight bend at the end for the rest of the night. I had grosgrain ribbons in my bag matching whatever outfit I was wearing, and would use them as hairbands once the Farrah Fawcett hair flopped.

But for pref, I wore what I wanted - my beloved Candies, with the simple green stretch-cotton spaghetti-strap sundress my mom, who hadn't gone to college and didn't want me to rush, had bought for me once she relented. It wasn't a brand name (A Brod), but when you're 5'11" and weigh 115, you can wear pretty much anything. And hair in a French twist.

So I essentially did the whole rush (except preference) in costume. Which of course we advise girls never to do.

I don't remember much of what I wore for my late-90s a cappella rush, except the final night. I wore faded black Levi's 501s, a black velour polo with purple patch pockets on the bust (this was meant to be a funky, thrift-shop type of look), and black-and-white checked sneakers. Burgundy lipstick and a touch of blush and eyeliner. When I walked into the event, the group members were all in stunning black tie: the girls in full-length black dresses, the guys in sharp, classic tuxedos. Oh, how I wanted to be one of those girls in the elegant black gowns!

For my first rush on the other side, I wore a subtly patterned, ankle-length black satin cheong sam I'd found in Chinatown, with my hair in a bun. That was not a forgiving garment -- I wore it that one night, and it never fit me again.
________

Ahhhh the memories...
 

I wish I had a picture of the darling Malia sundress I wore for either round 1 or 2. It was afabulous tiny green and white check with an occasional bright blue and hot pink check. The straps were bright blue ribbons that tied in bows on the shoulder. The dress had a built-in bra too! I, of course, wore lime green espadrilles to complete the outfit. I remember feeling so confident in this outfit! The year was 1979.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...iaSundress.jpg

^^^Is it just me, or does it look like that girl really needs to shave her back?

OK, when I read that, all I could think of was this SNL skit. Warning: extremely politically incorrect.

Several of my friends went through formal recruitment in the late 80's, and I can summarize their Texas-sized hairdos with two words: "Aqua Net." In fact, when a couple of them ran low while getting ready, they ran down the stairs to my room to use my can...

A girl who lived across the street from me pledged Tri-Sigma in '66 and I remember her dressing a lot like you described when she was in college. She had beautiful black hair that she wore in a flip with bangs a la Marlo Thomas in "That Girl" and drove a red convertible with a white top ... I wanted to be her when I grew up!

LionTamer: I simply had to laugh when I read your post. I too went to a school with a large (95% or more) Jewish population. We wore more trendy things..with a bit of Europe.

As I mentioned my school had until recently before my rush worn St. John suits to recruitment. I had never heard of St. John. Gucci...yes, St. John, Villager...not on the radar. Everything turned out fine. I wear St. John today, but you can always tell tourists in the neighborhood: the men are the gentlemen in madras or seersucker shorts..even when it's in the 70s! (I had to explain seersucker to my kids when they were little.)

I thought I would pass this along from a woman I know who rushed back in the 1950s. Back then on her campus, rush was a "meet and greet" first round for all rushees, an invitation only event (or maybe two) at the sorority houses and then the preference night dinner.

A bit of a back story: my friend is a Catholic and this was before Vatican II. Also back then colleges asked religious preferences so the students from the same demonination would be first year roommates.

For the second round invitation events, the PH booklet for rushees suggested the women wear their "Sunday best" which back then meant conservative suit, conservative shoes, hose, hats and gloves.

When my friend's roommate, who wasn't rushing, saw the suggested dress code for the event, she turned to my friend and said "Do you plan to wear a chapel cap or a mantilla.?" My friend said that she realized that she didn't bring a hat with her to college, all she brought was some mantillas; she was planning to bring some hats backs to college with her after the Thanksgiving break

Also, back then, a lot of the sororities -- including the one she was hoping for a bid -- had a quota for Catholics and Jews or didn't accept them at all. There was no way she was going to wear a mantilla or a chapel cap. Luckily, one of the other women in the dorm had a hat that matched her suit and lent it to her.

My friend did get her bid to the sorority she wanted.

While my friend says it all so quaint today, in 1953 it was a crisis for a 17 year old on her own for the first time.

Why does tha that mannequin have back hair?!

While my time was in the early 2000s the reason I am putting this in is because my sister went threw the same thing 8 years before me. She in my mind was my personal fashion model at 6'0'' with blond hair and blue eyes she was a drop dead beauty (now compaire to kid sister barley 5'6'' with black hair and grey eyes I didn't feel on par with her glamor) but I remember watching her pack for school with a special bag to hold all her clothes for rush in 1996.

When I went to rush in 2004... I modeled my look after my sister which could have gone TERRIBLY wrong. Thankfully I Tim Gunned that! (Made it work).

Round 1- 1996(sister) had worn a soft grey colored loosely tailored suit with a vibrent blue blouse that brought out her eyes and a pair of grey and blue kitten heels with her hair in a French Twist and small hoops.

Round 1- 2004 (me) thank you men's fashion! A tailored, well groomed dark grey pinstripe suit with matching vest (before these were super in but I'm VERY curvy so it worked) but no shirt under the full vest. So when you took off the coat it was chic, but I wore dark purple high heeled boots. My hair was in a chignon with a purple ribbon running threw it and amethyst earrings.

Round 2 (1996) Oh, the Gap. Brown suade boots over a pair of eggplant colored cords and a short sleeved blouse in eggplant with brown stitching. [I sniped this outfit in 2001. I thought I was soooo cool... worst day of High School Fashion EVER!)

Round 2 (2004) A pair of dark green well fitting cord slacks and a rose colored blouse with a strand of rose colored and green faux pearls with matching earrings and I'm pretty sure the same boots Kerin wore in 1996.

Round 3 (1996) a brilliant turquoise velvet dress with boat neck but short short sleeves and a white cardigan left open with a pair of white pearls, a white head band and turquoise boots with white tights. Ooooh yeah. The Hilary Clinton Headband!

Round 3 (2004) dark sapphire blue wrap dress with a cream colored chiffon scarf with sapphire water like splashes painted onto it. Navy blue heels and nude stockings. It should be noted I say stockings. These were silk stockings my mother bought in London in 1972 and a garter belt that was my Nana's in WWII (navy lace). It flashed a little when I sat down and one of the alumnae noticed and complimented me on my ability to keep my seems straight.

Round 4 (1996) Black dress with a small amount of soft pink piping in a very classic Audry Hepburn sort of way with a pair of pink tights and black shoes with a pink and black handbag.

Round 4 (2004) Same dress. On me it was tea length with a pair of black open toe pumps and nude hose and a pink ribbon in my hair.

What a difference 8 years makes.

BTW- we went to different colleges and are with different organizations.

Seriously, you remember everything you and your sister wore that long ago? And since I was there: by 1972 everyone was wearing pantyhose made of nylon. And if you wanted stockings, they were nylon, in the USA or in England. (Remember Carnaby Street? They made stockings obsolete.)

Thanks, ellebud...i was about to post "Are you for real?" I smell one of our trolls...miss etiquette?

I just read the part about her wearing her sister's suede boots for one day. Right...you wore your 6'0" sister's boots 8 years later. You are 5'6" but you wear the same size as your 6'0" tall sister, and she saved a pair of boots for you to wear for recruitment for 8 long years. Okay...

Seriously, who says "kitten heels" anymore? That's straight out of the '50s and 60s. I guess the same person who would wear a garter belt to a recruitment party.

I'm sorry...I can't believe this. First of all, you wore your grandmother's fifty year old garter belt? That's underwear....that your grandmother wore.

And, speaking as the mother of two very fashionable young women: NEVER have they kept a dress (shared no less) for eight years. Unless they are (and I can hear you saying yes...they were) Chanel, Balenciaga, Worth, Lanvin...no kid keeps dresses that long. Unless they are hoarders or Rachel Zoe...and she doesn't collect Gap. (Rachel Zoe that is.)

I still think it's awfully fishy that she can remember everything she wore down to hairstyle, shoes and jewelry. Sounds like a Sweet Valley High recruitment. Did y'all wear matching lavaliers, too?