About purses and wardrobe
 

We're not allowed to bring anything into the houses, but would it be acceptable to bring a small handbag with tissues/blotting sheets as it's hot and humid there and let the Rho Chi* watch it while we're inside?

As for wardrobe, are nylons okay to wear with a dress that cuts a little above the knee? The dress is church appropriate and is worn with dress sandals. Should I have otherwise bare legs? My legs aren't exactly my strong point, especially with scarred up knees, which nylons would hide.


If there's already a thread, can someone point me to it? Thanks.

*Sorry if that's the wrong term, they call them something else at my school.

Double check with Panhellenic about the purse thing. At some schools, the Rho Chis will watch purses outside, but at other schools, the Rho Chis will give you a plastic bag with your name on it to hold these items and ask that you not even bring a purse.

My personal opinion: I would think that slightly above the knee is ok, as long as we're not talking miniskirt length. Use your best judgement.

Won't nylons be really hot? I am not a fan of nylons unless I need to wear them with a suit for work, and didn't really think that young women wore them these days, but that could just be on my campus. Could you try practicing with some spray tan or something?

Thanks. It's about an inch above the knee. I'm mostly unsure about nylons if those are too old fashioned or out of date.

unless you're super blotchy or are hiding a birthmark or something, don't wear panty hose. it is kind of old fashioned. if you LOVE panty hose, then do it, because that's you, but no girl I've EVER met is going to say, "oooooooh, look at her bare legs!" Some might notice, but some will. so few girls wear it nowadays, it does seem strange. Style-wise, at rush, you're not trying to impress boys, but you're also not trying to impress your grandma.

The OP said something about scarred up knees that she wanted to cover.

Unless nylons are typical in your part of the country, I think the style is bare-legged for young women. Magazines, style tv shows, etc all show "no hose" looks.

Splurge for a spray tan or do the 'self tanners' for a smoother, even look. (But I would suggest practicing now with the self tanners to make sure you have the technique perfected before rush.)

Be wary of spray or self tanners if it will be hot as being streaky and staining furniture is not a favorable outcome. If you feel more comfortable in sheer nude hose, then wear them. A good pair from a department store with a hosiery section can last a long time and are useful for times when you might dress up in badge attire, attend religious services, have an interview, or participate in campus events that require nicer dress.

I'll own up to wearing hose sometimes, but they are super nude and natural for my skin tone, and most people can't tell when I wear them. I'm also a woman who owns and wears slips, so I'm obviously a fan of functional undergarments. If you do go the hose route make sure to pick shoes that work with hose, as you mentioned sandals and that may be problematic if your toes look webbed.

I wouldn't wear open toed shoes with hose. If your scars make you self conscious, wear the hose. FWIW, I have tons of scars all over my knees and never wear them, personally, but I could give a rat's what people think of my knees, or the fact that my legs are really pale. I figure as long as I shave them I'll be fine.

I might just have to put this in my signature! Love it! :)

If you are really worried about your knees, get Dermablend. It works wonders and the setting powder makes it stay. Under no circumstances wear open toed shoes with hose. But if your legs overall worry you, as VS said, wear GOOD sheer nude hose (good = best and sheerest you can afford at Macy's, Nordstrom etc).

I am ready for the whole no hose ever thing to be over as a lot of women do it who really shouldn't.

For the OP: If you want to take a few items (brush, feminine hygiene items, breath strips, eye drops, snack bar) I suggest putting it in a clear Ziploc type bag so you can see what you need easily and aren't digging around, and maybe have it in a little bit bigger bag with some water. However you may attend a recruitment where this is all provided, but clear Ziploc bags are great for all kinds of things, or even a see through cosmetic bag would work.



I've had to explain them to a few sisters who have been quite colorful in their choices of undergarments under initiation clothing. Also in general if you're wearing white or cream, go for nude/skin tone undergarments as white can show through. I think that slips started to fade from use with pantyhose, thong underwear, and Spanx, but they are still not a bad idea under white, cream, or light fabrics such as linen.

I have a problem with racer back tank tops with bras that aren't, it is a totally preventable syndrome, as is wearing pants and underwear that are incompatible. I'm a supervisor and I usually only have to tell an employee once something isn't acceptable and we keep some unfortunate shirts and sweatshirts on hand if they are unable to change.

Maybe this is just my chapter, but we're required to wear nude or beige pantyhose for Pref. We're also required to wear closed-toed heels since visible toes covered in pantyhose is a no-no. For the other rounds we're wearing some variety of pants, so it doesn't matter.

I wouldnt suggest bringing a purse at all. Trust me you arent going to want to keep up with traveling to different houses. I am not sure about PC's rules at your school, but we dont allow pnms to carry purses just to make sure that no one takes anything out of the parties. Having been a Rho Gam we used to carry around a survival kit with napkins, water, carmax, breath mints, etc.

If you're wearing hose, I can't speak highly enough of Hanes Silk Reflections. But match them to your skin tone, and please, PLEASE don't wear them with open-toed shoes. I'd raise an eyebrow at open-toe shoes with pantyhose before I raised an eyebrow at a girl without hose on.

I do wear slips, especially under a couple of dresses that are white (initiation dress included, although I was lucky and got one fashionable enough/not too dressy that it's appropriate for summer cocktail parties) and under wool skirts that are sometimes itchy.

Random question and potential further hijack - where do you find slips? I can't remember where I got my last one - not really an indication of how often I wear a slip but more likely how often I wear a skirt or dress at all - but I haven't seen them anywhere and am looking to buy some new since I have a couple of skirts that my slips on hand show at the bottom or if there's a slit in the back of the skirt. This isn't really an issue for summer since all those skirts are lined anyway but I bet in the cold Chicago winters I'd be glad for an extra layer!

Try Sears or Penneys.

the last time i bought a slip, i found it at a department store-dillards or macy's-can't remember which. of course, this was after i had been laughed out of some other shops for asking if they had slips-victoria's secret, etc.

If you want a really inexpensive one I bought one at the Motherhood store. Yes, the maternity store. (they fit people who are not pregnant as well as they STRETCH ) I bought the smallest they had and what was great about it was it had a wide strip of lace at the bottom that you could cut tiers off to make it the length you needed it to be. It was so reasonable priced and really fit me perfect.

If not, this is a great online store:
http://www.herroom.com/slips.aspx

They have all levels of quality and such a selection.
IMO, a great slip comes in handy!

I've driven a sister or two to Walmart as they have half slips for around six or seven dollars, which is reasonable as they don't use it often. As the other women said, Sears, JCPenney's, Kohl's, Target, Macy's all have them. I have three (white, beige, black) that come to my knee so I can wear them with a lot of things. You're right though, they are handy in winter but you have to be careful of static cling!

I realize I'm kind of "old fashioned" as I didn't wear jeans as a clothing item (unless I was horseback riding, doing physical work, or camping) as a teenager and rarely shopped in Juniors because I didn't like the clothes, so it is just part of what I have as a functional wardrobe. I also had a job in college with a professional dress code and though I've relaxed it a bit since I live in Idaho (and I experience a real winter, unlike in San Francisco) it is something ingrained by my upbringing.

FYI: Half slip is just that, it is like a skirt and starts at the waist. Full slip is all one piece, with the top being like a camisole. You can buy them as separates and use the camisole under a blouse. There are also foundation garments that are slips which do the work of Spanx. These are items that should be worn with skirt suits or work dresses, so it isn't a bad idea to have one on hand if you're in college and plan to be involved with activities that require business attire (student government, internships, other high leadership levels). Foundation garments should never be uncomfortable, and if they are try a different one or see a professional for advice at Nordstrom or another higher end department store. There is truly a difference in well made and garments fitted by a trained professional, and what is sold at Victoria's Secret.

I just bought a half slip at Target for $9. I love it because it's only 16 inches- most of the half slips I've found nearly hit the floor (especially because I'm short). I'm only 19, but I always wear a slip under slightly sheer skirts. That probably comes from a) being raised in the South and 2) my mother griping about sheer skirts. I really haven't looked at or worn a full slip since about the age of 9 though... I suppose if I ever needed one, I'd just wear my half slip and a white camisole.

random hijack -

i think slips are pretty classy, the really fancy ones youd get from a lingerie shop. i dont own any clothes that i'd wear a slip with.

I have never seen a slip at Target, and I've been looking!

I'm not a full slip type of girl.

Thanks for the advice!

I have several dressy shoes I could wear (and are walking friendly) - both open and closed. However, I think I'll be ditching the hose. The open-toed shoes are a little more flattering overall. Now to just perfect the art of painting toenails without painting toes and the floor. ; ) Other people's toes? No problem.

Tanning lotions scare me a little, I know how to apply (exfoliate!) and generally do a decent job, but it does rub off.

I'd consider a splurge on a pedicure and maybe a manicure too.

Also, as far as self taners are concerned, I have had good results with Neutrogena products and they tend to be less expensive. Be sure to wash hands very well (I use a bleach cleaner like comet or soft scrub) following application. If you apply a few coats a day or so before recruitment, your chances of them rubbing off decrease significantly as the skin itself darkens after about 4 hours and the bronzers contained in the products are washed off during normal showering. If you are still concerned, try a few professional spray tanning sessions (although a bit expensive for my budget).

While more expensive, it may be worth the splurge, especially if she's tanning to cover up some scars or just to look nicer in her recruitment outfits. As someone who had a terrible incident with a self tanner (I'm talking orange and streaky that took hours of painful scrubbing to fix) I know the value of spending a little extra for a professional job.

Also, if you search, you can get them for cheap if the tanning salon happens to be training someone/is just opening. A good friend of mine used to work at a tanning place and whenever someone needed to be taught how to use the spray tanner machine they would always offer to do it for a very reduced price.

Of course, this could have been a positive back in the Frills Rush Days. Willie Wonka was a popular rush skit. ;)

Side note: do you know how hard it is to find slips these days? I went looking for one the other day and couldn't find one!

To the OP: there's nothing wrong with wearing nylons if you want to. Like someone else said, make sure they match your skin tone. Usually people can't even tell that you're wearing them if you get a good pair. My favs: if you have a Talbots by you, they have fabulous hosiery.

YES. Mystic Tan makes me look orange. If you have fair skin, don't do spray tanning.

I need to get one for my bunader so it is on my list of things to buy in the next month. I was going to look at stores in Spokane, probably starting with Freddies and going from there.

Nylons are fine, but you MUST wear them with closed shoes -- no sandals or open-toe shoes. It's worth it to splurge on a manicure/pedicure if you can.

L'Oreal makes a stick concealer (I think it's called "Quick Stick") that I use for everything -- as a eye/facial concealer, eye shadow base, and to conceal little marks on my legs. Lightly streak an edge of the concealer across whatever you want to hide on your legs and blend it in with one of your fingers. Use a facial brush and loose powder to set it if you like. It's relatively cheap, and it works.

You can buy half-slips in any length. Most are made of nylon-type materials. You can buy them with one or two slits if you want, and twist them around to match the slit(s) on your skirt or dress. I would get a nude colored slip. You can also roll them up at the waist if you need to. If you get a nylon slip, also buy a spray-on product called, "Static Guard". It will keep you slip from sticking to your hose or your skirt. I also like cotton slips, which are comfortable and don't stick, but they can be hard to find.

hi ladies i am brand new on this site still not really sure how to start my own thread and whatnot. I am going through formal recruitment in 2 weeks at a private florida university! I am very excited and had some questions about wardrobe. I have these really cute pair of silver/grey dress shorts that are cuffed. I want to wear them with a nice black shirt and a scarf. How do you all feel about scarves? a yes or a no? It is back/white/grey and matches the outfit. I know how you talk about jewelry being minimal so I wasn't sure. Also nice flipflops are okay because of it because florida right? Another thing I wanted to post what school I am rushing at because i wanted to know if someone on here could give me advice specific to my school is that not advised to do? Thanks for all the help!

great thanks so much for the reply! I going to post a new thread with my questions!

If by nice flip flops you mean something like this, that should be fine with dress shorts. If by nice flip flops you mean you got them at Abercrombie instead of K Mart, no.

Scarves can look cute on the right person, but make sure you have the fashion sense to carry it off. If your brother or sister looks at you and laughs, skip the scarf.

o yes of course like the flip flops you posted. I will keep that in mind I am sure my older sister will have something to say about the scarf! ;)