Sweet Home Kappa Gamma Theme
 

Hi Ladies

I was hoping you might be able to give me some ideas about decorations I could use for a Sweet Home Kappa Gamma theme. The girls are going to be wearing Red Plaid with jeans and curled hair. I want it to be classy and not to look to tacky. I am going for more of a Southern Hospitality atmosphere, rather than western! Please let me know what you think, of if you have any suggestions!

Thanks,
Kappa Girl 21

I don't see how red plaid and jeans would ever look "classy". You're going to look like hicks or western or both. Far cry from Southern hospitality. Southerners don't like the insinuation that Southern=redneck.

If you want Southern, Lilly is a good starting point.

Also, check your national website to see if they have ideas for a Sweet Home Kappa Gamma theme. Did another chapter of KKG give you the idea? Perhaps get in touch with their recruitment chair to see how they executed the theme. I've seen it used as a bid day theme.

I'd consider how many other sororities do the same theme, too. I know that my chapter did it about 5-6 years ago. I like the idea of using it more as a Bid Day theme, too.

She didn't call her a redneck. She said that jeans and plaid do not say classy southern ladies, which is what they were aiming for.

FYI - the term "redneck" comes from miners in West Virginia who wanted to organize unions. Those who did, wore red bandanas to work. Ever since I learned that, it doesn't have quite the sting to it.

But while Sweet Home Sorority Name is a fun theme, it's pretty over-used, IMHO.

That is interesting. Thanks for sharing that Honey!

That's cool, Honey. Thanks for sharing! My hubby is in Morgantown for work Monday-Friday for the next 2 months. I still call him a redneck. ;)

Honey, you are so smart! I think you have forgotten more than I've ever learned.

I know we say this a lot, but it depends on the school. I'm sure it's over-used at a lot of schools, but you never know about hers!

You really are dense, aren't you.

Interesting. I had always heard it was used to refer to the farmers (and others who had to work outdoors) because their necks were frequently red from being in the sun. :confused: I thought it was then embraced later by people supporting politicians etc. who wore the bandanas, but I had no idea that's how the term originated.

But to the OP, if you do stick with this theme, I wouldn't go with the red plaid and jeans.

What do you know about it? I thought you weren't from the south or did you forget?

Even without the short shorts, I get an image of Daisy Duke. I agree that maybe a different outfit would work better to say "Southern lady."

[QUOTE=Kappagirl21;1934025]Hi Ladies

I was hoping you might be able to give me some ideas about decorations I could use for a Sweet Home Kappa Gamma theme. The girls are going to be wearing Red Plaid with jeans and curled hair. I want it to be classy and not to look to tacky. I am going for more of a Southern Hospitality atmosphere, rather than western! Please let me know what you think, of if you have any suggestions!

Thanks,
Kappa Girl 21[/QUOTE

I think this theme could be very cute. Is it for the first round? If it is for a later round I might consider different clothing. When I think of southern women I always think of them in a dress or a skirt (think lily pulitzer), but what do I know? I'm not sure how you translate "southern hospitality"- maybe do a garden type theme? I'm worried you will look more western then southern. Good luck

Wiki agrees with you.

I'm not so smart ;) so much as enjoy historical contexts. The etymology of redneck was explained more than once when the latest mine cave-in was big. It's backed up here and here.

Back to the original post: depending on how it's presented, Daisy Dukes & a cute top could look cute - but is that how you want to represent your sorority? Even the women in the movie Sweet Home Alabama didn't wear those - they wore sundresses, for the most part. Just make sure that you don't look too much like the Stepford Wives!

Reading that, it looks like the term came to mean that in the 20s but before that was still a slam on poor southerners. It is interesting how it became both a badge of pride and another denigrating term all at once in the 20s and 30s.

A chapter on my campus did the jean skirts on a Sweet Home Sorority night but we were required to wear T-shirt/polos approved by Panhel. I think it would be harder to pull off the denim and this look otherwise. I agree that sundresses might be a better way to go.

But then, my recruitment was really casual compared to others so...

Speaking from the vantage point of southern upbringing...I agree with Wiki. I think the roots of this usage go further back than the mining usage and Drolefille's post seems to support that.

I wish the OP would come back and elaborate on her theme idea and join the discussion.

Dear, there is no way this outfit will look "classy and not...too tacky." Also, this theme is used by quite a number of other sororities with "Gamma" in their names. You might want to make sure no one else on your campus is using it.

Your remark shows a distressing degree of prejudice. I hope you'll reconsider it.

There you have it, from a University of Alabama alumna.

You wouldn't be the first, nor the last, but arguing would be wasting your breath, er... ink, er... keyboard.

While I know many schools use this theme our school has not. I come from a small greek system at a city school. Many times other chapters on campus do not get super creative. This idea has been used by other chapters across the nation. Many you might be able to give me some ideas on decor, not the dress. I would like to keep it classy and fun. Please let me know if you have decor ideas.

Thanks,

didn't feel like quoting everyone but here's this:

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/19831

It turns out redneck means Presbyrterian or Indentured Servant. Either way, it makes since. I hope the first rednecks weren't in Virginia though :(