What to Wear?
 

I'm in the process of making a FAQ section for our school Recruitment info page. One question I had asked to me was what types of clothing to bring to school that one might need for recruitment as well as sorority activities. A few of us brainstormed the following, but have we left out something major?

- a white dress (for Initiation and other rituals)

- a black dress (for semi formal events)

- a formal dress (for formals and other dressy events)

- a Halloween costume (for the obvious)

- a nice business style outfit like a pantsuit (for teas, and the like)

- what most people bring for campus living - jeans, t-shirts, shorts, etc etc.

Are we missing out on some major item we should tell girls to pack for school if they plan on being involved in recruitment and sororities? Or do any of our ideas seem way off base? I think this list will really helping incoming students that want to join a NPC sorority. I know I wish I had a guide like this when I came to school so I wouldn't have had to go out and buy a formal gown! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

I'm sure you really minded buying a new gown! Anyway, you list seems complete in regards to what my sorority requires for clothing, except maybe you should make a note of bringing along a few nice outfits for rush.

That list sounds perfect. I prepared for Rush when I packed for school in the fall, unaware of the fact (I never received anything from Panhellenic about it) that our Rush was not only in the Spring, it was informal. So, I have all these wonderful dresses, which I didn't wear until I became an active.

According to the information packet my local Panhellenic gave me, they really stressed comfort (ie., shoes, clothes appropriate for the heat--I'm from the South, etc.) and to plan for each day well in advance.

I have loads of this Formal Southern rush stuff, if there's anything you need. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Hey Sister Greek!
This just shows you how different NPHC orgs are in respect to "preparing". You don't "prepare" because the fact is you may not be invited to membership. Furthermore, we NEVER discuse attire for rituals with people outside of our respective organization.

I have learned soooooo much about Greek life outside of NPHC. Thanks again for sharing.




------------------
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

I haven't heard the white dress for Initiation or any rituals before! Did someone tell you this is what they wore? I've been a member since 1994, and this is the first for me.

My sorority has everyone in white for initiation. I think it's fairly common. I notice a lot of sorority websites that have a picture section may have pictures of the girls before/after initiation and they're all in white dresses. Maybe it's not as common as I assume...

What types of "nice rush outfits" do you mean? Our recruitment period is fairly casual, aside from the last two rounds. I assume that with the pantsuit and a black dress, along with "regular" clothes a girl might bring will give her enough things to mix and match for recruitment. What other things should we suggest they bring?

AXO Alum, I can tell you that I've never heard of a white dress for Initiation, and I JUST went through it--and for Alpha Chi, no less! I think some Bid Day parties, etc., require white dresses, I've always heard, "have a white dress for your sorority", but this isn't anything I've experienced. Maybe it's just a Southern thing?

Finer Woman, I'd also never discuss attire for ritual with anyone outside my organization, either. I do know that some groups have a dinner prior to Initiation, and the girls are asked to wear white...having nothing to do with the ritual. Although there are some discrepancies between what's considered secret between NPHC and NPC groups, I'm sure there are more common grounds than differences. Also...when your interests come for interest groups, etc., are they encouraged to dress respectably? Isn't this considered a form of planning?

http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Absolutely!
The typical rule is do not show up in other organizations colors or the colors of the Sorority you are interested in gaining membership into.

All of the NPHC orgs have a way of dictating the attire...pastels vs neutrals. It depends on the campus.



------------------
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

Alpha Chi doesn't wear white?!? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

You know I always thought all the sororities on my campus wore white for initiation and pinning. But I guess if I think about it I've never actually seen any of them gathering to go into initiation; so it's just something I assumed.

I know that the color your wearing usually has significance to your ritual. I've heard of other sororities that all wear black. I wish we did. Anyone who has ever had to wear white dress, white hose, white shoes knows that you definitely don't feel attractive. I feel even closer to my sisters during rituals in small part because I know that they feel the same as I.

Yeah ZetaAce, generally in NPC what color dress you wear during ritual is not a secret. If they put something on over those dresses and everything else they do certainly is though. I hear rumors but I always figure they couldn't possibly be right. Some of the rumors are so wild!

At my school though you'd still need a white semi-formal dress for Presents (pronounced with emphesis on the E). I know not every place does this so I'll explain.
Presents is a semi-formal dance in the fall where the pledge class is presented to the chapter. All the pledges wear white and usually the actives wear black. Some chapters have the actives wear their colors, like blue. It's not like a debutant ball but that's basically the inspiration for it.
Our school tends to have the dances towards the end of semester but the school cross town usually has it the week after bid day. They also hold it with a fraternity so it's kind of like an exchange.

Other things that I would put on a list of clothes that every sorority girl seems to have:
overalls
khakis
black boots
the infamous black pants
business clothes-for formal meetings, but every sorority and chapter has different requirements for this so it would be hard to be specific. At least one suit though.

Since there's always a chance that a girl doesn't joing a chapter I wouldn't put too much emphesis on the white dress or formals. But everything else is stuff that if you don't bring it with you, you're gonna end up wishing you had anyways. Formals (like from your prom) can always be sent from home in time for the dance. And sororities generally don't have a problem with rounding up extra white dresses if you don't have time to get one of your own.

But a black dress every women should own! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

So sorry that I went on forever!

SoCalGirl-
I don't know why you have replied with the whole "eek" thing about what we do or do not wear to ritual or any other AX related event. As anyone can see on any campus with an Alpha Chi Omega chapter, the sisters wear pinwear (i.e., business or Sunday dress with their badges) during special events. This includes Founder's Day, local founding chapter day, and other days of recognition and significance to our fraternity. We do not publicly acknowledge initiation day or other private events.

What sorority are you in?

Just a little side note on the white dress thing-

I wouldn't tell anyone to bring a white dress. at my school, the sorority new members that have to wear white to functions often borrow them from the older members who have to wear a different color but still own that white dress. you shouldn't buy one because you don't know if it needs to be plain, formal, semi formal, etc until you get there. so that could be a waste

for AXO, like AlphaChiAlum said, we wear formal pinwear to everything. every sorority has different requirements, this is ours. but we used to wear white dresses on pref night. that was changed 2 years ago to black dresses. (thank goodness!) but since many of my best friends are trideltas, they borrowed their initiation outfits from MY older sisters! they sitll had their white pref night dress, so why not let someone else use them! that's why i say don't buy one before you're told, you can always borrow one, even from another chapter! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

SoCalGirl- Even though I don't mind being mixed up with such a smart Dynamic Soror, Finerwoman 10-A-91 and I are different people, LOL. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

ZetaAce

I haven't heard the white dress for Initiation or any rituals before! Did someone tell you this is what they wore?


I'm an independent so I can't say for sure about initiation, but white was a very popular color for the sisters during prefs. Two of the three houses I preffed at wore long white dresses and pearls.

Finerwoman 10-A-91 & ZetaAce-Oops, My Bad! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif
I was really exhausted when I posted. I'm sorry I mixed ya'll up.

AXO Alum- I used the eek because it was the closest to shock. I wasn't trying to dis anyone or anything like that.

There is an AX chapter at my school. Like I wrote, I had made certain assumptions, they were wrong. I was very surprised that I was wrong about it. My jaw dropped when I read that AX doesn't wear white.

Your sorority might not publically acknowledge initiaition and pinning; but my sorority makes a huge deal about it. We'll tell anyone who'll listen. "We have initiation this weekend. We're getting the best new members. They ARE THE BOMB!!! But I hate that we have to wear white. Yuck!" I can't even begin to count how many times I have had this conversation.

Always learning new things on this board!

Good point about borrowing dresses. I'll definitely add that to the FAQ.

"Your sorority might not publically acknowledge initiaition and pinning; but my sorority makes a huge deal about it. We'll tell anyone who'll listen. "We have initiation this weekend. We're getting the best new members."


Just wondering why some NPC (I don't know if they all do) sororities tell their pledges when they will be initiated, as well as tell others? I am a member of an LGLO and we never tell anyone ANYTHING about ANY of our activities. We feel that our membership process should only be discussed between members and the pledges. Also, pledges are not given an initiation date ahead of time because to us that would be almost like telling them "you have until THIS date to become bonded for life!" In addition, the pledges might start to slack off if they know the end is near. Further, membership is not a guarantee. I just want to know if there is a reason why NPC organizations seem to be more open with their pledge programs, and why they give pledge classes the date of initiation?

We also do not share any information (least of which when *and where* initiation will be. According to Nationals, our new members now must know their initiation date before accepting their bid. Plus our new member period is MUCH shorter and can never last over a semester or the summer. Ridiculous Ridiculous Ridiculous! The NPC needs to give it a rest about this hazing thing! I don't see how it can be called hazing. When I pledged (I'm old) we had NO clue about initiation. We were so surprised when the big day came! That made it that much better!

SoCalGirl - Again, as far as what an org does or does not wear - that's private info for the members of that org only. Period. Leave it be! What sorority are you in?

Soror ZetaAce,
You My Soror Are Dynamic, Smart, Sentational, Magnificent, Inspiring, and the BEST... (5 for the Pearls) Thanks for the compliment. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif




------------------
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

Re the white dress thing, I am w/ SoCal again, I thought everyone in NPC wore white for initiation/ritual and that that was not "secret." We had a white skirt on my dorm floor that probably attended rituals for 4 different orgs, at least!

Here's my advice: if you are going thru rush and see a white dress, snap it up, because they are a bitch to find if you do need one. Just leave the tags on in case you don't need it.

AXO Alum- "as far as what an org does or does not wear - that's private info for the members of that org only. Period. Leave it be!" Once again, that's how it is in your org. Many others don't have that policy. Girls are always borrowing dresses for initiatioin and other events. And please don't tell me to "Leave it be!". I certainly wouldn't tell you what to not discuss on this board. I have never intended to disrespect Alpha Chi Omega Sorority or any other organization. I hope that you haven't interpreted any of my posts this way. And if you have to know what sorority I'm in, feel free to email me. I prefer not to publicize it on the internet so that I may have the freedom to discuss concerns and problems without tarnishing my org's image.

Why?- I think the reason that pledges are given the date before hand is because it could be considered hazing. (Yes I know that's lame.) I'm not sure if we ever had a time when it was a secret. I've never thought to ask one of our alumnae about that.

In my sorority, part of requirement for initiation is that the pledges must pass a written test about what they learned during their pledge period. They also need to show love and respect for the org and prove to make a good sister while maintaining the grades. If they haven't proven themselves by the set date they are held over. They then go through it all again. If we're still not satisfied they're released. So in theory they could have a twelve week pledge period. (Not including any vacation time in between.)

But back to the orginal post. I'd put white dresses on the list. But make a note to only bring one if they already own one. Borrowing is always an option.

Let me get this straight...you bring up the issue of a white dress, and I reply...then you use the whole "eek" thing and reply that you are shocked, so I reply back that we wear pinwear and our initiation date is secret....then you reply again so I finally just say "Leave it be!" In every post I have used my greekchat name "AXO Alum" without worry of "tarnishing" my organization's name. I don't worry about tarnishing her name because I am posting in a respectful manner. So when I ask you to let sleeping dogs lie, you continue to push. Yet you then want to come out and say you don't want to "tarnish" your sorority's name??? Why are you ashamed to post your sorority name? And you would tell me what not to discuss on the board if I had replied NUMEROUS times about the same thing. I was simply stating that a white dress is not necessarily a requirement for sorority events.

AXO Alum- First off I wasn't the first one to bring up the white dress! You orginally replied "I haven't heard the white dress for Initiation or any rituals before! Did someone tell you this is what they wore? I've been a member since 1994, and this is the first for me."
You never knew that other orgs used white dresses. I'd only ever heard of one other glo that didn't use them. Since AX is on my campus I was especially surprised to read that ya'll didn't. If you never posted that, I'd never have known!

Once again, the whole reason that I used the eek face is because I was shocked that I was wrong. I even said in the first post that I was surprised that it didn't fit my assumptions. That's all I meant by it. I replied to your first post addressing me because I wanted to clarify that. I'm not trying to push anything! I don't actually care what you wear because it doesn't effect me.

And you don't know me so you couldn't possibly know if I would tell you not to discuss something. I only ask that you don't try to tell me what to discuss.

I have never meant any disrespect to anyone on this board. Including you.

I am not ashamed of my sorority. I'm quite proud of it. I wrote that "I prefer not to publicize it on the internet so that I may have the freedom to discuss concerns and problems without tarnishing my org's image." Examples would be like any hazing incidents that have occured or anything else that my chapter would get into trouble for since our nationals has incredibly strict rules when it comes to those things. Jeez, I don't even put my letters on my car because then I'd feel like I'd have to keep it sparkling clean. If I put my letters in my user name or publicized the name of my sorority I'd feel the same way. I would feel like I couldn't ask for advice on problems within my chapter. If you still want to know, feel free to email me.

I agree that white dresses are not necessarily required for sororities. That's why I've already written all of these comments:

"Since there's always a chance that a girl doesn't joing a chapter I wouldn't put too much emphesis on the white dress or formals."

"And sororities generally don't have a problem with rounding up extra white dresses if you don't have time to get one of your own."

"But back to the orginal post. I'd put white dresses on the list. But make a note to only bring one if they already own one. Borrowing is always an option."

As far as wearing white dresses... No special color of dress attire is required for ceremonies for us. But while I can't speak with regards to ritual and a specific color - I do know from experience that white and lighter color clothing turn out so much nicer for photographs. Our charter memebers photograph was "proffesionally" taken a few hours before the ceremony. Most of us picked out dark blues or blacks for our dresses. Between the background, each other's dresses, and those of us with brown/black hair - the photo could have been a lot nicer had we all worn lighter colors...

just my few cents to the pot.. (this could actually be an interesting fund raiser..)