Totally PHILISOPHICAL discussion about what to wear to ri
 

Notice I said philisophical. I DO NOT want this to be a "we do so- so and so" thread.

That being said....
Robes or all white/nice dress? That is the question!

I am in a social, professional and co-ed GLO. I have participated in rituals in all three at my home school and at other chapters. Some wear robes, some wear all white dress (as long as it was white it did not matter), some it was a more fomal white dress and one it was just a really nice "dark" dress. It has even vaired from chapter to chapter. One chapter insisted on all white nice dress-no pants or anything, the other, anything went-one girl showed up in a bed sheet! What are your opinions? Do you feel it is OK to wear a white bathrobe or t-shirt as long as it is white, or is it better for everyone to be really dressed up even if it is different and not so uniformed? Robes? Do they add to the occassion or take away? Just opinions please!

It seems to me that a bed sheet would be a little, er, informal to wear to any type of ritual ceremony. I think I'd feel more comfortable in at least a nice dress.

I know in the rituals I have been in, I get a feeling of being in a dignified environment.

You were bedsheets to a freaking toga party, not a ceremony.

Showing up in a t-shirt, bathrobe, or bed sheet is not what I would call dignified. In my opinion, that kind of attire is crying out for individuality...not really appropriate during ritual if you ask me.

Hate to say it, but reminds me of a MASH Episode!

Hawkeyes sceptor was a toilet plunder!

Think it may be a lot more meaningfull if it was uniform in some sort of way! Well, unless it was a joke and fun sort of thing!:D

Re: Totally PHILISOPHICAL discussion about what to wear to ri
 

ok, bathrobes and bed sheets should definately be out. i understand that sometimes we ask our members to look for white dresses in the dead of winter and such, so it can be tough to find a nice dress. in that case, robes just make it easier. now in instances where you wouldn't be able to get robes, then perhaps you can start a white dress collection. as people graduate or get new white dresses, they can donate them to the chapter. people can borrow the dresses to ensure no one shows up with her fitted sheet wrapped around her body.

Re: Re: Totally PHILISOPHICAL discussion about what to wear to ri
 

Way back when I was active in the house, we had a huge collection of long white dresses which we had to wear for Pledge Presents. If we did not already own a long white dress, at least we did not have to buy one for a one time wearing. We started collecting short white dresses from graduating seniors so that they could be used by those who needed a dress.

DaffyKD

I think if you want dignity, you need to dress in a dignified way.
You are co-ed. I don't see anything wrong with everyone wearing black, or the guys with their ever ready blue jacket.

Why not up the initiation fees a buck or two and start a fund for robes. That way, all the guys and girls would be "presented" in an EQUAL manner representing equal members.

You can make uniformity exist within the ceremony, but dark clothing is easier to get by with than white-off white beige-cream etc....

Yay for robes, but not bathrobes! - nice, sturdy choir-type robes that you could order from your HQ or Robes R Us. :p They could be passed down through the chapter and a "robe fund" maintained as part of local dues for when they need replaced. The best part is that no one would be dressed inappropriately. I've seen various "whites" in person and in pictures, and suffice it to say I would be embarrassed to stand next to some of these people in a club, let alone in a ritual.

It is very, very very hard to find white dresses sometimes...but in dire circumstances, I think I would prefer a white t-shirt & white sweatpants to a bedsheet, or someone dressed like a whore.
If it's between the whore and the bedsheet, I pick the bedsheet - at least your butt isn't hanging out of it.

Sorry, but I am a real stickler where this topic is concerned.

Oh, and yay, yay, yay for the schools who mention on their website that you might need a white dress - it's easier to buy it and take it back if you don't need it than find it at the last minute.

I have to say I would feel that the ritual was being kinda disrespected if someone wore like a bed sheet to a ritual to my org's ceremony... but I'm kinda really into the tradition of ritual and everything having been a rainbow girl where there are SUPER SUPER strict dress codes and all... I tend to be really picky about wearing appropriate clothing for the occasion

I think it is really important to consider whether or not the chapter has a house. If so, I can certainly understand robes or even thick white t-shirts sewn together to make a long dress... I know, especially here in the South, that it can be nearly impossible to actually find a store selling white dresses after Labor Day. (I worked at a store that removed all of the remaining white dresses from the clearance racks so that they would not get "talked about.") And, if everyone changes into their outfits at the house, then I don't think it would be so bad.

But, I think if there is no house, only a chapter room, etc., then it should be more elegant in the form of dresses. (I think it matters what people see the members wearing if they are lined up outside the chapter room...)

Bed sheets are inexcusable to me. I think that if the rules are so lax that something so informal is allowed, then why not go to Wal-Mart, etc. and buy SOMETHING else. I think a white sweatshirt and sweatpants would be more appropriate than BED SHEETS!

AMEN ~~!!!~~~

Robes.

That way you don't have to worry about people showing up in bed sheets, or towels. No matter how much you try to tell them to dress "appropriately", there will be people who don't listen. We gave up and went to robes completely.

It's gotta be robes. For a honorary I belong to, we were told to dress business professional for our induction. I asked my boyfriend at the time, who was a member, what exactly they meant. He had been inducted with all men, and said I needed a SUIT. I go to the mall and buy a suit (which granted I needed anyway) and show up for initiation in it. All the members are in suits, and I'm the only inductee who is. One of the girls was wearing a denim skirt and flip-flops, several of the men were wearing polo shirts (untucked!) with khakis. I couldn't believe it.

I would even go so far as to say that nice non-white clothes would be better than bed sheets, despite the symbolic significance of the white. When I initiated, my chapter allowed cream, pastels and khakis in addition to white -- maybe a little bit like getting married in a pink dress, but it ensured that in a world where white dresses are impossible to find past September, and tough even before that, that we were all dressed nicely.

My chapter's been getting a little tougher since then but we still allow creams and light khakis and the occasional pastel if you can't find anything else.

My chapter allows khakis for certain rituals, but for initiation, it's gotta be white. No excuses.

Re: Re: Re: Totally PHILISOPHICAL discussion about what to wear to ri
 

I see this as being the most reasonable; the chapter having a stock of extras on hand. I would imagine that many seniors would be willing to leave a dress, knowing that it could be needed by someone in the future.

Like many other chapters, mine keeps a stash of whites on hand - if a senior graduates or a sister gets a new white dress she likes more, she'll leave the old one with the chapter. It's nice for the new girls because that way they can wear a borrowed one until they find a dress they can stand.

bump - one of my sisters and I were talking about this. Something good to keep on hand for a really dire emergency would be a high school graduation gown, if you had the take-home kind and they were black or white instead of school colors.

Emergency yes, but better than sweats or a bedsheet. :)

If it is important enough then dress important enough!:)

If you want to look like trash, then dress accordingly!

Did you go to your Prom looking like a rag picker?:(

Side note: I have a plus size never worn white dress that I would donate if anyone needs it in the next few weeks... PM me

I really like the idea of robes, too. In my chapter of PSP, I've experienced that everyone has different standards of "dressed up". We don't ask for much, just reasonably nice clothing like a skirt or nice pants for girls, and nice pants and nice shirt for guys (they don't even have to have a tie!), and yet we always seem to get into arguments over what standard "nice" should conform to. People have gotten really irritated over this, too. Robes would get rid of all that argument very nicely.

Hmm... nobody's willing to admit that the lycra catsuits are the only way to go?

Quite right ;)

I, like most others on here, think that if robes or the like are used, they should be ordered from nationals or something. I can't imagine being in ritual in bath robes! hehe

I think white dresses are fine too, but things can get expensive. I don't know where, besides maybe a graduation, I would ever wear an all white dress again.

I guess the best solution for me would be robes purchased by the chatper. That way everyone looks the same, and nice.

Wait a minute!
 

No one else does ceremonies naked?:confused: :eek: :confused:

Re: Wait a minute!
 

Nahhh...we wear skimpy underwear and then have pillow fights afterwards. :rolleyes:
:D

Re: Wait a minute!
 

Well, there is a ceremonial striptease around a crescent moon shaped stage...but for the most part, not so much. :D

Re: Re: Re: Totally PHILISOPHICAL discussion about what to wear to ri
 

I like that idea because we always run into new members not having a white dress or at least a white skirt and shirt. I don't know how many times I've gone shopping with NM for whites. Yeah it was fun but still a hassle. I'm going to pass this idea down to my chapter if you don't mind. :)

I'm embarassed to say this, but my chapter has actually worn bathrobes and sheets because they were white. Now, we've gotten a little bit better with time, but I think that wearing something nice should be stressed more than if it's white. I would actually prefer all black instead of all white because it's easier to find, most people have black pants/skirt and a nice black shirt, and it looks more uniform. People have gotten waaaay too creative with their whites...Tube tops/long socks/towels...and it's just not appropriate for a ritual ceremony.