Rush: What NOT to wear........
 

Rather than getting all caught up in what a woman should wear, maybe we should just be telling them what not to wear.

1) Don't wear all black for preference. You will look like every girl already in the house.

2) Low cut anything.

3) Anything too short, you might be sitting on the floor.

a thong hanging out of the back of your pants

underwear showing through your pants

anything with cartoon characters on it

pajamas

sweats

tennis shoes

shower flip flops

heels that you CAN'T walk in! tripping and falling isn't cool

things that are too tight and don't breath... you'll be uncomfortable and look bad

and just to be silly... banana clips in your hair ;)

And finally... just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it. This goes for both large, medium and smaller women. Some things just do NOT look good on your body type. Just cause it looks cute on a hanger or in a catalog doesn't mean it's gonna look good on you.

OH MY GOODNESS, that is sooooooooooo true!!!!!!!!!!

I guess my only rush clothing "no no" is something that is inappropriate for the weather. Coming into one of our events in January in a sundress is a bit stupid.

Don't wear anything you have to tug on to adjust every two minutes. I remember one girl doing this last year. It was distracting, and it drove me NUTS! I can only imagine what it did for her, too, because how can you concentrate on what someone is saying while you're worrying about whether or not your boobs are falling out of your strapless dress? Test-drive everything before you wear it to rush, so you won't have this problem!

* I don't think anything that shows a midriff is appropriate.

*A t-shirt proclaiming "I *heart* XYZ".:)

*As much as a cute t-shirt might look good for round 1 at some schools, I'd steer clear of any with sexually suggestive slogans or ones that may promote drugs/alcohol.

*Jeans that are SO low that you are SPILLING out of them.

*Any shirt covering less than your standard halter top. Your back should NOT be COMPLETELY out.

Your boyfriend's fraternity letter sweatshirt. This does not impress anyone, it just makes you look like a cocky beeyotch.

Don't wear too much makeup or too little. At some point, you'll probably be in a well-lit area and if you have nothing on you'll look a little washed out. If you're a makeup virgin go to a makeup counter (something with a natural look like Clinique, or go to Sephora and tell them SUBTLE) and have them show you what to do. The same with too much. The glitter all over the place might have been cute in high school but it will look goofy at a rush party in the middle of the day.

If you're comfy in high heels wear them, but if you start to suffer the minute you put them on, don't - there are lots of cute things out there with lower heels especially lately.

And yeah, I'm going there. If your rush is in September or later, don't wear "summer white" (i.e. white linen pants) or white shoes. Don't wear anything that looks too summery in general.

Avoid white from the waist down.....just in case.

(I remember one poor poor pnm :(! How embarrassing! I have to give her credit....she pulled a quick change and held her head high. Turned out to be a really classy person.

I think it's easy to guess...............

I think it's implied that she unexpectedly got her period. ;)

I wasn't expecting this out of you. I would have been picky about the white after labor day thing but not everyone is. I used to stop wearing sandals after labor day as well. It doesn't make sense to wear boots in 100 degree weather though:rolleyes:

My chapter always kept a supply under the sink in the bathroom just in case of that...

If you're going to wear a short skirt or capri pants, please shave your legs. Especially if you plan on showing girls the tattoo that you have on your ankle. :rolleyes:

Don't wear purfume... Even if it is just a little bit, someone may be allergic to it and with too many purfume smells in one room it can drive everyone mad...

*Don't wear an organization's color theme and/or mascot. That doesn't mean avoid every color that is a sororities (because that would be too hard!)... but don't go to the Pi Phi house in wine and silver blue with an angel necklace.... thats a bit overboard and would probably work to your disadvantage! There are other ways to express your enthusiasm for a group!

Here's my pet peeve
 

Even if they say the round is "casual", avoid screen-printed t's unless it is one that your school has everybody wear for that round.

And for those girls at Southern Schools (or anywhere that it's really hot) and wearing open shoes, if your feet tend to get sweaty and stinky, spray them with aerosol deoderant before you leave your dorm/house/apartment!

Seems like everybody's covered the "biggies", now we're down to the details.

You don't need to spend big bucks on a professional manicure and pedicure, but your hands and feet (if wearing sandals or open toes shoes) should look nice. Now is not the time to express your personality with bizarre shades of polish. Skip the black, blue, purple or other "fun" colors. Fire engine red might also be a bit strong. Stick to the basics or go natural. Just make sure your nails are clean and shaped. This might sound petty, but it's all part of the whole package that you are presenting.

Here's my "don't" -

Don't forget to check your backside after you use the ladies room - especially if you are wearing a dress with hose...:o :(

Luckily it was at the student union between pref parties, and another rushee saw me in the bathroom and told me! I was on my way to Chi O, too!

Recommendation: take shine absorbing face blotting papers with you in your purse or rush bag. That way if it's grossly sticky/hot outside or you are just have oily skin you don't end up piling on powder and makeup after every party and look like a drag queen by the 10th house. :)

If you go to a school in the northeast or anywhere else where rush isn't very competitive and doesn't require dressing up for, at least brush your hair and don't show up in pajamas and a wrinkled t shirt. (It's been done before.)

Avoid anything could probably wear at a club as well. Unless they are a really nice pair of black pants.

Wash EVERYTHING you plan to wear that week beforehand.

Those ruffled minis don't make a good first impression on me, so I don't think it would make a good impression on others.

If all else fails, think JOB INTERVIEW! Or even first day on the job. (You know how you generally dress up a little more than usual when you first start any job.)

Invest in sandle toed nylons if you need to wear them with your skirts and such. The reinforced toe band is super tacky with sandles. And definitely buy more than one pair if you are wearing them more than once.

Forgive me if I repeat some of what others have said......

Don't wear clothes that don't fit. Try everything on a couple of days before rush, and make sure your outfits aren't either too snug or falling off your body.

Don't dress like you're going clubbing. You're there to meet your potential sisters, not guys.

Don't wear clothes that are wrong for the season. You don't want to melt or freeze. But, if it's going to be hot out, carry a cardigan or wrap - you never know when you're going to walk into a party and find the A/C on full, and goosebumps are not a good look. ;) If you find you don't need it, a sister or your rho chi will set it aside and you can collect it at the end of the party.

IF you are given a shirt by Panhellenic to wear for the first round, DON"T desecrate it by giving it your own personal flair of cut holes in the side or frayed bottoms with plastic beads, or the 80s cut shoulder look. We had some PNMs do this the year I was the Recruitment Vice President and they were required to buy a new shirt and be "normal." It was funny.

What NOT to wear

1) Something that is totally not YOU, in the hopes you might impress someone. You're not being true to yourself.
2) Anything too tight, too loose, too revealing or depicting words or images that might offend
3) Anything with a blatant sorority affiliation
4) Shoes that haven't been properly broken in
5) Messy hair and an ungroomed appearance
6) Excess perfume/scent
7) Night club attire
8) Denim (go with chinos or khaki)
9) t-shirts (unless you must because it is a Panhellenic-issued t-shirt that you've been instructed to wear on a set day-- don't mutilate the shirt-- you can accessorize the rest of your outfit)
10) mismatched shoes and belt
11) A cell phone (don't bring it into the sorority house!)

If you're unsure, look at the web sites for the chapters of the sororities at your school. They will more than likely have recruitment week photos of the chapter. The campus Panhellenic web site should have something similar. I recommend you dress yourself up just a notch above the recommended attire-- a good way to stand out from everyone else.

YES: You want to stand out (in a good way) so people remember you from all the other scores of PNM's.

DO: Call the office of Greek Life at your university for the best answers about your recruitment and attire, though.

I would avoid wearing clothing that is made of "thin" material that doesn't leave much to the imagination. On that note, if you wear something that is fitted, make sure to wear body-smoothing garments or a slip if they show any "dimples".

I would also avoid wearing an unlined bra because some houses are well air conditioned. Going from hot to cold can be a shock to the system.

Coffee filters are WONDERFUL for that!

I advise women who are uncomfortable without perfume to spritz their hair, instead of their skin. It will be much more subtle, and you won't use as much.

One thing NOT to wear: a bored look/frown! I can't think of a faster way to insure being cut quickly!

crabtree and evelyn has a little book of blotter papers-not much moola and very nice and compact.

Do people really pay that much attention to hands/feet? I mean...in the short amount of time we're given to meet/greet/understand girls, are hands/feet really going to stick out to people? I usually sport some pretty gnarly blisters, caluses, or band-aids on my hands from rowing and also the reason I won't even consider a manicure till the off season. My fingernails/cuticles are pretty gnarly, too, from photo chemicals and bike work...I just can't remember the last time I noticed someone's hands or feet, or when those things stuck out in my mind.

I don't think you'd get cut for having a bandaid around your thumb, but having nice hands and feet is part of looking put together and professional-- something you should also consider in job interviews. :) At the very least, wash your hands and feet and clean any dirt or grime from under your nails!

I think so. When I was a collegiate (back in the day :p) we were pretty much told to get a manicure and a pedicure. While it's not the biggest thing, it helps to add to a groomed appearance!

Unfortunately, they do. A person's initial impression is made within the first few minutes of meeting a person -- exactly the length of a recruitment conversation. This is not only true for women, but men, too. I've heard many men in the corporate world say that they immediately look at a man's shoes to see if they are shined, whereas women often look at hands and feet (a lot of men judge women by their feet too!).

Some people are very detail oriented, while others are not. Some people take special notice at hands, feet, and other things. If it comes down to a $12 manicure, better to be on the safe side and look your best.

especially if you're in an environment where the rusher is sitting on the floor, if you have nasty feet, they're going to be right in their face. If you have issues with your feet, at least wear shoes that don't totally expose them!

FOOT FETISH HERE!:D

So, Hawk Alum, where You at and "HOW YA DOING"?:D Best Joey Voice!!!!
KC Area?

Can you imagine seeing a PNM pull some Mr Coffee filters out of her bag and start wiping them across her face?

:D

They do pretty much blot your whole face, between houses! Or, just cut them to size - they work better than tissues.

For some reason, yes I really can.

I've never tries coffee filter...hmmm, you learn something new every day! I usually use the oil absorbing sheets like the MAC ones or Clean and Clear from the drugstore. I used to supply them to my chapter during rush so everyone would still look fresh for the last party.

As for the mani/pedi thing. I'll be honest... yes, people notice. If you don't want to use nail polish at least make sure there's no gross things happening on your hands or feet and if there are cover them with a bandaid. Please please please do not walk into parties with polish still on your toes or fingers from 4 months ago that's chipping and grown out.

The key is to look put together and nice. :)

Yes, gnarly toenails that have outgrown your polish is disgursting. Chipped fingernail polish is tacky. Take the time!!!

manicures and pedicures may not be totally necessary, but at least have them look nice....clean, filed, maybe just a clear polish. and some lotion on the hands would be nice too. all will be shaking a lot of hands and there is nothing i hate more than rough hands, especially on women!

ETA:
No boobs (tasteful is fine, which has been covered in another thread)
No butt
No belly

no one wants to see you sticking out!