Annie,
It sounds like either your campus is super ultra competitive or the VPM is trippin.
I suggest that ya'll approach the VPM and let her know why you think her requests are unreasonable and offer a compromise. I have to add that you need to make sure that you present this to her as business like as possible. Basially, "Your guidelines will harm the chapter this way. My compromise will help that way." If she flips take the case to the VPM advisor. If she says no, go to the Recruitment Supervisor. She has the final say on everything!
In my chapter we were always told to wear our hair up so we don't play with it. Jewelry was kept to minimum. Again, because of fiddlin' with it.
As far as haircuts. We were told that if we were getting it cut; it couldn't be more than two weeks prior. Prerush and rush is stressful enough. Less than two weeks is not enough time to deal with the possibility of something going wrong with the hair.
Nails. We were encouraged to go get manicures as a bonding/relaxtion exercise.
As long as your nails weren't gross and didn't clash with the outfit, you're golden. I lived in clear sparkly polish for the first two weeks of school. It dries quick. You don't have to be ultracareful when putting it on. If it chips, it's hard to tell.
By the way, I think red polish looks best on short nails!
