Biggest Rush Mistakes at any institution

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

What I'm saying about the whole khakis/jeans thing is not crazy talk. In the South, in certain circles, it is NOT acceptable to wear jeans after you graduate in ANY social situation that does not revolve around some kind of outdoor activity. Don't take that to mean being outside because just because you're outside doesn't make it an outdoor activity.

I think this all boils down to one thing: TRADITION. My dad taught me how to dress, his dad taught him how to dress, and it goes on like that. Going off that point, it seems (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) that in well to do social circles in the North, dressing "stylishly" is much more important than simply dressing appropriately. In the South it's the opposite.

If you want to qualify your statements, I may stop saying your claims = stupid.

And by qualify, I mean "in some parts of the South, in certain circles . . . ." I live in the South, too, had a traditional upbringing and lead a fairly traditional life, move in circles where knowing how to dress properly is expected, my dad taught me how to dress, and on and on and on.

I'm always amazed whenever these North-South discussions come up at how many people, including some Southerners, describe the South or Southern culture as a monolithic thing. Sure, there are some clear commonalities across the South, but there isn't one "Southern culture" or "Southern tradition." What's expected or usual in Alabama or Mississippi may not be what expected or usual in the Carolinas or in Arkansas. As far as that goes, what's expected or usual in Eastern North Carolina can differ a great deal from what's expected in Western North Carolina, even if one is comparing similar "social circles." Virginian Southern culture (to the extent there is any of it left) is quite different from Florida Southern culture (same disclaimer as Virginia). Texas and Louisiana are Southern cultures unto themselves.

Describe how things are where you live and in the circles in which you move. But don't assume that things are just like that all across the South, and that what you experience and have learned is the only "Southern culture."

[ETA]: But with this, I may have to go back to saying your comments = stupid:

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Sorry, but I don't believe that wearing jeans is appropriate for any career holding adult with GOOD TASTE in a social situation.

[sasquatch]

I think everything has been covered as far as this mini-debate goes, so I'm just gonna say this: If you go to an SEC school, then you probably get what I'm talking about. If you don't go to an SEC school (even if it is in the South), you probably don't get it and if you don't get it right away then you never will. I just realized it's pointless to keep arguing about all this South/North stuff because one side will always be "right". I think you look like an idiot in your faded designer jeans and your ugly striped untucked button down with frankenstein square shoes. You think I look like an idiot in my khakis, oxford and loafers.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

You think I look like an idiot in my khakis, oxford and loafers.

No, you look fine. Just boring. And all the same.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

No, you look fine. Just boring. And all the same.

You apparently do not appreciate the uniqueness and distinction that a well-chosen tie brings to the picture.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

You apparently do not appreciate the uniqueness and distinction that a well-chosen tie brings to the picture.

I'd appreciate the heck out of it in church. At a family dinner. In a restaurant (with your parents or grandparents). At a faculty function. At work. In a setting that would seem appropriate for a 22-year-old to don a tie.

But if you're talking about "well-chosen ties" distinguishing the chinos-clad loafer-wearing 22-year-olds at a standard social function (campus party, bar, football game, hanging out at the house), then no, I wouldn't "appreciate" it so much as think, "wow, those guys are UP-TIGHT." It's not that serious, fellas. You're 22. Throw on a tshirt and a pair of jeans and play some pick-up ball on the front yard. Throw some darts at the bar. Chill out, for heaven's sake, you have the rest of your life to make sure you get the stick stuck up there good and tight.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

I'd appreciate the heck out of it in church. At a family dinner. In a restaurant (with your parents or grandparents). At a faculty function. At work. In a setting that would seem appropriate for a 22-year-old to don a tie.

But if you're talking about "well-chosen ties" distinguishing the chinos-clad loafer-wearing 22-year-olds at a standard social function (campus party, bar, football game, hanging out at the house), then no, I wouldn't "appreciate" it so much as think, "wow, those guys are UP-TIGHT." It's not that serious, fellas. You're 22. Throw on a tshirt and a pair of jeans and play some pick-up ball on the front yard. Throw some darts at the bar. Chill out, for heaven's sake, you have the rest of your life to make sure you get the stick stuck up there good and tight.

Well, I think everyone in the SEC dresses up for football, although it looks like it may be a little less so than it used to be; with parties, it's just going to depend on the event; for being out at a bar I doubt they're wearing ties or sport coats, but it's probably a little better than t-shirts and jeans, but it depends on the bar; hanging out at the house probably is t-shirt and jeans.

I may need to go back and re-read the whole thread (well, picking up after the race debate stuff), but I don't think anyone said that college guys shouldn't wear jean in their day to day lives; just that a certain kind of SEC fraternity guy wouldn't be wearing them much after graduation, especially for social events.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Well, I think everyone in the SEC dresses up for football, although it looks like it may be a little less so than it used to be; with parties, it's just going to depend on the event; for being out at a bar I doubt they're wearing ties or sport coats, but it's probably a little better than t-shirts and jeans, but it depends on the bar; hanging out at the house probably is t-shirt and jeans.

Again, a lot of this is just plain WEATHER issues. Jeans can go in the washer & dryer & don't need to be ironed (well, at least the kind for guys we're talking about don't). Blazers need to be dry cleaned. If you wore any of that - or, on the feminine side, a dress - to a football game up here, you'd be regretting it really quickly, because 8 times out of 10, football games involve rain, snow, mud, hellacious wind, or all of the above. Same with going to a bar - lots of areas up here are hilly and a mess to navigate any time past October.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

I think everything has been covered as far as this mini-debate goes, so I'm just gonna say this: If you go to an SEC school, then you probably get what I'm talking about. If you don't go to an SEC school (even if it is in the South), you probably don't get it and if you don't get it right away then you never will. I just realized it's pointless to keep arguing about all this South/North stuff because one side will always be "right". I think you look like an idiot in your faded designer jeans and your ugly striped untucked button down with frankenstein square shoes. You think I look like an idiot in my khakis, oxford and loafers.

Way to overgeneralize and miss the point there. I don't think you look like an idiot, although your posts sure don't help the perception that you act like one.

I didn't go to an SEC school, but having lived in the South longer than you've been alive, I do get it. Better than you, I bet. I also get that there is a lot more to the South than the SEC.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I also get that there is a lot more to the South than the SEC.

You're exactly right. There's also SEC football and bourbon.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

You're exactly right. There's also SEC football and bourbon.

Should this be follow up with a "Praise God"? It sort of seems like it should.

From a fraternity rush perspective, I think there are more similarities across the SEC than there are differences about what would be acceptable dress.

If people in other regions find that boring or impractical, that's just fine. Other than on online chat boards, I doubt the guys down here give it much thought or discussion.

MysticCat, I agree with there being a lot of difference across the south generally in Southern culture, but I'm not sure there's that big a difference in what fraternity chapters expect in dress. And it's a area where you probably ought to err on the side of being boring and predictable, at least until you are initiated.

It might be interesting if we could look at pictures of chapters, other than composites, to see. I think decade in, decade out, in the SEC it's a field of khakis/chinos, navy blue sport coats, and button downs for rush. But maybe I'd be surprised.