If you could do it again...RE: Clothing

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by krrrristen

@FleurGirl i LOVE those outfits!!! I'm a nail polish freak as well =P I think i've seen on here though to not go crazy with a sorority's jewelry. Would wearing a pearl necklace/earrings be a bad idea??

I also have a question. My school's what to wear page shows the ladies wearing fancier sandals, but says to wear flip flops. Should I err on the side of caution and wear the fancier sandals?

Thanks ladies <3

Pearls are classic. I don't know if I'd wear them every day just because they might think you ARE trying to send a message...but if you like classic jewelry just use some diamond studs one day instead of pearls, or find some colored pearls to mix it up a little. MANY sororities have pearls as a jewel, so it's certainly ok for you to wear them.

I always think it's better to err on the side of over dressed rather than under. I would wear the fancier sandals, and if they're uncomfortable, bring some more casual flip flops in your bag. If you get there and everyone else is wearing flip flops, ditch the fancy shoes and put on the comfy ones. (It's good to have flip flops for walking to houses between parties anyway when your shoes might get uncomfortable).

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

Pearls are classic. I don't know if I'd wear them every day just because they might think you ARE trying to send a message...but if you like classic jewelry just use some diamond studs one day instead of pearls, or find some colored pearls to mix it up a little. MANY sororities have pearls as a jewel, so it's certainly ok for you to wear them.

Really no one's going to notice that you wear pearls every day unless you have some huge strings or your pearl earrings are the size of gumballs. And if they noticed, they wouldn't think that you were trying to be an XYZ.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Really no one's going to notice that you wear pearls every day unless you have some huge strings or your pearl earrings are the size of gumballs. And if they noticed, they wouldn't think that you were trying to be an XYZ.

I've witnessed it happen on my campus. Little things get blown out of proportion when a bunch of 18-22 year old girls are stressed out, overly sensitive, and are running on very little sleep. I do suggest changing it up a little, which can be done with another classic-diamond (or, of course, cubic zircona/diamond cut glass) earrings or colored pearls. If sticking with pearls every day, making sure to show sincere interest in all chapters is a good way to let the actives know the choice of jewel isn't related to a sorority.

(On that note I would avoid wearing sorority symbols during recruitment. For instance the anchor is very popular right now. Wearing a dress with an anchor print all over when there is a Delta Gamma chapter on campus might be interpreted wrongly, unless you want to convey that your favorite is DG. Of course it would be too difficult to avoid all mascots/symbols/jewels, just don't go nuts with them, and again, show sincere interest in all chapters so that actives know your clothing/jewelry choice is about what you think is cute and not about sending a message. Do that and you'll be perfectly fine.)

ETA: When I was a PNM, I happened to have picked (weeks beforehand) a dress for pref night that was the same color as the dresses actives of a certain chapter on campus wore during pref night. Of course because I picked it in advance it was in no way related to a sorority. But I was told by the other chapter that I preffed that they thought I was sending them a message. It happens, go figure. Again, just showing sincere interest will dispel any such assumptions.

[FleurGirl]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

ETA: When I was a PNM, I happened to have picked (weeks beforehand) a dress for pref night that was the same color as the dresses actives of a certain chapter on campus wore during pref night. Of course because I picked it in advance it was in no way related to a sorority. But I was told by the other chapter that I preffed that they thought I was sending them a message. It happens, go figure. Again, just showing sincere interest will dispel any such assumptions.

Wouldn't that be seriously encroaching on telling you about membership selection? I feel like that would be a HUGE recruitment no-no.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by FleurGirl

Wouldn't that be seriously encroaching on telling you about membership selection? I feel like that would be a HUGE recruitment no-no.

There are a lot of "Huge recruitment no-nos" in this thread that have nothing to do with clothing.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by FleurGirl

Wouldn't that be seriously encroaching on telling you about membership selection? I feel like that would be a HUGE recruitment no-no.

I should have been more specific...they certainly did NOT say that during the party. This was something I was told weeks later, after it was all said and done.

Originally Posted by epchick

How can you "witness" it happen? Unless you are privy to the other chapters membership selection, you wouldn't know that they thought Suzie PNM only wanted DG or XYZ based on their jewelry. If you've witnessed it happen, it's because YOUR chapter does it. But just because your chapter might do it doesn't mean every chapter does. If a girl walked into my party wearing the forever21 owl necklace, I wouldn't ever think she wanted Chi O.

I would say this thread has gotten ridiculous, but it's way past that already.

I've never said anything about membership selection. I said assumptions were made, which they have repeated, often in the context of "Oh Suzy, when you went through recruitment I thought you were going to be in my chapter because of your anchor necklace/XYZ for your four nights of pearls/XY for your mascot-print dress." Suzy says, "". I have no idea if that alone would have effected any bids or drops, though I can't imagine it ever would. I suspect the effect would've been what it was in my chapter...buoying hopes that a rush crush's love of "certainmascot/jewel" accessories meant we might be able to get them.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

I've witnessed it happen on my campus.

How can you "witness" it happen? Unless you are privy to the other chapters membership selection, you wouldn't know that they thought Suzie PNM only wanted DG or XYZ based on their jewelry. If you've witnessed it happen, it's because YOUR chapter does it. But just because your chapter might do it doesn't mean every chapter does. If a girl walked into my party wearing the forever21 owl necklace, I wouldn't ever think she wanted Chi O.

I would say this thread has gotten ridiculous, but it's way past that already.