One of the biggest questions I had as a potential new member was wondering what the heck I was supposed to wear every day. First impressions are really important, so it’s a good idea to choose an outfit that makes you look and feel your best. You don’t want to try to talk to your possible new sisters and spend the whole time panicking about your T-shirt choice or feeling uncomfortable in your shoes. That’s where we come in. We’re here to help you navigate those outfit requirements and make sure you look your best on every day of Recruitment.
Day One: Open House Day
This is the most casual day. All of the sororities where their jerseys and usually some type of sneaker, so you can plan your outfit to coordinate with them. Wear your favorite jeans and an SMU t-shirt that makes you feel the cutest. A lot of girls get their shirts from the SMU bookstore last minute, which means that a lot of girls will have the same shirt. The more unique your shirt is, the better. You will be walking and standing all day, especially because this is the most crowded day. Make sure you choose comfortable shoes. Find your cutest sneakers and rock them—just don’t wear your running shoes. Since everyone will be wearing an SMU shirt and jeans, choose accessories to make you stand out. You also can never go wrong with getting a manicure; it’s a great conversation starter.
Day Two: Philanthropy Day
On this day, you will wear the T-shirt provided by Panhellenic. Wear jeans or casual pants. Since everyone will have the same shirt, this is the time to really make a statement with your shoes. You can wear another pair of sneakers if that’s really you’re style, but this is also a good day to wear ankle boots or over the knee boots, as long as they are broken in. All of the active members will be wearing the white version of the shirt you have, plus jeans and boots or sneakers.
Day Three: Sisterhood Day
This day is where you really get to let your style shine. Dress casual cute—think what you would wear to a Saturday brunch where you know pictures will be taken. You can’t go wrong with jeans a cute top, but you can also wear a cute denim skirt, a fun jacket, or anything that shows your style. The groups at each house will be smaller, so the actives will really get to see you. Your clothes should show how special you are, especially since you aren’t required to match with 600 other girls on sisterhood day.
Day Four: Preference Day
This is the fanciest day, and for good reason. A lot of the houses do rituals with the last girls who are left, so it is very intimate and very special. You want to wear a nice dress and heels. Think what you would wear to a nice wedding or a really fancy brunch. I wore my graduation dress when I went through recruitment. Try not to wear a black or a white dress, because most of the active women wear black or white as part of their rituals. You don’t want to blend in with all the actives; you really want to stand out on the last day.
Final Day: Bid Day
This is the best day! It’s where you finally find out where your home is. You will meet up at Hughes-Trigg, and once you get your bid card, you will sprint to your new house. For this reason, you want to wear comfortable sneakers that you can actually make it through a run in. Wear a white long-sleeved t-shirt (it will be cold), either the one that Panhellenic provides, or your own shirt. As soon as you get to your new house, you will be throwing on your new jersey, so you want to make sure your shirt is white so that it will not clash with your sorority’s colors!
Some tips:
- Plan your outfits out in advance. It makes the week less stressful.
- Iron or steam anything wrinkly the night before—you don’t want to look like you slept in your clothes.
- Bring a warm coat. You will wear it as you walk between houses and take it off a few moments before you meet the actives. Choose a coat that stands out— not because the actives will see it, because they won’t—but so that you can find it easier in the pile of coats. Everyone is going to have a black coat, so if you have a red coat, you can pull it out of the pile faster and thus be warm faster. Our recruitment is at the beginning of January, so it gets COLD.
- Break in your shoes, please. You can’t focus on getting to know your possible new sisters if your feet are killing you. Most houses have you standing on the first three days, so you really want to be prepared for that.
- Dress in your style. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not, because you’ll be uncomfortable, and the actives will be able to tell. Be true to yourself and show it through your clothes.
- You don’t have to go buy a bunch of designer clothes for recruitment. It won’t guarantee you a bid.
- You are allowed to carry a small baggie, so stock it with lipstick and a mirror for touch ups, cash or a card for lunch, tissues (because there is a lot of sweating on the early days, sneezing from the cold, and sometimes crying on the later days), and a tiny hand sanitizer for all those hands you’ll be shaking.