It's that time of year again! Recruitment season. I remember when I was a PNM (potential new member), I was really excited to go through recruitment and find a second family, but I was also super nervous. One of the things I stressed over was what to wear. I mean what exactly does business casual mean in college? Do I have to go out and buy suit pants? What if I'm way under dressed? It all worked out fine in the end and I was dressed appropriately for every round. Now that I'm on the sister side of things, however, I'd like to provide some advice for how to dress during recruitment.
Ice Water (Round 1)
Ice water is the first round of recruitment, and is the most casual. During ice water, you go and meet all 5 of the Panhellenic sororities on campus (Kappa Alpha Theta, Phi Mu, Alpha Phi, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Pi Beta Phi). This round is called ice water because only ice water is served, so you may want to have a snack ready for your break. This year, t-shirts are being provided to all PNMs, so you have less to worry about when it comes to what to wear. Pair the t-shirt with well-fitting blue jeans and tall riding boots or booties for a classic look. You could also wear it with black or white jeans too. It can get cold in the rooms where the parties where you meet the sisters are held, so be sure to bring a cardigan along with you, and you can always take it off if you get hot. To finish it off, you can add a pop of color with a headband or a necklace to make yourself stand out.
Theme (Round 2)
Theme round is the second round of recruitment, where you are invited back to at most 4 sororities, but many people only get invited back to 2 or 3, so do not feel discouraged if you do not get invited back to 4. Theme round is where each sorority decorates their room to a certain theme. There will be light snacks served, but you may still get hungry in between rounds. Theme is a bit more dressy in regards to what to wear. Think of it as what you would wear to dinner to meet your boyfriend's (or girlfriend's) parents. Usually a cute skirt with a blouse or a sweater is a good combination, or you can wear a casual winter dress. Again, booties or tall boots are a great staple to wear for shoes. To dress it up a little more, feel free to wear a statement necklace! Below is an example of a potential theme outfit.
Preference (Round 3)
Pref round is the third and final round of recruitment. You will get invited back by at most 2 sororities, but again, it is perfectly normal to get invited back to 1 too. This is the most dressy round of recruitment, dress as if you were going to graduation. Cocktail dresses are common, but nothing with a plunging neckline or lots of cutouts. Officially it is described as a semi-formal dress code. For shoes, heels or nice flats are common. You will be sitting down for your parties but you still have to walk across campus and wait to rank your choices, so you may want to bring a pair of comfy shoes to wear between parties. Feel free to also bring a cardigan or blazer to wear with your dress in case you get cold. Below is an example of a potential pref outfit.
Bid Day
You made it through recruitment, yay! Bid day is the day that PNMs get their "bid", or invitation, to join a sorority. All PNMs wear white dresses on bid day, and usually wear heels or flats. After you get your bid, you will go to your new sorority's bid day party in a room on campus. There is fun and games, and lots of photos (it is strictly non-alcoholic). It's your chance to celebrate and meet your new sisters. Because you will be standing a lot, I also recommend bringing a change of shoes so your feet wont hurt after spending hours at the party. Congratulations on deciding to go through recruitment, and welcome to the best four years of your life!
