Recruitment Ready: Preference Round!

This is the final installment in my Getting Recruitment Ready series! I know it took me forever to get through it, but the end is here. 

Preference round is by far the most formal round of recruitment. When you're picking out what to wear, think business wear or for a cocktail party. Classy and sophisticated. I know a lot of people will gravitate to the classic LBD, but I would advise against that for preference round. Sororities tend to have their sisters wear black or white for pref so wear a color to make sure you stand out from the crowd. This is the last chance to really make the sororities remember you. When I was getting ready for recruitment, I picked out two dresses from J. Crew Factory for preference (our preference was over two days, something to keep in mind when shopping), and personally I think J. Crew does business attire better than just about anywhere. Also try to pick out something you will wear again. I ended up wearing one of the dresses I got for preference for my semi formal and for my family's Christmas Eve celebration. 

green dress // red dress // turquoise dress // pumps // necklace

If your dress is more basic, dress them up with fun, sparkly statement necklaces. I've probably said that for every round, but I think statement necklaces can be the perfect addition to any outfit. Comfortable pumps are a necessity for long rounds and these Madden Girl ones are great (they're the ones I got for recruitment and have worn a ton since). Also keep in mind (for every other round too) that these are long days and it's going to be hot. Pick something where you don't have to worry about possible undergarment mishaps. You don't want to be constantly making sure your dress isn't falling down when you're trying to talk to sisters.

Moving on from outfits, preference is the most serious and longest round. At Clemson, I think we were there for 45 minutes to an hour, maybe more. I know your head will be swimming with the big decision you will be making that night, but try to focus on the sister you are talking to and her sorority. Preference round can also get pretty emotional, and don't be afraid of that! One of my friends cried during the preference round for her now sorority. That's not uncommon. If one sorority really strikes a chord with you, it might just be the right one!

I wish every one the best of luck with all of recruitment and finding your sisters for a lifetime. I might have a couple more recruitment related things coming too!

Check out my post for the first, second and third rounds of recruitment too!

Recruitment Ready: Round 3

This is the third installment of my Getting Recruitment Ready. Here is what you need to know for the third round of recruitment!

For me, the third round started off the hardest. After second round, a lot of the sororities make some major cuts, and you could end up getting cut from a house you really liked. If that is the case, don't let it get you down. I know it's really hard not to, but go into the day excited for the houses that are still interested in your amazing self!!!

At most schools, the third round is sisterhood/skit round. The girls will put on a little skit to tell you more about their chapter and the fun things they do, like formals, mixers, sisterhood events and all that good stuff. The skits are lighthearted and put things more at ease. Plus they give you something to talk about with the sisters. This is a great opportunity to ask whoever you're talking with what some of their favorite events and experiences have been. Remember to have fun, smile and be interested in the skit!

Now here are some outfit ideas for what to wear for sisterhood round. Third round is when things start to get more dressed up. Think what you would wear to church or a casual, summer wedding. So a nice dress (that's appropriate for day time) and some wedges, tend to be the way to go.

coral dress // floral dress // striped dress // printed dress // 

white wedges // nude wedges // coral necklace // gold necklace

I hope this gives you some ideas on what to wear and expect for third round! 

Happy Recruitment!

summer shopping haul

 The other day I went shopping with my sweet friend Chandler, and I might have gone a little crazy, but for good reason. I went to a private high school and even a year after graduating, my wardrobe is still greatly lacking. Also I found great sales and discounts everywhere so they were really hard to pass up. While a lot of what I got is more summery, I think most of the pieces will transition well into fall, especially since fall in South Carolina is still pretty warm. Here is what I bought!

Sperry Audrey Boat Shoe // these aren't the exact ones I got from Nordstrom Rack, mine are lighter with dark brown trim, but I love the style and I know these will be great for wearing with just about everything at school. 

Navy Striped Dress // Old Navy was rocking it this weekend all the clothes I got (except for the romper) are from there. I love this navy and white striped dress. It's simple, practical and oh so cute.

Kendra Scott Elisa Necklace // This was my little birthday present to myself. The picture does not do it justice, the iridescent drusy stone catches the light and reflects colors so beautifully. It's already part of my daily jewelry rotation. The Kendra Scott birthday discount (50% off one item during the month of your birthday!!!) also made it extremely reasonable.

Blue Oversized Tee // This shirt is so soft and comfortable, it feels like pajamas. It can go with just about everything, and with layering it'll be perfect for fall.

Floral Pineapple Romper // This adorable romper is from Aeropostale. Now I know what you're thinking, wasn't that place popular in 6th grade? Well yes. But I stumbled back upon Aeropostale this week when I found an Aeropostale gift card (probably from 6th grade). This romper was too precious to pass up. They also had a ton of other great stuff... another post on that may be coming soon.

Tank Tops // I decided to pick up some basics because Old Navy is the best for that. I got one in white, navy stripes and pink, because neutrals are necessary.

Madras Button Down // I have a major thing for button downs, I definitely have way too many. This one is super lightweight, but could easily work for any season when paired with the right things. 

Green Skirt // The greatest thing about this skirt is the pockets. Who doesn't love pockets? The olive green can go with anything and will be perfect for the fall. Paired with a simple top it'll be an adorable outfit for class. With a blouse or button down, it would be professional enough for sorority chapter meetings. 

Blue Shorts // The loose patterned short trend has been super popular this summer and this girl has definitely been on board. These almost seem like pajamas, but you can go out in public in them. These are more of a summer only item but they were so cute, I couldn't resist.

Patterned Skirt // I'm always looking for cute and comfortable skirts for school. I prefer skirts and dresses to pants (who actually likes wearing pants?). This is going to pair so well with some of my stitched sorority letter shirts, which we wear every Tuesday at Clemson, or with a normal top for any day of the week. 

What fun fashion items have you found this summer?

Getting Recruitment Ready: Round 2!

So it took me way longer to do the second part of my recruitment series than I intended, mainly because I forgot how hard it is to find what to wear for the second round of recruitment, but alas I finally found some things I think would work, so here are my tips, advice and what to expect for the second round of recruitment!

At Clemson, and most places I think, the second round of recruitment is when you learn all about the philanthropies of the chapters you were invited back to after first round. In my opinion, this is when you really learn the heart of the chapter and get to see how active they are outside of the little bubble of your university.

For those of you who might not know, each national sorority has a different charitable organization (or several) that it supports. For example, Tri Delta supports St. Jude's Children's Hospital, which is a hospital that does research and treats childhood cancer at no cost to the families; Theta supports CASA or Court Appointed Special Advocates, which is an organization that helps children who are in the foster care system; Kappa Delta supports Girl Scouts and a few others. You can find out more about sororities philanthropies from looking at the national website or the website for the chapter at your school. A lot of chapters also support local charitable organizations that are similar to their national philanthropy. 

When visiting each chapter, they'll tell you about which organizations they work with and the events they hold in order to raise money for it. You can really tell when sisters are passionate about the work that their sorority does in order to help people. For me, philanthropy day majorly changed my mind about a few chapters.

Talking about philanthropies with sisters is great way to get into deeper conversations with them. It also opens up for them to ask you about any service work you have done through your high school or on your own. Service is a key aspect of the Greek community and each organization requires its members to log service hours, but most people do it because its just nice to help people. 

Now for what to wear for round 2. This was the round that I had the hardest time finding something to wear. It's slightly more dressed up than the first day, but still casual. If I remember correctly you can still wear nice shorts and a top, or opt for something a little dressier like a sundress or skirt. I wore dress because it was just easier in my opinion. Here are some of the dresses I found that I think would work for second round. 

printed dress // t shirt dress (similar) // floral dress // color block dress // romper

sandals // flats

Similarly to round 1, during second round, the sisters are meeting lots of people so you want to make your self stand out. Opt for a fun pattern or a bright color. You could also mix it up and go non traditional by wearing a romper. Comfort and coolness are key because of the long days and high temperatures of August. When looking for what to wear think about what you would wear for going out to dinner with friends, casual but still nice and classy. You'll also want to make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes again like flats or sandals. You don't want to start wearing heels for round 2 since it's still pretty casual (and the long day would kill your feet). 

Remember to find something that shows off your style and you are comfortable in! You don't need to try to be anyone but yourself. 

My next recruitment post about Round 3 should be coming next week!