FASHION AND BEAUTY TIPS FOR

FORMAL RECRUITMENT

From: Sorority Women To You!

Alyssa P.

I would say that you want to look your best, but don't do anything super out of character that's not you! For example, my best friend has very curly blonde hair. Many of us straightened her hair but she decided not to because her curly hair is who she is, and she didn't want a sorority to be interested in her for what she was looking like at recruitment and not what she was actually like on a daily basis.

I'd also say make sure you're still comfortable - if your clothes are suffocatingly tight or you can't walk in your heels the sorority girls can tell and it may impact how they think of you.

Keep some chapstick in your pockets or jacket for in-between rounds because you will get tired from talking and makeup will smudge- you might need a touch up!

Hannah E.

Mascara for days and black suits everyone!

Ashley J.

Don't over do your makeup, dress nice but comfortable.

Make sure your clothes fit appropriately.

Kelsey B.

Look and feel your best!

Wear makeup and do you hair so that it flatters you.

Don't cut your hair or do anything drastic right before recruitment because they most likely already know what you look like.

If you wear heels or wedges, make sure you can walk in them.

Madison M. First, be yourself! Dress to impress, but don't go out and buy a ton of Lilly and Tory Burch

just because you're going to a college stereotypically known for that.

If you get a spray tan, please make sure you don't smell like it. It's extremely noticeable, so get it a few days ahead of time.

Curl your eyelashes and invest in some under eye cream because it's an exhausting week and you'll want to appear as physically alert as possible.

Wear your hair how you would wear it normally if you were going to a formal event, such as a wedding or church. You don't want to be worried about the curls falling out if you don't typically curl your hair or it frizzing if it rains and you usually don't straighten it.

Avoid strapless dresses in general just because you don't want to be pulling up your dress constantly or worrying about your bra hanging out.

Speaking of bras, NO BRA STRAPS. Yes, we all wear bras, it's no secret, but they're just tacky. Invest in a great strapless if you don't already have one. You'll need it.

Plan your outfits beforehand. Anything can happen and the last thing you want to worry about if you wake up late is what to wear.

Courtney B.

Be conservative, clean and put together.

Recruitment is about your personality and character, the last thing you want to do is distract someone with your body con dress.

Be yourself, but what is appropriate for the setting.

Megan M.

Keep it classy!

Wear clothes that flatter YOUR body.

Don't feel like you have to run out and buy a Lilly Pulitzer dress and Jack Rogers just to "fit-in". Truth is, I had no idea what those were during recruitment.

Keep in mind that if you're going through Fall Recruitment, it’s still summertime and it will be very, very hot. Dress appropriately! Make sure your makeup is waterproof to avoid runny makeup!

Keep in mind that the girls in the house went through the exact same thing as you, so they won't mind you being sweaty and a little disheveled.

Taylor H.

Concealer and hairspray! Concealer for the dark circles under your eyes from the lack of sleep.

Hairspray to try and make sure your hair doesn't do anything crazy!

Kathleen M.

Make sure you keep your makeup and hair simple but flattering.

Try to go with a hairstyle that won't fall or frizz after a long day of walking around because then by the time you reach your last house, you may not be looking your best.

Use makeup that is waterproof, in case tears occur and also use a makeup finishing/holding spray to insure that you don't sweat it off!

Kelsey J.

Dress comfortably and in something you feel confident in! If you wear a brand new dress that you haven't worn before and aren't sure how you feel about it, it will definitely show.

During recruitment I didn't dress for anyone else but me, since I was the one standing in the heat and walking from house to house all day! The chapters definitely keep that in mind and they realize what you all are going through, so don't feel like you have to dress to the nine's.

Bring makeup/a brush so you can do touchups throughout the day and definitely try and stay natural-don't wear your brightest blue eye shadow or something crazy like that.

Lindsey M.

Make sure you're comfortable in what you're wearing. You will be hot (even in January).

Also, wear comfortable shoes! Don't wear heels unless you're super confident!

Emily J.

Formal recruitment at my university occurs early in the fall so it is still very hot and we had to walk from each sorority.

Everyone was sweaty so depending on the season, my advice is to NOT wear a lot of face make-up, plus they want to see who you are and not a fake version that you can portray by putting on a lot of make-up!

Also, be yourself by what you wear. You don't have to go buy those expensive shoes or materialistic items. The girls are looking for potential sisters based off of your values, not by the way you look. But dressing up can be fun!

Hailey S. Always carry deodorant & gum: plan for the fact that you will be super sweaty: bring hair

ties, pins, tissues and face powder

Being more formally dressed for a round is 100% better than being underdressed

If your recruitment guide calls a round "formal" or "cocktail" you MUST wear heels if you can actually walk in them: you want to feel and look confident not like you might seriously eat it at any second. If you can't wear high heels try a wedge or if all else fails a very dressy flat (for the love of god please do not wear a kitten heel shoe)

Simple and sophisticated is the way to go- pick a statement piece for your outfit and work around that piece. For example, if you are going to wear a big elaborate necklace pair it with a simpler dress or plain top

Business casual in a recruitment setting does not mean the same thing as business casual in real life: dress like you would if you were going to an interview for a cute boutique- work appropriate, a little bit more formal, but still trendy and cute: leave your pinstripe pencil skirt and blazer at home

Remember that you are dressing to impress a bunch of girls: that means that cute and trendy go a long way, your club wear may get the guys' attention on a Saturday night but you want to be (or at least appear) CLASSY!

Alex B.

• WEAR THE MAKEUP YOU TYPICALLY WEAR, and just maybe spice it up with extra eye shadow and blush! If these girls are going to be your TRUE sisters you need to be comfortable around them with what you normally wear around them.

Sarah O.

Look put together, comfortable, and represent yourself! You don't want to look like you're trying too hard, but don't look like you just rolled out of bed either.

Emily M.If you're going to do some fun/new/daring makeup looks during formal

recruitment, make sure to try them out a couple days before so you can make sure you look perfect. Same with hair! Get a good trim/shaping two weeks to a month before so your look is fresh. You don't want to wait until a couple days before to get a haircut, though, because you never know what will happen.

As far as fashion, don't be afraid to spend a little money on the things that matter: bras, underwear, and shoes. There is nothing worse than having a too-tight bra, panty lines, and uncomfortable shoes. You may be able to get a dress for $40 on clearance, but make sure that you get quality undergarments and shoes. Don't be afraid to buy shapewear for the more formal nights even if you're a size 4!

Most of all, be comfortable and rock it!

Brittany H.

When you're told the dress code, it's important to follow it each night. If you want to be a bit dressier, that's fine, but NEVER under dress for the occasion.

Make sure that your personality still shines through in whatever outfit you choose! The sisters see so many girls each night, that it's important to stand out a little bit!

Make sure that your makeup isn't too heavy; natural is way prettier 99.99% of the time!

Lydia M.For someone going through formal recruitment on the "potential new member" (PNM)

side, it's important to look natural.

Stay away from colored eye shadows, dramatic lipsticks, and applying anything too heavily (blush, bronzer, etc).

That doesn't mean don't wear any makeup. You should try to enhance the beautiful natural features you already have in a manner that isn't overwhelming.

My best recommendation would be to go to Sephora or another cosmetics store with beauty consultants available and find a good foundation that matches your skin tone (I recommend Chanel’s Vitalumiere Aqua).

Try to avoid a product that is very thick because many recruitments take place in the summer/fall and involve being outside; you don't want your foundation chunking up or sliding off your face!

From there just build on your natural features using an appropriate bronzer, blush, highlighter (I recommend Urban Decay's "Virgin" eye shadow as both shadow and highlighter!), brow pencil, and mascara. For the brow pencil and mascara I recommend looking for a good waterproof brand as you can never be too prepared for sweat, rain, or tears.

Christina D.Don't wear brand new shoes. There is a lot of standing in the first round

of recruitment. So already broken in heels can be worn. Although, I would prefer a PNM to wear dressy sandals or wedges so I know they are comfortable while still giving us a dressy impression.

Wear natural makeup. First round of rush for me lasted about five hours. So you don't want your cake-y makeup to "melt" throughout rounds.

If you want to wear jeans at any point during rounds, you can. My advice is dark jeans or black pants with a dressy shirt.

Wear what you would wear in an interview. Formal recruitment is not a place where you would want to sport that little black dress. Dress length should be no shorter than your finger tips. Cleavage and cut-outs are a big no-no. If such dresses are only available in your closet, add on a blazer.

Haley L.

Less is always more. You want to come across as classy and collected. Stay away from wild colors, prints, or fabrics.

Understated and classy is always better than loud and obnoxious. You want to be remembered for your inner beauty not how crazy your outfit was.

Pearls are always a plus.

As for makeup/hair stay with the understated look. Recruitment is not the week to try out crazy makeup or hair color.

Annaliese L-K.

Definitely take the time to put the extra effort into your appearance!! This is when it MATTERS! For each night of recruitment I spent over an hour getting ready- but it was worth it.

Choose your accessories and make-up carefully, make sure that they truly compliment your outfits.

This is your time to really shine in the fashion department! And make sure that your outfits are classy and respectable but still showcase your unique personality! :-)

Briana W.

Don't try too hard. It's easy to tell if you’re out on your most uncomfortable heels and dress just to impress each house. Maybe you hate heels. Put on your cutest pair of sandals. Be comfortable in what you're wearing because it'll make getting to know you more natural.

Amber D.

Wear comfortable shoes! You will be walking and standing for hours. Those 6 inch heels might make you look taller but if you can't walk in them you are going to be focused on not tripping or how much your feet hurt instead of getting to know all the sorority women.

Cassidy C.

Keep it simple. Don't go over the top with hair and make up. I want to see the real you so you can be comfortable.