This is probably the least surprising thing I’ve ever said on here but: I was a member of a sorority when I was in undergrad. As most of you know, I went to Cornell University for undergrad (I was in engineering… because I’m a nerd). Cornell has one of the biggest Greek systems in the country, so almost all of my friends rushed my freshman year.
One thing I loved about how Cornell did recruitment was the fact that rush happened in the winter. We were one semester into school, so we each had our own friends and unique social lives and things on campus with which we were involved. It never became all about the sorority, which I really appreciated.
One thing I didn’t love about our recruitment? It was in the middle of winter and it was damn cold every year. And, as a Texan, I had no idea how to dress for it. So, in the event that any of y’all are in the same boat, here’s my guide for what to wear to sorority recruitment – winter edition.
PS this post contains a lot of information, so I highly recommend viewing it from a laptop!
Round 1: Casual
Open House
I’m probably the only one who will say this (and really mean it!), but be yourself during rush! If you’re naturally a “dressy” person, dress up. If you like to be more casual, wear jeans to round 1. There were girls in my sorority who wore jumpsuits to final round, even when it was “required” to wear a cocktail dress. And they were totally fine. Just make sure you dress like yourself!
With that in mind, this is an outfit I would totally wear to day 1 of rush. It’s casual without being too casual, while also somewhat dressed up without trying too hard. Plus the sweater = warmth. And winter = cold. So we’ve solved that problem.
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Just like the outfit above, this outfit has functionality in mind. Blanket scarves are super warm in case you didn’t know. Also, a lot of the sorority houses will get really warm really quickly due to all of the body heat, so you want to dress in layers throughout the whole week. And this lil silky dress would make a great base layer!
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Round 2: Dressy Casual
House Tours
Pair a sweater with a skirt and some over-the-knee boots for a dressy casual look. The one main thing I remember from rush is being freaking freezing all of the time (but that may or may not have been due to the fact that I was in Upstate New York in the middle of January!). Regardless, when you’re figuring out what to wear to sorority recruitment, trust me when I say: being warm is not overrated.
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I do so love a good sweater dress. See above re: freezing to death. Also, this look has the added advantage of being a dress… so you’re already halfway to dressy casual! (See what I did there?)
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Round 3: Business Casual
Skit & Philanthropy
I always wore a dress for round 3 of rush… so, if you’re wondering what to wear to sorority recruitment, might I recommend wearing a lil work dress? I always love a good sheath dress or a-line dress, but make sure it’s not too short because you’ll be on and off of your feet all day long!
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Another option for round 3: the skirt + top combo. Slightly more casual, but definitely more comfortable (and versatile!). Make sure that this look is slightly fancier than round 1 and 2 by wearing a blouse instead of a sweater and adding some sparkles!
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Round 4: Cocktail Attire
“Pref” or Final Round
Wear a dress that makes a statement. I wore color every year of rush (except the ones during which I was required by my sorority to wear a black cocktail dress). I recommend pairing a statement-making dress with some subdued jewelry for a look that will win final round.
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Black is classic for a reason… you can never go wrong with wearing black! Most of the girls in the sororities will be wearing black, so you’ll definitely fit in. One way to stand out: wear some fabulous, statement-making jewels!
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