Heading to Ole Miss this fall? Considering participating in sorority recruitment? You’re in the right place.
Look no further – we’ve curated a day by day “what to wear” recruitment outfit guide that’s relevant for all you 2019 rushees and specific to Ole Miss, based on feedback from current, active Ole Miss sorority members.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
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2019 Ole Miss Sorority Recruitment Outfit Guide
Go Greek Round at Ole Miss, Fall 2015. Photos courtesy of a current Ole Miss Delta Gamma.
Round 1 – Greek Day
On Ole Miss’s Greek Day, potential new members (PNMs) will visit all 11 sororities.
What to wear: Panhellenic will provide you with a recruitment t-shirt (that you’re not allowed to alter). The color is subject to change. Most girls bring a couple of options to choose from, opting to pair it with a white or colorful flowy mini skirt or cute, colorful shorts from Revolve, or Lululemon tennis skirts.
There is a quite a bit of walking and standing during this round, so be sure to bring comfortable footwear: APL or Golden Goose, and Alexander McQueen’s are popular popular choices for girls that prefer sneakers. If you’re leaning towards sandals, lots of PNMs pick Tory Burch flats – specifically, the Miller and Emmy sandals. There are also a lot of cute platform sandals that are super cute and comfortable.
Don’t forget to add some jewelry. You can’t go wrong with pearl earrings, simple studs, or a nice bracelet stack and a ring.
Two Ole Miss rushees, dressed and ready for Philanthropy Day 1
Round 2 – Philanthropy (This round takes TWO days.)
PNMs will visit a max of 8 different sororities over the course of the two Philanthropy Days that make up this round.
What to wear: for Philanthropy Round, Panhellenic will give you another PNM t-shirt. 2018’s t-shift was white as well. Philanthropy round involves the same attire as Greek Day, but since there are fewer houses, most girls who wore running shoes the first day will slip on sandals.
Gross but important FYI: Bring some fabric spray – two days means you’ll be re-wearing your Panhellenic-gifted t-shirt the second day too. Even better – if you can, give it a quick wash and iron it so it’s at its best for the next day.
If it’s wet and rainy, rushees will typically break out rain boots. Hunter rain boots are super popular right now – and a LOT of Nordstrom Racks have them listed for about 40% this winter. If you plan to snag some, check there first!
***Few days of break until you’re back at recruitment for Sisterhood Day.***
Round 3 – Sisterhood Day (There are two days of sisterhood round as well.)
You’ll visit a maximum of 5 sororities during Sisterhood Round.
What to wear: Recommended attire is a bright, colorful dress. Avoid thinner fabrics (they only highlight wrinkles and sweat) and opt for bright, fun colors. What’s awesome about Ole Miss is that PNMs can go for a super classic, more traditionally southern vibe (think Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, etc) and it totally works. PNMs could also go for something fun and flirty (Revolve rompers, Hello Molly) – or a mix of both styles. They all work at Ole Miss, and we’re here for that.
Here are some examples:
Photo credits (from left to right, bottom row) Hello Molly, Revolve, Hello Molly, Bloomingdales, Bloomingdales, and Hello Molly
Photo credits (from left to right, top row) Lilly Pulitzer, Hello Molly, Lilly Pulitzer, Pink Lily Boutique, Lulu’s, and Lilly Pulitzer
*Outfits above are updated every year for style/trend relevancy. Last update: fall 2020
(Note: it doesn’t have to be expensive or name brand – it could be a super cute dress you found at a local boutique or elsewhere. When picking a dress, prioritize high quality, well-made pieces that fit your body type and flatter your figure over brand names for the sakes of brand names.)
PNMs plan out two dresses for Sisterhood Round. Yes, you go to different parties at different chapters, but the other rushees will definitely see you both days in a row.
For footwear, most girls choose neutral or metallic wedges or flats for these two days. Jewelry-wise, PNMs will dress it up a little more here and add in some statement earrings (like Kate Spade, Kendra Scott, Julie Voss), a bracelet or stack (love bracelets, Hermes), a dainty necklace, or a pearl necklace.
Round 4 – Preference
During Preference Round, PNMs will visit a maximum of 2 sororities.
What to wear: Preference is a more serious round, and PNMs switch out the sundresses for cocktail dresses. The recruitment guide suggests a cocktail dress and comfortable shoes, but if I were to recommend a specific type – I’d go with something fun, colorful, and memorable. (Yes – it’s true that many schools traditionally wear black or white on preference and everyone ends up in the same color. Ole Miss isn’t one of these schools.)
Our recommendation? Go for a bright, colorful cocktail dress with nude heels or wedges and nicer jewelry.
A Delta Gamma runs towards her new sorority sisters on Bid Day at Ole Miss.
Bid Day
You made it! Today’s the day you find out which sorority’s sisterhood you get to be a part of for the next 4 years. On bid day, Ole Miss PNMs will meet their recruitment counselors at the Grove where they’ll receive their bid cards. PNMs will rush to their new sororities, where they finally get to meet all their new sisters.
You’ll take a bunch of photos with your new pledge class (the PC term is new member class), and there will be a bunch of fun sisterhood events scheduled. New members receive their letters (aka matching sorority t-shirts and tanks) when they arrive at their sorority.
What to wear: On Bid Day we recommend wearing neutral-colored athleisure shorts or flowy tennis skirts (like white, gray, or black) that pair well with a surprise-colored sorority t-shirt. Some girls will also be wearing denim shorts or going for a more casual vibe. Tank tops are easy because you can put your new sorority letters shirt on right over them.
Want to see a little preview of Bid Day? Watch the video below, courtesy of Ole Miss’s Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority!
We hope you found our Ole Miss sorority recruitment outfit guide helpful. Planning out your outfits and shopping for recruitment is definitely one of the most fun parts of getting ready for rush. We hope this clarified a lot of questions regarding both the schedule of recruitment events and corresponding outfits. Happy shopping!
Are you planning to join a sorority this next year? Helping your daughter research the sorority recruitment process? Check out these helpful links:
Read this article if you’re a mom planning to help your daughter get ready for sorority recruitment.
Read Legacy Status: Does it Help or Hurt Going Through Sorority Recruitment? if you’re a legacy planning to participate in recruitment this fall.
Read this page if you’re a PNM (aka an incoming rushee) who’s on the hunt for helpful recruitment tips and sorority-related resources.