College Panhellenic Council Formal Recruitment starts on Thursday and more than 400 collegiate women will go through the process of joining a sorority on Aug. 22.
CPC has pushed for introducing a more values-based recruitment process for several years now. This has brought many changes, from how houses can be decorated to what Potential New Members and recruiters are allowed to wear.
This year PNMs will wear shirts provided by CPC for three out of the six days of recruitment.
“It eliminates the stress of potential members having to figure out what to wear and [puts] the focus on things that matter: who they are, what they’re passionate about, and what their story is,” Delta Gamma’s Vice President of Membership Carrie Anne Bounds said.
Many members of Greek Life see the change as a big step toward avoiding a superficial recruitment process.
“I think it’s a good idea so girls are judged off of the words they say instead of their appearance,” senior Phi Mu Britnie Fisk said.
“Once you take away the formality of recruitment, we are a community of women who strive to empower each other. Ultimately, I think that the changes will make PNMs more comfortable going through the primary recruitment process, and that’s exactly what we want,” Bounds said.
With these changes in mind, PNMs may have some difficulty knowing what to wear. I put together a few looks to help inspire the women going through the recruitment process when picking out their outfits.
Day 1 and 2 – Meet the Greeks:
There will be a white Comfort Colors t-shirt provided for this round. I styled it with a neutral-toned, button-front skirt that’s comfy but dresses up the top a bit. Southern Miss CPC’s website describes Meet the Greeks as “very casual” so denim shorts or a tennis skort would be fine if you have a more laidback style. I would highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes throughout the week. This isn’t the ideal time to break in those new heels.
Day 3 – Philanthropy Day:
PNMs will be provided a light gray v-neck tee on Philanthropy Day. I used a gray top as an example with a red skort and strappy sandals for a look that’s a bit more polished and fun but still very functional.
Day 4 – Sisterhood Day:
There will be a dark gray t-shirt provided for Sisterhood Day. I paired a gray top with a black and white skirt and a bit more glitzy accessories to dress it up. I chose to style this look with a raincoat because it’ll be important to have a raincoat or umbrella with you most days since it will likely rain throughout the week.
Day 5 – Preference Night:
This is your opportunity to show off your style. I think the most important thing for this night is to wear something you feel good in. Don’t wear a style you’re uncomfortable in because you feel like you need to look a certain way. You’ll feel much more confident in something you hose because you love it. I chose a black lace dress and nude heels because I think the primary focus should be on you, the PNM, but don’t let that scare you away from wearing something bold if you want.
Day 6-Bid Day:
I would recommend wearing running shorts or a tennis skort on this day. I would definitely wear a tank top because you’ll receive a Bid Day shirt from the chapter you run home to that you can wear over what you have on already. It will be very hot to begin with and layering thick shirts will make it worse. I think this is a good day to style your hair in a fun way that keeps it out of your face because you will take a lot of pictures. Lastly, wear shoes you can run in like chacos or tennis shoes. You’ll want to run, not walk home!
