What to Wear for Sorority Recruitment

When I did a reader survey a few weeks back, a bunch of y'all said you wanted posts on everything related to college, including sorority recruitment! As many of y'all know, I'm a rising junior at Clemson (almost typed sophomore yikes) and am a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. My chapter of Theta closed last year (I explain more in this blog post) but am happy to share posts on recruitment as I do have experience with the topic haha!

At a lot of southern schools, sorority recruitment is right when you get on campus for fall semester. It's an exciting yet exhausting week and a common question for Potential New Members (or PNM for short) is "What should I wear?" as you want to put your best foot forward to the girls who may wind up being your sisters! I shared what I wore as a PNM in this blog post (and what I wore "on the other side of recruitment" in this blog post) and decided to gather my picks for each round as well as explain outfits for each round of recruitment!

Just as a disclaimer, this is heavily based off of Clemson's recruitment as that is what I have experience with so your school's rounds may look a little different! Check with your Panhellenic association to see what they recommend as well!

The first day of recruitment is Round 1, or Open House Round, and this is a chance for every PNM to meet every chapter in fairly short parties (I believe at Clemson, they are 20-25 minutes long). Round 2 is Philanthropy Round and is a bit longer and allows the PNMs to learn about each chapter's philanthropy, which is the charity they support through volunteering and fundraising events. For a general rule of thumb, each day of recruitment gets fancier as the week goes on. So Round 1 is generally the most casual. At Clemson, Panhellenic (the governing body over all of the sororities) provides t-shirts for the PNMs to wear for both Rounds 1 and 2, which is why I included them together. You typically receive your shirts at Recruitment Orientation but check out your Panhellenic's website or Instagram to see the shirt design/color. Even though you may be wearing the same t-shirt as a thousand other girls (literally), you can make your outfit your own by your bottoms and your shoes/accessories. When I went through recruitment, I wore Lilly shorts that complemented my t-shirts one day and then a skort the next day (both Rounds 1 and 2 were 2 days when I was a PNM). It's definitely important to choose comfy shoes for both of these rounds as you'll be visiting the most amount of houses and I definitely recommend wearing bottoms that you are comfortable in as in some rounds, you may be sitting on the floor to watch a philanthropy video.

t-shirt (provided by your Panhellenic, image via) ⎢white shorts ⎢printed shorts ⎢white skirt

jacks ⎢scalloped flatforms (on sale) ⎢nude tory burch sandals

Round 3 is Sisterhood Round and allows PNMs to get a deeper knowledge of what that chapter's sisterhood is like (many chapters will play a video or some sort of presentation). At Clemson, chapters also do a financial presentation during this round. The dress code for this round is dresses so while it is a step up from the previous days, it isn't super super fancy. Think what you would wear to brunch or to church! Wedges are a pretty popular pick for this round as they are fancy without being too fancy. Some girls choose to do a romper for this round but make sure it's long enough in the back.

black and white polka dot dress ⎢lilly shift ⎢navy romper ⎢lilly wrap dress

pink ruffle dress ⎢blue fit and flare dress ⎢pink tunic ⎢orange off-the-shoulder dress

otbt wedges ⎢gold wedges ⎢espadrilles

Round 4, or Preference Round, is the last day of recruitment and tends to be more serious than the rest. This is the PNM's last opportunity to visit the chapters and decide which one she wants to call home. Since it is a bit more serious, this is the fanciest round of recruitment. Most girls wear high heels with a dress similar to what you would wear to a daytime wedding or a graduation. A lot of chapters wear black or white so I would suggest avoiding those but it is no big deal if you choose a dress in those colors. However, some schools have a tradition of PNMs wearing a specific color at pref (for example, all the PNMs at Georgia wear black dresses) so talk to your Pi Chi (recruitment counselor) to see how it is at your school. I would recommend wearing flip flops or comfy shoes on your way to the party and slipping into your heels before getting into line so your feet aren't in too much pain!

navy jumpsuit ⎢blush midi dress (on sale)⎢pink dress ⎢ruffle wrap dress

blue shift dress ⎢blue ruffle dress ⎢black dress ⎢white ruffle dress (under $50)

black heels ⎢gold wedges ⎢nude heels (on sale)

You've finally made it through recruitment week and now the best day is here: Bid Day! Wear comfy shoes- sneakers or sandals are totally fine! I would recommend wearing neutral bottoms, whether it's norts, jean shorts, or white shorts, so you don't clash with your bid day shirt. Your chapter will give you a tank/tee/jersey so wear a tank top that you can easily throw your new shirt on top of! 

jean shorts ⎢norts ⎢tank top ⎢sandals ⎢sneakers

What is popular to wear at your school for sorority recruitment? Let me know in the comments!

Dorm Room Inspiration

One of the most exciting parts of heading off to college is decorating your dorm room! As a freshman, you'll receive a little tiny room to call your own so why don't you make it cute? I lived in an all-girl dorm my freshman year (which I loved) and it certainly had no shortage of cute dorm rooms! I've decided to pull together a little inspiration for dorm decor and oh boy does this make me wish I was going to be a freshman again haha!

a snap from my freshman dorm (check out the tour here)

classic blue & white

headboard ⎢accent pillow ⎢euro sham ⎢duvet cover

I am a major navy and white kind of a girl and I think it creates such an effortlessly classic vibe in decorating as it's simple, timeless, and you won't get sick of it. Plus, it pairs well with other color combinations so you can switch up the look with some throw pillows in future rooms.

bright & fun

duvet cover ⎢pom pom pillow (on sale!) ⎢tassel pillow ⎢headboard

Perfect for the girl who loves a splash of color! These fun pillows will brighten up any (formerly) drab dorm room and create a fun space to come home to each day after class!

calm neutrals

headboard ⎢textured pillow ⎢long pillow (on sale with code COLLEGE) ⎢duvet cover

A more neutral color palette will create a room that is calm and cozy perfect for movie watching with your hall mates or studying!

For all of my rising freshmen, how are you planning on decorating your room? Let me know in the comments!

How to Prepare for College Applications Over the Summer

It's almost time for rising high school seniors to apply for college as the Common App opens up in a few days (August 1st!). The college applications process can be crazy and a tad bit stressful to so I wanted to share my tips on what y'all can do over the summer to make it a bit easier once school is in session!

finalize your list of schools

Before doing anything else, decide what schools you want to apply to! I had some schools that I liked but didn't think I would go to so I crossed those off the list as I knew I wouldn't go there in the end. I applied to 7 different colleges and it is helpful to break them up into backup (schools you will definitely get into), target (schools you should be able to get into), and reach (schools you may be able to get into).

fill out all the basic info on the common app

This part of the process isn't hard, just tedious. You have to fill out a lot of basic information about yourself and your family so I definitely recommend taking the time to sit down and fill this out.

make a list of deadlines

When you open up the Common App, it is definitely overwhelming seeing all the stuff you have to do, especially if you are applying to a lot of schools! I definitely recommend adding all of the deadlines to your agenda as well as making a checklist to get everything done before it is due!

write your first draft of your essays

Depending on what schools you apply to, you may have a lot of essays to write and trust me, it's easier to write them all over the summer rather than have to deal with them during the school year (while you have essays due for your classes). Writing your first draft now allows you to get the majority of it done now and then perfect them before turning it in.

find someone to look over your essays

Preferably someone who isn't one of your friends or a family member! Your college essays are a way for the schools to see what you are really like as well as what is important to you so you want to give a great impression from them. Having someone look over them is crucial and definitely do this early so they do not get caught up in other commitments and are too busy to help you out! I had my AP English teacher look over mine and it gave me the reassurance that they were my best work. Also it doesn't hurt to get this person a small thank you gift for helping you out!

meet with your college counselor to ask questions

As I filled out the Common App, I wrote down a long list of question to ask my college counselor and scheduled a meeting with her before school started. This helped me understand what else I needed to do and feel more confident going into the process.

schedule any tours

Whether you haven't visited a campus yet or want to see it again to have more clarity, scheduling a tour is the perfect way to know if you like a school. It helps to tour before applying so I recommend scheduling tours for days you have off of school or on the weekend!

ask for recommendations

The earlier you cross this off your list the better! I had two recommendations (one from my advisor and one from a teacher who knew me both from class and from a club I was heavily involved in) and asking before they get too busy is definitely helpful!

decide if you need to take any more tests + schedule them

You probably have taken the SAT or ACT (or both) already but if you haven't, you definitely want to go ahead and do that. I definitely recommend taking one more test as your scores are bound to go up as seniors know more than juniors but make sure the scores will be available before any application deadlines (so the October SAT is probably the last one you would want to take!).

Any other tips for applying to colleges? Let me know in the comments!

Apartment Living Room Inspiration

I shared the inspiration for my apartment bedroom a few weeks ago and I'm so excited to share the inspiration for our living room today! I feel these types of posts deserve a bit of background so for all of y'all who are new around here (hey!!), I'm Katie and I'm a rising junior at Clemson! At Clemson, it's pretty common to live on campus for your freshman year and to then live on your sorority hall for your sophomore year. My roommate from last year and I are living together again in a cute little 2 bedroom house off campus and I'm so excited to have a little house of my own!

For our living room, we decided to do pinks to keep it girly and fun as well as choosing pieces that will work for future apartments! I'm so excited to see it come to life in a few weeks and of course to have all of our friends over for movie nights!

Tassel Pillows- Last month, I was in Pottery Barn just walking around to get inspiration and found these pillows. They are outdoor pillows and are way less expensive than you expect for Pottery Barn plus they are on sale! And that tassel detail is too cute

Orange & Pink Pillows- I stumbled on these pillows while walking around in Anthro and they inspired our design for downstairs! I snagged them on sale (don't you love when that happens?) and you can too :)

Square Picture Frames- The way our living room is laid out has a wall with a window in the middle with space on the sides directly behind the couch. We'll have the table and extra chairs against the wall and then 3 of these picture frames filled with some of favorite pictures on each side using inspiration from Kate's living room!

TV Stand- When choosing a TV stand, I wanted something with storage, wasn't too small or too big, preferably white, and not too expensive! This Ikea one fits the bill and I think will be absolutely perfect!

Rug- We decided to hold off on purchasing a rug until we see the space in person as we don't have exact measurements for the space! I do love this one as it fits our aesthetic and I love the subtle design on it!

Extra Chairs- Our house comes furnished which is super nice as we don't have to purchase a ton of furniture. I have a console table that my mom and I repainted earlier this summer and purchased two similar chairs at Home Goods to both fill the space behind the couch and also have more seating for when we have friends over to watch football games or movies to have more seating!

What are you planning for your living space at college this year? Let me know in the comments!

Summer Wishlist

Summer is definitely my favorite time of the year for shopping as who doesn't love bright colors and fun sandals? I've definitely been saving most of my money this summer from my nannying job but I decided to round up some of my favorite pieces that I have my eye on!

Lilly Romper- How darling is this romper? The fabric is a soft, stretchy material, which makes it perfect for a variety of occasions as you can dress it up with wedges or wear it for with sandals for a day of shopping or a brunch with your friends! I love the print so I may have to snag this piece soon!

Free People Dress- It's never too early to think about gameday and I think this dress would be perfect for Clemson games this fall! It's cute and flowy- perfect for beginning of the season games where it is roasting out!

Lake Pajamas- Lake Pajamas have been on my radar as so many other bloggers have raved about them! They are so comfy looking and I am planning on splurging on a pair soon!

Tuckernuck Top- I love how simple and cute this top is! I think it would look perfect with white jeans or shorts for summer days!

J. Crew Factory Tank- I've been wanting a simple tank in white and black to go from day to night and this tank fits the bill as 1. it's fairly inexpensive as it's under $30 2. it has the most darling scallops!

Anthropologie Dress- I love this dress! The hot pink is absolutely stunning and I think it would look just perfect with a pair of nude wedges.

Lilly Shorts- These are a bit different than the other pairs of Lilly shorts I own so obviously I need them, right? I love the cinched waist with a bow and how flowy they are!

New Balance Sneakers- I'm not really a big sneakers gal but my trip to Italy (which you can read about here) made me realize that I need a pair of sneakers that aren't my Nike Free Runs. These are too cute and I love that you can wear them with athleisure as well as with jeans and a cute top for a weekend look!

What pieces are on your wishlist right now? Let me know in the comments!

Dorm Room Survival Essentials

After two years living in a dorm room, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the key essentials of things you absolutely need to make a year of living in a small room go smoothly. At Clemson, it's required to live on campus your freshman year and if you're in a sorority, it's pretty common to live on the hall your second year. I loved both years and while I'm excited to have a bit more space (check out my apartment bedroom inspiration + apartment living room inspiration), I'll miss living in a cute little room!

I've rounded up the 10 items that are absolutely key for, as the title states, dorm room survival that I used and loved while living in a dorm room!

sophomore year move out day- my last day living in a dorm!

Laundry Basket

I used a laundry bag my freshman year and after it ripped sophomore year, I got an actual basket, which was so much better of a move! I liked having a more structured basket as I felt like the bag would kind of flop over onto the floor and take up more space. I have this one which is actually from the little boy section of Target but this one with wheels sounds so handy!

Mattress Pad

Without a mattress topper, that university provided mattress isn't going to be too comfy! My bed at school was always just as comfy as my bed at home (if not comfier) and it's all thanks to a mattress topper. We happened to have an extra mattress topper at my house so I used that but this is the one I bought for my house next year and it also comes in Twin XL.

Amazon Echo Dot

Definitely more of an extra but it has so many uses that I had to include it! I absolutely love my Alexa and use it all the time from setting my alarm in the morning to playing music to setting timers for my laundry. Since it acts a clock/alarm/speaker, it saves space as you aren't having all of those items in your room.

Shower Caddy

Another must for a hall style bathroom! It makes it so much easier to have everything you need for the shower/bathroom in one spot so you don't forget anything and have to run back into your room. We could keep our shower stuff in the bathroom on the sorority hall but it was nice to keep my shower caddy in there so everything was in one spot.

Extra Toiletries

I had my car on campus for both my freshman and sophomore years but just because it's on campus doesn't mean it's necessarily in a convenient location for quick errands. I always keep extra toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, and makeup wipes on hand as I feel like those are the items you don't realize you're running low on until they're gone! Also take it from me as I had to spend like $10 on Dove Soap freshman year at the on campus convenience store as I realized I had none left and that's not exactly ideal haha!

Plastic Storage Bins

Dorm rooms aren't exactly known for having lots of storage, making maximizing every square inch so so important. I raised my bed about halfway each year so I put these storage bins underneath (I did 3 stacked up freshman year and then 2 stacks of 3 sophomore year) to store all my t-shirts and workout clothes. I also had 3 of the smaller size to store snacks and K-cups!

Shower Shoes

Let's say this is an aspect of dorm living that I won't miss next year in my apartment but is an essential. I had a hall bathroom both in my freshman dorm and on my sorority hall, which meant sharing a shower with lots of other people so shower shoes are a must! They're also handy for brushing your teeth in the morning or running to the basement to grab your laundry!

Vacuum

My friends love to pick on me about how much I love my vacuum but dorm rooms can get so messy and dirty so quickly. My vacuum is cordless yet skinny so I kept it under my bed but it has the full "power" of a regular vacuum. Whether you have carpet or tile with a rug on top, definitely bring a vacuum.

Headboard

The key to making your dorm feel less prison and more homey? A headboard! They make your room look so much more pulled together and also make it more comfortable when you're sitting in bed watching Netflix (or doing homework from time to time). Mine was from Room 422 and I definitely recommend it as you simply attach it to your wall (or the bed frame) with Command Strips!

Robe/Towel Wrap

Going off of the bathroom essentials for college, a robe or a towel wrap is a must if your bathroom is hall style. It makes walk and forth from your room to the bathroom so much easier and more comfortable as even though you may live in an all-girls building, that doesn't mean there will never be boys over!

What items helped you survive your time in a dorm room? Let me know in the comments!

Summer Stripes

Another dress I bought for my Italy trip that I absolutely adore! I just think this dress is calling for a day spent by the water and absolutely screams summer to me. I wore it during our weekend trip to Cinque Terre and it was perfect for exploring the cities while still being comfortable and looking cute at the same time!

I think this dress is perfect for casual wear but you could also dress it up a bit with wedges or heels for a dinner out or even a summer wedding!

Dress: Tuckernuck (on sale!) Sandals: Tory Burch Earrings: Moon & Lola Apple Watch Bracelets: David Yurman & All Inspired (similar)

Photos by Amy of The Daily Amy

Get to Know Me!

Hey friends! As y'all have noticed, Chic in Carolina has pretty quiet so far in 2019- partially blogger burnout, partially having a crazy schedule with not a whole lot of free time! I wanted to take a moment and reintroduce myself for any new readers or for those of y'all who want to get to know me a little bit more!

My name is Katie and I'm from right outside of Charlotte, North Carolina (I claim Charlotte as it makes things easier haha!). I'm 20 years old and a rising junior at Clemson University (Natty Champs baby!). I'm studying Elementary Education and hope to teach second or third grade after I graduate. I'm the oldest of three siblings and have two golden retrievers named Cassie and Kona. Cassie and I have the same birthday!

My favorite color is pink and my go to Starbucks order is an Iced Skinny Vanilla Latte. I absolutely love dessert and am not the biggest breakfast gal. I didn't drink coffee until junior year of high school (started because of pre-calc at 8 AM haha) but now it's my favorite part of my morning. I love going to bed early but also sleeping in? I absolutely love Pure Barre classes and go 5 times a week when I'm home. I'm 5 foot 7 inches and people never guess that I'm that tall, which I'm not really sure is a compliment or not?

Now some things you probably don't know: I literally find a lot of things funny so I am always laughing. I played Varsity Soccer in high school, which always throws people off as I'm not that sporty! I average drinking one Lime La Croix a day (maybe y'all knew that lol). My hair was really light blonde as a kid then went brunette and then went to the dirty blonde that it is now. My first time out of the country was this summer studying abroad in Italy! My first concert was the Jonas Brothers in like 2009. I never learned how to properly dive into a pool but can almost do a split (impressive if you knew how inflexible I was when I was younger). 

Thanks for reading!

A Simple OOTD

Even though I love getting dressed up, sometimes there's something to be said about keeping things simple, which is pretty much the definition of this outfit. But just because it's simple doesn't mean it has to be boring!

This Anthropologie tee is old and probably one of the most worn pieces in my closet as it is so versatile- wear it with jeans, a cute scarf on top, with necklaces, with shorts, with skirts, with patterned pants! I've previously styled it here on the blog and I seriously wear it all the time!

I bought these jeans while in Italy (here is the link but I don't think they ship to the US!) and actually found them on the floor as I was sitting in a dressing room waiting on my friends to try things on and liked them. They're actually a bit large on me as they're a few sizes larger than what I typically wear but I didn't want to track them down in the store haha! I was on the hunt for jeans with fun bottoms and I absolutely love these!

Tee: Anthropologie (similar) Jeans: Calliope (an Italian brand!) Wedges: OTBT Necklace: Kendra Scott Sunglasses: Tory Burch (similar) Apple Watch Bracelet: David Yurman

Photos by Amy of The Daily Amy