Proper Frat House Attire

The Frat House. A modern-day jungle, filled with sweaty mammals displaying somewhat aggressive, sometimes sexual, and always heated (literally, it gets hot in there…) behavior. Suiting up for this type of environment can be difficult, since guys typically are on the prowl and there are always  tons of girls looking to judge your outfit choice. Here are a few suggestions on what’s proper attire for a fraternity house party and what’s most definitely not:

• Dress comfortably…Wear something that you feel comfortable in to a frat house since you’ll most likely be dancing a ton. Tight clothing, unless it’s cotton or stretchy fabric, will just turn gross and be uncomfortable after a long night of dancing, so make sure to keep your shirts flowy and your dresses and skirts as pieces that you can easily move in.
• …but not too comfortably. It’s definitely okay to wear body-con dresses and skirts to a frat, yet you need to make sure that they cover all the parts that shouldn’t see the light of day. Be sensible when you try something on; think to yourself, “Is my butt hanging out the back of this dress, or can I pull this off?” Don’t go out with your bra showing through your shirt, your thong hanging out of your jeans, or your skirt hiked up really far, since that signals to guys that you want to be taken home by one of them.
• Wear a statement piece to stand out. At a frat, you can easily blend in with the rest of the many girls in the crowd. To stand out a bit, wear an eye-catching piece of jewelry, a shirt with unique embellishments, or a form-fitting dress with a cool pattern or cut. You’ll get compliments all night, and if you meet a guy there he’ll certainly remember your one-of-a-kind style!
• LEAVE THE GOOD BOOTS AT HOME. Never wear good shoes, whether it be your Marc Jacobs boots or your Tory Burch flats, to a frat house. There are always puddles of beer and tracks of mud on the floors, and there’s a tendency for people to continually step on your feet when they’re drunk. Do yourself a favor and purchase a $20 pair of boots from Target to save your good shoes from getting ruined.
• On that note, buy a cheap jacket and some nice-looking yet inexpensive shirts, dresses, etc. as designated “going out” clothes.As I said before, you don’t want to ruin the things you’ve spent a lot of money on; go to wallet-friendly stores like H&M, Forever 21, and Target to stock up on bright shirts, cute body-con dresses, and fun accessories that you can feel comfortable wearing out without having to worry about them getting stained by the occasional beer spill. You’ll feel less stressed and will have more fun knowing that your going-out outfit didn’t break the bank if it gets ruined!
• Tights are a good thing.To me, wearing tights under a dress or skirt is an absolute must, no matter how silly it can look. I just feel more comfortable and less exposed when I wear them; hopefully you’ll feel the same way!
• Smell great and sweat less. Since sweating in a frat house becomes inevitable, make sure you put on enough deodorant and spritz on some perfume before you go out. This way, you won’t scare guys off with stench when you start getting hot at the party…that’d stink (no pun intended)!
• The best thing to wear is a confident attitude. No matter how much you’ve had to drink, confidence is the key thing to exude at a frat house. You want to feel comfortable when you present yourself to others, so make sure that you assess how you’re feeling before you go out as a way to have even more fun. Because when you look good, you feel good, and feeling good when you go out with your friends is what it’s all about.

I hope these tips are helpful when preparing to venture into the wild atmosphere of a fraternity house. Your outfit says a lot about you, so use this advice as a way to always put across the best message and keep yourself safe from possible predators!