When Amayah Shaienne rushed at The University of Alabama in 2022, she stood out. “I wore Jordans the first day of rush,” she tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview. “Everyone automatically knew that I wasn’t from Alabama when I did that.” The junior, who ultimately joined Zeta Tau Alpha, has since kept her more than 100,000 TikTok followers fed with rush content. From her “Zeta Roll Call” videos to GRWMs, Amayah’s TikTok is full of inspo for fall rush fashion. “I try to be as unique as possible,” she says. “I still try to have outfits that fit the themes, but I’m definitely a DIY person when it comes to rush outfits.”
Despite the stereotypes surrounding sorority girls’ typical style, Amayah was all about staying true to herself during her rush experience, especially when it came to her outfits. “I wanted to show what I would really dress like and not pretend to be a different person,” she says. “I went with my gut and got things that I would actually wear so I could wear them again.”
One quick glance at RushTok will have you convinced that all PNMs splurge on designer brands for their rush outfits. But Amayah doesn’t believe you have to spend a lot of money to stand out. “More likely than not, you’re going to wear [your recruitment outfits] once, and there are so many more things you need to buy in college. So just go on Amazon,” she says. “There’s no reason to spend $200 on one dress you’re going to wear for one day or six hours.”
With fashion continuously evolving, Amayah encourages new sorority members to experiment with their style, choosing pieces that’ll make their look pop. “Shoes are everyone’s best accessory during rush because they really bring up [your outfit], but also put it together,” she says. “I also love a good chunky earring or necklace, so I hope those make a comeback [in rush fashion].”
Although this is her second year participating in rush as a sister, Amayah continues to find ways to stand out when it comes to her fashion. This year, she went for a “fun and bright” vibe, with bows and body glitter. “It is super fun to be able to dress up and be with my girls all day,” she says.
As for her current style obsessions outside of rush, Amayah is really into loungewear, which is a pretty big trend at The University of Alabama. “It is so hot here that athleisure is a must, especially co-ords and sets. And they can be really cute,” she says, pointing to SKIMS as one of her top brands. But make no mistake — she still loves a good going-out outfit. “Oh Polly has great dresses and they do one to two-day shipping,” she says. “I’m a big procrastinator when it comes to buying, so if I need a last-minute dress, that’s immediately where I go.”
As Amayah gears up for another year at The University of Alabama, she plans to continue being uniquely her when it comes to style. Right now, she’s cycling out her fast fashion pieces for higher-quality items. “I always ask my mom, ‘Do you have any clothes back from high school?’ Everything always comes back,” she says. But don’t worry, the items she no longer wears won’t be going to waste. “In the future when my kids ask me if I have anything from a high school or college to wear, I will have a collection of things for them.”