This past weekend was my date party for my sorority. As a new member of Theta, I had never been to a date party, but after being told what to expect and what to wear at new member meetings and by my initiated sisters, I had a decent idea of what to expect.
My roommate Jamie (who is also in Theta) and I spent our Saturday morning watching Dunkirk and Saving Private Ryan, not worrying about the time passing. Finally, I looked over at the clock that had reached 3:30 and I panicked because we had to be in StuVi at 6:20. Now, I know what you’re thinking: three hours is a lot of time. And yes, it is, but when you have to do your own hair and makeup plus your roommate’s hair, it’s crunch time. Needless to say, it was a mad rush to get ready
So, this was my experience getting ready for date party as told by Friends.
1. The shower adventure.
While it would have been nice to be as relaxed as Chandler, when it comes to shaving, every girl knows the shower is gonna be an ordeal. Whether it’s underarms, legs, or anything else, it’s a pain to make sure you shave properly and exfoliate and everything. The last thing you want is to go and put your dress on the next day and find out you missed a patch.
It’s also important to time your shower correctly. Second or even third-day hair with some dry shampoo works better than freshly washed hair when it comes to styling because there’s more grip. So make sure those curls stay intact and shower a day or two before!
2. The prepping the night before.
Much like Joey, Chandler, and Ross, Jamie and I know the value of a good pamper sesh. Instead of going out on Friday night, we turned on Hercules, painted our nails, and did face masks. Wearing open-toed shoes meant my nails could not look ratchet and what makes for a better pamper night than a good face mask (or three)? We just relaxed, moisturized, and had a nice time eating a bag of Doritos.
3. Figuring out your hair and makeup.
Does the dress have a low back that you wanna show off? Are you like me at prom with a low back dress but also a really bad sunburn that you kinda wanna cover? Are you going to get sweaty so you wanna put your hair up? But does keeping your hair down make you look better? Will the smokey eye be too much with a black dress? Does this lip color work with my makeup? Yes, but does it also work with my dress that is blue because pink and blue do not usually go together?
These are all important questions you ask yourself when figuring out your hair and makeup for an event and sometimes, just like Rachel, it doesn’t turn out how you want. My suggestion—go with something you’ve done before that you know looks good, or test it out the day before. Also, don’t try a new product for an event, you don’t want to risk a reaction, the flashback in pictures, or just a total makeup mishap.
4. The dress.
While the hair and makeup are important, the center of attention (other than you) is going to be the dress. You want to make sure it looks good obviously, but also that you feel good. If all of your friends are doing bodycon but you want something flowier, then go for it. If you feel good, you’ll radiate confidence and look amazing. If you spend the whole night having to pull your dress up or down or making sure your bra isn’t popping out of a cut out (@me), then you’re going to miss out on the actual party.
5. The shoes.
Almost equally as important as the dress is the shoes. I know those 5 inch heels look so pretty in pictures and they’re not too bad to walk in, but when you’re walking to the venue, dancing and staying on your feet for two hours, and then walking home… you’re gonna be sorry. So either wear different shoes to the venue and bring the heels, or pick a pair of comfy heels. Platform or thicker heels usually are a bit more comfortable because they have more support and gel insoles can also add some comfort. Or, if the venue allows it, kick off your shoes when the dancing begins so you don’t have to worry about blisters or stepping on your date’s toe with a pointy heel.
Date party was truly a blast and, despite the time constraints, I must say my roommate and I (and Elf) made a pretty good looking group.
Overall, getting ready for any party or event is stressful because everything has to match and you wanna make sure you look your best, but at the end of the day if you’re comfortable and confident, that’ll shine through and the only thing you’ll need to worry about is having fun and where to get food afterwards.
Happy date party and formal season, I know you’ll all look great and have a fabulous time!
Cover photo via Today Show
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