What to Wear to Greek Life Formals This Spring
By Tara Goldstein
March 10, 2022
Image Credit: Tara Goldstein for The Campus Trainer
Greek life at the University of Maryland has been all the talk lately, with a significant portion of the freshman class participating in rush. While this can be very exciting, it can also be overwhelming for busy underclassmen with already packed schedules. However, there are many aspects of Greek life that make the stress worth it, such as events like dated and formal. Oftentimes, along with these exciting events, comes the question of “what should I wear?”
As a freshman attending my first dated, a common Greek life event where every member gets to bring a date, I was clueless as to what to wear. I wasn’t sure if the dress was supposed to be fancy or more casual, and where I should even begin looking for some ideas.
Sophomore Sydney Powell explains that the attire for dated is much more casual than a formal event. She said she isn’t exactly sure what she’ll be wearing, but that it would probably just be a simple black dress.
“Most people wear a casual, but nice dress with sneakers. You could also wear a skirt and a top if you wanted to,” Powell said.
As for what type of dresses to look for, one of biggest trends this year has been the bodycon style. Tighter dresses are definitely in style, and there’s a lot of cute options out there. Specifically, long sleeve bodycon dresses have been popular, especially for dated, which usually takes place in the colder months.
Another recent trend when it comes to dresses is fun colors. While black dresses will always be classy, colors like bright pink, royal blues, greens and silver are becoming more popular.
Olivia Pinneau will be attending her first dated event this year and is combining these two trends by wearing a pink long sleeve bodycon dress (pictured right.)
Fashion influencer and UMD representative for Victoria’s Secret, Cameron Gore, described the popular looks she saw at her own dated event last semester.
“I’ve seen a lot of silk and satin,” she said. She also said that there were a lot of people wearing bodysuits and skirts.
As for where to buy the dresses, there are many options with prices to accommodate everyone's budget. There are more expensive boutiques and shops to choose from, which may be good to invest in a little more expensive but high quality dress for formal. These include Princess Polly, Hello Molly, Reformation, and Revolve.
However, there are also cheaper options such as through Amazon, Forever 21, Windsor, and PrettyLittleThing that have just as many choices to select from. Here are some more shopping options. Another cheap option is to go thrifting. Gore recommends starting at a thrift store only 15 minutes away in Adelphi named Value Village, where she purchased a skirt she wore to her own formal last year.
Sophomore bioengineering major Fiona Sheridan decided to go another route with her dated dress.
“I am planning on borrowing my friend’s dress,” Sheridan said. She decided it wasn’t worth it to spend the money on a dress she would probably only wear once.
Borrowing from a friend is a great way to save some extra money and may allow you to spend a little more on a nicer formal dress when the time comes. When asked what her biggest advice for freshmen is, Gore said that borrowing from a friend or sister is the way to go.
No matter what your budget is, there are various dress options for both dated and formal that you will love and have a fantastic night in!
As a freshman attending my first dated, a common Greek life event where every member gets to bring a date, I was clueless as to what to wear. I wasn’t sure if the dress was supposed to be fancy or more casual, and where I should even begin looking for some ideas.
Sophomore Sydney Powell explains that the attire for dated is much more casual than a formal event. She said she isn’t exactly sure what she’ll be wearing, but that it would probably just be a simple black dress.
“Most people wear a casual, but nice dress with sneakers. You could also wear a skirt and a top if you wanted to,” Powell said.
As for what type of dresses to look for, one of biggest trends this year has been the bodycon style. Tighter dresses are definitely in style, and there’s a lot of cute options out there. Specifically, long sleeve bodycon dresses have been popular, especially for dated, which usually takes place in the colder months.
Another recent trend when it comes to dresses is fun colors. While black dresses will always be classy, colors like bright pink, royal blues, greens and silver are becoming more popular.
Olivia Pinneau will be attending her first dated event this year and is combining these two trends by wearing a pink long sleeve bodycon dress (pictured right.)
Fashion influencer and UMD representative for Victoria’s Secret, Cameron Gore, described the popular looks she saw at her own dated event last semester.
“I’ve seen a lot of silk and satin,” she said. She also said that there were a lot of people wearing bodysuits and skirts.
As for where to buy the dresses, there are many options with prices to accommodate everyone's budget. There are more expensive boutiques and shops to choose from, which may be good to invest in a little more expensive but high quality dress for formal. These include Princess Polly, Hello Molly, Reformation, and Revolve.
However, there are also cheaper options such as through Amazon, Forever 21, Windsor, and PrettyLittleThing that have just as many choices to select from. Here are some more shopping options. Another cheap option is to go thrifting. Gore recommends starting at a thrift store only 15 minutes away in Adelphi named Value Village, where she purchased a skirt she wore to her own formal last year.
Sophomore bioengineering major Fiona Sheridan decided to go another route with her dated dress.
“I am planning on borrowing my friend’s dress,” Sheridan said. She decided it wasn’t worth it to spend the money on a dress she would probably only wear once.
Borrowing from a friend is a great way to save some extra money and may allow you to spend a little more on a nicer formal dress when the time comes. When asked what her biggest advice for freshmen is, Gore said that borrowing from a friend or sister is the way to go.
No matter what your budget is, there are various dress options for both dated and formal that you will love and have a fantastic night in!