What do you consider 'Fratty'?

what do you think?

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by Croakies n Bows

I am a Sigma Pi at the University of Arkansas and i know what we expect as fratty in the south seems completely different than what people perceive as fratty up north.

Fratty is a way your life style down here. We wear ralph lauren polos, kakis shorts (no cargo), seersucker, plaid (in summer), and sun glasses with croakies on them all the time. On game days, its button downs and bowties along with a blazer and pants. On weekends we go to the lake (during summer) and in winter we party. We are raised to treat women like southern belles and dont tolerate guys who dont. We wear northface vest and jackets and all our clothes are either polo, brooks brothers, vineyard vines, southern proper, northface, or lacoste, with a select few others. And shoes are always sperrys.

We don't allow tattoos, piercing, popped collars, gel in hair, graphic t-shirts (affliction etc), or hoodies.

most everyone drives SUVs and we drink keystone light except on game days when we then change to bourbon and coke.

This is not just fratty but how we were raised and how we live our life from day to day.

Does anyone have anything different, or agree/ disagree with this? Im not sure what the north considers frat?

I could have sworn there were topics about this, but here goes:

In the north you're going to find a wide variety of norms, depending on the school. Some schools the guys will be mostly prep, with the Brooks Brothers/Vineyard Vines thing going on (since Vineyard Vines is, in fact, a Northern company, and a lot of Northeasterners vacation in Martha's Vineyard). As far as vacation spots or whatever - a lot of people in the Northeast go to the Cape, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Long Island, Fisher's Island, or any number of other places around here for weekends away.

Again, though, it's hard to generalize because the schools up here tend to get a wide mix of guys from a wide variety of areas. As a result you could even have a mix of backgrounds within a single chapter. The Northeast itself is fairly mixed as far as that goes overall - what you'll find in the Boston area is different than what you'll find in CT, NY, NJ, NH, RI, etc. Each of the states is fairly distinct. Even the areas within the states are fairly distinct (i.e. Central CT vs. the Gold Coast, Boston and Metro West vs. Western MA).

As an example - my chapter had guys from the South, West, Midwest and Northeast, so there was a variety of guys even within my own chapter.

I can only really speak about the Northeast though - I grew up and went to school in New England (and have lived here since), so I'm most familiar with this region.

[MysticCat]

I suggest you do a search of threads with "fratty" in the title. There are quite a few that talk about this same subject.

You might also look at:

Dress Code Across the U.S.

Northern Preppy vs. Southern Preppy

Any fratty colleges outside of south?

What makes Greek life "hot" in the south?

South vs. North?

As you read through these threads, you might note that this topic often has high trainwreck potential.

(And as I don't have much else to do tonight obviously, and I guess I'm feeling old and crotchety, I'll just say that here is one Southerner who will be so glad when the word "fratty" is out of style and people are preppy again.)

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I suggest you do a search of threads with "fratty" in the title. There are quite a few that talk about this same subject.

You might also look at:

Dress Code Across the U.S.

Northern Preppy vs. Southern Preppy

Any fratty colleges outside of south?

What makes Greek life "hot" in the south?

South vs. North?

As you read through these threads, you might note that this topic often has high trainwreck potential.

(And as I don't have much else to do tonight obviously, and I guess I'm feeling old and crotchety, I'll just say that here is one Southerner who will be so glad when the word "fratty" is out of style and people are preppy again.)

Those threads are also a good reminder that these topics tend to get nasty. People start making generalizations about the North or South, and it goes downhill from there.

[pshsx1]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

(And as I don't have much else to do tonight obviously, and I guess I'm feeling old and crotchety, I'll just say that here is one Southerner who will be so glad when the word "fratty" is out of style and people are preppy again.)

Well here's a young Northerner that agrees with you.

[JackNimble]

Originally Posted by Croakies n Bows

Fratty is a way your life style down here. We wear ralph lauren polos, kakis shorts (no cargo), seersucker, plaid (in summer), and sun glasses with croakies on them all the time. On game days, its button downs and bowties along with a blazer and pants. On weekends we go to the lake (during summer) and in winter we party. We are raised to treat women like southern belles and dont tolerate guys who dont. We wear northface vest and jackets and all our clothes are either polo, brooks brothers, vineyard vines, southern proper, northface, or lacoste, with a select few others. And shoes are always sperrys.

We don't allow tattoos, piercing, popped collars, gel in hair, graphic t-shirts (affliction etc), or hoodies.

Oh wow, well I go to school in the Northwest and from what you have said here our fratty is way different. At least in the way I see things but don't take my word for it.

At my school the fratty look is (or at least what I think it is) fitted hats, baller shorts/jeans, hoodies (with or without house blocks on it)/northface jackets, t-shirts (graphic or not), diamond stud earrings, and high top sneakers (air forces, jordans...). However the preppy and skater looks are popular as well. Preppy here would be considered Hollister, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and maybe Aeropostale.

Hoodies, piercings, gel in hair, graphic tees, and tattoos are all acceptable and quite common as well. I figured popped collars went out of style everywhere.

I don't think I have seen anyone wear seersuckers ever. Blazers only come out on very special occassions. I myself have never worn one even to the most formal of my fraternity events. Usually the most formal it gets is dress shirt, dress pants, and a tie.

As for cars I would say either trucks or ricers, but I dont think there is really any car considered fratty at my school. Usually people just drive whatever.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by JackNimble

Preppy here would be considered Hollister, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and maybe Aeropostale.

Sorry, but I have to laugh to myself. In the old days, A&F was the epitome of preppy. That was a long time ago, though.

As for seersucker, that really is a Southern thing, I think. Hot summers and all.

[SWTXBelle]

I love seersucker. I especially like a gentleman in a blue seersucker suit.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

As for seersucker, that really is a Southern thing, I think. Hot summers and all.

You see it every once in a while up here, although I'll agree it is more of a Southern thing; it's definitely sold in all the men's clothing places up here (Brooks Brothers, etc.), and I've seen a few people wear it during the summer months. I've also seen it once in a while on the Vineyard.

Even during the summer, though, you still see most business people up here wearing dark suits. If people are going to go with lighter colors, they'll go with a grey or a light color, or just go with the lighter fabric (and still wearing the darker colors).

ETA: I still think these threads are doomed from the start, because people are going to start spouting off stereotypes. Or you'll get the "I lived in the North/South for x number of years, so I know it, and it was like this," when in fact their perception was completely incorrect.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by Croakies n Bows

I am a Sigma Pi at the University of Arkansas

Stop...right there.

FWIW, I think JackNimble is a troll if I had to guess.

[kddani]

What I don't get is when guys get upset when someone calls their fraternity a "frat" but then tons of them use the term "fratty". I have a hard time reconciling that...

[Elephant Walk]

Cuz cunty isn't a word.

[annabella]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Cuz cunty isn't a word.

Haha. I actually heard someone use it the other day. But I think that has more to do with the location of my new job—this city is the trashiest place ever.

I think the reason no one frowns on using "fratty," is because it is only ever used in jest. No one would seriously use that word, unless they are the definition of trying too hard (in which case, most people would just ignore them).

Also, anyone who refers to frattinghard.com is either a troll or has an invalid opinion (see: "trying too hard"). FACT.

[Dionysus]

I like "cuntastic". Because that's what many girls are.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by annabella

Also, anyone who refers to frattinghard.com is either a troll or has an invalid opinion (see: "trying too hard"). FACT.

I agree. Referring to FH is low-tier stuff.

The less publicized of the websites is better. That is, OR.

Here's my advice to the OP from a recent UofA alumn. Sigma Pi needs to focus far more on brotherhood and the things which a small chapter can provide during rush, rather than "frattiness". The guys who are "fratty" are not going to go Sigma Pi because its new...they will be going to the more established houses (yes I know y'all came on early on in the 20th century but still). Your rush chair last year was trying way too hard during formal rush. I know he's gone now.

I know I may be sort of "unfairly attacking" because you yourself hasn't expressly stated that you're putting frattiness over quantity...but I have seen it happen within your chapter.