Sorority girls from the University of Alabama have taken over TikTok with videos of their OOTD (outfit of the day) and the recruitment process for joining Greek organizations for a now viral trend known as #BamaRush.
The girls - wide eyed, bronzed and mostly Southern - prop up their iPhones to film their colorful dresses, shoes and bags, introducing themselves and giving a brief summary where they bought their clothes and accessories.
It started in mid August, at the start of 'Rush Week' - the initiation week for girls hoping to be accepted by one of the Greek sororities on college campuses around America.
Using the hashtag #BamaRush or #Rushtok, the girls gradually swept the social media site with their videos and now, there is an entire sub-category of parody clips by comedians and Q&A sessions from former students.
In one example, a girl who goes by the name of Pretty Pink Ash on the social media site, introduces herself in a bright pink dress. 'Hi, I'm Ashley. My dress is from Lavish, my necklace is repurposed, my hoops are from TJ Maxx and my shoes are Vince Camuto.'
Hay Golden Ray of Sunshine and her friend celebrate being welcomed in by one of the 17 sororities after 'bid day'
Sorority girls from the University of Alabama in one of the many #BamaRush videos uploaded earlier this month as part of their initiation week
The videos vary from choregraphed dances to outfit breakdowns where the girls share where they bought each of their items
@comeonbarbieletsgopartay RUSH BAMA ZETA! #bama #recruitment #bamazeta
♬ 6 Zetas in This Benz! (Zeta Anthem) - Young036
RUSH BAMA ZETA! #bama #recruitment #bamazeta
♬ 6 Zetas in This Benz! (Zeta Anthem) - Young036RUSH BAMA ZETA! #bama #recruitment #bamazeta
In one example, a girl who goes by the name of Pretty Pink Ash, introduces herself in a bright pink dress.
'Hi, I'm Ashley. My dress is from Lavish, my necklace is repurposed, my hoops are from TJ Maxx and my shoes are Vince Camuto.'
In a flash, her near-identical fellow freshman struts up to the camera for her turn.
'Hi, I'm Katie, my dress is from Hello Molly, my shoes are Steve Madden, my bracelets are Kendra Scott, my necklace is Kate Spade.'
Three days later, Pretty Pink Ash uploaded another video.
'Sisterhood Day 3 outfit! This is my dress from Princess Polly but I bought it off of Poshmark so it might not be available.
'Repurposed necklace, TJ Maxx hoops and my Target shoes!' she squealed.
A TikTok user with the name e11enoveshen shows off her outfit for her followers on one of the first days of Rush Week
@e11enoveshen rush sisterhood day two ï¤ ï¤ ï¤ ï¤ this is what all alabama girls are like if you were wondering! #bama #alabamarush #rushtok
♬ original sound - elle
rush sisterhood day two ï¤ ï¤ ï¤ ï¤ this is what all alabama girls are like if you were wondering! #bama #alabamarush #rushtok
♬ original sound - ellerush sisterhood day two ï¤ ï¤ ï¤ ï¤ this is what all alabama girls are like if you were wondering! #bama #alabamarush #rushtok
After an agonizing week-long wait, Elle won a place at Tri Delta. She called it the 'best day of her life'
Poshmark is a second-hand buy and sell website for clothes, shoes and accessories.
Next, her friend Katie reappeared again.
'So it's day three of sisterhood...I have this dress from Lavish, I'm just wearing my Birkenstocks because I'm about to walk to the row, my bracelets are Kendra Scott and I'm going to put my Kate Spade necklace on.'
In another video, a different user calling herself Allylasaly, talks with a husky voice about her shirt (Alabama - 'it's blue'), shorts and necklace (Kendra Scott).
In another video, user Allylasaly talks with a husky voice about her shirt (Alabama - 'it's blue'), shorts and necklace (Kendra Scott)
Another user going by the name Deeliciousbby celebrates her place at Zeta
@haygoldenrayofsunshine SISTERHOOD DAY 1 OOTD!!! 拾#fyp #rush #ootd #universityofalabama #rushtok
♬ original sound - haylee golden
SISTERHOOD DAY 1 OOTD!!! 拾#fyp #rush #ootd #universityofalabama #rushtok
♬ original sound - haylee goldenSISTERHOOD DAY 1 OOTD!!! 拾#fyp #rush #ootd #universityofalabama #rushtok
She finished the video: 'Voice - gone! Hair - day two. Shoes - Target.'
Rush Week happens before classes begin and is a way for girls to make themselves known to the sororities they want to join.
The girls move into dorms early to mingle with each other and the recruiting Greek organizations, and prove their worth as a 'sister'.
There are preference rounds, sisterhood days and the all-important 'bids', where the girls are selected by their sororities.
In Pretty Pink Ash's case, she won a coveted spot at Zeta, and her friend Katie was welcomed in by Pi Phi.
'E11e', another student, got in to Tri Delta and called it 'literally the best day' of her life.
A group of sorority sisters sing to welcome some of the new recruits at one sorority on the first day of Rush Week
Left, Haylee tells followers where she got her dress ('The Pant Store, actually!) and Katie, right holds up her Steve Madden shoes
Despite the selection process only applying to the young Alabama students, millions of TikTok users have become gripped by the trend.
Many want to now know what becomes of those who aren't picked, and what's next for the lucky few who are chosen.
To answer the questions, other TikTokers of different generations and schools, like Samantha Fong, have launched Q&A videos.
The tradition is nothing new but it didn't happen last year because of COVID-19.
With TikTok now the social media site of choice for the young applicants, their videos have spread like wildfire.
@deeliciousbby rush zeta #bama #rush #sorority #bamarush #fyp #zeta
♬ 6 Zetas in This Benz! (Zeta Anthem) - Young036
rush zeta #bama #rush #sorority #bamarush #fyp #zeta
♬ 6 Zetas in This Benz! (Zeta Anthem) - Young036rush zeta #bama #rush #sorority #bamarush #fyp #zeta
Despite the selection process only applying to the young Alabama students, millions of TikTok users have become gripped by the trend
Comedian Grace Johnna impersonating some of the sorority girls on her own TikTok account, left. Stephen Rigatoni impersonates others on bid day
Jeweler Kendra Scott - a firm favorite among the girls - catches up on RushTok
