Everyone loves a good comfy tee with identity! In Fresno, I think it is safe to say that a majority of us love showing off our Fresno State pride year-round, but especially during football season. The “problem” with most college apparel? It’s all the same. The same lettering, same feel, same vibe, etc.
Enter- Majored in Sorority.
Started by Alli Villines in her dorm room, freshmen year, MIS is more than clothing and accessories. It’s a lifestyle.
I had the pleasure of meeting with Alli last week to discuss her brand, how it has grown in popularity so quickly and her plans for Majored in Sorority going forward.
Alli joined Kappa Alpha Theta at Fresno State during her freshman year of college and immersed herself in the sisterhood. It has been a way for her to make new friends, get involved in the college community and lead her to create Majored in Sorority. During the Spring semester, she noticed a need for apparel that was different. Everyone was wearing the same shirt or style of shirt. In her own words, the clothing was “not cute, not creative.” So Alli took action. She designed a shirt that she thought people would like, took her life savings and invested it in getting 5 shirts printed. Unsure if anyone would buy, it was a risk but it was also something that she was doing for herself so she was willing to live with the consequences.
Those 5 shirts sold out immediately and people were reaching out to her wanting more. The red shirts with white letters were modeled after college apparel seen almost everywhere, but Alli added her own flair:
From that day, she knew she had the potential to take MIS anywhere she desired. Her collections now include hoodies, shirts and crew sweatshirts for everyone, hair clips and scrunchies, fanny packs, and bodysuits.
So where did the name Majored in Sorority originate from? Alli was visiting her family over Thanksgiving break and her dad asked her “How’s school, Alli?” She was thrilled to tell him all about her sorority, the friendships she was making and how involved she was becoming but her dad slowed her down and asked how’s school not the sorority? Wanting her to make sure she was focusing on academics, he told her “don’t major in sorority.” Alli took that message and turned it into her brand! A brand about empowerment, leadership, creativity, and shaking up perspective.
You’ll find all sorts of fun, quirky, and creative designs on the MIS Instagram page, and you’ll also notice the many different models she uses to sport her brand. These models are all a part of different Greek houses around Fresno State. They are friends, creatives, and people who really jive with the lifestyle Alli is promoting.
Her newest collection, Game Babe, was released just in time for football season and is one of my personal favorites. Alli describes it as “A style as big as college tailgating.” It’s four different items, and puts a stop to the generic and focusses instead on fun shades of blue and red.
It’s for the true Bulldog fan in all of us.
As for the future of the brand, Alli hopes to create relationships across college campuses nationwide to bring Majored in Sorority to their students. She will also continue to focus on Fresno, her roots in the valley, and special events in our area.
Riding on the success of her business launch, Alli encourages others who are considering taking a leap into a business of their own to stop overthinking, stop only making plans and start doing! Like TODAY! Don’t be afraid to fail, because you absolutely are going to at some point but you have to learn to fail fast, pick yourself up and get back to the grind. She also points out that age shouldn’t stop you from going after your dreams. She was 18 when she launched Majored in Sorority and has learned that being young in business is valuable. It gives you the opportunity to connect, to make big leaps of faith, to fail, to learn and to grow. You don’t need a lot of money, you just need passion and drive.
I asked Alli about her life outside of Majored in Sorority and she loves running to clear her head, blogging, shopping, traveling, and loves all the simple joys of life such as being with friends and family, sitting at a local coffee shop drinking an amazing brew of coffee and just living in the moment.
Alli is a member of the Fresno State Laval Entrepreneur Mentor Program, studies public relations as well as fashion design & merchandising and of course, majors in sorority!
You can see all of Alli’s creation on the Majored in Sorority website and make sure to give them a follow on Instagram.
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