I recently attended a summer conference, which posed challenges for packing–what to wear in warm weather and how to layer for chilly conference centers in particular. Here’s what I packed and how I wore it!
If you’re an academic woman looking for conference wear, it can be tricky to find outfits that stand out and pack well, especially if you, like me, like everything to fit in a carry-on.
The way I got it all to work this time: practice packing and packing around a suit.
Practice packing may sound silly, but I first made a pile of clothes on my closet floor and tried them all on. I planned for a few distinct times:
- Travel
- Presenting
- Exploring/evening
I used to focus only on conference wear, but that didn’t account for all the other things I do at conferences. Trust me, if you don’t have sweats to grab coffee in the morning, you’ll be sad! Here’s what I came up with initially:
Travel
Presenting
Exploring
After a full practice pack, I ended up packing around a suit, meaning I included the beige pants that go with my blazer. Between that and the white skirt, I was fully covered for conferencing (which was great because I initially planned for 2 days of conference but got pulled into a couple more days of conference plans).
The full packing list:
- 1 suit (a couple good options from Gap and Madewell)
- 3 tops: black and white, fun sleeves, and t shirt
- 1 dark pair of jeans
- 3 pairs of shoes: loafers, flats and comfy walking shoes
- 1 sweat suit
- Work bag
Huge thanks to Sarah Bodri for these beautiful photos of my time in Toronto!!
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loved the outfit with the white skirt and snake loafers