Shortly before every meeting I attend, I want to go shopping. I always feel like I don't have anything to wear. It's partly true because I wear jeans and solid color tee shirts to work and don't have much else since I don't often need to dress up. But I also think the desire for new clothes comes from never being sure what is most appropriate for meetings. There was a discussion on someone's blog (FSP's?) a while ago where everybody made fun of how the younger women dress at meetings. I don't want to be the goober they joked about.
I regularly go to the meetings of four societies; three are big (3000-12000 atendees) and one is small (200) (I don't go to all of them every year). They range in formalness, which makes it harder to know what to wear. The small one and one big one are super casual -- many people wear shorts and tie died tee shirts with chacos. One of the big ones is more conservative and usually has crusty old men in university issued blazers and ties. The one I'm going to next week is in the middle. I usually wear jeans, maybe a pair of slacks on the day of my presentation, and the my nicer shirts or sweaters. So like, the least faded and stretched out solid color tee shirts, and maybe even one with a print. I try not to look like a slob, but it's just not me to dress up. I want to make a good impression on folks for the sake of future jobs, but if they depend on my clothes to determine what kind of scientist I am, I would't want to work for them anyway.
But today I bought boots! They are knee-high black suede numbers with flower appliques up the sides. So I packed a skirt, but I'm not sure if I'll wear it because I don't want to look too dressed up and have people think I'm a goober.
This post is intended to just be chit chat. I promise I don't really get stressed out about my conference wordrobe. :)
6 comments:
Heh. Sounds like your wardrobe greatly resembles mine! The only decent clothes I have are from the days when my husband worked for a company that had corporate events where I had to "play wife".
I have this same issue. I have this feeling where I want to dress up but I still don't want to look very feminine, so I usually stay away from skirts. I also have this problem where I feel like I have some really nice outfits but I don't have the rights shoes or coat to go with them. If one has to walk from hotel to conference one should not wear heels. Then this year I have a new problem where none of my nice pants fit. I have this stress belly that has been growing over the past year.
All my conferences are small and of the shorts and t-shirts variety but I always try to stay middle of the road. Nicer pants with a nice t-shirt or jeans with a nice button down.
This past year my conference was in the middle of a long stretch of dirty, smelly field work and I went overboard on the dressing up just because I could. Skirts or dresses everyday! I was most likely made fun of but I felt good and that always is a plus when you have to impress and network.
Your boots sound fantastic!
My wardrobe improved greatly during my 2-year spell in industry! And I had to wear suits when standing behind the booth at conferences - boooo. The only other people who wear suits to meetings seem to be physicians.
I'm just soooo much happier in my jeans. I wear then occasionally in my new job but I don't think I can get away with every day! I wear a skirt about once every two weeks.
Your new boots sound awesome! Suede is a no-no in this climate though!
it kinda does suck though that what a woman wears to a meeting definitely impacts how seriously she's taken by her peers at meetings.
It's tough isn't it? In my field there is a fine line between dressing too femimnine and thus disqualifying yourself in the eyes of the men and dressing too simply. Wouldn't it be nice if they just included dress rules in the program?
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