What to Wear to a Conference
I started attending academic conferences when I was an undergrad student and attended multiple throughout my grad school years. (I have previously shared what to wear to an academic conference as a grad student!)
Now that I’m seven years post-PhD graduation, I don’t get the chance to attend many conferences, but it’s always fun when I am able to! (Of course, COVID killed work travel for a couple of years, so it’s been a while since I’ve attended a work-related conference.) Most of my work group recently attended a weather-related conference that was held right here in Boise.
Conferences can be a wonderful experience for your professional growth because you get a chance to learn about what other people in the industry are working on, and you get to network with those same folks and build connections for future projects or careers. One of the challenges of conferences (other than prepping for a presentation) is simply deciding what to wear.
In my experience, most conferences have a more casual dress code than you would think. That may just be because the conferences I attend are full of Earth scientists (or related fields), and we’re just a more casual bunch in general. That said, you still want to feel confident in whatever it is you decide to wear, so I rounded up a bunch of items that can make you look polished and professional at conferences along with the outfits I actually wore to this recent conference!
READ NEXT: Academic Conference Attire
What to Wear to a Conference
When it comes to dressing for a work or academic conference, the first thing I recommend doing is asked a colleague, fellow grad student, or professor what the expected dress code is. (Ideally, ask someone who has attended the same or a very similar conference in the past.) They can tell you what to expect. For instance, I tell newbies that the conferences I typically attend are on the more casual side (smart casual, usually), though some conference attendees choose to dress business casual.
Below, I listed a few common garments you’ll see folks wear at almost all conferences you attend, and they’re a good starting point if you are picking out outfits and/or creating a packing list for your own conference. The most important thing is to wear clothes that fit your personal style, fit your body, and that make you feel confident in yourself and your knowledge and abilities, especially if you are also presenting at the conference!
Fitted Shirt or Blouse
A classic, fitted white button-down shirt is a conference staple. Of course, if a white shirt isn’t your thing, opt for another color or style of blouse. Do you like collars or would you rather wear collarless shirts? Sleeveless silk blouses are another great option for conferences and can be easily layered under blazers or cardigans.
Classic Blazer
A classic blazer is another smart casual or business casual staple that makes many appearances at conferences. It’s a great third piece over your button-down shirt or blouse! A schoolboy blazer in wool might be what you think of when you think of a blazer, but there are other options to consider: a ponte knit blazer (more casual, stretchier), linen blazer (lightweight for warm weather), oversized blazer (currently on trend; pick one that fits your shoulders and hits below the hips), sweater blazer, and more!
Layers
Whatever top(s) you choose to wear, layers will be your best friend. The week of my conference, it was brutally hot outside and chilly inside the conference venue. One of my go-to outfit formulas in the summer is a sleeveless top and cardigan (or blazer). I also wore that formula for the conference; it’s comfortable and put together and I can easily shed the extra layer when I go outside. You may also need layers if you’re at a conference in the winter and it’s warm inside the venue and chilly outside. It’s also easier to pack for a conference when everything you bring mixes and matches with each other.
Dark Wash Denim
Most likely, jeans are just fine to wear to a conference. If you’re still not sure, opt for a pair of dark wash or black denim without any rips or holes. (I wore jeans with a raw hem to my conference and didn’t feel out of place at all.) Straight leg and wide leg jeans are on trend right now, but a pair of skinny jeans works just as well, especially if you plan to wear them with tall boots. Wear the silhouette that feels more comfortable!
Trousers
If you’re looking for a pair of on-trend pants, try trousers! I was skeptical of them myself but recently purchased a pair of Abercrombie trousers and I’m quite impressed. They’re also so comfortable that it doesn’t feel like work pants. They work perfectly with your fitted blouse, layers, a blazer, sweater, cardigan, etc. If trousers aren’t your thing, I also love ponte pants and wore those a number of times to conferences as a grad student.
Comfortable Shoes
Depending on the conference, you may be doing a LOT of walking, or at minimum spend a lot of time on your feet. Make sure the shoes you wear are comfortable for long periods of time BEFORE you pack/wear them. You’ll see a wide variety of shoes at conferences; I wear pretty much anything but I opt for a “nicer” flat or heel if I’m presenting. Sneakers and sandals are fine too. You may even see some people wearing socks with sandals!
Zip-top Tote
I recommend bringing at minimum a notebook and pen along with you because there will be a LOT of new information and you’ll want to write it down so you remember it all. (Also, if you’re like me, taking notes helps you stay focused and awake ha!) Lots of folks also bring a laptop (or take notes on the laptop instead of handwriting them). Bring all your things in a zip-top tote (or even a backpack). I always have some snacks, my wallet, keys, water bottle, business cards, etc. with me.
5 Conference Outfits
Blazer Conference Outfit
The first day of the conference was a hot one! It was also quite smoky out thanks to many wildfires. Not the best way to welcome a bunch of new people to Boise but what can ya do. For the first day, I wore one of my favorite outfits: an oversized linen blazer, striped cropped tank, wide leg jeans, and sandals. I carried my Longchamp tote all week.
Because I’ve been to these types of conferences before, I knew what to expect when it came to attire. This is an outfit I’d wear to my office, and it worked great for the conference. Lots of other attendees were in jeans (or shorts, as it were). The blazer dressed up the outfit and kept it on the smart casual side.
Weather: 106°F, smoke
Work Conference Outfit
Day two of the conference was another hot and VERY smoky day. It was so smoky that there was a haze between the buildings downtown! It was one of the worst air quality days we’ve had in a long time. The high temperature would have been even higher if not for the smoke!
I knew I wanted to wear my favorite kaftan dress one day during the week, and I chose this day because we were spending a full day at the conference and there was no chance for storms or wind, and the extra airflow I had with the dress was nice. I kept this outfit super simple and layered my cashmere cardigan on top, then finished the outfit with simple beige sandals. The lanyard added the necklace element. 😆
Weather: 105°F, dense smoke
Denim Conference Outfit
Jeans are more than likely appropriate for your conference, especially if you are also attending an Earth-science-related conference like I was! (There were a bunch of fellow weather nerds at mine!) Like I mentioned earlier, I recommend a pair of dark wash jeans or black jeans, but you can get away with other washes (like my first outfit). I recommend little to no distressing.
With this outfit, I leaned into the contrast between the dark jeans and the light top and shoes. It’s a denim sandwich! Layers were key to stay warm inside and cool outside (after shedding the top layer). I find sneakers to be appropriate for conferences in most situations. This was a half day with a team building outing planned for the afternoon where sneakers would have been the perfect shoe.
Weather: 107°F, evening showers/storms
Casual Conference Outfit
In addition to oral presentations, there were also a couple of formal poster sessions at this conference. They vary in size based on the conference. This was a smaller, more niche conference so there was only one room for talks and a small area for posters. At the larger annual meetings, expect a HUGE conference room full of posters (that are switched out daily) and multiple rooms with different sessions that you can pop in and listen to.
I decided to wear a more casual conference outfit with washed black jeans and a graphic tee; we were at the end of the week, and I wanted to be comfy for the last full day of the conference. I also spotted lots of other attendees in Birkenstock sandals, so I figured I should wear mine at some point, too! It was a weather conference, so how could I not wear my nerdy graphic tee?!
Weather: 97°F, haze
Conference Presentation Outfit
For the last day of the conference (a half day), I wore my take on a conference presentation outfit. I didn’t present anything myself, but this is an example of something I’d wear if I was! It was a lot cooler this day (it felt like fall in the morning), so I opted for a cropped button-down shirt, black pants, platform sandals, and my trusty Longchamp tote bag.
These are the Abercrombie trousers I mentioned earlier (the curve love Sloane tailored pant that I added to my wardrobe this past spring). I wasn’t sure I’d like them when I bought them, but I figured I’d give them a shot (they have great reviews), and I can attest to how great they are! I typically don’t like pleated pants on me but the pleats on these are not that obvious.
Weather: 90°F, haze