things to panic about
I still don't have actual powerpoint slides for my conference talk in just over a week, but since that's too scary to even panic about, I've come up with more things to worry about:
- I need to find my visa form and get it signed so they'll let me back in the country afterwards.
- My bank cares about my money's safety so much that they need a personal letter telling them where I'm going and for how long, so that they'll let me use my debit/credit card.
- I'm guessing it's not appropriate to present at an international conference wearing jeans and t-shirt (or is it? Biologists aren't known for their style, in general). But what is appropriate? Help!
- Whatever is appropriate, I'm pretty sure I don't own it, so I guess I need to go shopping.
- I have plane tickets, at least, but they're to a nearby city, so I still have to figure out how to get to Conference City.
- I also have time off afterwards to explore, but I haven't figured out any plans yet (this probably doesn't count, since I'd gladly spend months planning such things, which means I'll spend more time on this than any of the more urgent and important things).
posted by Lucy @ 2:41 PM
12
comments
12 Comments:
I'm not an academic, but I think a great jacket is never wrong, whether you wear it with a skirt or trousers.
A button up shirt and some nice but simple trousers would likely be just fine. Throw a fitted cardigan over it if it is cold. Though a nice, simple, well-fitted suit could likely come in handy for later (interviews, other conferences, etc).
I like this one (but not in cream!)
http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/outfit.do?cid=16774&oid=OUT04009
though I don't care for their other suits as the jackets are too long (and their jackets don't tend to fit me well at all).
But if you have good trousers, the first three blazers on this page are gorgeous (just don't flip the collar up!):
http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/category.do?cid=15221
I love this one - but jcrew's suits are quite spendy (though the pants I have from there have lasted me forever and fit really really well):
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/multiProduct.jhtml?ids=prod78733491,prod78719491,prod74174491,prod74181491
OMG, I need these jackets:
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod78075491&catId=cat107145
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod78625491&catId=cat107145
This one is nice, but not so useful for non-winter climes (and you'd need it in a neutral color - not green!):
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod78073491&catId=cat107145
I had a comment, but I'm distracted by the spectacle of the shrinkish one going nuts at JCrew and Banana Republic.
Oh yeah, right. I too would recommend a touch more put together look. At the minimum, I'd go jeans and a collared shirt/nice blouse. If you're feeling the need for a bit more gravitas, then shrinky's simple trousers are definitely the way to go.
My bias is that students need to dress up more to look more adult like. The real adults can be more casual.
Also, given that our dearest Lucy looks like she is 12, it might be good to go a bit more gravitassy :)
And any time anyone posts about outfit needs, I will be certain to provide lots of links to cute outfits! Just ask B* - as I recall she even took my advice outfit-wise.
I've never seen a person wear a suit at a biology conference but then again, I've never been to an international science meeting before. I'm with sheepish - nice pants (maybe not jeans) and a simple shirt will be fine. Shrinky's suggestions are good and they would be fine if you feel like shopping, but if you don't have a lot of money you might be able to get away with something cheaper (or something you already have). Maybe ask a few post-docs in your lab or on your floor if they've ever been to this meeting or a similar one and find out what the dress code is like. I'm used to summer meetings with flip flips and hiking shorts as professional attire though...it's one of the good things about being a scientist in my opinion!
I'm currently mesmerised by all the clothes that shrinky's posting. Which makes me very aware of the fact that I have no idea what I'm wearing to the conference I'm attending in two weeks. And my main pair of dress pants are out of commission. And the conference is 3-4 days long. With Germans.
Maybe I should start panicking, too. (Especially because Chris and I just agreed that we have prioritising dress clothes for him, because of his new job.)
Excuse me while I go search through my closet...
12 is a bit harsh, Shrinky :P Thanks for all the suggestions! I don't think I could bring myself to wear a suit (I'm pretty sure biology is a lot less dressy than psychology), but I should get some nice pants.
Thanks to everyone else for the guidance, too!
QoWP, you bring up another good point. My conference is 4 days long, too. Do I have to dress up every day? I'll be staying in youth hostels after the conference and I don't want to have to pack that much...
I've been examining my closet, and here's what I came up with:
I think what I'm going to do is be "respectable," but not really too dressy, for the days when I'm not presenting. I'm still going to be making a lot of attempts to network during those days, however, and so I'm not going to dress down entirely. But the day when I'm presenting, I'm wearing a skirt.
I also think I'm going to wear a lot of combinations of black and grey, so that I can mix and match and therefore pack a lot less.
If you haven't gone shopping yet - I find that Ann Taylor LOFT has affordable -cute-but not stuffy professional-ish clothes.
If the conference is four days you only really need two pairs of pants and one nice top for your presentation and then the other tops you could probably youth hostel in as well
Here's my new idea - wear converse and overalls and a tiny tee shirt and make everyone think you are super young and a prodigy!
And I had to say 12 so as to not give away your true identity!
good idea, Shrinky! :)
QoWP, I think my idea of dressy might just be other people's respectable, unfortunately... I wish I had paid more attention at the other conference I went to this year (I just wore jeans and t-shirts).
Gravitassy - when one is dressed to the nines and still looks like crap?
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