Conference outfits (only female attending)

[Kellioo]

I don't know what to wear. All men who will be a mix of shirts and ties or shirts and chinos.

I'm a lower level than everyone else. I'm flattered to be invited but wondering why and have massive imposter syndrome anyway.

I want to look professional, confident and like I belong.

5ft 10in size 10 but some excess lbs so not feeling great.

Budget needs to be less than £100.

Are mini dresses ever suitable for work?

Agree. Just wear wide leg trousers which you already have, and maybe a button down shirt with a blazer if you have one ( or not). I have the Ines De La Fressange wide leg trousers from Uniqlo, and they are smart enough. I wear them with a black or navy silk shirt for conferences, with a blazer or cardigan.

@SecondUsername4me yes it's not 1950.

I’m in the construction industry so most conferences are 70 - 80% male (still!! but that’s a different thread for that debate!) and for years we’ve all tried to just merge in with trousers and a smart top but thankfully the last few years we have all finally gone fuck it we are women, we know as much as you and we can also wear a skirt while we are talking about it if we want to.

i wear popsy dresses (one of their plain navy or black ones or one of the more modest animal prints for most conferences - dinos only come out when I am presenting about climate change and want to make an extinction point) but they have pockets so you can leave your bag in the conference room but have your phone whatever in your pockets and have both hands for lunch - a win.

last summer saw lots of scamp and dude and equivalent in the hot weather…

I’ve learned that whatever I am comfortable in means I will present my best self to those around me so go with that.

Perfect 👌

If a 'mini' dress is too alarming then maybe something like this - https://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/clothing/dresses/black-abstract-print-belted-midaxi-dress/p/878364109

I don't like wearing trousers so would opt for some sort of shirt dress basically! There are loads of these around.

"Invited as the totty"- where is this conference, 1986?

I'm heading to an (all female) conference next month and will be wearing these wide leg cords with boots and a pop over blouse like this. I'm expecting there will be a wide range of styles but, since I struggle to know what to wear and it will be a very long day, have erred on the side of comfort.

Boden sale and team up with a jacket from M&S... dress and heels with a blazer perfectly fine and I say this as the frequently only female on calls, client meetings, conferences etc. Go classic and understated (unless you feel wildly confident to wear something outrageous! Which I love to see but rarely manage it myself!)

Not in a "women shouldn't show their legs" way - just like a pair of joggers wouldn't be suitable, or pyjamas bottoms.not all clothes are suitable for work. I'd put mini skirts in that category.

Why does the size of conference affect what you are wearing?

You haven’t seen a woman this century, have you?

As mentioned above, I go to a lot of conferences (and am now quite ‘senior’.) I wouldn’t dream of wearing crap because men won’t notice - it’s my money that pays for my clothes.

The OP has £100. There’s nothing worse - stylistically speaking - than cheap black trousers …

Good grief! We all have arses, even in a professional environment.

This would be perfect for a conference in my (creative) industry, although you might get a bit hot.

This thread is so weird.

That’s because we all lead such different lives, @MotherofGorgons. The chances of my wearing M&S trousers are less than zero, but no one else can grasp how cool a kilt and tall boots will look.

And everyone keeps advising the OP about not wearing heels and what sort of bag - as if this is the first time she’s leaving her house …

You really think that a professional woman in a room full of men at a haulage conference wants them to be able to see the outline of her butt cheeks? Okaaay.

It’s the haulage industry…

(to the poster who questioned the need to deflect assumptions of totty inviting. I see it all the time with our junior staff- the ones who are “easy on the eye” get taken out for lunch with the old bloke clients. Insurance industry).

I'd go for a shirt dress.

@SecondUsername4me that dress isn't really the same as a mini skirt. It's a smart shirt dress that realistically would go down to mid thigh / above the knee on someone my height.

Exactly. So best to avoid anyone thinking otherwise.

I don’t understand your question.

My point is that the younger she is, the harder she has to work to assert her professional right to be there.

Only if she's around someone who judges her based on her age. Which sounds like you would.

Is this a joke?

Don’t be ridiculous.

Has it not crossed your mind that I might be speaking from experience as the judgee?

And I can guarantee you that I am still seeing the same behaviour now. Especially in the old men/young woman dynamic. And I work in an area linked to OP’s industry.

OP said herself she was flattered to be invited and wasn’t quite sure why she had been. Wear bright colours, high fashion, heels, or the type of clothes suggested by @Jellybean85 in a room full of identikit chino males and you WILL stand out, and not in a good way.

I mean, sure, let’s try to change people’s attitudes, but the battle isn’t going be won before OP’s conference starts.

Though she’s confirmed that she is in her 40s actually, so I guess it’s all a moot point 😂