Help! Dress me for a conference

[Vestito]

I need help. Matronly, size 16 (with boobs 38E). Need to go to an education conference - 2 days. What will I wear?
my normal “style” is casual - Fatface/White stuff/Next/M & S but with say Monsoon for weddings etc - like boho embroidery/natural fibres/midrange prices. Not corporate at all. It’s in early May. Too early for sandals I’d say but I don’t have/do shoes! Boots-sandals-trainers.
I really need advice please.

Have you been to this conference before? If so, how formal is it? I'm an academic, and go very informal for conferences. I was at one last week and wore wide-legged Cos culottes, a thin woollen jumper tucked in and these not-quite-trainers, which are obscenely comfortable.

No, I haven’t been before but I had a look at photos of the previous there’s a mix of styles, from sort of office wear/suits to tight frocks and heels to jumpers and trousers. Thanks for your reply, I like your not-quite-trainers! I have some Hoff trainers, which are similarly colourful but not the same sole.

I went to a lot of education conferences back in the day and they tended to be fairly casual. I sometimes wore a trouser suit but I was mostly smart casual. I’d dress up a bit more when I was presenting.

I’d plan two outfits around a base colour combination and items you might already have in your wardrobe. I’d ensure it was comfortable and practical

Personally (and I don’t work in education) my go to for most work things is a pair of well cut black wide legged trousers. Mine are from Boden (which surprised me) and they are fairly infallible.

To these trousers I would add, depending on temperature and formality: a smart crisp white T-shirt and blazer / jacket combo (I’m liking the boucle look at the moment but it might not be your thing), or a smart stripe thin knit, or a v necked top (here I like Baukjen for classic quality which can be dressed up or down). On my feet I would do black pointed flats but sounds as if you could do trainers.

Second day I would change the top. Or, I’d switch to a jumpsuit with same shoes and jacket.

The post-covid workwear formula in my industry for senior females seems to be: no heals, no tight ‘workwear’ dress, and then mixing smarter items with casual. So wide legged black trousers with trainers, or T-shirt with those trousers. Focusing on simple colours and shapes, and quality items. Most of the women in my office this week were in monochrome with a hint of tan / beige. Colours seem muted.