How To Pack for a 4-Day Conference / Work Conference Packing List

4 Day Conference Capsule

One of the most stressful things for most people when they are invited to a conference aside from the presentation they have to give is what to wear. After all you will be meeting a lot of important people for the first time and you want to make the best possible impression.

Just this week, a friend of mine was invited to a 4 day conference and I met her at the airport with her ginormous suitcase. I was wondering what she had in there and surely she was covering every eventuality. In reality, when we got back to her room she had a bit of a panic attack and said she didn’t think she had brought the right clothes for the climate.

After a couple of deep breaths, she proceeded to open her bulging suitcase and started pulling out clothes. I am not lying when I say she had at least 7 pairs of shoes, most of which she confessed were completely uncomfortable and she couldn’t wear. She also had mainly packed short sleeved dresses which are great but not suitable for winter here in Cannes and additionally short sleeves are not considered professional for the more formal day events she was attending. Check out my article on appropriate sleeve lengths for professional wear here.

With my lovely friend as inspiration, I have prepared a capsule wardrobe with just 7 items of clothing, 2 pairs of shoes, 3 pairs of earrings, 1 silk scarf and 1 necklace. I have used these items to create 8 unique professional outfits for day and evening events that will easily fit in one carry on. Think of the stress and time this will save you in the long run.

Here are a few concepts to keep in mind when preparing your capsule.

• Choose your best lightest and darkest neutral for the core items so that your outfits have medium to high contrast which is more professional than low contrast. eg. Dark jacket (Charcoal) and light shirt (White)
• Choose a couple of complimentary accent colours to add interest and personality. I choose variations on pink here.
• Choose close-toed shoes as they are more professional than sandals and you will be able to wear pantyhose with them. Black and nude will go with every outfit. Choose your most comfortable shoes as you may be standing or walking a lot.
• Bring lots of coordinating accessories as they only take up a tiny amount of space and they will change up an outfit in seconds.