Tips for Traveling to a Conference: What to Pack, Wear & How To Be Fabulous All Day Long

By Nicki Ong

Between having to make sure everything fits in a carry-on and working from home, a conference – aside from being an excellent learning and networking opportunity – is a wonderful fashion moment for a girl like me.

It’s been a while since I attended a marketing conference and with my first time at INBOUND quickly approaching, I’m extra excited to get back with my marketing peeps.

1. Plan your outfits in advance

As a wanna-be fashionista, it’s important to be two things at a conference:

  1. Comfortable (physically), and
  2. Comfortable (fashionably).

If you’re a woman, you understand those are two very different things.

And as a woman that changes into sweats the instant she gets home, being comfortable during 12 hour+ days isn’t ideal, it’s a necessity.

If you’ve read before about how OCD I am when it comes to packing you know I know exactly what I’m wearing before I wear it. I even keep a copy on my phone for quick reference.

So here’s what I packed up:

outfits

2. Bring an extra outfit that doesn’t take up a lot of room

My go-to extra outfit (I always have at least one when I travel) is always going to be simple and typically a dress. It’ll incorporate accessories and shoes that I’m already bringing. But, it’s important to have when the weather, the mood, or my mood calls for something I didn’t bring.

extra

3. Planning your luggage is just as important as planning your outfits

I Google Mapped how far I’d have to walk from public transportation to the Convention Hall: .7 miles. I’m perfectly fine with a little morning/evening wall, but that means two things:

  1. I’ll need to pack my heels for the day
  2. I’ll need to bring a bag that’s comfortable

I don’t know about you, but the briefcase-bag I stow my laptop in is not what I’d call comfortable to carry. Sure, on meetings it’s great, but to carry for as far as I do means I’ll need to repurpose my North Face backpack or my rolling carry-on. I’ll probably make a last minute decision, but either with be more comfortable than my briefcase-bag.

4. Prepare yourself to last all day…Literally. All. Day.

I’ve got three 15 hour+ days ahead of me. And I’m a woman who likes to wear makeup and do my hair.

Now, I don’t know about you…but come 3pm, after running around Boston and from session to session, my face is going to look as shiny as a newly waxed floor.

So, I’ll have to prepare…

Makeup

  • I use a Physician’s Formula Organic CC cream on days like this. Normally, I don’t wear foundation, but when I need my makeup to last all day I will. This is one of the only foundations I’ve found that won’t clog my pores and it will keep the shine away for far longer than normal.
  • I’ll pack part of my makeup bag: enough to blot my face halfway during the day and do any touch-ups I’ll have to make to a blemish that won’t quit or a mascara smudge.

Hair

  • I’ll also put plenty of product in my hair – for me that just constitutes some hairspray, but it’ll do the trick. However, I’ll also have to pack some sea salt spray for a little spritz mid-day to add a little volume when it inevitably falls a little flat on me.
  • It goes without saying for most women, but I’ll also have some bobby pins and a hair tie on me. You never know when you’re running around that you’ll get too overheated and need to throw your locks up in a snap!