Last Friday I had the pleasure of being a speaker at the Plumbing and Gas Conference 2016.
As nerve-wrecking as speaking can be in front of an audience of many, it can also be hard to work out what exactly to wear when presenting on stage.
The dress code for the conference was business casual. Most conferences I’ve gone to have usually had a relaxed feel so a smart casual ensemble is usually suitable attire.
If it’s a business conference, a suit may be expected.
For my presentation, I decided to wear pants, a tee-shirt and dressed it up with a khaki blazer with the sleeves rolled up.
I think if you’re up on the stage to present, you should have a little bit of your personality show through your outfit.
I love to wear stipes so my stripe pants were my ‘personality’ showing through.
I also wore heels that I could stand and walk in. I felt confident wearing heels and I’m not usually a heel wearer.
Some Tips on Working out an Outfit to Present At a Conference:
A blazer can make any pant outfit look smart. It gives authority to an outfit and you want to look like the influencer you are.
From left to right, clockwise: Bird Keepers Everyday Blazer in Red $89.95, Navy Bird Keepers Pants $89.95, Betty Basics Manhattan Stretch Tee $27.95, Bellini Besha Tan Wedges $79.95
For corporate, you can go the plain jane black and white suit look or wear a structured dress and a blazer, with heels.
From left to right, clockwise: Jacqui E Lily Fit and Flare Dress $149.95, Jacqui E Elton Zip Pocket Jacket $119.95, I Love Billy Connie Nude Heel $79.95
Some points to consider when choosing your outfit when presenting on stage:
- Skirt and dress length – remember you are elevated and your audience will be looking up. Make sure your dress and skirt length isn’t too short so your audience can see more than you’d like.
- Wear shoes you can walk in and stand in. Heels may not be ideal if you’re used to flats. Opt for a wedge heel instead if you require height.
- Pants are a good option if you don’t want your legs on show.
- Jewellery – remember there are stage lights and depending on how you move on the stage, your jewellery may refect the light into your audience’s eyes. Wear plain jewellery – nothing too glitzy that can reflect a beam.
- Be comfortable. Don’t wear anything too tight, too loose or requires adjusting. For example an off the shoulder top may not be ideal if you constantly have to adjust the top to sit right.
Have you ever had to speak at a conference? What did you wear? What would you wear?
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