Travel Capsules

Anonymous

I am attending three conferences/seminars in August. The conferences range from two to five days in length. All three are located in Atlanta, Georgia. I would like to dress "professionally casual" for the engineer. There will be the conferences themselves and then a social event each evening during the five day conference.

I kinda know what that means in my brain but am having a hard time defining it in real life. Does anyone have suggestions? My skirts are not an option because they are more "professional meeting." White jeans might be an option. If white jeans become my lifeline in August, I will send flowers to Angie. Do you think the Eileen Fisher pants featured below might work?

I should mention that I will be traveling with one bag that I can easily carry long distances.

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Eileen Fisher Silk Crepe Pleat Trousers (Regular & Petite) (Online Only)

$248.00 $123.98

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8 years ago

Dressing

12 replies

Latest reply was from Susie

frannieb

Veteran

You must go look at the http://vivienne%20files/ she spends a great deal of time coming up with combantions for work trips and exactly what you are talking about.
I have used her travel formulas for my last three trips of varying lengths and purposes and they work brillantly.

8 years ago

VioletMyra

Active Member

i would think the EF silk pants could be dressed down for day wear and dressed up for evenings via a change of footwear, jewellery and purse/bag.
Best wishes.

8 years ago

Anonymous

Thanks frannieb. What a great idea. I will check out her posts and model my travel capsule on her ideas.

Thanks ecteacher0000. I was hoping that others would agree that EF pants would be workable. They should certainly travel well.

I admit to being nervous. Conferences make me anxious.

8 years ago

Author Linda

Veteran

Those pants are perfect. If you could find white pants in silk or tencel, those would also be an option. You can't go wrong with white in summer.

I love white jeans and they're a summer staple, but I would not wear them to a professional meeting. Socially, they're great. Maybe I worked in a more conservative environment. I second checking out Vivienne's capsules and seeing what white pants she recommends. If she says jeans, go with it.

8 years ago

Anonymous

Thank you, Author Linda. I'll leave the white jeans home. I will look for some sort of silky white pants. I won't look too hard though because I am somewhat certain that silky white pants are a HEWI for me.

I'll focus on the navy and black Eileen Fisher pants I currently own. I also have a pair of grey slacks from the Gap (below). I am also shopping at NAS tomorrow. What do you think of the Kut from the Kloth pants?

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KUT from the Kloth 'Diana' Ponte Knit Five Pocket Skinny Pants (Regular & Petite) (Online Only)

$69.50

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8 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Three seminars/conferences? In AUGUST!!?? Wow, don't they know August is vacation season?

If you are looking for "professional casual" vs "professional meeting", in an engineering environment , I'd say white jeans would definitely work. I think I'd avoid BF's, but straight legs or flares would be fine. I know I've worn mine to a pre-conference meeting and didn't feel too casual. You say your skirts are too "meetingy", is it worth purchasing a knit (thinking jersey) tube or pencil skirt? I live in skirts like this in the summer, as they are comfortable and have that casual summer vibe. Or a drapy t-shirt dress with a cardigan?

I have a big engineering conference in Sept every year, but I suspect it's a bit more formal - I usually dress meetingy (suit even) for the first day or two ... but the pre-meeting is pretty business casual to casual, and the evenings I wear fairly "normal" go out clothes. Jeans, dress for the banquet, that sort of thing.

8 years ago

Joy

Veteran

I have some silk crepe EF pants in the lantern style and find them quite dressy. However, EF silk tends not to be shiny, so the navy may be able to be dressed down. The EF viscose blend pull-ons can be dressed up or down or legs rolled for hot weather. They travel very well. I will try to find a link. I have a pair in light grey and would love more and am watching Ebay. They are about $168 full price but worth it. A knit but I've had no snags or pilling and wear and wash them weekly.

ETA: find. These are nearly full length on me. They would not be hot for summer. I take my usual EF size.

Nordstrom

Eileen Fisher Stretch Crepe Ankle Pants (Regular & Petite) (Online Only)

$117.60

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Nordstrom

Eileen Fisher Stretch Crepe Ankle Pants (Regular & Petite) (Online Only)

$117.60

View Info

Top Pick

Nordstrom

Eileen Fisher Stretch Crepe Ankle Pants (Regular & Petite) (Online Only)

$117.60

View Info

Top Pick

Nordstrom

Eileen Fisher Stretch Crepe Ankle Pants (Regular & Petite) (Online Only)

$117.60

View Info

Top Pick

8 years ago

Anonymous

Elizabeth P, thank you for understanding what I was trying to say. I know what I mean, I just wasn't certain I could put those thoughts into words. You seemed to know exactly what I was trying to say. I have worn suits to meetings (never a conference). I might use the white jeans to travel in and then if I feel they are appropriate, I'll have them with me.

I love the idea of a skirt, but not for these trips. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I rarely wear skirts without hose. I don't want to bother with hose and shoes on these trips.

Joy. What a great suggestion. I'll order them tomorrow and see how they work.

8 years ago

Author Linda

Veteran

Sterling -- Both Elizabeth P. and Joy make excellent points. If your business is a more creative or casual one, then the dress would reflect that. One of my sons works for a company where if anyone showed up in anything but jeans, they'd look out of place. Bring the jeans and you're ready for anything. Like you, I prefer jeans for flying. Lighter weight pants don't keep my legs warm enough in flight.

Oh, and love the EF pants. Mine have made the transition from work to my current non-working lifestyle without missing a beat.

8 years ago

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Love the pants. Certainly buy them. If you can find another pair of pants that can be dressed both up and down, pick that too if skirts are out of question. Also, flared dark wash denim look dressy when combined with drapey tops. Look for those too. You can even skip a jacket then

8 years ago

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Also, since you're considering the navy pants and traveling in white jeans, all you need is a pair of black pants. With all three colours, you can just mix and match. Also, pack a couple of scarves. They give instant polish to any outfit.

8 years ago

Susie

Veteran

Sterling, I just got those Diana skinny pants and did a quick try on of them last night. They are very nice but they are definitely heavy...my thought was that they would be a great winter pant. For me, the thought of wearing them in Atlanta in August sounds uncomfortable, unless you are in a freezing conference location where you never leave the hotel.

I think your EF pants are perfect. I have a few pairs of the EF pull on crepe pants and I really like them for summer. In fact I am wearing the black ones today. I also think white jeans could be an option. I probably wouldn't travel in them if I wanted to be able to re-wear them but I always wash my white jeans after one wear.

8 years ago

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