Dress clothes for conference/poster session

[Beeza]

I am curious what everyone here thinks about what clothes are acceptable for a poster presentation at a conference. Can I get away with wearing a golf shirt and khakis? Or should I go out and rent a full blown suit? I've never worn a suit in my entire life...

 

[Kurdt]

Just wear what you like.

 

[lisab]

Are you hoping to make career contacts at the conference? If so, a little more formal attire is appropriate. Maybe not a full-blown suit, but slacks, shirt, and a tie. And clean dress shoes.

 

[Kurdt]

Booo! What you wear shouldn't affect anyones decision anywhere.

 

[lisab]

Yeah, in a perfect world, you're right. But it's not a perfect world and first impressions do matter.

Companies are going to want someone who reflects well on them, especially in positions that require a lot of public exposure.

 

[kev1829]

Booo! What you wear shouldn't affect anyones decision anywhere.

Wonderful concept. Not even close to reality.

 

[brewnog]

You're rarely inappropriately dressed in a suit. Swimming and caving are two notable exceptions.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

You're rarely inappropriately dressed in a suit. Swimming and caving are two notable exceptions.

Yeah, I even wear a suit to bed. The same suit I was born in.

If you are going in front of customers, and in doubt, then wear a suit.

 

[JasonRox]

I think Moonbear said it best before (other thread). Dressing appropriately for the position you have or the position you want is best because people will eventually see you in that position or see that you're well-suited for that position.

I would never wear a golf shirt and khakis at a conference. That's kind of ugly for the occasion nevermind not appropriate.

 

[cristo]

Is this an academic conference, or a poster presentation at some sort of job conference? If the former, wear what you like, but for the latter I'd wear a suit.

 

[ZapperZ]

I am curious what everyone here thinks about what clothes are acceptable for a poster presentation at a conference. Can I get away with wearing a golf shirt and khakis? Or should I go out and rent a full blown suit? I've never worn a suit in my entire life...

If this is a physics conference, then just make sure you dress decently. It doesn't have to be a suit, although there's nothing wrong with that. You can dress in jeans and shirt if you're more comfortable with that. I've actually given a talk during one of the APS March Meetings in jeans and polo shirt.

Zz.

 

[Cyrus]

Dont rent a suit it will look bad on you. Suits have to be tailored to your body.

Wear black pants, a white collar shirt, black socks, black shoes, and a tie with a V-neck sweater over it if you have one.


You can always one up it and wear sweats and a hoodie.

 

[wolram]

Or be like Cyrus and wear a cardigan with the buttons done up wrongly

 

[mbrmbrg]

Good advice, but from someone in the corporate world: people (particularly full-blown adult-style people, interviewer people--y'know, that sort) tend to see young adults and immediately tag them as "not so responsible". Dressing formally goes a long way toward minimizing that lable; when in doubt always go for more rather than less formal, especially if you are young. Don't know how well this translates into the scientific world, but it makes sense.

My advice for scientific presentations, interviews, etc. is to dress as formally as you can without looking ridiculous, keeping in mind that your audience/interviewer will very likely be wearing jeans and a casual top. I usually go for a straight black skirt and a fairly nice sweater/blouse. But if you ain't a girl, that ain't the outfit for you.
Lisab's proposed outfit sounds mighty good to me!

Oh--and a tip for all public speakers, regardless of gender: make sure your entire face is visible and not obscured by a hat or your hair.

 

[Moonbear]

Ask your mentor, or other people you know who have attended the conference, about appropriate attire. Different conferences I attend have different expectations of attire.

One is VERY informal (people come to the sessions in shorts or jeans and t-shirts) and wearing khakis and a golf shirt for giving a poster or presentation is absolutely acceptable. I just came back from a retreat where anyone showing up wearing a tie was told to take it off...it was meant to be casual and relaxed to share ideas, not to impress each other.

On the other hand, I attend others where khakis and golf shirts are sort of the minimum level of casual for attendees, and people presenting wear dress slacks and dress shirts. At some, people wear suits to give talks.

However, even when I attend the very casual conference, I've always dressed very nicely for giving presentations...it makes a good impression on the audience. I then change back into comfy clothes right after. But, I don't go so far as to wear a suit because that would stand out as equally inappropriate for that audience as would giving a talk in shorts and t-shirt.

If you don't know anyone else who has attended that conference before to ask, see if there are any pictures of past events on the website for the conference, and you might get an idea of the range of attire people are wearing from the photos. If you're still not sure, err on the side of over-packing and bring a couple choices of things to wear for your talk so once you see what people are wearing, you can change if necessary for your talk.

 

[Kurdt]

Can I ask someone here, what exactly is inappropriate about giving a talk in shorts and a t-shirt? If the answers have nothing to do with the credibility of the talk then there is nothing inappropriate about it.

 

[D H]

Ask your mentor, or other people you know who have attended the conference, about appropriate attire. Different conferences I attend have different expectations of attire.

Best advice yet. If I may add a bit, I suggest determining the typical attire for the conference and dressing a bit better than that. Even in the most formal of conferences a person in a formal tux would look a bit out-of-place and overdressed.

Booo! What you wear shouldn't affect anyones decision anywhere.

It does, so get over it. If some candidate comes to an interview dressed in shreds, tats, and rings, sayonara. How a person dresses shows what they think of others and of us.

 

[Beeza]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. It is an academic thing, so maybe I can get away with the golf shirt and dress pants deal. I have a lot of trouble finding dress clothes that actually fit. I've never found a shirt that I could button up the last 4 or 5 buttons and was actually the proper length. Usually they hang down to my knees. I can imagine finding a proper suit coat would be a disaster. I also can't wear cotton shirts because I sweat like a fat kid waiting for a candy bar even when its 40 degrees outside. Last year I won a scholarship and had to receive it in front of a few hundred people. Aftwards, people told me that I won the sweat scholarship ;).

As for asking my mentor, I was trying to avoid doing so. I try to hide the fact that I am a shmuck when it comes to formalitites and do not fit into academia very well.

 

[Moonbear]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. It is an academic thing, so maybe I can get away with the golf shirt and dress pants deal. I have a lot of trouble finding dress clothes that actually fit. I've never found a shirt that I could button up the last 4 or 5 buttons and was actually the proper length. Usually they hang down to my knees. I can imagine finding a proper suit coat would be a disaster. I also can't wear cotton shirts because I sweat like a fat kid waiting for a candy bar even when its 40 degrees outside. Last year I won a scholarship and had to receive it in front of a few hundred people. Aftwards, people told me that I won the sweat scholarship ;).

If you can't buy shirts off the rack, it's certainly worth getting at least one shirt made or tailored to fit you well...you never know when you'll need to be dressed up for something, and if you require tailoring, you can't run out last minute for that. Wear a white t-shirt under the dress shirt so you don't sweat through!

As for asking my mentor, I was trying to avoid doing so. I try to hide the fact that I am a shmuck when it comes to formalitites and do not fit into academia very well.

Nah, these are the sorts of questions mentors expect. How could you know what is appropriate if you've never been there before? This way, you make sure you don't embarrass your mentor too!

Kurdt, the reason to dress nicely is to show your respect for the audience. It projects something about your attitude toward them, and it can be, "I respect you and want you to respect me," or it can be, "I'm a careless slob and you shouldn't trust that I put any more care into my work than I did into getting dressed this morning to talk to you."

 

[Kurdt]

I'm obviously mental but I thought true respect for people was not pre-judging them by not holding them to any standard, and gaining respect from an audience was done through your work not your attire. Would you dismiss a guy that unified gravity and QM at a conference because he wasn't dressed nicely? Of course not.

Any way, I am well aware of the real world situation, I just don't think people have their priorities right. Consider anger vented.

 

[Astronuc]

Can I ask someone here, what exactly is inappropriate about giving a talk in shorts and a t-shirt? If the answers have nothing to do with the credibility of the talk then there is nothing inappropriate about it.

Well - I would have no problem with someone who is competent doing a presentation in shorts and a T-shirt - but that's me.

The chairman of the company wears a vest and tie everyday - to the office or conference. Most other folks wear a tie (with or without vest) when they are presenting a paper, otherwise they might be more causual, i.e. dress shirt and slacks.

The professional world tends to dress more formally. Until a young person is considered a top expert, he or she should dress more formally if he or she wishes to ascend the ranks.


Personally, I usually do not wear ties. Most folks would prefer I did.


At one conference, someone made the comment that I look more biblical every time the addressee sees me. Some folks laughed, others rolled their eyes.

But then I'm considered one of the top experts in the world in what I do.

 

[ZapperZ]

Kurdt, the reason to dress nicely is to show your respect for the audience. It projects something about your attitude toward them, and it can be, "I respect you and want you to respect me," or it can be, "I'm a careless slob and you shouldn't trust that I put any more care into my work than I did into getting dressed this morning to talk to you."

While this is certainly true, and it is always good to dress up nicely, I think it is less important in physics, where most of the audience are usually dressed sloppily. It definitely depends on the occasion, of course. If you are doing a seminar for a job interview (which is a common requirement in physics), then dressing up like a starving graduate student is definitely a no-no. However, I've seen many people giving a our division's seminar here dressed very casually, some time even in jeans. I think Sean Carrol (of Cosmic Variance fame) may have been one of them. Most people here couldn't care less how a speaker is dressed, as long as it isn't outrageous that it becomes a distraction.

And if anyone has been to one of the March or April Meetings where thousands of people show up and almost the same number presenting talks, one would have seen people dressed all the way from suits to t-shirt and jeans. As long as it isn't an inappropriate outfit, most don't really care how a person is dressed.

Zz.

 

[Beeza]

Well - I would have no problem with someone who is competent doing a presentation in shorts and a T-shirt - but that's me.

The chairman of the company wears a vest and tie everyday - to the office or conference. Most other folks where a tie (with or without vest) when they are presenting a paper, otherwise they might be more causual, i.e. dress shirt and slacks.

The professional world tends to dress more formally. Until a young person is considered a top expert, he or she should dress more formally if he or she wishes to ascend the ranks.


Personally, I usually do not wear ties. Most folks would prefer I did.


At one conference, someone made the comment that I look more biblical every time the addressee sees me. Some folks laughed, others rolled their eyes.

But then I'm considered one of the top experts in the world in what I do.

Astronuc, you are my hero.

 

[Cyrus]

Can I ask someone here, what exactly is inappropriate about giving a talk in shorts and a t-shirt? If the answers have nothing to do with the credibility of the talk then there is nothing inappropriate about it.

Ideally, talks are given by professionals, not bums in shorts and t-shirts. The talks I have sat in on were at NASA HQ in downtown DC. Everyone was dressed for work, the speaker in a suit. When Generals from the NAVY/ARMY/AIRFORCE come by, you dress professionally and show your work. This is how the real world should work, always, IMO.

Even the people at McDonalds don't wear shorts, do they?

 

[D H]

Ideally, talks are given by professionals, not bums in shorts and t-shirts. The talks I have sat in on were at NASA HQ in downtown DC. Everyone was dressed for work, the speaker in a suit.

Take a trip to JPL. The people at McDonalds might not wear shorts and ragged T-shirts, but the folk at JPL sure do. They make the scroungiest physics department look downright formal.

To the OP: Talk to your mentor. Many, if not most, college kids are clueless regarding the vagaries of the adult world.

 

[Cyrus]

Thats quite sad. Fire them all I say!

Seriously though, they should have some sort of dress code at the workplace. I wouldn't want my doctor walking in, in a t-shirt and shorts. I don't want guys building spacecraft that way either.

 

[Astronuc]

Thats quite sad. Fire them all I say!

Seriously though, they should have some sort of dress code at the workplace. I wouldn't want my doctor walking in, in a t-shirt and shorts. I don't want guys building spacecraft that way either.

The guys who actually build the spacecraft wear clean suits.

e.g. - http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/cassini/lifeSize.gif

The folks at JPL for the most part do engineering, research and project management work.

 

[Moonbear]

While this is certainly true, and it is always good to dress up nicely, I think it is less important in physics, where most of the audience are usually dressed sloppily. It definitely depends on the occasion, of course. If you are doing a seminar for a job interview (which is a common requirement in physics), then dressing up like a starving graduate student is definitely a no-no. However, I've seen many people giving a our division's seminar here dressed very casually, some time even in jeans. I think Sean Carrol (of Cosmic Variance fame) may have been one of them. Most people here couldn't care less how a speaker is dressed, as long as it isn't outrageous that it becomes a distraction.

And if anyone has been to one of the March or April Meetings where thousands of people show up and almost the same number presenting talks, one would have seen people dressed all the way from suits to t-shirt and jeans. As long as it isn't an inappropriate outfit, most don't really care how a person is dressed.

Zz.

And this is why I recommended asking one's mentor about the conference attire. I've seen some top people in my field give talks with jeans, cowboy boots, giant belt buckles, and a t-shirt on. The way I see it, they've earned the right to dress any way they want because they've already gained respect for their work. Besides, they're not out to impress anyone anymore. And, that's also why the one conference I attend is so casual, because the folks organizing it are of that group and want it to be casual, student-friendly, non-intimidating, non-stuffy, and just focus on the science. It's nice and it breaks down a lot of barriers going up and meeting other people. Though, I still have hang-ups about people giving platform talks while wearing jeans or shorts...it looks slouchy, like they just don't give a damn about what they're doing...I'd stick with khakis if it's an informal group.

But, then I attend meetings where your audience includes folks like physicians who you're trying to convince to listen to your science and start thinking about applying it in the clinic, and since they don't have the science background to know who to believe, you better wear a suit to present to them and convince them you are in a position of authority (physicians are all into dress codes to signal status...notice the difference in length of white coats on students vs physicians...the physicians are also the ones who wear their white coats to the cafeteria, which us scientists want to smack them for doing since we want whatever that coat is protecting them from left someplace other than the cafeteria, but to them, it might as well be just a suit jacket).

So, that's why I stick behind the best approach being to just ask the mentor who has been to the particular meeting before. There's just too much variation of what's acceptable or expected to be able to give an answer here that fits every meeting.

 

[Moonbear]

Thats quite sad. Fire them all I say!

Seriously though, they should have some sort of dress code at the workplace. I wouldn't want my doctor walking in, in a t-shirt and shorts. I don't want guys building spacecraft that way either.

We have professionalism codes for the med students, and I think law students do as well. We're not as tough as it used to be. Med students used to have to wear a dress shirt and slacks to class every day. We let them wear jeans now, as long as they don't have holes and don't sag (we have interrupted a student in the lab to tell them to go pull their pants up when their underwear is sticking out). They have to dress up on the days they are seeing patients, though. And you're right, it's because patients aren't going to trust some "kid" walking in dressed like a slob.

 

[Astronuc]

Astronuc, you are my hero.

I'm probably not a good example, since I tend to be contrarian and recalcitrant.

Are you hoping to make career contacts at the conference? If so, a little more formal attire is appropriate. Maybe not a full-blown suit, but slacks, shirt, and a tie. And clean dress shoes.

I would agree, if one is trying to impress potential employers or one wants to be taken seriously.

brewnog, JasonRox, cristo, ZapperZ, mbrmbrg, Moonbear, D H give good advice. I'm sure Evo would agree.

Cyrus overdoes it a bit, but he's generally correct.


Dress for success. Dress slacks, dress shirt, clean shoes, would be fine. A tie might be a good touch. If you have a jacket, and it's too warm, take it off and hang appropriately or drape it over the back of a chair.

Certainly at some point, as Cyrus indicated, it would be worthwhile to invest in a suit. It doesn't have to be a tux, but a nice 'fitted' jacket.

I'll wear a suit on occasion for those folks who would prefer I wear a suit. When I interviewed for a job, I wore a suit and tie. When we went out for lunch, I left the jacket behind, but still wore the tie.

A golf shirt might be a bit too casual, so a nice dress shirt would probably be better.

 

[Moonbear]

Dress for success. Dress slacks, dress shirt, clean shoes, would be fine. A tie might be a good touch. If you have a jacket, and it's too warm, take it off and hang appropriately or drape it over the back of a chair.

Oh, which raises another important point about conferences...room temperature! Most hotels and convention centers seem to have issues with temperature control...I don't know if it's the way the place is designed, or that they keep turning the temperature up and down as people complain one way or the other, but it is almost NEVER comfortable in those rooms. Usually, they seem to be far too cold, but once in a while, after the room is filled, they seem to start heating up, like the air handling just can't keep up with all the bodies in there. Anyway, an advantage to wearing a suit with a jacket is that when it gets cold, you can put on the jacket, and if it gets warm, you can take it off. If a suit is over-dressed, bring a sport jacket that you can wear with jeans, khakis, or dress slacks.

If you wear a sport jacket with a dress shirt and casual pants and keep a tie in your pocket, you're set for most occasions other than the most formal. That's the other issue with conferences...it's not just the attire people wear to the conference, but that you might get an impromptu invitation to join a group of people to head out somewhere for dinner, and that could range anything from a pub to a nice "jacket and tie required" type restaurant, depending on who you meet up with. The casual pants and sport coat can fit in equally well for either place (you might feel a bit under dressed in the fancy restaurant, but at least they'll let you in the door).

 

[Astronuc]

Oh, which raises another important point about conferences...room temperature! Most hotels and convention centers seem to have issues with temperature control...I don't know if it's the way the place is designed, or that they keep turning the temperature up and down as people complain one way or the other, but it is almost NEVER comfortable in those rooms. Usually, they seem to be far too cold, but once in a while, after the room is filled, they seem to start heating up, like the air handling just can't keep up with all the bodies in there. Anyway, an advantage to wearing a suit with a jacket is that when it gets cold, you can put on the jacket, and if it gets warm, you can take it off. If a suit is over-dressed, bring a sport jacket that you can wear with jeans, khakis, or dress slacks.

I've noticed that too.

I need to get some cards from Russ so I can give then to the hotel/meeting place folks. It's rare that someone doesn't have to get the A/C system adjusted - or it's too noisy.

If you wear a sport jacket with a dress shirt and casual pants and keep a tie in your pocket, you're set for most occasions other than the most formal. That's the other issue with conferences...it's not just the attire people wear to the conference, but that you might get an impromptu invitation to join a group of people to head out somewhere for dinner, and that could range anything from a pub to a nice "jacket and tie required" type restaurant, depending on who you meet up with. The casual pants and sport coat can fit in equally well for either place (you might feel a bit under dressed in the fancy restaurant, but at least they'll let you in the door).

Excellent advice. I'll usually have a tie in my pocket is I take a jacket. Sport coat is better than no coat if one gets invited to dinner.

The other thing is that one doesn't want to appear under-dressed compared to others. The market is competitive, so to get a foot in the door, do a little extra.

 

[Beeza]

As for temperature control, I hope it's not like that. I really cannot wear cotton dress shirts even with an undershirt. I still sweat right through both shirts and end up looking gross. I do not ever wear cotton t-shirts even casually and only wear mesh type shirts that breathe better or at the least the sweat does not show through. Yeah, I know it's gross. :)

 

[f95toli]

The only people who wears suit+tie at the conferences I attend (physics) are older(70+) German professors and Japanese researchers (unless they are retired/highly respected; then apparently they don't need a tie). Even most of the Japanese PhD students have stopped wearing suits.
The only time I wear a even a sport jacket is if I am giving a talk. Otherwise I tend to wear a shirt+khakis, which tend to be what most people wear.
A PhD student is a full suit would really look out of place at a physics conference and no one dresses formally for a poster session. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in.
The only time you need might need a suit at a conference is if you are attending the conference dinner, but even then it is rare (it should say on the invitation).

 

[Moonbear]

I've noticed that too.

I need to get some cards from Russ so I can give then to the hotel/meeting place folks. It's rare that someone doesn't have to get the A/C system adjusted - or it's too noisy.

I was thinking of Russ the other day, when sitting in another cold, drafty hotel meeting room. They seem to blast out cold air to reach the set temperature, or start out freezing cold in the morning, then as people fill the room, and the day progresses, the cooling system can no longer keep up with the heat and the room warms up, and by the end of the day, everyone is dying of heat. I think that's why they start out with the room temp set so frigidly cold, because it's the only way to keep us from all suffocating when the temp starts rising later. It's just astonishing that EVERY hotel and convention center seems to be done exactly the same way.

A bit off-topic, we're supposed to be getting a new animal facility built in another 2 or 3 years (they're making some modifications to the existing facility now to hold us over until they can get the funds to build a new one), so I asked my department chair who gets to give input on those. He said they bring in external consultants to tell them how to build it. So, I explained that I've had the bad luck of being at several universities with new animal facilities built just before or after my arrival, and they have ALL had major flaws that are only noticed when the researchers start to get ready to use them, and I'd really like some input to the facility here to avoid those same mistakes again. Apparently, all I can do is convey that to the consultants when they visit. (When I hear about them arriving, I'm typing up a list to give to them and can only hope.) The BIGGEST flaw that I've seen over and again is in the HVAC systems. They test them under ideal conditions, with every door in the facility closed, and not under actual operating conditions, which is NOTHING like ideal conditions. Under actual operating conditions, there will be some offices that will have doors open all day long, same with some doors in corridors, plus you'll have doors opening to loading docks that have drastic fluctuations in temperatures depending on time of year and whether or not the loading bay doors are open for deliveries or closed, etc. The end result are drafts, wind tunnel effects, room doors that are supposed to stay shut that blow open unless you lock them, and air flow in the wrong direction.

I suspect hotels make the same mistakes of testing everything under ideal conditions, not under the conditions they'll actually be used, with people entering and leaving, doors open to meeting rooms, and changing conditions of going from an empty room to a full room, etc.

 

[Cyrus]

I say we make it PF policy that all mentors must post in a suit.

 

[Moonbear]

I say we make it PF policy that all mentors must post in a suit.

Will birthday suits suffice?

 

[Cyrus]

I don't know, I think for astronuc that wouldn't be fair. Well have to make him wear a tux.

 

[Astronuc]

I don't know, I think for astronuc that wouldn't be fair. Well have to make him wear a tux.

I'll be wearing a tux in August at a friend's wedding. I'll have to get a picture taken. It's a rare event.

 

[JasonRox]

The way I look at it is like this...

Invest in a suit now so it looks really good on you now and as you get older you'll earn some respect (if you work hard and good) then the suit won't fit anymore but you won't need to wear it any longer!

Seriously though, you should always look your best when taking part in something you find important, whether it's a conference, date or a job you like.

 

[f95toli]

Seriously though, you should always look your best when taking part in something you find important, whether it's a conference, date or a job you like.

I think it more important that dress appropriately. A suit is a good idea when you go to a e.g. job interview or even a date at a nice restaurant but, as I pointed out above, it would look really out of place at a physics conference. Not that shorts and a T-shirt is necessarily a good idea either, although shorts are certainly more common that suits at most conferences that are held during the summer.