Yes, and in Europe they can be sticklers when it comes to the allowed size of bottles! D was really p’d off that her bottle of Clinique moisturizer was confiscated by a security agent in Geneva. Said bottle had traveled all over the US in the prior months…
Lots of great advice here (I am looking into a couple of those dresses myself). HyperJulie, I would be sure to have a cardigan or jacket at all times. In my experience, most of your time at conferences will be spent indoors at the conference center, which will be air-conditioned to be comfortable for men in business suits. I have not been to a conference in Europe lately, though, so I’m not sure what they’re doing about AC these days.
Very good advice. At least in Stockholm and Geneva, the ACs are still blasting arctic air!!! 
Kid was super happy to acquire a blazer at H&M to keep her warm in her office.
As someone who shares your body type almost exactly and who went to a conference in Vienna last summer, I sympathize! I ended up wearing what I typically wear at work (black slacks and a conservative top) and it was fine. Nobody seemed to care about my size or my clothing! If you’re going to be going from inside the conference to outdoors, you might consider bringing a sweater or light wrap.
If you have some extra time to tour and you enjoy classical music, I suggest the Haus der Musik museum, which has wonderful exhibits about sound and is open until quite late in the evening.
Oh, I agree. In general. It could include linen pants that are not “crisp,” if you know what I mean. I meant to edit my comments to say so, but it was too late.
I have no idea what her budget is, but I assume that since she is a grad student it is low.
Julie, dare I suggest that you might want to check out Chico’s? They have a whole line of jersey/knits called “Traveller’s,” including pants, skirts, tanks, tops, etc. They have other things that might suit you that are not from that line. While Chico’s is somewhat infamous for the things it sells with prints and metallics and accessories that label one as a woman of a certain age, if you avoid those things they have lots of basics that are good-looking, travel well, easy to wear if one is not a stick figure, and can be very well priced. They always have sales racks. You would be very likely to be able to find a couple of basics there.
I loved Vienna. 
Yes to Consilation’s suggestion of checking out travel wear at Chicos. A black skirt is a black skirt… It is what you wear with it makes it look outdated or stylish. Also, Ann Taylor petites section has some nice items that travel well.
Now… shoes, Some people find out that their feet get swollen from sitting on the plane for too long, as it always happens to me, so most shoes do not fit for a couple of days. Plan accordingly! Almost all old European cities have a fair share of cobblestone, and wedge heels, if heels are needed, are the only way to go. Although I was shocked to see how well the Russian women navigated the cobblestone of Saint Petersburg in their high heels. @-)
Question on the dress @mathmom 's post #26. In a pinch, could one fancy it up with a fine-jewelry necklace, a lacy shawl, and sparkly shoes?
I think you could. I wore it to a memorial party for a cousin of mine. I put on a nice necklace, nice shoes and a black and white 3/4 sleeve cardigan and felt dressed up enough for a Vermont party.
I’ve started traveling internationally in those soft cushy Nike flip flops, as my feet swell.
I really don’t think business casual differs all that much between the US, Europe and much of Asia. I’m assuming these lectures are in English, so you’ll have an international crowd. I lead workshops for 25 - 50 people, so I’m “on stage” (so to speak) and the types of clothing I wear and what my audience wears looks pretty much the same in all of these countries. It’s only Brazil where they start to go a little more va-va-va-voom, but you don’t need to unless that’s your desired effect :-).
I was in Tokyo last week. The outfits I wore there for my presentations (which were business casual, easy-pack dresses that roll in a suitcase, with a cardigan in case it gets chilly) I’m going to wear again in France in September and in Brazil in October.
Even though you’re perfectly safe in Vienna, I personally would not wear a wedding ring or a “good” watch or good jewelry on an international trip. I wear a $10 ring on my left hand, an inexpensive watch and then costume jewelry earrings and / or necklaces. .
This has been so helpful everyone! I feel very reassured that I won’t look out of place with what I have, and mostly just need to work on planning outfits that will travel well, be comfortable enough in the heat and also transition into air-conditioned indoors! I will check out Sears again and look specifically for Lands End stuff, as structured dresses are some of the most flattering things for me. Unfortunately, I am about six months too late for Chico’s - we used to have one, but then somebody drove their car through the front window and they closed (my best friend’s MIL used to work there).
I also super appreciate the suggestions specific to Vienna. The music museum sounds really cool, and again it is reassuring to hear from people who have actually traveled there for business and conferences. As per Pizzagirl’s suggestion, I will be borrowing a steel band from a friend, and I was already planning on bringing costume jewelry that I’d picked up at thrift stores and garage sales that I am not at all attached to.
Last thing regarding shoes, I just picked up a pair of super comfortable black oxfords at Famous Footwear for $25 (score!) and I will bring a pair of reasonably comfortable wedges that I have had for a while that are a little dressier looking while still being reasonably easy to walk in. I’ll probably lean toward wearing the oxfords most of the time though because I recently sprained my ankle and it’s still pretty weak. I haven’t had luck finding a plain black A-line dress yet, but I’ll keep looking as much as I can, and if I don’t find anything I still have enough presentable stuff I can wear. Again, thank you so much for the advice. I feel so much better about this now!
Is there a TJMaxx or a Marahalls in your area? More like treasure hunt kind of shopping, but they occasionally have great bargains, especially dresses. If there is a Macy’s, check their dress department, too.
For some reason, I read this as a “steel drum band” and was picturing you walking through Vienna with a little percussion entourage in tow.
I’ve never thought about not wearing my engagement/wedding rings abroad. Wow. That seems like an excess of caution to me.
I have not thought about that either! My bling is small. A pave-like diamond band and a heart-shaped pendant. Stockholm natives had much bigger stones in their rings etc.!
It probably is an excess of caution on my part, but I’ve grown into the habit.
And now that I saw the words “steel drum band,” I have Kokomo playing in my head, and that is not a good thing
I was also raised to turn my ring around (towards my palm) when on public transportation. It’s not like I have amazing bling (I have a solitaire that’s a little over a carat and it’s a plain setting) but it’s automatic for me to do so; I do so without even being conscious of it. What the rough streets of Philly will do to a girl
Yeah, I haven’t fully committed to wearing the borrowed ring (I thought I had before but I practiced wearing it a bit and it felt super conspicuously wrong on my hand). Honestly, I am probably a lot more in danger of having something happen to my rings in my hometown, which I think is probably much less safe than Vienna. I think the total carat weight of my engagement ring is somewhere in the ballpark of .25 carats, and my wedding band is very thin and plain white gold. If anything, I may just elect to leave my engagement ring at home and wear just the band. Still not totally decided. I do like the image of a hired steel drum band following me around though!
I don’t have a Marshall’s in the area but I do have a TJMaxx, so I will go check that out tomorrow as it is in the same plaza as another store I needed to go to anyway. My luck there has definitely been very hit and miss but I have been striking out at most of the stores I’ve been going to so I’m due for some luck (a little gambler’s fallacy for you there).
Off-topic, but Pizzagirl I just love that term va-va-va-voom! I haven’t heard it in years, but now I keep smiling thinking about it!
"I also super appreciate the suggestions specific to Vienna. The music museum sounds really cool, and again it is reassuring to hear from people who have actually traveled there for business and conferences. "
Get a sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher. Visit the Hofburg Palace (you can get a horse-drawn carriage to take you around that area, very charming) – see the Lipizanner (sp?) horses – visit the Schonbrunn Palace (you will need to take a taxi) – go to the Prater (amusement park) – visit the Opera House. It’s a charming city - I was there in 2007 and plan to go next year combined with a trip to Prague. Have a great time!
If you have an afternoon off, grab a bus and head out to a Heurige in the suburbs, stroll around and have a lovely wine supper with your new friends. It’s the best part of being in Vienna in the summer.