I couldn’t get my wedding band even if I wanted to. I hated my tiny diamond solitaire and now wear my band with a pretty opal.
Why can’t you get your wedding band off? Swelling, weight gain?
Be aware that Vienna is full of women walking around wearing their engagement and wedding rings, gold jewelry, pearls, etc!
Honestly, I think it is just nuts to worry about it. As you say, you are probably more in danger of being robbed at home. 
Yeah, I won’t get too anxious about the ring situation. Anyway I’m still more paranoid about looking inappropriately dressed. I tried to look up photos of previous conferences and they just don’t seem to exist anywhere that I can find.
So, in a frustrating turn of events, after what must have been 20 hours of shopping this week, I have come home virtually empty-handed. I didn’t manage to find a black A-line dress anywhere, and I looked for summer-weight tops, but all of them were see through and/or didn’t hang well on my body. For the most part, I’m stuck with what I’ve got and I’ll have to find a way to make it work, but what I’ve got is mostly dark colors and long-sleeved, or otherwise has some kind of pattern on it.
Another issue that just occurred to me is that being summer, I’m not sure if my typical strategy of wearing tights will look absurdly out of place. I have a really unattractive skin condition (in addition to just having bad legs to begin with) so going totally bare-legged is totally not an option. Should I restrict myself to wearing pants, then, or do you think I could get away with sheer hosiery, especially with professional wear?
I guess I’m not sure what an a line dress is but I was thinking of this http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi35684&defaultColor=4126&N=4294966556+10189&selectedConcept=Petites
Or this http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi35683&defaultColor=7555&N=4294966556+10189&selectedConcept=Petites
I don’t know why you’re so worried about things having patterns on them. It doesn’t matter.
Do you have nice black or dark dress pants? Can’t you just get a sleeveless silk top (they are loose so they skim the areas you are worried about) and put a cardigan over it?
What do you wear now in the U.S. for business casual settings?
Deb if she is a 14-16 that style with the structured / nipped-in waist won’t work. I can’t even wear it and I’m smaller than that.
I think it comes from being worried about sticking out too much - I feel like patterns are eye-catching. I am re-looking at those pieces though and realizing that I picked them because they are flattering. I think the issue comes from me at this point having invested a lot of time into trying to procure a more ideal wardrobe. I think my main issue is that most of what I have is very wintery (it just so happens that all of the conferences I’ve ever been to were during cold months). So I’m thinking it will look odd for me to be walking around like I’m dressed for a conference in November rather than August.
I tried on a lot of sleeveless silk blouses and I ran into the problem that they typically ran too long for me since I am so short, and because the fabric doesn’t have much give, it would fit everywhere but be too tight on the hips and not hang correctly. I looked for petite sizes too but the pickings were altogether pretty slim.
As for what I would usually wear, it would typically be a patterned shirt of some kind (I have some florals, some bold block-y prints, and some smaller prints, mostly black and white), a flyaway sweater (since buttoned cardigans don’t fit the hip) and some kind of dress pant. If I have to dress up more, I’ll wear a button down blouse with the dress pants or the skirt, and perhaps a jacket. Ultimately, I know that I look acceptable but not especially good. I was hoping to be dressed well enough for this conference to not be self-conscious about it but I think that just wasn’t in the cards for me. On the positive side, the predicted weather got about 10 degrees cooler for most of the week so I won’t be roasting as much as I was anticipating in what I do have!
Thanks again for the help everyone. I’ll update you guys when I get back.
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. Instead of a sleeveless silk blouse that buttons down the front, I mean more of a sleeveless silk top that has no buttons and just flows / skims over the waist / hip. Put your flyaway cardigan over that and you’re good to go.
can I make a suggestion? It seems really important to you to want to look good / polished. Might you consider going to a makeup counter and getting a new lip gloss or blush or whatever? Or some really nice perfumed lotion? Or wearing your hair differently? Or a great new pair of shoes, or an au courant piece of jewelry? There are a lot of ways to make yourself feel great about how you look.
I would just be careful with the button down blouses if they are Oxford cloth. They can look masculine. I think only some people can carry that off. I am not one of them!
Agree. I would not dare to wear an Oxford cloth shirt because I cannot pull off that look.
What Pizzagirl suggested - how about a blouse like this with your flowy cardigan?
http://m.macys.com/shop/product/vince-camuto-ruched-sleeveless-top?ID=2180111
BTW, D’s fashion-obsessed friend, when he saw her new dress, told her with excitement that “florals are so in!” I am sure you will be fine in patterns. It is the long sleeved shirts that could make you stand out.
Or it doesn’t even have to be ruched like BB’s example. Sleeveless silk shells are all over TJMAxx and Marshalls and wherever else the OP is shopping, in all different colors and price points. They are basics for business casual when worn with a cardigan or sweater of some sort, and yet they are pretty and feminine. Take the cardigan off when you go to dinner.
Or something like this:
http://m.macys.com/shop/product/vince-camuto-sleeveless-eyelet-blouse?ID=2154594
I don’t think there’s any reason you can’t wear hose if you wish. This idea that only tights or bare legs is acceptable is a bit crazy. We don’t all lived in California!
Pants and things to order online. Note the prices (black linen blazer for $25??):
http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product/itempage.aspx?BID=664757638&rPFID=21&item=N2026B&h=P&sk=P
I had a thought. Have you considered Zappos. Look online order a bunch of things that you think might work. Maybe the fashionista shoppers on CC can suggest some items. They will come in a day. Try everything on and send back what doesn’t work. Free shipping both directions.
My sister is your size. She worked in a top management position. For business casual she sometimes wore sleeveless lightweight shell with a matching cardigan with summer weight slacks.
You will be sweltering in tights. My youngest doesn’t like her legs she will wear nude colored pantyhose.
http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi35673&defaultColor=3620&N=10497&selectedConcept= The above from Talbots. It comes in womens sizes as well
A button down shirt with a pant isn’t necessarily “more dressy” than a top with the flyaway cardigan. Indeed, it’s the addition of the third piece - whether it’s a jacket, sweater, or cardigan - that adds the polish to an outfit.
I might suggest you look for 3/4 sleeve cardigans. You can wear them year round. Long sleeves may look too heavy.
When do you leave?
Wow, thanks for all of the links and stuff! I will definitely have to check those out for the future. Unfortunately, time is just about up for me. I am catching a ride into the city tonight, crashing with a friend, then flying out to Vienna tomorrow afternoon. Also, as far as those silk tops go, I knew what you meant, it’s just that I’m honestly so hip-y that the tops that are supposed to skim off your hips are taut on me, and if I go a size bigger the top is way too big. I’m bringing several of my short sleeved patterned shirts, which I will wear with light cardigans. I also have some button downs (they’re nicely fitted and I don’t think they look too masculine) that I’ll pack. Ultimately, I think I’ll be able to make due with what I’ve got and wear pieces that look good on me, even if they are perhaps a bit out of season. At the very least, I have gotten some very good advice here and have good places to look in the future.
I have a new-ish to me haircut that makes me pretty happy with my hair, I did get some tinted lip balm and will wear super basic makeup (I never wear makeup typically so it is different for me to wear any). Hopefully between all that I will feel okay. Again, I really appreciate all the suggestions you have made and I will be on the look out for those kinds of things so I don’t find myself in this position in the future.
Julie, it sounds like you are all set. Have a fun and productive conference, and don’t forget to enjoy the touristy things. Safe travels!
Don’t remember if anyone had mentioned this… There is a blog called Corporette. It provides tons of practical advice on dressing for business femmes of all ages.
Safe travels!