Public Speaking: Dress Code

I was recently in Osh Kosh, WI at an event called 'LifeFest', slogan "a party with a purpose". Yes, it's a Christian Festival/Conference of sorts that features a variety of Christian musicians and speakers over 3-5 days. In typical home.werker style, I definitely overdressed, having never attended a summer festival of any type before.

I showed up thinking, I am representing my organization from stage, with about 10 minutes to share some thoughts in front of a few hundred people...so I probably should look professional. Professional in a trendy/summery/young-but-conservative sort of way. I didn't realize the dress code was actually t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Anyone who knows me also knows that I don't even like the way jeans look with sneakers. I never have, and I never will.

Hence, my tendency to be chronically slightly overdressed for almost every life occasion. At least that's according the standards of folks in the midwest and west...which sometimes I think are a little different from the north east where I grew up. I also think growing up in a pastor's family, you tend to dress up for almost everything you attend, so my chronic-over-dressing is likely a result of that as well. No slam intended to you midwest or westerners intended, it's just that YOU are usually the ones asking me why I am so dressed up. Just sayin'! ;)

Even though I was comfortable in the two different casual and comfortable sun dresses I wore, I promise you, next festival I attend, it's grungy-sweaty-professional wear all the way! I probably should have just swiped some of the t-shirts we were giving away like my co.werkers did. Oh.well.