Style.css

Here's a question for you: Is it possible to build an entire conference-worth of outfits, based on nothing but promotional T-shirts, and still look stylish?

That's what I wondered when faced with the imminent arrival of yet another Drupal GovCon. I've now been to this conference 4 or 5 times (and its big sister DrupalCon 5 out of the past 7 years), and every year, it's the same thing. It's a tech conference, and attendees are encouraged to dress casually and comfortably, so usually I wear neutral pants, sensible shoes, and a knit shirt and hoodie every day. It's easy, it's warmish (why are conference centers always freezing?), and I know I can walk around all day in it with ease.

Sometimes I try to mix things up with a floral ensemble, but this year I wanted to challenge myself. Could I go full-out nerdy in my conference tees every day and still feel like the Unfashionista at her best?

That sounds like a Fashion Challenge!

Wednesday

The first day was a no-brainer, because I had the world's best Drupal shirt just waiting to be worn. I've been trying to be more restrained about acquiring free T-shirts lately, because I never actually wear them, but I made an exception for this one, because, well, what dog mom wouldn't wear this one!? At a size XXL, it definitely didn't suit me out of the box, but after lopping off the sleeves and tailoring the sides, it made a cute tank top that I couldn't wait to wear!

wow

To make sure the star of the show (the Doge!) received all the attention, I wore black pants to blend in with the black shirt. I also went with the same black sandals I wore the last time I blogged a conference outfit.

While I was trying to keep the rest of my clothing muted to keep all eyes on the Doge, I figured it wouldn't hurt to highlight the color with some strategic repetition. The earrings were the exact same shape and shade as the graphic on the shirt, and I also managed to rustle up some matching blue sunglasses, for those moments when I was able to venture outside.

I could never blog a Doge shirt without letting my own doges join in on the fun!

Thursday

For the second day of the conference, it was time to debut the official T-shirt from my last conference, DrupalCon Nashville.

The shirt was a fun pink color, which started me off in the right direction, but you need more than a fun-colored shirt to make a fun outfit. Fortunately, I've been absolutely obsessed recently with shopping for "interesting" pants. These pale pink cargo pants are just funky enough to be forgiven for being a decade or two behind the times.

For shoes, I went with white chunky heeled platform sandals. Unlike sky-high pumps, which are my usual go-to, low-heeled platforms don't kill your feet while you're walking around from session to session. I think I've decided that... Platforms are the perfect shoe for a conference (or really any time when you want to look great while still being able to walk around for hours). They both heighten the interest level and heighten the wearer!

Friday

The final day of the conference was here, and I was running out of ideas. I didn't have any unworn conference tees left (my boyfriend had nabbed this year's shirt as soon as I brought it home), so I went with the most interesting of the ones I already had, which was my shirt from DrupalCon Baltimore.

Grey and white? you're thinking. That's your most interesting shirt!? I admit to being a little disappointed when I received this boring-colored shirt in 2017, but a neutral backdrop means you get more liberty for decoration!

The day I got it, I tailored the sides, then spiced up the graphic with a small red rhinestone in the place of the raven's eye. It's easy to overlook, but it's there for those who care to see it. A red-eyed raven meant red accessories, so I went bright and bold with my red jeans (cuffed to a summery length), and a pair of wedge slide sandals with a multicolored strap. These sandals remind me of my youth at the end of the 90's—they're probably from the end of the 90's, but I have been pleased to see that wedge slides are coming back!

I was also pleased to note that, at no point during the conference, did my feet get too cold. Much as I have complained about the climate at conference centers, I was able to stay warm this entire week, even in sandals, and even without the sweaters I brought just in case. Maybe NIH has finally conceded that 68 degrees really isn't the optimal temperature for humans to work in, but whatever the reason, I was happy and comfortable in sandals every day!

Dare I say, this was my most stylish website technology conference yet!?