I am going to get the doting mother quote aside right now. I adore my children, and I miss them so much when I am away from them!
Now that I have assured you that I am a loving mother and I and I adore my children, I will now say: I was SO excited to have a little time to myself. Time where I did not have to get someone a cup of milk, or walk around with my hair in a towel for over an hour after my shower because the kindle battery died, and someone MUST watch Cinderella or else she will DIE! Time where every conversation revolved around what I do for a living, and how I can grow and become more efficient and knowledgeable.
Time away also requires preparation. My husband took on the role of mom while I was gone. It's not that I was worried ... but there was the year he locked one of our kids in the car, while I was gone, and could not get into the house to get a spare set of keys. (This story is GREAT and one for another day ... just another reason you should click the 'follow button' so you don't miss it!!! I prefer Bloglovin' for my blog reading preferences, if you would like a tutorial, let me know in the comments)
The preparation is key ... meal prep, outfit decisions for the girls, setting our house up for minimal destruction while I am gone ... all must happen before I can even THINK about preparing myself. I try to help my husband with the girls outfits, without him knowing it (he likes to be self-sufficient with the girls and I like to let him think he is). The girls looked AMAZING each day I was gone. Their sitter was very impressed with Jared. Little did she know, I know my husbands methods ... grab the first thing on the top of the pile and pair with the first thing on top of the other pile - BAM - OOTD! To ensure the best outcome ... I stacked the girls drawers so the first 4 or 5 shirt/pant combo would match. Worked like a charm!
For me ... I really had to think about what I was wearing and how it would transfer to the different scenarios my conference offered. The first day included travel and then going directly into training's. I am a representative of my employer, so I like to ensure I put as much 'effort' into looking nice, while staying comfortable during travel. This also means choosing items which do not wrinkle or stretch.
Jeggings for the win!! These jeggings were great, they are thicker than denim and totally mimic a dress pant fabric, but with a form fitting silhouette. Wrinkles were non-existent, and they did not stretch. Yes, you read that correctly ... they ... did ... not ... stretch ... out!
These can be found here!
If you followed the link ... I know what you are probably thinking, "Uh, pretty sure your 'About Me' states, "Champagne tastes on a beer budget ..." and this is the second pair of pants you have suggested over $100." Well ... I got really stinking lucky ... I found these babies at a local boutique ON SALE for $35. I WISH they had an online store ... it would be incredible!! However, after seeing how these babies performed this weekend ... I would pay full price for them! I would buy them in EVERY color if they came in more of a variety!!
The next day I decided on a nice pull over dress. It packed well, and gave me a good balance of business casual and comfortable. While I cannot find the specific one I wore in stores anymore, here are a few similar ones and the same price point I found mine!
Dress 1 / Dress 2 / Dress 3
Each of these dresses is under $50, and all would be great for a day where you are navigating to areas of different temperatures. My conference had training's, which required you to travel from one room to another. The temperature was always changing, one room was so cold I would shiver, while another would be so warm I thought I might fall asleep. Having a lightweight dress with long or 3/4 length sleeves proved to be the perfect choice. I was comfortable in almost every room, and I looked effortless and professional at the same time. Win - Win - Win!
My final day was part training, part travel, so again I needed something comfortable and professional, which traveled well. I was able to put together a great outfit of leggings, boots and a flowy top. (I told you in my previous post, I like my flowy tops and leggings!).
My favorite leggings of ALL TIME are the Zella Black Live Leggings ... HANDS down amazing!!
Leggings (on sale in pink)!
These leggings are by far the best for the price. Biggest factor - they /do not turn see-through when you bend over! They keep their color, even YEARS after washing and drying, they DO NOT STRETCH OUT and finally ... they suck your thighs in so tight you have a thigh gap! Okay - that is not a guarantee, but on a skinny day, if you haven't had breakfast yet ... it can happen!
Once I returned home ... floors needed mopped, counters needed to be wiped down ... and laundry needed to be completed. Why is it when you return home, after somewhat of a 'break', life seems to just HIT you, and suddenly you think, "Jeez life ... can't I have just a little bit of a transition?"!
What are your working travel staples? I would love to add a few more key items to my packing list for my next work trip.You never know when you might have a 'fat-day' and need that back-up outfit!