Summer is currently in full swing!

This is the time for beach trips, barbeques, and just putting on your most comfortable clothes as you experience the great outdoors. Hopefully, you do get the chance to experience those summer staples, but if you’re a member of the working world, summer is not all about fun and games.

Summer also happens to be that time of the year when many company and industry conferences take place. With the weather more conducive to travel, there are no excuses to miss out on these important events.

You may have just been invited to one yourself recently, and while it may not be the summer outing you were expecting, attending a conference will be good for your career prospects moving forward. Of course, that’s only the case if you actually do well at the conference.

Leave a bad impression on the people in attendance by dressing sloppily and you may be remembered as such. That may even impact your chances of landing a job if the impression you impart is bad enough.

Don’t leave for your conference trip ill-prepared. Make use of the tips included below so that you can remain cool, stylish, and professional as you’re working your way through a summer conference.

The Suit Remains the Old Standby

Not all conferences are the same and organizers may lay out a specific dress code for you in your invite. Be sure to follow that dress code if one is indeed established.

In many cases though, the organizers of these conferences leave the attire choices up to the attendees. You can show up in some jeans and a t-shirt and probably not get kicked out, although you may have a hard time getting someone to pay attention to you.

With no dress code dictated, you might as well stick to wearing a suit. No one’s going to chide you for wearing a suit and even if you are a bit overdressed, it’s no big deal.

How to Stay Comfortable in Your Suit

The issue with wearing a suit to a conference being held in the summer is that it’s not the most breathable outfit. You may be dressed appropriately for the event, but people around you may still be hesitant to offer a handshake if they see you sweating up a storm.

To get around or at least mitigate the potential sweating issue, Esquire recommends wearing a suit made out of lighter fabrics such as cotton or linen.

Another trick endorsed by Real Men Real Style is to wear darker colors. The darker colors aren’t going to help you stay away from sweat per se, but what they can do is disguise the unsightly sweat stains.

Make Sure Your Shoes Are on Point

It’s summer, so does that mean wearing shoes with no socks is acceptable? For a casual stroll around town, feel free to go sock-less, but for a conference where you’re in a suit, stick with the classic combinations.

Brogues and oxfords are still your best options, and yes, you need to wear them with socks. If you have a reserve pair of formal dress shoes that are slightly larger than what you usually wear, you can bring those along to give your feet some room to breathe.

Dressing for a summer conference can be challenging because of all the external factors you have to consider. Even so, you have to keep in mind that looking professional is your goal. These conferences offer rare opportunities for you to make a good impression on colleagues and you need to make the most out of them.