A Working Mom’s Business Trip Packing List
- Missy Carlin
- May 2, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 5, 2024
This particular trip involved walking a million miles, standing for hours at a trade show, and attending events with customers. But the best part–it was in Italia bella!
My job has brought me to Milan, Italy the past 6 years for a trade show and design week celebrating all things interiors. This is my favorite work moment of the year– in college I dreamed that my job would one day take me to Europe to do something chic and exciting, so follow your dreams people!
Beyond the on-the-job challenges for this trip like coordinating a global campaign and events and product exhibition, my personal challenge leading up to this event is always ‘but what will I wear???’ This is because my year-round wardrobe for my daily life is simply not suitable for walking the streets of one of the fashion capitals of the world. While I love to dress up, my daily rituals these days typically revolve around working from home and chasing two toddlers around–both of which do not require an impressive wardrobe. Therefore, this annual trip is an amazing excuse to stock up on some chic and practical pieces that I can also wear on those occasions where I go into the office or on a date night.
In Milan, luxury brands are everywhere. I love it. The people watching and the slow walks past gorgeous window displays are my favorite Milan pastimes when I have free time. While I love to see other people wearing designer clothes, those aren’t items I personally dedicate budget to, so my focus is on classic, quality, and refined pieces at more practical price points with fun & statement pieces mixed in.
My Business Trip Packing List
Because I know my schedule for the week– work at the trade show booth all day every day and attend some customer dinners/ events in the evenings, I plan all my outfits out in advance so that I don’t overpack and I don’t need to decide what I need to wear when I wake up exhausted every morning.
Here’s what I packed for this business trip to Milano. These outfits could apply to any business trip revolved around a tradeshow and customer entertaining or to be inspiration for some event or workday!
Travel Outfit
My typical travel outfit is of course comfortable but also has layers to keep on or take off as needed for extremes like freezing airplane AC or getting stuck on the tarmac for two hours in Hot-lanta. A nice statement piece like a scarf to add some color / something pretty is also nice. I’ve had the scarf in the photo for probably 8 years from TARGET. I love it. Doesn’t exist in stores anymore but I found a cute one from Madewell linked below.
Event prep day / Walk around the city
When I’ve traveled to Europe I often strive to pack things that will help me fit in with the locals–i.e. effortlessly chic in Paris, luxurious elegance in Milan. HOWEVER, I have learned over the years that as much as I try (and I do enjoy trying)-- I will always feel like a scrub walking cobblestone streets alongside the locals. My typical day-to-day style is more timeless, so I just lean into that with an added dash of comfort not knowing where the day was going to lead me. I’ve had to haul things like bath towels and cake stands through the streets of MIlan, so have learned my lesson that the only kind of shoes to wear are broken in, comfortable ones. Yes, business trips to Milan are so glamorous…
Trade Show Booth Day
If you can’t guess from the image, our trade show booth uniform was black on black. I didn’t think it would be an issue since I love black, but packing multiple days’ worth of black outfits was a little depressing and boring. I tried to keep things interesting.
Madewell Bow Statement Earrings (It was a bows kind of day)
Le Specs Vamos Sunglasses in Emerald Green (because I needed a pop of color for the one hour I spent outside in the sunshine that day)
Marc Fisher Suede Block Heels (I Know I preach above about comfortable shoes but it was Milan OK)
Steve Madden Mules (For when the heels started to hurt!)
Trade Show Booth Day + Cocktail Party Evening
I spent approximately 3678 hours in a trade show booth during this trip, but did have a few events to attend after my shift so needed my outfits to play double-duty some days. Here’s one of those double-duty outfits. Please note: I did, in fact, wear my Adidas Gazelles with this outfit because my feet hurt and because I just didn’t care much anymore. But they kind of worked? Milan Chic = adding sneakers to any outfit. And I switched to the heel booties for the event like a true working gurl.
Long White Top Coat (Mine was old Zara, linked similar coat)
La Double J Clutch (Full disclosure I don’t have this and exclusively carried around my Longchamp backpack, but this outfit needs a little something-something and my co-worker bought one of these in Milan and now I want one)
*The skirt was the star of my outfit this day, I got countless compliments on it. Here’s another look at it from a different work event –classic and statement pieces can be reused!
Playing Dress-up IRL
While there’s a lot of black going on, I hope you find a little bit of inspiration for your next travel day, business trip, family event, date night, or whatever. Dressing up is even more fun when you get to leave your kids’ play room and exchange pretend super hero capes for pretty jewelry!
Comments