What to wear? What to wear?

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Aaron Junod’s recent post on “Packing for TechEd” got me thinking about sharing my own list, and advice, too.

I've been to 9 TechEds (Wow!  This is the 10th for me!), and I've always packed too much.  I always forget about the number of shirts we get, or ones I buy in the MS Store, so I usually end up having brought a couple that I never get to wear.  Plus, this is my 2nd TechEd as a Microsoft employee, and our choice of uniform is rather limited.  (I have two blue MS Employee shirts, and I have to wear them each day of the conference.  Maybe I'll buy a third while I'm there, just to freshen things up a bit.)

So.. here's my advice:

  1. Pack some empty space.  Bring a bag that is much too big for the typical week away, and use the space to pack all those promised trinkets that you're bringing back for your coworkers/wife/children/pets.
  2. Wear long pants during the day.  Convention Centers are typically cool, so you'll be freezing if you don't wear long pants.  You even might want to bring a sweater or sweatshirt to wear if you get really cold.
  3. Wear shorts in the evening.  Whatever party or event you're at will probably involve (hopefully) music and dancing.. so stay cool. :)  NOTE: It's NOT okay to wear socks with sandals.  Never. Uh uh. Nope.
  4. Bring a swimsuit or something to wear out by the pool.  You just MIGHT have some time to enjoy the SUNSHINE while you’re down in sunny Orlando!

What hints/tips do you have?