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THE PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S GUIDE TO DRESSING FOR A

TRADE SHOW

The Professional Woman’s Guide to Dressing for a Trade Show 4

Badge Reels: Function and Fashion 10

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Professional Woman’s Guide to Dressing for a

Trade Show

Trade shows can be fun and interesting;

much like attending a professional

conference. Also like a conference, trade

shows often include long days of meeting

and greeting. In all of this mingling that

is done at a trade show or conference, a

person has several – sometimes hundreds

– of encounters in which they will make a

first impression. And as you know, you

only get one chance to make it a good one!

Because of the sheer nature of a trade

show, it is very important that the

professional woman look the part.

Meetings are brief and sometimes hurried.

Everyone in attendance will meet many

people and therefore make snappy

judgments. Those initial judgments can

make or break your opportunity to create a

new working relationship. And, those

initial judgments are based on what you are

wearing and how you are wearing it.

First, let’s look at what you are wearing.

Trade shows are not always as formal as a

work environment; but that doesn’t mean

that you show up in sweats and tennis

shoes. What you wear to a trade show is

reflective of the professional you hold and

also a reflection of your company or

business. This is true regardless of whether

you are an attendee or an exhibitor. Many

trade shows will offer a guideline for dress

with their brochure or registration

materials. If you are in doubt, ask around

with others who have attended trade

shows.

Most of the time, the attire at a trade

show will be business casual. This means

that you can lose the high heels and suits

for a few days. However, you still want to

be mindful of your wardrobe pieces. While

you may not wear a suit, you will still want

to wear comfortable slacks in lieu of your

well-worn jeans. Instead of wearing a low

cut tank top, you would still wear a button

up blouse or crew-neck sweater. If you

wear a tank top to a trade show, it would be

an undergarment worn with a cardigan

sweater.

How you wear what you wear is the

second thing that people will notice at trade

shows. Just as you would at work, you

want to make sure your clothing is pressed

and presentable. Pants should fit well and

not hang too low. The same goes for what

is worn on top. A trade show is a place to

make professional connections and you will

therefore dress for that sole purpose.

Part of the standard trade show attire is

that of badge holders. Every person who

attends or presents at a trade show can

typically be seen with a ribbon lanyard

around their neck. While badge holders are

a necessary item, there is no need to be

stuck wearing a ribbon lanyard featuring

the logo of a company marketing their

product. When you attend a trade show,

you can look and feel great wearing a

ribbon lanyard of your own choosing. In

fact, you could go the extra mile if you so

choose and purchase a lanyard decorated

with classy beads.

Trade shows are about gaining or giving

information on new products and services;

but even more importantly, they are the

place where a professional woman can

show what she’s made of. Looking the part

is the first step in gaining credibility in

your profession.

Badge Reels: Function and

Fashion

Many employees today wear badge reels

as a way to display their ID card, badge or

proximity card. Badge reels are clips that

attach to the clothing; allowing an ID

badge to be easily seen and used. The ID

can be slipped inside of a plastic badge

holder that is then attached to the clip.

Sometimes the clip contains a retractable

cord. Retractable badge reels are ideal for

employees whose ID badges must be

swiped. The retractable cord makes it easy

to pull the ID out and swipe it for access to

different areas of their workplace.

Badge reels come in a variety of styles.

We have already looked at two major

designs of badge reels: the retractable and

the stationary. But there are even more

details that one can find when looking for

the right badge reel for themselves or for

their employees. One of the most popular

types of badge reels is the no-twist style.

What this means is that the reel contains a

piece that is meant to prevent the ID card

from getting twisted.

Some badge reels are clipped onto

clothing, while others can be worn on a

lanyard. A lanyard is a cord that can be

worn around the neck or the wrist.

Typically, employees choose the neck style.

This style is less cumbersome and easier to

use when the ID badge needs to be swiped

or shown regularly throughout the day.

However, the lanyard doesn’t work in all

situations. Lab technicians, for instance,

may prefer to use badge reels that clip to

clothing in order to prevent any items from

dangling between them and their work.

The design of the badge reel that you wear

is a way to enhance your outfit and present

your own personal fashion flair. Some

badge reels are round and some are square.

However, the badge holder that you wear

to work does not have to feature a plain

metal clip. Your badge reel doesn’t have to

look industrial. If you work in a

professional environment and you want

your overall look to reflect your attitude,

you don’t want your ID badge to get in the

way of that.

When you must wear an ID badge every

day all day, why not make it a part of your

clothing that stands out positively rather

than something you wish to hide?

Badge reels don’t have to be plain and they

don’t have to feature only a company logo.

With a little searching, it is possible to find

a badge reel that displays your personal

style to a T. Styles exist for both men and

women and can feature everything from

flowers to the emblem of your favorite

college.

The badge reel is a necessary tool for the

individual who must wear an ID badge to

work. Finding a badge reel that is both

functional and fashionable is a real treat.

When you wear a designer badge reel, you

look and feel your best every day!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT BADGE HOLDER

AND

BADGE REEL,

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WWW.BOOJEEBEADS.COM