Questions and Answers

Hi Everyone,

Here are a few of the questions I've received and the answers.

Question:

I have limited professional clothing and don't want to mess up my clothes getting there. How inappropriate would it be to register in shorts then scoot right up to my room to change?

Travel in your comfy clothes and then change when you get to the hotel. Just a thought to remember when doing so. You and 599 other ladies will be checking into the hotel at the same time, and you may not be able to check into your room as soon as you arrive so you might want to put your "change into" outfit in a tote bag in case you have to change in one of the very nice hotel lobby bathrooms.

Question:

Do I have to wear nylon stockings when I give my two talks in my evaluation groups?

Nylons, stockings or hose are not required; thank goodness. I have so may hot flashes, I'd be a puddle on the floor. While hose are not required remember your over all appearance needs to be neat and professional. Your appearance is one of the criteria for evaluation. We're not looking for the latest fad, and please don't feel like you need to purchase new clothing. Refer to Shari Braendel's portion of the Pre-conference phone call and hand out for details.

Question:

Will I be expected to introduce myself before my talks and is that introduction a part of my three minute and five minutes?

Friday night your group leader will ask you to briefly introduce yourself before you begin your talk. The time clock does not begin until your short introduction is complete.

Here's an example of a short introduction:

Hi, my name is Zoe Elmore and I live in Matthews, NC. I'm married with two sons and a fantastic daughter-in-law. I love to cook and rearrange the furniture in my house.

Question:

Could you give me some suggestions of what to wear (not in the area of color). How professional are we to dress? Are we allowed to wear black pants? I appreciate any suggestions you have.

Black slacks are a speakers best go to. If you choose to wear black pants or black skirt for that matter, try pairing them with a camisole and jacket. Use your accessories for adding a bit of personality. One word of caution: When wearing a camisole under your jacket be sure the neckline doesn't reveal too much. Remember Shari's rule for not allowing undergarments or cleavage to show.

Question:

The conference website info made clear that we should "dress for the platform" for our Saturday night talk. Do we also dress for the platform on Friday night, our "my story" talk?

Yes, you will want to be professionally dressed for both your talks. May I suggest you plan to be professionally dressed for the entire day Friday and Saturday. You might want to wear comfy shoes throughout the day and slip into your "speaking shoes" from your tote bag .

Question:

Will there be a lectern/podium in the room?

The hotel and Proverbs 31 staff do a great job in having some sort of podium/lectern or music stand in all of the evaluation groups.

Question:

Can you talk a little on your blog about reading glasses? I use them for my notes, but I need to take them off when looking at the audience. I don't like peering over the rims when I look up from my notes. How can I gracefully move from on to off to on again?

Reading glasses are a necessity for many of us. I'm sure the on and off will be more than graceful.

Question:

Is there a rule of thumb for heel heights? Are flats ok?

Shari is really the one to address this question, but I'll give it a try.

Heels don't have to be 4-6 inches in height to be considered professional. A slight 1-2 inch kitten heel is also a good idea. If you're on the shorter side like me you want to be sure you can be seen while standing behind the podium/lectern. Touch base with Shari Braendel for a complete and thorough explanation.