By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder

If we had a dollar for every time someone asked, “What should I wear to the interview/conference/meeting?”, we’d fund our own MSL Mastery clothing line.

It’s easy to downplay this stuff. You're a Medical Affairs professional, not a fashionista. We know this job is about insights, strategy, and scientific exchange, but how you feel when you walk into the room (or turn on Zoom) is important.  And when you’re walking into that room to meet KOLs, give a presentation, or interview for your dream MSL role, that confidence matters.

So let’s just say it: this is a thing. And it’s okay to care.

Because this isn’t just about clothing:

→ It’s about presence

→ It’s about wanting to feel like you belong

→ It's about feeling like you’re credible

→ It's about looking like you’re someone who knows their stuff and looks the part.

This is why we are constantly asked: “What should I wear?” Let’s be clear: we ask each other this all. the. time. We also don’t know what to wear!

The Great “What Should I Wear?” Debate of January 2025

In January we had our first in-person training that we were doing together. It was a big deal. We wanted it to be really good. The weekend before the training, we texted back and forth for a full day about what to wear. What are you wearing? Pants? Dress? Do we need coats?

This wasn’t about looking cute. It was about trying to show up ready:

→ As leaders

→ As trainers

→ As professionals

And if we are still spiraling over what to wear, trust us, you’re not behind. You're just normal.

This isn’t about fashion. It’s about confidence. And when you feel good in what you’re wearing, you show up differently.

Here are 8 stress-reducing tips to help you decide what to wear as a Medical Affairs professional. Use it to simplify your decisions, save your sanity, and feel like the pro you already are.

And while we still don’t always know what to wear, here are the things we’ve learned that help us (and hundreds of MSLs we’ve worked with) feel confident, credible, and less stressed getting dressed.

"What Should I Wear?" 8 Tips to Help You Dress with Confidence

1.    Dress in a Way That Makes You Feel Good

Tom always says this, and he’s right: Wear what makes you feel like your best self.

This isn’t about dressing like someone else. It’s about choosing clothes that help you feel grounded and focused, so you’re not distracted by discomfort or self-doubt.

Patrina’s go-to is dangling earrings and high heels: “When I have these things on, my brain knows I mean business, and it’s time to be awesome.” Sarah has her favorite gray sweater. It looks good and gives her confidence. We have a joke that when Sarah has the gray sweater on, it’s go time. Tom is all about the blazer and feels his best when he is one of his favorite blazers.

What’s your go-to confidence-building piece? Share yours with us on the MSL Mastery LinkedIn page!

2.    Invest in Quality (You’re on the Road a Lot)

When you're traveling all the time (get 8 excellent travel tips for MSLs here), your clothes take a beating. Don’t buy cheap items that fall apart after a few uses. Invest in pieces that can handle being packed, worn, re-worn, and spot-cleaned on the fly. Buy less, but better.

Must haves:

• Dress pants (slacks for men)
• Work shirts
• Business dress
• Black blazer to wear with everything
• Carry-on (so a wheel doesn’t fall unexpectedly in Chinatown)

Think of these like your trusty base pieces that you feel good in and you trust.

💡 Bonus Tip: Keep it wrinkle-free (and coffee-proof). We’ve all been there: walking into a meeting feeling polished, only to realize you’re wearing a wrinkled blazer or sporting a coffee stain from that chaotic morning rush. Invest in wrinkle-resistant fabrics and travel-friendly pieces that hold up after being stuffed into a suitcase. Especially if you are like Patrina and don’t want to iron anything. And for the love of coffee, throw a stain stick into your bag. A quick swipe can save you from walking around all day with a latte splatter on your shirt.

3.    Don’t Mess Around With Your Feet

Let’s talk shoes. This is a big one. One time when attending ASCO, a colleague of Patrina’s wore brand new shoes. They looked amazing, but her feet were shredded after about 5 minutes. We had to stop to replace her bandaids every couple of hours and took Ubers for short distances.

After standing on our feet for hours at conferences, we’ve learned that comfortable shoes are non-negotiable. Sarah had a funny LinkedIn thread that blew up about this. People were sharing their go-to brands (like Cole Haan, Rothy’s, and ECCO) and swapping horror stories about blisters and aching feet. The consensus? You need shoes that feel like sneakers but look professional.

💡Bonus Tip: Find a brand that works for you and stick to it. You know they work for your feet. No break-in time, no bandaids, no regrets. No one is impressed by how long you can suffer in heels. The trend toward stylish sneakers at conferences is a blessing. Embrace it. Men are lucky because they get to wear those nice Euro sneaker-style dress shoes.

Comfortable feet = confident presence.

4.    Get a Great Black Blazer

If you only have one professional piece in your bag, let it be this. A structured black blazer dresses up any outfit. Throw it over a dress, slacks, or even jeans for a polished, pulled-together look. Always wear a light sweater or shell underneath to keep it fresh in the armpits (so you don’t have to wash it as often). This should be the first thing you would rescue in a fire.

💡Bonus Tip: Invest in a great bag. A structured, professional bag that holds your laptop, charger, and essentials without looking like you just left the gym is key. Bonus points if it has a separate compartment for shoes or an umbrella, because you don’t want to be the person fishing around for a pen in a pile of tangled cords or smelly shoes.

5.    Know the Virtual Meeting Rules

We go into detail on this in the Crushing Virtual Presentations Online Course, but here’s the quick version:

• Avoid loud prints, neon colors, or anything reflective.
• Stick to clean solids like navy, burgundy, or soft neutrals.
• And yes, pants. Always pants.

Your camera doesn’t forgive much. Your outfit should help you show up confident, clear, and credible.

6.    Business Casual Is the Sweet Spot

We get asked all the time what to wear to conferences (see example text below). The short answer? Business casual. That means clean, structured, comfortable clothing that looks professional but not overly formal. Avoid anything too flashy or too casual (think: no jeans with holes, no super short dresses, no ties, nothing you’d wear to brunch or a wedding). You want to feel like you belong in every room, from a booth on the congress floor to a late-night team dinner.

💡 Bonus Tip: Layer like a pro. Conference rooms are either freezing or sweltering. There’s rarely an in-between. Bring a light sweater or a blazer that you can easily slip on and off. You’ll thank yourself when the AC is stuck on 64F. This happened at MAPS! Presenters were joking about making people do jumping jacks to stay warm.

7.    Have a Travel Version of Everything

One of the best ways we’ve reduced decision fatigue while traveling is by creating a travel-ready kit of essentials: an “MSL grab-and-go wardrobe.” Think of it as your travel capsule collection.

If you’re on the road even semi-regularly, have a dedicated set of your go-to items that live in your carry-on or suitcase. That way you’re not reinventing the wheel before every trip.

💡 Bonus tip: Have a separate travel toiletry bag stocked and ready to go at all times. One of us definitely once showed up to an NSM with no deodorant. Never again.

8.    Try a Rental Clothing Company

We were at MAPS one year and kept saying, “Wait, where did she get that outfit?” Turns out, our friend Maria Giordano from MAPS had rented her entire wardrobe and looked amazing all week.

Rental clothing services like Rent the Runway, Nuuly, or Armoire are a game-changer if:

• You just need someone to pick out something for you
• You’re tired of overpacking “maybes” and want solid, professional looks that work and fit you
• You want someone else to deal with it when you are done

💡Bonus tip: Rentals are also great if your body is changing (postpartum, post-pandemic, travel-related weight gain, whatever stage you’re in). You don’t have to wait to “fit back into” something, just rent what fits now and feel amazing.

Final Thoughts: “What Should I Wear?” Isn’t a Silly Question

You don’t need to be obsessed with fashion to care about how you show up. This isn’t about style. It’s about strategy. It’s about confidence. It’s about walking into every room like you belong there (because you do).

We want you focused on your presence, your impact, your growth. Not whether your feet will survive another day at a congress.

So give yourself permission to care about your clothes. Build a go-to wardrobe. Rent the blazer. Wear the shoes that help you stand your ground: literally and figuratively.

And if you’re still unsure what to wear? Don’t worry. We’re probably texting each other about it, too.

💬 Got a go-to outfit or packing tip?

We’d love to hear it. Drop your favorite wardrobe hacks, shoe brands, or “don’t do what I did” moments in the comments on the MSL Mastery LinkedIn page.

We might feature you in the next version of this article (or just steal your ideas for ourselves).