Do’s and Don’ts of Creating Scrub Outfits
Who says scrubs can’t be stylish? With this easy-to-read guide, you’ll learn the do’s and don’ts of creating scrub outfits that are both stylish and comfortable!
Working as a medical professional means putting function over form, but there are plenty of ways to dress aesthetically pleasing while still doing the best job you can. It’s all about knowing what you should do, and what not to do with your daily scrubs.
Note: this article is only partially useful if your hospital or clinic enforces a strict dress code, as the color portion of the article won’t apply.
How to Create Stylish Scrub Outfits
As a medical professional, you have plenty of options to spice things up without changing the color of your scrubs.
While scrubs are specifically designed to be plain and uniform, with little intrinsically appealing qualities, it only takes a few adjustments to go from boring to classy. Depending on where you work, you may also have more flexibility to stylize your scrub outfits.
As a general rule of thumb, follow these 9 do’s and dont’s.
DO Use Your Color Temperature as Reference
Color temperature is the most important quality to consider when choosing clothing, as it helps you determine what best compliments your skin. If you are unsure whether you have a cold or a warm skin tone, simply look at the veins in your arms.
- Greenish veins indicate a warmer skin tone.
- Blue, purple, or otherwise bluish veins indicate a colder skin tone.
From there, picking complementary colors is a matter of picking either warm or cold colors. Mossy green, soft browns, and coral red perfectly complement warm skin tones, while teals, dark blues, and cold purples go well with colder skin.
This isn’t a hard rule, and hair color and eye color play into it as well – but it might help you narrow down some interesting choices. If you’re at a loss, just hold up a color to your arm and see if it blends together nicely, or if the contrast is jarring.
DON’T Wear the Wrong Size
Scrub outfits that are too small or too baggy don’t only completely change the way you look (in a bad way), but they more often than not impede your productivity and mobility. Always beware of the sizing chart when buying a pair of scrubs and take new measurements every time (don’t just go off old numbers).
It doesn’t matter how big or small you are – you will always look better in scrubs that are made for your size.
DO Wear Two Colors
You don’t have to just stick to one color when creating scrub outfits. Matching colors together can be a fun way to experiment with different looks and breathe a little creativity into your clothing options at work.
Pick colors that complement or contrast pleasingly on the color wheel and avoid colors that don’t go together at all. For a safer pick, you can wear two separate pieces of the same color, one dark and one brighter.
Mix and match with a black or white top or bottom if you only want to draw attention to one color, but still want to split your outfit. Black or white scrub tops and bottoms also make for a good backup fit when you can only find one half of your colored scrubs.
If you’re wearing printed scrubs, keep one of your two pieces plain, and in the same color (or grey, black, or white). Wearing several colors and several pieces of printed clothing can be a little too noisy and distracting.
DON’T Mix More Than Two Colors
When mixing colors for an outfit, there is a general rule of thumb to help make things more aesthetically pleasing. Keep your primary colors to two, at most. A third color can make for a great accent (such as a bright seam on your scrub top, or a colorful accessory), but avoid having three clashing colors on your scrubs.
DO Accessorize
There are many ways to stand out aesthetically without modifying your choice of scrubs. Choose a stethoscope with a complimentary color, and choose modest, simple jewelry that helps complete the outfit (silver necklaces, a simple watch, earrings).
DON’T Show Your Tattoos & Piercings
Some hospitals and clinics have rules against showing tattoos and piercings, with some rulesets being much stricter about it than others. If your scrubs are short-sleeved, then wearing a long-sleeved undergarment can help you cover up arm tattoos and avoid V-necks and open collar clothing while at work, if you have tattoos on or near your chest.
This isn’t to stifle expression, but the reality is that many workplaces still haven’t completely come to terms with the growing popularity of tattoos and piercings in the general population. Opinions and stigma around tattoos might change in the future.
DO Wear Comfortable Shoes
An outfits isn’t complete without a great pair of shoes, but you don’t have to go to great lengths to pick something snazzy (nor should you, really). It’s more important to pick a comfortable pair of shoes than what looks best, but there’s no reason you can’t pick something that fulfills both needs. Keep an eye out for durable sneakers with a wide toe box and arch support. There are plenty of athletic shoes on sale at all times of the year, and especially around winter.
DON’T Go for Cheap Scrubs
You might want to pick up a cheap pair of second-hand scrubs for a couple bucks, but this isn’t med school (and even if it is, there’s no reason not to grab a pair of scrubs that will last you much longer).
Scrubs are more than just some fabric between you and a patient – modern-day quality scrubs are specific to a hectic workday; they:
- Help you regulate your body temperature
- Avoid being drenched in sweat
- Stay as mobile and flexible as possible
You don’t have to break the bank on the priciest thing you can find, but there are plenty of good quality scrubs available.
DO Take Care of Your Scrubs
Even if you decide to go for a cheaper pair, making your scrubs last as long as possible is important – especially if you got several different colors to mix and match. Colors fade over time, but this can be slowed through a number of simple old-school laundry tricks.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, your look will depend on the quality of your color coordination and a good fit. But these other tips for creating scrub outfits will help you add some quick finishing touches and help you stand out, without any major investments or extra time spent.
