Tips for buying work clothes on a budget

Though a common attire among medical staff, scrubs, so named after the phrase ‘scrubbing in’ are relatively new wear for medical staff. According to Jacksonville University, while nurses commonly wore the signature white uniform, doctors wore casual clothing during surgical procedures as late as the 20th century. This didn’t change until the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic raised awareness of the need for a more sterile environment. Their original design was meant to be simple, so it was easier to spot dirt or other forms of contamination, and inexpensive, since many scrubs suffer the consequence of bleeding trauma victims and sick patients. In the 50’s and 60’s most uniforms were white. It makes sense, since of all uniforms, scrubs are the most likely to be thrown away.

With more and more people entering the medical field, the demand for scrubs has risen. Medical personnel, such as doctors, nurses, and nurse aides, medical and dental assistants, all wear scrubs as part of their uniform. While most of them seem to blend seamlessly into mixtures of plain and unfashionable green, blue and white, there is room for variation within some fields. Different colors, patterns, and styles may vary to some degree, while the basic premise of the practical uniform remains intact. Scrubs are still the simple uniform they were designed to be, but without added expense, they are now available with personal flare and taste with colorful designs and patterns.

Various department stores offer scrubs with eye-catching patterns and designs to help medical personnel personalize their clothing when shopping on-site and online. While it is easy to go into a department store and shop, in the demanding field of medicine, time is better spent at home shopping through virtual stores. Free shipping on scrubs is often available with bulk orders.

These days clothing designers with brand names, such as Arizona, Dickies, and Cherokee, recognize that scrubs need to be made more durable and out of quality materials that stain less and hold their shape. Retailers are catching onto the trend, and unlike styles of yesterday, newer higher quality scrubs are easy to find. Most retailers are offering deals including free shipping scrubs with minimum purchases.

Lower quality scrubs are still available, but over time, savings are obtained in the purchase of higher quality cuts and brands. This is a better option than sifting through the thrift store racks for second-hand scrubs to fill a sparse wardrobe because they can withstand the wear of a demanding job. Medical staff would do best to order better brands, stock up, and take advantage of free shipping on scrubs.

Scrubs have come a long way since they first replaced the aprons and casual clothing of early doctors. Designers are now quick to offer eye-catching designs, and retailers are helping medical staff save money with free shipping on scrubs. The need for clean, practical and durable clothes has taken the front line, and medical staff along with their patients, are benefiting from the progress.