7 Tips on How to Look Great in Your Nursing Scrubs

You live in your scrubs, so make them work for you. Seven cheap, easy ways to look sharp every shift.

1. Choose the Scrub That Suits Your Body Type

Dress for your shape. If you're top heavy and narrow at the hips, a deep V-neck or open collar top in a dark solid color slims the upper body. If you're bottom heavy, wear longer tops that skim past the hips and skip wide pants. If you're slim, ruffled or gathered tops add volume, and layering a top, camisole, and jacket builds a fuller look.

2. Choose the Right Size Scrubs

The most overlooked detail. Most nurses don't know their measurements and end up in scrubs that are too loose or too tight. Buy your actual size. Well fitting scrubs feel better and you carry yourself taller in them. If nothing fits off the rack, a good tailor solves it.

3. Wear Complimentary Colors

Match the scrub to your skin tone. Hold the fabric up to your face. If it warms your complexion, it works. If it leaves you looking pale or tired, skip it. Aim for colors that brighten your face, and ask an honest friend if you can't call it yourself.

4. Match Your Tops and Pants

Buy several sets in prints and bold colors, then mix the separates for a new look daily. Pair a print with a solid so nothing competes. If you mix prints, keep them in the same family and pair large prints with small ones. For a simpler route, lighter tops with darker pants always read clean.

5. Add a Personal Touch

Make a store bought scrub yours. Get your name or initials embroidered on the top or sleeve in a contrasting color, or add a favorite pin to a solid top. Just check your unit's dress code first.

6. Keep Accessories Minimal

Less is more. A delicate pair of earrings, a slim necklace, a simple hair clip, all subtle and matched to your scrub's colors. A skinny belt adds shape. Pick one watch that fits the look. Don't let the accessories outshine the scrub.

7. Wear Them with the Right Attitude

No scrub beats confidence. A positive mindset helps you ride out a hard shift, and believing in your own skill shows in how you carry the whole look.