What street clothes do YOU wear in nursing school?

[bluestorm]

What type of clothes/outfits do you wear to theory and lab?

Last semester I was so tired I always wore jeans or sweats with T Shirts and hoodies and a ponytail but some of my classmates looked very nice and kind of business casual. Not fancy or overdone just nice. I think it probably affected the way out professors viewed them and I'm going to try to put some effort in it this semester-who knows it might affect my confidence and teachers/peers perceptions of me.

[kittycat123]

I don't dress down in pajama's but I do try to stay comfortable. I try not to dress to fancy. And I definitely don't try to where anything so fashionable that it hurts. A nice pair of jeans with variable tops always looks nice.

[schnookimz]

Honestly I worked full time as a CNA and LPN while going to school for RN. That said, I was exhausted and showed up in whatever sweatpants were clean.

[kikiz147]

Our school has you wear your scrub uniforms as soon as the order comes in for both lecture and clinicals. No leeway at all. In fact, our program supervisor has been know to send people home for being with out pair of our scrubs on. :x

[lalynn93]

this is sooo comforting, I have a full sleeve and was nervous about what to wear to class, lectures, etc. As far as clinicals and labs go I planned on covering it to maintain a professional appearance, but I was convinced I'd have to go out and buy a whole new set of long sleeved blouses!

[saraCOS]

I'm in an accelerated program, so I don't really feel like I have time to be "put together" I'm showered with a little mascara and in yoga or gym clothes so I can get 30 min in after or before class. I'm actually looking forward to getting into lab uniforms (polos and khakis) because I don't have to worry about outfits.:-)

I guess it doesnt occur to me that I should be judged on fashion sense. I'd really rather be assessed on my work, though I may be off base.

[suzw]

Showered, a little make-up if I have time, and I like to be a step above sweats and t-shirt- which usually means jeans (not holey or raggedy) and a NICE t-shirt or casual blouse or something. That's about it. I wear sneakers/ comfy shoes most days because I like to get out for a brisk walk or short jog on breaks.

[saraCOS]

I'm in an accelerated program, so I don't really feel like I have time to be "put together" I'm showered with a little mascara and in yoga or gym clothes so I can get 30 min in after or before class. I'm actually looking forward to getting into lab uniforms (polos and khakis) because I don't have to worry about outfits.:-)

I guess it doesnt occur to me that I should be judged on fashion sense. I'd really rather be assessed on my work, though I may be off base.

[zzbxdo]

Gym cloths, sweats, basketball shorts, hoodies and zip ups. Your performance and worth ethics make a impression. My portfolio made up of lors from the majority of my school faculty and preceptors. Just make sure you do look like a boss for interviews. I do feel like a lot of younger females don't know how to dress appropriately for big interviews

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

I'm trying to maintain working out as a priority so I generally switch to running capris or sweats, a tank and a hoodie (it gets darn cold in class). I have a large tattoo on my back that peeks out over the tank and I don't care. One of our instructors has a hello kitty tattoo on her foot and she doesn't care -- no one cares and most are transfixed by it since I don't "look" like I have tattoos. They just all have to be covered for clinical - I'm planning on starting a sleeve so the thermal under my scrubs will likely be covering it. Most of the guys on the floor of the site I'm at have sleeves and cover them with black UnderArmour compression sleeves but we have to wear all white and they seriously look absurd in white (like ballet dancer tights) so I may hold off on the sleeve until it starts getting cold again since I may be ditching the thermals here soon.

[suzw]

...You do realize that it will get warm again, and a tattoo sleeve is forever, right? Your choice of course, and I don't want to start any controversy (nor do I have anything against tattoos), but why would you get a tattoo you know you will have to cover up, regardless of how warm it is? I've worked on floors (especially in SNFs) where the temp is in the upper 70s, and I was too warm even without long sleeves or an extra layer.

[zzbxdo]

Because her life doesn't revolve around work, she is an adult and has/will make her own decisions regarding covering up her sleeves. Being too warm is subjective, and she may work nights.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

Because her life doesn't revolve around work, she is an adult and has/will make her own decisions regarding covering up her sleeves. Being too warm is subjective, and she may work nights.

Also, not every employer requires employees to cover tattoos. I work for the largest hospital system in my state and we can have tattoos and minimal piercings or unnatural hair colors, whatever we want because they don't own us.

When I was in school I wore whatever I felt like wearing unless I was in clinicals or lab.