When Were Scrubs First Worn?

We don’t really like to think about it, but before the twentieth century, doctors and surgeons did not wear scrubs during their procedures or surgeries. Instead, they would tie an apron over their street clothes, and that’d be it! The toughest surgeon would be wearing the most bloody apron at the end of the day.

Contamination, would infection... none of this was on surgeons’ minds at the time. Sure, eventually they began wearing masks, but this was more to protect themselves than their patients. It wasn’t until the early twentieth century when we began to wise up, and properly outfit our doctors, nurses, and surgeons in medical scrubs and scrub caps.

Sanitation, Then Style

A sanitary operating room wasn’t viewed as a necessity until the 1940’s, when we learned more about wound infection and began to raise our standards of cleanliness. Surgeons threw out their blood-stained gowns in exchange for a set of bright white medical scrubs. The white was meant to represent cleanliness, but eventually the combined brightness of the scrubs and operating lights began to disrupt surgeons’ vision. Because of this, hospitals began clothing their staff with colored scrubs.

Today, scrubs can be found in almost any color and/or pattern, and are worn by many other professionals such as veterinarians, midwives, etc. Scrubs are the staple of clean, sanitary workplaces. The style of scrubs has also evolved over the years to include v necks, short sleeves, and a wide array of differently sized pockets. You can even choose from slim fitting, or  classic fitting scrubs!

Blue Sky Co.

Blue Sky Co. scrubs will make you look professional and feel comfortable all day long. We’ve worked hard over the years to bring you exactly what you need in the workplace, and are certain you’ll feel beyond satisfied!