shopping for 3rd year

[care bear]

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this is for the ladies.

my mom (bless her heart!) took me shopping last week for dress pants. i got 4 pairs of the Editor pants at Express, in different colors (gray, navy stripe, black, and brown).
for shoes, i plan to get the dansko clogs in the dark reddish color so they'll go with black stuff and brown stuff. i am very happy with both of those decisions.

but sometime before july, i need to buy shirts! and this is where i am somewhat at a loss.
what do you wear? what looks nice and still professional?
i've only had casual-attire jobs in the past (academic research) and so i don't have a hospital-ready wardrobe.

ideally i'd like to find one or 2 tops that each come in lots of different colors and buy several. i have this one shirt that Express used to make, but doesn't anymore. . .a stretch button-up.
anyone know good places to find stretch button ups? (no ironing!)
or other tops that are cute but easy to take care of?

are sweaters and non-button-ups ok? what about t-shirt material type stuff?
i enjoy looking feminine and cared-for, but i also want to in reality be extremely low-maintanence.

any thoughts will be much appreciated 🙂

 

[Samoa]

Sweaters are generally OK. T-shirt material is iffy. You can get away with it if the top has a collar and is obviously professional, or possibly if you're at a very casual site. Two rules of thumb apply: 1) don't outdress your attending, and 2) don't dress more casually than your intern. As long as you're within that range, you should be fine. Obviously, if your attending wears shorts and flip-flops, rule #1 doesn't apply; you still have to wear pants and real shoes. And if everyone is wearing scrubs, and for some reason you don't get to, then go professional not casual.

As for places to shop, you can't go wrong with Ann Taylor and Loft. Their sales rack is a gold mine. Talbots styles are a little over-the-top lately, and also pricey. Limited and Express have decent but less expensive stuff. Express tends to be on the skanky end of the spectrum, but you can find wearable clothes there if you look. Banana Republic is finally past a long unwearable phase, so that's a good place to look too.

People in my class wear the whole spectrum of stuff. I've even seen a couple of classmates in stiletto heels. That's hard to carry off and still look like a doctor rather than a lawyer or secretary. But if you can do medicine rounds in stiletto heels, and come back the next day wearing them again, I'm impressed.

 

[pillowhead]

this is for the ladies.

my mom (bless her heart!) took me shopping last week for dress pants. i got 4 pairs of the Editor pants at Express, in different colors (gray, navy stripe, black, and brown).
for shoes, i plan to get the dansko clogs in the dark reddish color so they'll go with black stuff and brown stuff. i am very happy with both of those decisions.

but sometime before july, i need to buy shirts! and this is where i am somewhat at a loss.
what do you wear? what looks nice and still professional?
i've only had casual-attire jobs in the past (academic research) and so i don't have a hospital-ready wardrobe.

ideally i'd like to find one or 2 tops that each come in lots of different colors and buy several. i have this one shirt that Express used to make, but doesn't anymore. . .a stretch button-up.
anyone know good places to find stretch button ups? (no ironing!)
or other tops that are cute but easy to take care of?

are sweaters and non-button-ups ok? what about t-shirt material type stuff?
i enjoy looking feminine and cared-for, but i also want to in reality be extremely low-maintanence.

any thoughts will be much appreciated 🙂

I'd generally avoid t-shirt material. Gap is good for button up shirts with some stretch in them. I like Banana Republic for tops, too. Benetton is hands down my favorite store, esp. if you're on the smaller built side. All these places are expensive but have great sales if you're willing to hunt. You don't need to wear button downs every day--nice knit tops and thin fine wool sweaters (not the bulky kind) are appropriate, too. And never underestimate the value of three good cardigans when hospital temperatures can be kind of wacky. Always make sure you're shirts are long enough so that your belly isn't showing at all--it just looks really unprofessional. Danskos are great but I'd recommend picking up another one or two pairs of shoes--I like Naturalizer for comfort and style myself.

Just remember, it's worth paying a little bit more for clothes that wash well and classic pieces that can be worn for years to come. And polyester in dress pants is your friend.

 

[NatyaLaya]

I've wondered the same thing! Dressing professionally is obviously really important and I intend to look great, but will these clothes get really dirty and polluted with bodily fluids and other medical exudates? Any experiences with that?

Why do people like polyester so much? It's kind of itchy and has a weird shine to it. What's wrong with wool?

 

[Dr Jboo]

If you have a NY&Co nearby, that would be my recommendation. Before clinical stuff started up I bought a ton of comfortable shell tops, several pairs of slacks, stretch button up shirts, light sweaters and cardigans. I'm always comfortable and everyone's always asking me where I got my clothes. They're also pretty affordable and have great sales. 🙂

 

[armonia]

Banana Republic has a nice selection of professional button up, collared dress shirts that come in both stretch and non-stretch versions. The stretch version has princess seams and is therefore somewhat fitted. The colors vary a little with season. The price ranges from $50-$78, but can really drop on the sales rack.

 

[pillowhead]

I've wondered the same thing! Dressing professionally is obviously really important and I intend to look great, but will these clothes get really dirty and polluted with bodily fluids and other medical exudates? Any experiences with that?

Why do people like polyester so much? It's kind of itchy and has a weird shine to it. What's wrong with wool?

The problem with wool is that it tends to be very warm (the hospitals tend to be warm where I am), it can itch so you frequently need an undershirt layer making it even warmer, and most importantly, you can't wash it very frequently. In an office setting where stuff doesn't get dirty and your co-workers are clean, this may not be a problem, but in a large county hospital working 18 hours a day with homeless patients, you will want to wash your clothes more frequently.

 

[fang]

One thing I'd be careful about is the difference between professional attire and dressing up. I'm not going to pretend I'm a fashion expert, but I worked in a place requiring professional dress before medical school and had a few years to get comfortable with it. I see people (usually the 23-year-old students who have never tried this before) going to the stores they usually shop at such as gap, 5-7-9, whatever and getting some pretty cool clothes, but they look like they're going to a nice club, not coming to work. In general I think I'd avoid anything tight or fitted-- maybe stretch material is fine if it just makes the shirt or pants hang well, and isn't actually BEING stretched. Wool is fine; so are poyester/cotton blends as far as putting them in the dryer for 10 minutes to "iron". I like collared shirts that look nice tucked in, and will wear those with different colored polyester or rayon shirts underneath to get some variety. Works well for me... I don't like to think about what to wear in the AM.

(I also usually get some completely wild shirt that my mother would hate to balance out the "sensible" stuff... but I don't wear it to work!! )

 

[Undecided1]

I don't find all of Express "skanky." The best part of their store are their dress slacks, especially the Editor pants (I love these pants Care bear). I think if you go bargain shopping or outlet shopping you will create a better wardrobe with limitless combinations. I don't think 4 pants are enough, and I don't think it's wise to buy a shirt for $50-$70 at a store such as Banana Republic when you can go to their outlet store and buy 4 at that same price (I have a budget). Wool doesn't have to be itchy or warm (I wear them all the time in the winter). They should be lined inside. As for shoes, I'm a bad person to ask. I love expressing myself through my shoes, but I know that will have to end very soon.

 

[Samoa]

I don't find all of Express "skanky."

I agree, its not. I said it's on the skanky end of the spectrum but that you can still find good stuff there. 👍

 

[loveumms]

I don't think you have to spend a lot of money to get nice clothes. I love banana republic outlet store - even online you can go to the clearance section and get great prices. H&M has some professional clothes that are very nice.

Definitely don't have to wear button up shirts to look nice. I often wear nice, plain cotton shirts and look professional. Remember you are wearing your white coat, so most of the time people don't even see your shirt. I for one think the hospital likes the heat at about 80 so, I am hot all the time - I never wear sweaters.

I must be one of those 23 somethings though - not that I wear tight pants or shirts but, I still shop at the stores I've been shopping at for the last few years. I figure, if I can look nice and enjoy the clothes I'm wearing, that is good enough. When I am a little older, and making money I will shop at the more high end stores. Until then I'm going to buy what I like, can afford and what makes me feel good.

As far as shoes, I have a pair of Modellistas and a pair of Morells. They are both black and are the most comfortable shoes ever. Those are the ones I wear most - and honestly, even though I know clogs don't work best with everything I don't care b/c my feet are not hurting within half an hour of being in the hospital.

Must be nice being a guy - shirt and tie with nice slacks - how easy is that?

 

[Gimlet]

Must be nice being a guy - shirt and tie with nice slacks - how easy is that?

Hey now, sometimes it's really difficult to pick out which color shirt fits my mood on a given morning.

Totally kidding...I never realized how hard it is for women to get professional clothes until my fiance got a job and had to upgrade her wardrobe. It's tough when 90% of the shirts in the store don't even cover your belly-button.

 

[care bear]

thanks everyone!! i really appreciate all the suggestions. well, this past week was my spring break and i broswed online some but never made it out to the mall like i was intending. . . now that real life has started again, i probably won't get there for quite a while. . .but i've got plenty of time. when i do go shopping and find some good stuff, i'll try to pop back and resurrect this thread to share the clothing knowledge wealth! 🙂 i REALLY wish there was a BR outlet around me. I like BR shirts a lot for the classy professional look. but as many of you have pointed out, it can be quite expensive! well, maybe i'll take mom along again next time i go 😉

thanks again for all the input! 🙂

 

[kam730]

I refuse to completely abandon fashion for comfort and have found a very happy medium in my Nine West flats that I wear almost everyday. I highly recommend Nine West for cute and comfy shoes, I have like 4 pairs. I also have a pair of Danskos for wearing in OR, but you don't have to wear Danskos everyday to be comfortable.

 

[supercut]

Unless you've worn your Danskos for hours on end already, be warned...they may not be comfortable. I have narrow feet and high arches and I can't wear them for long. Plus they don't look as professional as regular shoes. You'll notice that med students and residents wear them, but rarely attendings (unless in the OR)

Let me add something to the shirt advice...no visible bra straps. It's too bad I have to say that, but I've seen it. In fact, your best bet is to wear a shirt with sleeves (even short sleeves)

Some hospitals blast the AC in the summer or have old heaters that can't keep up in the winter. A cardigan sweater isn't a bad idea...you might need it.

 

[Sugar72]

You are probably done with your shopping - but I bought several sweater sets at Target.....Remember your tops are mostly covered by your white coat anyway. The sweaters don't last long, but I had 4 sets I wore all of my third year. Most of my dress clothes are from Ann Taylor, but Target is worth a look. I bought some Clark's clogs off of zappos.com that have been awesome. I bought them 1/2 size too big so I can wear big comfy socks and can slide my feet in and out when standing in a 6 hour surgery!

 

[mustangsally65]

A question for those of you who are well-endowed: how do you find nice shirts that fit and aren't too tight in the bust and too big in the waist/stomach area?

I've always had a hard time finding nice shirts, and with many of my button down shirts I have to have two or three safety pins to pin the cloth together between the buttons becuase even when I get the biggest size the fabric wants to pull away from the button and ends up leaving a hole right over my bust. I've tried minimizers, camisoles, undershirts, and nothing seems to help.

Then the rest of the shirt is too long and too bulky below the bust. I never tuck shirts in because my waist is high and it makes me look like a 50-year-old school teacher or something.

Usually wearing two shirts makes me look more professional, but I get hot easily so that's not always my best option (no need to look professional if you're all sweaty and your makeup is running).

To make things even worse, I'm under five feet tall so clothes are long on me to begin with. Going up to a L or XL only makes it more noticeable. Any suggestions?

 

[orientedtoself]

but sometime before july, i need to buy shirts! and this is where i am somewhat at a loss.
what do you wear? what looks nice and still professional?

I have found that you can't go wrong with a collar shirt. I like the wrinkle-free shirts from L.L. Bean. They come out of the dryer good to go. Sweaters are good too, particularly if you live someplace cold.

 

[kam730]

A question for those of you who are well-endowed: how do you find nice shirts that fit and aren't too tight in the bust and too big in the waist/stomach area?

I've always had a hard time finding nice shirts, and with many of my button down shirts I have to have two or three safety pins to pin the cloth together between the buttons becuase even when I get the biggest size the fabric wants to pull away from the button and ends up leaving a hole right over my bust. I've tried minimizers, camisoles, undershirts, and nothing seems to help.

Then the rest of the shirt is too long and too bulky below the bust. I never tuck shirts in because my waist is high and it makes me look like a 50-year-old school teacher or something.

Usually wearing two shirts makes me look more professional, but I get hot easily so that's not always my best option (no need to look professional if you're all sweaty and your makeup is running).

To make things even worse, I'm under five feet tall so clothes are long on me to begin with. Going up to a L or XL only makes it more noticeable. Any suggestions?

Ha!! You sound exactly like me! Unfortunately I don't have much advice as I have the same problems, but just wanted to let you know you are not alone. Basically, I almost never wear buttoned shirts because of the gapping and so just stick with nice sweaters. One type of collared shirt I have had luck with are from Limited and rather than buttons have hook-and-eye closure. These work better b/c there are dozens of hooks (vs. like 6 buttons) so there is no gapping.

 

[Samoa]

A question for those of you who are well-endowed: how do you find nice shirts that fit and aren't too tight in the bust and too big in the waist/stomach area?

I've always had a hard time finding nice shirts, and with many of my button down shirts I have to have two or three safety pins to pin the cloth together between the buttons becuase even when I get the biggest size the fabric wants to pull away from the button and ends up leaving a hole right over my bust. I've tried minimizers, camisoles, undershirts, and nothing seems to help.

Then the rest of the shirt is too long and too bulky below the bust. I never tuck shirts in because my waist is high and it makes me look like a 50-year-old school teacher or something.

Usually wearing two shirts makes me look more professional, but I get hot easily so that's not always my best option (no need to look professional if you're all sweaty and your makeup is running).

To make things even worse, I'm under five feet tall so clothes are long on me to begin with. Going up to a L or XL only makes it more noticeable. Any suggestions?

Try adding extra hook-and-eyes between the buttons. I have a similar problem, except that shirts fit well at the bust line but gape open above it so that anyone can see my bra. So I add a hook-and-eye above the bust-line button and it works pretty well.

 

[psipsina]

Try adding extra hook-and-eyes between the buttons. I have a similar problem, except that shirts fit well at the bust line but gape open above it so that anyone can see my bra. So I add a hook-and-eye above the bust-line button and it works pretty well.

I've always had this problem but I found that J.Crew petite button down shirts work for some reason, I still have to wear a medium to fit over the girls properly, but the rest of the shirt isn't too huge and there is no gap thru which my co-workers can admire my bra.