Men are entering the nursing field at a higher rate than ever before, and one of the biggest complaints we’re finding is how to dress nicely as a male nurse. Shirts and scrubs are limited, and male nurses want to represent a professional style.

But how can you look professional, stylish and do it all while wearing scrubs?

1. Sizing Is Everything

Baggy is not better. A lot of men tend to wear baggy clothes, and when they do, this leads to them looking unkempt. The truth is that there needs to be a focus on sizing, and when buying scrubs, you’ll want to pay close attention to sizing charts.

Men will find that scrubs are either too fit or too wide – neither are good.

If you start focusing on the right fit, you’ll find that you’ll look better, too. There’s a reason that a man’s fitted suit will look much better than a suit that was purchased off of the rack at your nearest retailer: because it fits properly.

2. Sets Look Better Than Being Mismatched

Mismatched sets don’t look good. When you’re mismatched, not only don’t you look as stylish as you could, but there’s a chance that the outfit won’t fit as well either. The top may fit better than the bottoms, or vice versa.

And since sizing is very manufacturer-dependent, this can really diminish the overall style and look.

The ideal choice is to pick men’s scrub sets so that you match perfectly. Sizing will be more accurate, colors will match better and the fit will be on par with each other.

3. Choose Undershirts Carefully With Your Scrubs

You’ve chosen your scrubs carefully, but now it’s time to pick out your undershirt. The undershirt will complete the look, and it’s a matter of cleanliness. One tip is to avoid too much of a contrast between the color of your scrubs and the color of your undershirt.

The ideal choice is to have a white undershirt if you’re not wearing white scrubs.

A lot of style professionals also recommend that male nurses shy away from wearing black scrubs. The truth is that patients will not be focusing on your clothing, and too much of a contrast could cause them to shift focus.

Instead, subtle color variations will make you look professional and stylish – not stick out too much.

4. Work With Your Accessories To Finish The Look

You need to finish the look properly, and this means working with the accessories that you have available. What type of accessories are we talking about?

  • Glasses, if you wear them
  • Shoes
  • Watch
  • Jacket

You obviously can’t wear too many accessories that may interfere with you helping a patient, but focusing on basic, classic styles tends to be the best option. Choose shoes that are nice, well-fitting and comfortable. Jackets aren’t worn all the time. There are some nurses that will wear a jacket, especially when working with patients that are not suffering from serious medical issues that may lead to life-saving measures to be performed where a jacket may be a hindrance.