The comfort zone

From the Fall 2012 issue of Scrubs
Material Matters

The shifts are long, the work is taxing but the scrubs in new luxe fabrics are oh… so…sumptuous—and that’s good news because when you’re dressed for comfort you feel, well, more comfortable in every way. Cherokee Luxe and Dickies Xtreme Stretch scrubs are super soft, drape your shape beautifully and are enhanced by built-in stretchablilty. These techno-forward blends that contain spandex are advances on the poly-rayon twill from Grey’s Anatomy that’s been so popular for the last few years. Fall’s Cherokee LUXE line has 10 new colors and eight new styles; Dickies Xtreme Stretch stretches four ways and comes in six new colors and four new styles. Look for them at your favorite retailer.

The Chill is Gone

Bob Perez had worked in healthcare for 30 years when he decided enough (shivering) was enough (shivering). He and his coworkers were wrapping themselves in hospital-issue blankets to stay toasty, and he had seen one too many patients recoil from nurses’ icy fingers. That’s when he decided to take matters into his own hands. After experimenting with different fabrics, Perez—with the help of his wife, Carrie (who has worked in sales), and his son, Brodie (who is studying for his MBA)—developed Thermscrubs, made from the same polyester fleece favored by outdoor enthusiasts. It’s soft and durable, odor- and stain-resistant, lightweight and breathable. Oh, and it’s warm!

Thermscrubs come in nine colors, $30 per set (or top, $17, and bottom, $16), at thermscrubs.com.

Stride on Design

Several years ago, Shawna R. Johnson, an LPN at Tacoma General Hospital, was surfing the Internet one day when she spotted a pair of clogs painted with just the kind of bright colors and bold patterns she loves. On a whim, she asked a neighborhood kid to paint a design on her own clogs—and when she wore them to work, she was deluged with compliments. “I thought: I’ve found a niche!” she says.

Today, Johnson and her husband, Curtis, have 17 artists in the Seattle-Tacoma area hand painting clogs, which they sell on their website, theswanx.com. They offer more than 100 original designs, including some just for nurses, plus they will do custom orders if, say, you want to show off your pet…or pay tribute to the one you love. One nurse wore clogs under her wedding dress: On one foot was her portrait, and on the other, a portrait of her firefighter groom. “They were looking at each other—it was really touching,” says Johnson, whose own passion will always be nursing. “I will never give it up.”

Sponsored by Cherokee Uniforms