Here at Lydia's we've been as busy as ever getting all our new fall products online and available for you! As we work, we've been checking out the latest looks and styles and, of course, talking about which products are our favorites. Here are the top picks from myself and my co-workers in the Web Department.

Amanda: My favorite new styles are the Dansko shoes – there are lots of fun colors and designs in the Professional Clog, and the Savanna shoes are really cute and vintage-y




Melissa: My favorite new line is ScrubNuts. I am a huge fan/supporter of non-profits and the profits of ScrubNuts go to the Gesundheit! Institute, a project founded by Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams. The Institute states it IS dedicated to bringing generosity and compassion to the health care industry. One of their continued missions involves the concept of "humanitarian clowning". The project uses the theme of laughter as an integral element of effective doctoral care. So in line with that each ScrubNuts purchase includes a free clown nose!



Lindsey: My favorite new item for Fall is the Wink 4-Stretch Women's Performance Lab Coat. I like how the style is more form fitting than most lab coats and has princess seaming for a  flattering fit. Also the pocket with the ID loop is an added bonus to keep you organized!




Liza: The Barco Zip Front Dress has to be at the top of my list because it's so versatile! When worn by itself it's a classic nursing dress, but with modern details. And when worn over scrubs it's the perfect lab coat with its stylish fit and roomy pockets.
 


Leesa: Because I am a fleece addict, this scrub jacket caught my eye right away. I love how it matches perfectly with the Peaches Med Couture scrubs. Its hard to find a snugly fleece that keeps the professional look like this one.


So what are your favorites for fall?? Leave a comment and tell us what looks you love and why!

I'm so happy to share that Lydia's Uniforms now carries Scrub Nuts Scrubs. If you haven't heard about these uniforms yet then keep reading. Scrub Nuts are inspired by and created for an incredible cause and they're, without a doubt, the silliest scrubs around!

Scrub Nuts medical uniforms are inspired by the real life Patch Adams, an MD who promotes love, laughter and friendship everywhere he goes. He is considered not just a doctor, but also an activist and a clown. His inspiration is clear in each and every piece with fun details like screen printed clown designs, tye dye tops and pants, roll up cuffs  that show off bright polka dot prints and collars that can be worn up or down!

These scrub tops, scrub pants and lab coats will bring smiles to your co-workers and, most importantly, to your patients. They're made for the healtchare provider who wants to promote joy and laughter in the workplace! And who wouldn't want to do that :-)

Another important detail about these med scrubs is that a portion of the profits from your purchase will go The GESUNDHEIT! INSTITUTE, which is building a free health clinic, an educational center for "The School for Designing a Society," and one day soon the first free silly hospital in America. With each and every purchase you will be helping out an important cause.

So what are you waiting for? Try out a pair of Scrub Nuts Scrubs today and join in on the fun!

Clowning is love in its purest form. If you can find humor in your life, you are a success!

Urbane Scrubs tells us their story: Urbane Scrubs is one of the first companies to pioneer fashionable scrubs for nurses by nurses. Founded by two critical care nurses in Dallas, Texas—Traci and Angela—Urbane Scrubs was inspired by the lack of modern uniforms available in the marketplace for working professionals. Starting with a small group of local seamstresses, Traci and Angela took it upon themselves to supply uniforms for their friends and co-workers. The goal: to offer nurses uniforms that were both functional and flattering.

Almost a decade later, Urbane is still growing strong. We remain focused on our founding principles of creating stylish yet functional uniforms made for nurses by nurses. With an enthusiastic and loyal fan base as the genesis of our design inspiration, Urbane thrives on innovation and—most of all—on making our customers look and feel beautiful.


One of their designer lab coats is the Urbane Scrubs Women's Lab Jacket. This lab coat features innovative sleeve features hidden stockinette cuffs to keep sleeves out of the way, high collarless neckline, signature button closure, princess seams, set-in waistband, four lower pockets and back fitted darts and vent. It is made with 65% polyester/35% cotton and is 31” long.

Here’s a review from our customer Krissi in Peculiar, MO

Stylish and practical!

This jacket is fantastic! Wish the pics showed more detail...there is the cutest hot pink and orange urbane print inside the neckline and pockets. It's slimming and comfortable. I'm an RN in an ICU and like that this is professional yet fresh and so practical! I always push up my sleeves (can't stand them around my wrists, plus they can get dirty) so the soft, hidden stockinette allows me to easily push up my sleeves and they stay in place! The pockets are large and deep...this is just all around wonderful! For reference: I'm 5'6" 115lbs and XS fits great (runs true to size...not large like some urbane scrub items).

WIN NEW SCRUBS!!
Snap a photo, win new scrubs

This lab coat is made for the healthcare provider who loves looking stylish AND professional. Cherokee paid close attention to detail when they designed this medical coat and it definitely shows in the end result. Embroidered leaves, flowers and vines subtly accent the neckline. 3/4 quarter sleeves are fashionable and out of the way. And front and back princess seams give this uniform a fitted shape that's not too tight, but not boxy either. Check out the product review below to see what one customer had to say about this look:

Here’s a review from our customer J in Irvine, CA:

Love it!

Love the crispness and style of this scrub jacket! The embroidered front adds a lot of delicate, interesting detail. Good length, ample pockets, love the princess seams. Runs a bit large - ordered one size down and it's perfect!

If you love to have personalized style then you cannot go wrong with embroidered medical uniforms from Lydia's. We have over 200 logos to choose from (below are logos designed specifically with nurses in mind) so you won't have any problem finding a favorite; you might have trouble picking just one. We can also embroider your name, title or whatever you choose on your scrub tops, lab coats or jackets for a look that's even more personal.

Embroidery and logos are currently 50% off at Lydia's. Click here for all the details.

The Win Your Wishlist contest is back and we're giving away $250 worth of uniforms and scrubs to one lucky winner. It's easy to enter, just log in to your Lydia's account and create a wishlist between now and May 12th, 2010. We'll randomly select one wishlist winner on May 13th and announce it right here on the blog. The winner will receive up to $250 in goods from Lydia's.

This is one of my favorite contests because you get the chance to win whatever YOU pick out from Lydia's. The prizes are all up to you :-) So what items are going on your wishlist this week? Is there a designer lab coat that you've been eyeing or a pair of Merrell Shoes that you can't wait to get your hands on? Spill it!

Click here for the official rules.

Click here to shop our lab coats for women, men's lab coats and designer lab coats.

So many of you have told me how much you love Cherokee medical scrubs. I can see why: they’re well-known with a trusted name; they make scrubs that fit great and wash up well; plus they offer something for every medical professional, whether it’s basic solids, designer nursing scrubs or professional lab coats. What’s not to love??

Today I want to tell you about a few new collections that are now offered in Lydia’s Cherokee Superstore and I hope that you come to love these medical uniforms as much as you love favorites like Cherokee Authentic and Cherokee Flexibles. The new collections are: Cherokee Studio, Bamboo Planet and World Adventure scrubs. Each line is completely unique. The Studio Collection is filled with youthful styles and features lots of fun prints. Bamboo planet scrubs focus on sending an eco-friendly message. And World Adventure scrubs are all about using rich earth tones to create fashionable styles.

I hope that you’ll stop by our Cherokee Superstore and let me know what you think about these new uniforms. And next time you buy medical scrubs make sure to keep them in mind!

Have something to say? Leave a comment here.

P.S. Looking for an awesome deal on Cherokee scrubs? Try these fun and affordable prints from Cherokee Authentic.

The holiday season is here and we want to wish you Happy Holidays by offering you two chances to win free medical clothing uniforms from Lydia’s. Tons of new designer medical scrubs, lab coats and medical supplies will be available soon in our new catalog and on the web site so now is the perfect time to win a Lydia's gift certificate.

Enter our Holiday 2008 Photo Contest and you could win a $100 gift certificate or enter our Editor @ Large Contest and you could win a $50 gift certificate; enter both and double your chances of winning free scrubs!

To enter our Holiday 2008 Photo Contest all you have to do is click here and send us a picture of you in your holiday medical scrubs. I’m excited to see all of your photos so I hope you take the time to enter. The contest ends on January 7th, 2009 so get your camera out this week at work.

To enter the December Editor @ Large Contest just share a funny work story. Visit my blog post here to read all the details and enter now.

Good luck to all who enter; I can’t wait to see your pictures and read your stories.

Last week I received an e-mail from my mom inquiring about what I wanted for Christmas. After thinking about it for a week I realized that I have no idea.

If you’re in the same boat, I have one suggestion: make a wishlist, pass it on. Visit your favorite web sites, places where you normally purchase all the things you want and need and make wishlists on them. Share them with anyone who wants to know what you would like for Christmas. At Lydia’s, making a wishlist is simple. If you see a pair of hospital scrubs or a lab coat that you like, simply click on the Add Wishlist button (see picture below). Once your wishlist is complete you can e-mail it to anyone who might be wondering what you would like for Christmas. This is the perfect chance to score a pair of the designer nursing scrubs you’ve been eyeing, so go ahead and make your list.

If your wishlist is already made, but you’re still looking for gifts for others, don’t forget that we now offer gift certificates at Lydia’s Uniforms. They’re perfect for co-workers or other friends or family members who wear medical scrubs.

Visit our site to start making your wishlist now or click here to purchase a gift certificate for your favorite healthcare professional.


Have something to say? Leave a comment here.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading about everything from spacious nurse uniforms to designer medical scrubs this week.  I love how there are so many new things for me to write about now that the stylish scrubs for fall have arrived. Who knows what I’ll find to write about next week.

Now, taking a break from medical uniforms (just for a minute), here are some news stories from the week that you might find interesting:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• New nurses need criminal record check
• Dental Care Shortages, Reimbursements Need To Be Addressed In Health Policy Debate, Experts Say
• GenVec receives funding for foot-and-mouth vaccine program
• Most Generalists Reluctant To Provide Primary Care For Young Adults With Chronic Illness
• Doctors’ opposition to home nursing riles midwives, moms
• As Doctors Cater to Looks, Skin Patients Wait

Health News:

• Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows early promise
• Pre-pregnancy diabetes tied to more birth defects
• Artificial pancreas just years away, experts say
• Does Bush proposal threaten access to the pill?
• L.A.: No new fast-food outlets in poor area

Opinion Piece:

• PRICE: Transforming health care

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and if you’re planning on purchasing any apparel scrubs, lab coats or medical supplies in the next few days I suggest you keep an eye on your e-mail for an opportunity to save a little cash when you do.

One look through a Lydia’s catalog will tell you that medical clothing uniforms come in all sorts of styles. Whether traditional hospital scrubs, lab coats and suits, a nursing dress or designer medical scrubs; the many styles of medical clothing uniforms continue to transition with the times. With so many styles of medical clothing uniforms to choose from, it seems that the line between acceptable medical clothing uniforms and unacceptable is extremely blurry. As that line continues to become more blurred, employees must abide by the policies and opinions of their employers when it comes to picking out their medical clothing uniforms or medical scrubs. 

When researching dress codes at different locations around the country I discovered that there’s no uniformity when it comes to uniform dress codes. It seems that the most popular dress code is basic scrubs with a specific color for each position (green for surgeons, blue for RNs, etc.). But even this dress code isn’t uniform. Colors are different for different facilities. Sometimes patterns are acceptable and sometimes they’re not. And then there’s the whole issue of jewelry, nails, hair, etc., and it’s a complicated issue! There are other facilities that seem to be more lax, permitting any style of scrubs, having casual Fridays and some that even permit jeans to be worn with scrub tops.

As I read different forums and posts across the Internet, I discovered that employee’s opinions about dress codes are just as diverse as the dress codes themselves. Since personal care providers are often required to do strenuous and/or messy work and because more facilities are no longer providing medical uniforms, but instead requiring employees to buy medical uniforms; it’s no surprise that there are strong opinions about what can and cannot be worn.  On one site I looked at, more than one individual expressed that they were actually narrowing down their job options based on dress codes. Many individuals stated a dislike for dress codes that require all white scrubs if they’re going to be performing duties that will likely be messy. And some individuals were perfectly fine with dress codes, whatever it may be, as long as they could wear comfortable medical scrubs.

I also discovered an article at American Nurse today that outlined a study on medical scrubs. The study attempted to discover what patients preferred when it came to medical scrubs. Results showed that 64% of patients thought nurses should be allowed to wear any uniform color, 39% said they would like to identify their RN by uniform color and 80% said they would like to identify their RN by a large print “RN” on a name badge. Interesting results considering the number of hospitals that use color as a way to define their employees’ positions.

In my opinion, both the more modern stylish medical scrubs and the traditional basic scrubs look professional as long as they are worn in a neat and clean matter. What's your dress code and what do you think?

And as someone who wears medical scrubs, which look do you like best? The first look is a dress by L.A. Rose. The second look consists of Barco Medical Scrubs. And the third look is a scrub top by L.A. Rose with a pair of flare scrub pants by Dickies.

           

I’ve been hanging out in our photo studio, looking at our new fall selection.  Our merchandising team has done it again- they’ve handpicked some of the coolest, most stylish scrubs I’ve seen.  With each catalog, I think “This is it. Scrubs can’t get much better than this.”  Truth?  They can, and they do, and it continuously amazes me.  From hospital scrubs to lab coats to designer medical scrubs, there’s always a new twist.  I can’t get over it.  Perhaps that’s why I eagerly run to check out our new selection as soon as it’s picked.   

As we begin proofing our catalog today, I am faced with the challenge of introducing our new scrub line to you on page 2.  Have you ever wondered who comes up with our catalog intro?  Yep, that’s me.  Here’s what I do: I check out our new collection, and pay particular attention to the brands that you tell me that you like.  Then, I think about how our scrubs reflect what’s going on in fashion that season and try to put myself in your shoes- in a nutshell, what do YOU need to know about our new line? 

Our fall nursing scrubs line is so cool!  I’m seeing lots of different fabrics and textures, including bamboo (Yes!  I’ve been asking for this one), a premium easy-care poly (by one of your FAVORITE brands), and lots of cool retro prints.  I’m seeing the same stuff when I’m out shopping, so I know you’re going to be as excited as I am about the fashion elements of this line. 

Stay tuned- I’m going to get you a sneak peek of some of these designer medical scrubs.  Also, stay tuned for Liza. She returns from her trip to California tomorrow, and I’m sure she’ll have lots to tell you.