Hello, and welcome to our Lydia's blog.  Be sure to take a look around, as you'll find lots of ideas on what's new in the world of nursing scrubs, as well as what's going on at Lydia's.  Want a look inside how we do things?  Keep reading!

My name is Rachel, and I've been the E-commerce Manager at Lydia's for nearly 9 years.  Together with Leesa (our E-commerce Director) and our team of fearless web experts, we bring you the best in scrubs.

I look forward to meeting all of you personally! 

- Rachel

Just over a week ago, we went to Cherry Street Health Services in Grand Rapids, MI to do a video shoot (so we can show you how your peers are wearing our scrubs each day).  It was so much fun, and ended up being a great learning opportunity and not just a day out of the office.  We actually got to meet some of the nurses, medical and dental assistants that are customers (and fans) of ours.  After meeting them, I have to say that I’m a fan of theirs too!  This group was the nicest bunch of people, and best of all, we had something in common- scrubs!  Now, if you know me, you know that I am pretty excited about scrubs.  However, my enthusiasm pales in comparison to the staff over at Cherry Street. The best part of my day was seeing what each person had on, and talking to them about how they add their own style to their scrubs. 

Tauheedah had on the cutest jump suit.  It was bright white and looked terrific on her.  I’d never seen before how this kind of uniform could work, but she totally worked it!  Try bright whites for a super-professional look.  Try them in jumpsuit or dress styling to add a fashion edge, and make this traditional look a little more modern.

 

Sammy will be the first to tell you that he doesn’t have a ton of options when it comes to men’s scrubs.  However, he uses color in a really great way to showcase his personal scrub style.  During the shoot, he was wearing chocolate scrubs with a lime green tee underneath.  The day before, he told me he wore mandarin orange with a yellow tee. Seeing how coordinated his colors was so exciting that I immediately made him go outside so I could get some pictures. 

Wendy was wearing our green Urbane scrubs and they complemented her complexion really well. What was so great about them was that the fit was so good.  You could really tell that she put as much thought into the fit of her scrubs as her street clothes.

Karry had on a really cute print top by White Cross. What I loved about seeing her scrubs in action was that prints can really show off personal style in a way that other uniforms can’t.  Got a special interest, or feel drawn to a certain kind of color or season? Try a print! It’s the easiest way to invoke a little style in your work day.

Everyone I talked to said that one of the ways they related to their patients was through the scrubs they wore.  Sammy said that he’d love to see more team logos and colors for men, in particular.  They're all experienced at putting their patients at ease, and each said that professional and fun looking scrubs make all the difference in the world. So tell me what your perspective is- how do you add your unique style to your scrubs?

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.

Be sure to check your mailbox for our latest Summer catalog. I'm so eager to show you this season's designer medical scrubs that I thought I would post the link here immediately so that you could see what all of the excitement is about.  I love the detail and thought that has gone into each of our new styles. These are not just your basic scrubs- each style has a twist that adds a bit of extra fashion detail, comfort, or fit.  Check them out for yourself! Just click here. 

Have you ever played Top 5?  This has been one of our road trip games in the car for years in my family- mostly inspired by Rob in the movie High Fidelity.  So, without further ado, I present to you the Top 5 Reasons I Like Working at Lydia’s:

5. I get to show my true goofy colors and no one bats an eye (Can I wear scrubs in the office for a day? Sure!  Can I take pictures and post them on the blog? Sure!).

4. My manager (Leesa) sacrifices and sits in a cubicle so that I can have an office space.

3. The company is family-owned and makes its employees feel a part of their family (The Fotis’s have an open door policy, and any employee can come in and chat at any time).

2. The industry has some terrific vendors and you get to meet lots of great people (Remember my interview with Kathy from Koi?  She’s always that great!).

And the top reason I like working at Lydia’s…

1. The owners trust me at the helm of our website, and have a lot of faith in me and what I do.  Thanks Lydia’s!

I had to speak with Allison, our Contact Center Manager, yesterday, so I left my desk and headed over to her office. As I opened the Contact Center door, I stopped dead in my tracks!  Directly in front of me was a 30' banner with the "Golden Rule" of customer service on it.  I immediately thought back (nearly 9 years ago now) to my own days of customer service training, and was glad to hear that Allison is still teaching our employees this important rule.  It's the foundation for all we do.

You've heard me say it before, but our company is not just about scrubs. It's about YOU, and how we can provide the best service possible.  Without you, we wouldn't be here. 

Thank YOU!

I had the opportunity to have a great conversation with Kathy Peterson, the designer of Koi Scrubs the other day.  She and I really see eye-to-eye, probably because we both love to show off the fashion side of medical scrubs.  Here’s what she had to say…

Can you talk a little bit about your background?  Why scrubs?

My background is actually in fashion. I’ve been in the fashion industry for 15 years and started off working for Carole Little and have also worked for companies like Guess. I’ve done Disney product and really, I’ve just run the whole gamut of fashion design. I ended up at a uniform company called Barco and designed for companies like McDonald’s and KFC.  I had an opportunity to do some designs in the medical field and just loved it. It was the best happy medium between doing fashion and doing something that was functional. I really enjoyed the fashion element.  I love creating something that has a purpose… so that was the best opportunity to do something in fashion that was practical.

I started Koi because when you work for someone you don’t have control over the image of a product.  You have to turn it over to a marketing department and it wasn’t a complete vision for me. I wanted to control my product from beginning to end and have a unified vision. This was the next step because I was at the maximum I could grow.  This gave me an opportunity to share my vision and hope that people liked it.

What is Koi Happiness?

How we qualify a garment is that we look for something that is cheerful and happy, but functional.  We want to take the current trends and infuse the two. We interpret from fashion because we feel like a lot of the customers that are shopping for scrubs are the same ones shopping at Macy’s Bloomingdale’s or other stores. It’s important for me to have scrubs look like they’re viable in that same marketplace.  I think that the scrub market had existed for a long time on scrubs that did not have a fashion component.  Scrubs used to have fashion as a secondary component, and people focused on how practical it was, just the function.  We looked for things that married the two.  It’s great to create a product that people appreciate and helps them to feel good about themselves. 

What is the one thing you want customers to feel from your designs?

If we could in a small way help someone to feel better about themselves, that is the great reward for us. They work so hard and have such long shifts- anything we could do to make their lives easier or better is what we strive for.

Here at Lydia’s, we understand the significance nurses play in the healthcare field and we're committed to helping students reach their dreams of entering a nursing program and becoming a nurse. Lydia’s Uniforms and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing have partnered together to offer a scholarship for nurses enrolled in baccalaureate nursing education programs. A scholarship of $2500 will be awarded to two nursing students in their junior year of an accredited BSN program in the fall and spring semesters. To apply for this scholarship, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or better, complete the application form, and submit a 250 word essay describing their career goals and financial need.

Click Here to apply

Current Winners
Sadie Jones – Sadie is a nursing student at Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia. After she graduates with a Master’s in nursing, she plans on working in a rural hospital and then going on to work as a flight nurse in her hometown. Sadie is very passionate about nursing and giving back to her community.

Monique Henry – Monique attends the University of North Florida. She has already received her LPN and RN and in December 2008, she will graduate with her BSN. Monique has set many goals for herself and ultimately plans on becoming an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner.  She is committed to her dreams and will not let anything get in her way.







Could one of the winners be you?  This is a great opportunity to get funding for school.  Just fill out the application by clicking here.

I have to say that the road test of our scrubs was a success- not just because of what Leesa and I found, but because of YOUR comments.  What we found was that you are looking for sizing options and comfortable fit (kind of like us!).  I agree that everyone should feel like they look their best, whether at work or not, in scrubs or out of them.  So, without further ado, here are my top suggestions for medical uniform brands to try based on body type.

If you are petite or slender, try…

Urbane Scrubs - These designer medical scrubs are junior fit and flatter petite types most.

Baby Phat Medical Uniforms – Choose Baby Phat scrubs for a fun and funky alternative in scrub fashion.

Dickies Hip Flip – Popular “hip flip” scrub pant styling, and you’ll love the color palette.

Grey’s Anatomy – More celebrity uniform style comes to you in the form of quotes from the show and super soft fabrics. Made by Barco medical scrubs.

Our Own Signature Collections – Our Lydia's Signature Scrubs as low as $5.99.  Starting at XS and featuring petite and tall options as well as a variety of fabrics and prints galore. Great option for offices and hospital teams!

If you are average, try…

Dickies Sandwashed Scrubs– This line is missy fit and is sized like the misses section of your favorite department store. Lots of cute options!

Cherokee Authentic Workwear – The “hip flip” styling on their pants makes for a comfy fit and avoids “baggage”.

Katherine Heigl Medical Uniforms – She created this line after working in scrubs on “Grey’s Anatomy”, and trust us, she knows what you need in a stylish medical scrub!

Koi Nursing Scrubs – Youthful tailoring and girly details make everyone feel great.

Cherokee Flex-i-bles – This yoga-inspired line keeps you ready for action.

LA Rose – Cool basics & prints with extra detail in the styling.

White Cross – Your own style expressed in artistic designs.

Our Own Signature Collections – Our Lydia's Signature Scrubs as low as $5.99.  Looking for options?  Check here first!  Our hospital uniforms feature the most color choices you’ll find anywhere.

If you are curvaceous, try…

Dickies W – These scrubs are designed to fit all of your curves. 

Cherokee Basic Uniforms – One of the world’s most recognizable brands features specializes in super soft fabric. 

Landau Medical Scrubs – Top notch comfort with lots of options up to size 5X.

Our Own Signature Collections – Our Lydia's Signature Scrubs as low as $5.99. As always, our own line has options for EVERYONE up to 5X.

If you are tall, click here to see our full selection of uniform pants for tall sizes.

Well, we did our road test- now it's time to hear about yours! If you've recently taken our scrubs for a test drive and would be interested in talking about it, leave a comment to this post with the brand you want to be interviewed about.  If you're selected for the review, you'll get a free gift from us, and your comments will be posted here.

You too can make a difference! Go ahead, leave a comment :)

As usual, my morning is frenzied, and I have to race to get myself ready and things loaded up in the car before my son wakes up.  Since I’m a working Mom, I like to spend time with him in the morning before we leave for the day.  This morning I did things a little differently- instead of checking my closet for what to wear, I grabbed my scrubs out of the dresser (Thanks Lydia’s- and sorry about that stain. I guess you didn’t want these back anyway).  I actually felt like I was hopping right back into my jammies, but was excited about the opportunity to get a glimpse into what goes on in the world of nursing scrubs.  I will say that the scrubs did simplify my morning- I wasn’t doing much coordinating, and if truth be told, I usually spend more time analyzing how colors look against my fair skin than doing my hair.

Anyway, we hopped in the car and were on our way. I have to add here that I was starving because I had to do a fasting lab test after I dropped off Matthew at daycare.  However, I quickly let this go once I reached the lab and had such a fun time showing off my scrubs with the ladies that worked there (Note to employers: you should try out your staff in fun and flattering colors like the turquoise blue I was wearing- everyone was so excited to see it.).  Getting my blood drawn was a breeze, and I enjoyed the camaraderie I shared with the ladies in the clinic, all wearing scrubs.  I even surprised them with some Lydia’s tote bags and a few catalogs, and we proceeded to talk about our favorite items.

When I got to work, I kept an eye out for Leesa, because I knew she was wearing her uniform as well.  Sure enough, she was cheerful as usual, and looked cute in her designer medical scrubs (ok, like a dental hygienist too J ).  Together, we went to the morning manager’s meeting, and everyone was excited to see us.  The entire team caught our enthusiasm, and I think our vibe made everyone loosen up a little going into the workday.  This was one of the things I definitely noticed. I was having a hard time not smiling, and felt more relaxed than usual.  I know that this projected in my attitude toward meetings that day, and other projects I was working on.  This makes me wonder: how do scrubs affect your customer service skills?

There are a few things that I really liked about Cherokee Authentic Workwear besides the great color palette.  For example, the pants have this cool “hip flip” that ensures that they don’t bunch up, and it really helps with fit.  Also, it means that the legs don’t drag on the floor, which is something I’m picky about.  I love wrap styling for casual wear, but often find it cumbersome to pull off.  However, the mock wrap detail on the top was just enough to add a little style, and I found myself sticking my hands in the pockets all day (conveniently located- that certainly provided an answer for me about the styling of nursing scrubs!).

There were a couple of elements of my road test that I struggled with.  The scrub top wasn’t as tailored as the clothes I normally wear, and made me feel a little unkempt overall.  I’m not used to wearing anything baggy, and I also am trying to work off the baby weight, so this was something I was a little self-conscious about.  I looked at Leesa, wearing tailored looking Urbane scrubs, and wondered if she was feeling more orderly.  Also, like Leesa, I was super relaxed and ready to GO, so it was hard for me to sit at my desk all day. 

I was really glad to have the opportunity to road test a pair of scrubs for the day.  I’ve tried on lots of scrubs before, so that I can describe to you how they fit.  However, I’d never spent an entire day in them.  My respect for what you do, and the daily challenges that you face, has only been reinforced.  You need the most comfortable uniforms available so that you can focus on what’s really important- your patient.  It’s my goal to help you find them.

- Rachel

Want to test drive Cherokee Authentic Workwear Medical Scrubs yourself?  Click here to check them out!

Update: The ugly stain was removed!  But I’m still keeping the scrubs J