1950s Nursing Uniforms

Nurse uniforms in the 1950s were very different from today's nursing scrubs.

When we think about vintage nurse uniforms today, we are likely to picture nursing uniforms from the 1950s. During this time, many women went to work as nurses, as it was one of the accepted professions for women to enter at this time and many had trained as nurses during the Second World War. However, the uniforms had to be practical as well as stylish, and evolved over the ages to the pair of scrubs that most nurses wear today.

"Golden Age of Uniforms"

In the 1950s, nurses' uniforms shifted drastically from the earlier dark, heavy aprons, dress uniforms and other impractical items, to a more modern, cleaner and more practical look. Because of the relief this gave them in their day-to-day duties, this era became known as the Golden Age of Uniforms, referring to the comparative ease nurses had in practicing their duties after the shift from the earlier models.

Bibbed Fronts

Bibbed fronts became more popular for nurses during the 1950s, though they emerged as early as the 1940s and lasted into the 1960s. These bibs, which replaced the earlier aprons, had a plain white front.

Cut and Color

The overall purpose of 1950s nurses uniforms was to be simple and easy to clean, without needing starch. Because of this, many nurses began to have colored uniforms, though the white bibs were popular. The cut of the uniforms was similar to the popular dress fashions of the day, and included a "nipped" waist and a skirt cut in an A-line shape.

Hats

The pill box shape became popular among nursing uniforms in the 1950s; in addition, disposable paper hats became common as well, as nurses could just throw them away after wearing them and not have to worry about the expense or trouble of cleaning an irregularly shaped object.