What did nurses wear in the 1940s?
Nurses’ dresses were a little bit longer than a regular skirt, reaching a couple of inches below the knee. They came in both short-sleeves and long, with the long sleeves coming to a cuff at the wrist. They had a self-fabric belt worn at the waist and were made of cotton.
When did nurses stop wearing uniforms?
Nursing apparel has undergone many changes, from mandatory dresses and measured skirt lengths to pantsuits. By the late 1980s, the cap, along with the symbolic white uniform, had almost completely disappeared in the United States. As more men joined the nursing profession, unisex scrubs became popularized in the ’90s.

What did nurses wear in the past?
Historically, a typical nurse uniform consisted of a dress, pinafore apron and nurse’s cap. In some hospitals, however, student nurses also wore a nursing pin, or the pinafore apron may have been replaced by a cobbler style apron. This type of nurse’s dress continues to be worn in many countries.
When did nurses start wearing uniforms?
Advancements of the 1900s As nursing was catapulted into a recognised profession and we became more educated about microbiology, nurses; uniforms began to evolve. The first official uniform was actually designed by one of Florence Nightingale’s students.
What did nurses wear during WWII?

During WW2 nurses also wore battle dress. In battle dress the different services are indistinguishable. They also had a walking out dress with collar insignia and cap or beret badges that denoted their service.
What did 1920s nurses wear?
1920s Nurse Uniforms were usually white and made of cotton chambray or linen. Ladies wore white stockings with their uniforms and black heels such as a basic single strap Mary Jane. Of course, each hospital and each country had its own take on a nurse’s uniform.
What did nurses wear in the 1930s?
Navy nurses continued to wear capes until the 1930’s when the use of blue sweaters over a white uniform was adopted. By the beginning of WWI, nurses’ uniforms were being simplified, and made more practical.
Why did nurses wear capes?
Warmth. The nurses used to wear capes during the cold weather. The cloak was to keep them warm and look presentable instead of many different sweater colors. Any nurse would not go to their superior without the attire.
What did nurses wear in the 1970s?
In the 1970’s pantsuits arrived and allowed for mobility, comfort and easy maintenance of uniforms. In the 1980’s nurses found they could lift and maneuver patients more easily when wearing scrubs—and that scrubs were not only easy to maintain but were less expensive than ‘standard’ uniforms.
When did nurses start wearing pants?
Sleeves became shorter and caps varied from a pill box style to a pointed version. Eventually, uniforms would become even less complex. Open-neck shirts and pants surfaced in the 1960s as more men entered the nursing profession, and by the 1970s, disposable paper caps replaced cotton ones.
What is the name of nurse uniform?
Scrubs
Scrubs are the sanitary clothing worn by physicians, nurses, and other workers involved in patient care in hospitals.
Why did nurses wear white uniforms?
The color white signifies purity, innocence, cleanliness, honesty, and faith. These are qualities of the devoted and caring patient-centered nurse. While white uniforms have been associated with nursing for a long time, this was not the case historically and the uniform has evolved over time.
When did the first nursing uniforms change?
Only after the 1940s did the nursing uniforms got major changes. The nurses that served during the Spanish-American War, still wears the uniforms that resemble the first ones. Pictured in the following photo are the nurses of the Red Cross Auxiliary No. E, Sternberg Field Hospital Georgia, in 1898.
What kind of nursing uniforms were used in WW1?
During World War I, in Australia, field nurses wore nursing uniforms that are very similar to nuns’ habits, complete with the veil and even called as sisters. Noticeable with their uniforms are the short capes that were largely used in that era by field and travel nurses.
Do nurses still wear white uniforms?
The white dress, apron, and cap are instantly recognizable. This nursing uniform is among the most iconic in the history of American professions. Given that nurses haven’t worn such a uniform in decades, it surprises some nursing students that this white-clad image of a nurse endures.
What did the first US Navy nurses wear?
In their photo at the Naval Hospital, Washington, D.C., on October 1908, The Sacred Twenty who were appointed in 1908 as U.S. Navy nurses, wore nursing uniforms that were complete with belts and nurse caps. Compared to most nursing uniforms during the early 1900s, the very first U.S. Navy Nurses wore all white nursing uniforms.