If an everyday lab coat is an essential part of your medical uniform, don’t be afraid to add a pop of color to your daily ensemble. Consultation coats, lab coats, and warm-up jackets can be fashionable and functional if you know what to look for. Choosing the right color for your uniform can be a tough decision. In this guide, we dive headfirst into the world of color selection, so you can update your work wardrobe with bright attire that instills confidence and trust between patients and their caretakers. Keep reading to learn more about lab coat colors.
Tradition of the White Lab Coat
Even by the start of the 19th century, medical advances were little more than mysticism to the public’s untrained eyes. Traditional black jackets were worn as a mark of formality, but those coats tended to incite fear in patients. Doctors began wearing white lab coats instead, to convey power and trust. However, the tradition of the white lab coat has a much simpler cause. White communicates cleanliness to colleagues and patients, and white is also easier to clean.
Lab Coat Colors and Trends
In “Color in Healthcare Environments,” a recent research report published by the Coalition for Health Environments Research, researchers claim that “color is a fundamental element of environmental design. It is linked to psychological, physiological, and social reactions of human beings.” The study goes on to suggest that in the cases of patients with Parkinson’s disease or other organic diseases of the central nervous system, abnormal behaviors became less prevalent in the presence of green. Furthermore, color and visual patterning can have a significant effect on pulse rates and subjective emotional feelings. The same theories can be applied to healthcare uniforms.
Medical uniforms can now be as fashionable and flattering as they are functional. Whether designed for women, men, or both, it is easier than ever before to find form-fitting coats and jackets. White lab coats are traditionally associated with doctors, physicians, and scientists. Nurses and nursing assistants that wish to individualize their wardrobes may turn to colored lab coats and other apparel. Under the bright lights of an operating room, white coats can also strain the eye and lead to headaches. If a pop of color sounds appealing to you, there are a wide variety of lab coat colors to choose from. Some of the most popular coat colors include black, blue, burgundy, khaki, navy, olive, and teal.