Image: Ryan McVay | Stone | Getty Images

With summer right around the corner, now is the time to rethink your scrubs so you can look your best.

Here are 5 easy, surefire “industry” tricks to make you look much thinner without dieting or stepping into the gym.

1. Say yes to monochrome
2. Get rid of anything too snug or too big
3. Choose strategic detailing
4. Get the perfect fitting pants
5. Choose the right prints

1. Say yes to monochrome

Dressing in monochrome scrubs is the first and most important step to help create a longer, leaner line. Dressing in one color gives the illusion of looking thinner because of the continuous color; it doesn’t break up the vertical line like wearing two different colors can.

Another way to accentuate your body and camouflage those trouble areas is to wear dark colors. Colors like black, brown, navy, charcoal, burgundy, deep green and purple are slimming. And always wear the styles that complement your body type. This scrub top with the feminine scoop neck is a great way to wear the monochromatic color combinations. The black, brown and navy are excellent choices.

Skechers

I like this solid-color warm-up jacket with a pair of the Skechers pants in a matching color.

Skechers

1. Say yes to monochrome
2. Get rid of anything too snug or too big
3. Choose strategic detailing
4. Get the perfect fitting pants
5. Choose the right prints

Know what to toss from your closet with #2…

The fact that Betty is overflowing with personality appears to be one of the reasons scrubs showing her image are a top-selling item. Nurses relate to her cute looks and saucy attitude. Wearing her character on their scrubs lets nurses send a subtle message to coworkers and patients about how they really see themselves.

Betty’s changing style
This passion for Betty is nothing new. Her history as a well loved cartoon character dates back to the early 1930s when she starred first in print and then in short animated films. Her style has changed many times over the years, showing her versatility as an entertainer who can adapt to any era. These days Boop isn’t just wearing her signature flapper mini-dress; now, she can be found sporting army BDUs on pink and brown camouflage scrubs, like the one shown above. So, it’s clearly more than just her pretty face and stunning hourglass shape that draw you in. It’s Betty’s whole feisty, bubbly persona that appeals to both healthcare staff and patients. As nurse Tamika Broaden says, “I love her spirit and she’s a bombshell.”

Nurses speak out about Betty Boop scrubs
Nurses like Traci D. McCain are also up front about why they adore this stylish lady: “I love BB because she’s cute, and she shows that even with her character wearing scrubs, you can still be sexy.” Marianne Knouff agrees: “Sexy innocence! Love Betty Boop!” Pairing solid bottoms that match a subdued but feminine color from the printed top is one way to wear Betty scrubs without overwhelming the eye.

But is Boop really a character that’s well suited to the somber atmosphere of a hospital and the serious profession of saving lives? That depends on who you ask. For many nurses, wearing an eye-catching top is all about offering a higher level of care to their patients. Part of Betty’s classic and unforgettable appeal is the magic of bringing a familiar face to a patient’s bedside during a traumatic time.

As nurse Kelly Schmidtbauer notes, “I work at the VA and the veterans love her!” Another nursing professional comments on the power of distraction to ease discomfort: “My older patients always start talking about remembering Betty Boop, and it makes for a fun conversation and gives the patient something else to think about, instead of worrying about what is going on with them.”

Betty Boop just for you
With so much to love about this grand old gal, it’s no wonder scrubs manufacturers are bringing back “boop-boop-a-doop” style in a variety of sizes and print patterns. These tops are available in both 100 percent cotton and poly/cotton blends with details like roomy patch pockets to provide the storage space every nurse needs on the job. This means there’s no sacrificing comfort or function to get the latest in scrubs fashion.

Does Betty Boop’s character speak to you or is there another old-time favorite who has stolen your heart?

Betty Boop Scrubs by scrubsmagazine on Polyvore.com

Chic. Modern. Cutting edge. These words perfectly describe the latest in Disney scrubs, which have come of age…beautifully.

Here for the new year are form-flattering silhouettes and lively, bold prints that mix easily with one another as well as with solids.

Check out the Big Minnies, left: Our favorite icon looks her very best in an artful pattern playfully mismatched with dots and anchored by the new neutral— red.

Be bold and pair with red pants. (Why not? Flexible stretch-knit side panels make comfort the bottom line, and comfort and confidence go hand in hand.)

Or, on shy days, try bottoms in basic black or white. Disney’s Big Minnie top, $23.

Flower Power

Eco-consciousness meets fashion consciousness this winter in painterly floral prints (who said flowers are just for spring?) that make for a picture-perfect, put-together look.

Yes, you can mix them as long as their colors and scales are complementary.

Keep big, bold brights together; ditto soft watercolor pastels.

Of course, a top or bottom in one of the season’s hot solid colors can also pair beautifully with a botanical print, bringing a more modest touch of glamour to utilitarian workwear. We love the fashion-forward florals available from Cherokee, Peaches, Barco and the Studio B line.

Step Into Comfort

No wonder The Zone is one of the all-time best-selling shoes for nurses. It slips on easily, wears well and is oh-so-comfy.

“Nothing else sells,” says Robert Heller of The Scrub Shop in Casselberry, Fla. The Zone is walking the floors on its own!

Try on a pair for size—it’s like putting your feet to sleep in the best bed ever.

Available in black, white, chocolate with a tan outsole, ceil with a tan outsole and navy with a tan outsole. By Anywears, $30.

This article—along with other great scrubs style tips (did you know that you can dress up your scrubs for off duty and on the town? Really!)—were first published in the 2010 Winter Edition of Scrubs Magazine, available at your local scrubs retailer. Find a retailer who carries Scrubs Magazine here.