Originally posted by Gleevec
So is the trick to clinical wardrobe getting the cheapest ties, dressshirts, and khakis money can buy so that 1) you can have several pairs of clothes to switch between and 2) staining, which is likely, won't matter as much?
Im actually going to have to buy an entirely new wardrobe for med school (I basically have tons of tshirts, jeans, and little in the way of dress clothing). Any suggestions?
You have to be careful getting the cheapest - otherwise you'll look like Urkel. Cheap also is poorly made and wears out quickly, don't look like they fit you, and as far as shirts to the tails are shorter so they pull out every time you bend. Physicians don't necessarily need to look like they have a second job on the pages of GQ, but they shouldn't look like they buy their suits from the thrift store, either.
Some have said get wash and wear / polyester blend shirts. I think this is a bad thing for a couple of reasons, they are uncomfortably hot (don't breath), and while they may never look bad, they'll never look good (crisp, pressed) EVEN if you iron and starch them.
I councelled an ROTC cadet on this subject a week or two ago (uniform shirts are polyester blend, and in theory are permanent-pressed) - I told him to spend the $1.50 and have his shirts done professionally. Its' really hard to be able to do a good job yourself, and after all your time should be worth something. Also, the professional laundrys are more able to get the weird strain out of the shirt than anything you're likely to use (although that shortens the life expectancy of the shirt).
As far as trousers go, I've found that buying when I see a good deal is worth it. Costco occasionally has great deals on khakis (I send dockers to the laundry for dry cleaning) and dress slacks. I found some really quite good 120s wool slacks last year, and some rayon slacks last week, for like $30/pair. The wool slacks are italian tailored, just great. When I saw how well they were made and fit, I went and bought a couple of pair each of the different colors.
Getting a new wardrobe is a big expense. I understand, having gone from the AF environment to business to business^3 (IBM) to (now) shorts and sandles for my post-bac premed classes. But, if you buy quality to start, take care of them (have them professionally cleaned, hang them up on good hangers), and figure out what styles work best for you (rather than chasing the latest fashions) you can minimize the initial cost and maximize the use of the item.
I am in the process of unpacking after moving my house, and I have found suit jackets that I've had for 20+ years that are still wearable. I've long since worn out the trousers but with basic colors (grays, black, blue, tan) and no patterns I can always get new trousers. Good value, classic design (frankly I think the 4-button suits guys were wearing for a couple of years looked like my AF uniform, and were about as practical for everyday use).
Get some good shoes. Plogs are OK for scrubs but don't look too good with a dress shirt and tie. Keep them clean and at least kind of polished, and invest in a pro shoe-shine every now and then. Call me a purist, but I think your belt should be similar in color and material to the shoes you're wearing.
Finally, while a lot of the information is dated these days, get a copy of "Dressing for Success" by Malloy. Good tips and hints in there. There may well be similar, more current books available too that I'm unfamiliar with.
