Scrubs and shoes – there’s really not much a guy or gal can say about style on the medical floors. In ‘The Hospitalist Manual’, I talk about how ‘scrub culture’ is invading the last vestiges of decency within medicine, and that, in terms of style, we’re all just become one homogenized assembly line of teal green health care factory workers. Well, NCL is here to shine a light on this dim future by occasionally dropping a review of what we like to refer to as ‘medical couture’, ie things that we’ve seen worn amongst our colleagues that suggest that scrub culture can have an edge too.
First up on the chopping block is the humble shoe. Or more specifically, the shoe worn with scrubs.
Let’s start off with the transgressions of yesteyear, so that we may not be doomed to commit the same mistakes of our upperclassmen. I’m pleased to report that the great Croc epidemic of 2004 is slowly fading from memory. Yes, they were supremely comfortable. Yes, they could survive nuclear winter, but that’s not really the point, is it? Having neon orange footware says a lot about an individual, and there is a part of me that cringes with the thought of thousands and thousands of pairs of these things sitting in landfills as we collectively awaken from the hangover that was ‘what the hell did I have on my feet for the past two years’?
Alas, there appears to be a second trend rearing its head that makes a brother want to cut on himself. That is the phenomenon that is the Z-coil shoe. It’s basically a rubberized high-heel shoe with an effing great big spring attached to the heel. Truly, they are a sight to behold. Perhaps most disconcerting of all is the somewhat fanboy/fangirlish fervor that wearers will swear by how these monstrosities of have helped their backs, posture, varicose veins, sex-lives, etc. I’m looking at you, the nurses in my ICU. Please – if any of you out there are seriously considering making a purchase of these Willy Wonka shoes, we have counselors waiting on standby to help you in your time of need.
Nooooo!!!!!
OK, enough negativity. Time to look at some frankly awesome alternatives to what might refer to as the frightening plague of banality that is injection molded rubber shoes, boring sneakers, and springy-thingies. Let’s start off with my current fave – Tom’s Shoes. If you haven’t heard about he good Mr. Tom and his crusade to make the place, one pair of shoes at a time, then shame on you. AT&T, before they became fixated with trying to compete with Verizon’s 3G coverage (they can’t), ran a small series of commercials talking about this little company and their admirable mission. Here it is:
Yeah, I know pretty cool, right? Anyhow, while I don’t really see myself jaunting around town with these, uhm, expensive slightly more robust house slippers, there I said it, I do think they’re perfect for scrub-ware, and dayam if they’re not comfortable. And did I mention that they were expensive? Yeah, all of that feel good humanity stuff comes at a price. Still, if you’re going to drop major coin on something, why not let it pay forwards, right? So Tom’s Shoes. Check em out.
Next up, we have a pair of shoes that I discovered quite by accident while looking for a pair of walking shoes while we were in Vegas last. I had only brought fancy dress shoes and felt kinda like a pillock walking around town in them, so I wanted some cheap and cheerful shoes that would ultimately double as my scrub shoes. Rocket Dogs are the somewhat ominous sounding brand name, but I’ve come to love my ‘Dogs’ dearly over the past two years. They’re made of hemp, claim to be recycled, and are also, comfortable as all get out. Randomly, while looking for a pic to share with you, I came across my exact pair, on the flikr stream of a guy (and possible shoe fetishist) named Elziard. Thanks Elziard!
Hemp - it does a body good!
And did I mention that they were dirt cheap? $10 for scrub shoe bliss. Granted, at those prices, it is entirely possible that they were put together in a sweatshop, but I’m hoping that the same kid that put together my shoes will be wearing shoes I inadvertently purchased for him thanks to the efforts of Mr. Tom, or Blake or whoever in some sort of karmic twist. Unlikely. Seriously, go with the Tom’s shoes
So what about you? Any recommendations for footwear while you’re rocking the teal green scrubs? Let us know and, while you’re at it, feel free to send us in some pics of your shoes that you’re wearing right now and tell us why you chose to wear what you did. Except the springy-thingies. The best explanation gets a limited edition NCL scrubtop – booya!