Ward Quiet: Pyschiatric Nursing at State Hospital #2
1920’s style dress with straight lines and little flare at the bottom.
From the 1930’s through the World War II, nurses wore a navy blue cape over white dresses.
Uniform has buttons down the length of the front. Veil attached to cap alludes to history of nuns as nurses prior to the 19th century.
Post-war America was more conservative and uniforms return to a longer length.
Post-war America was more conservative and uniforms return to a longer length.
America recovers from the war and prospers. Dresses flare at the bottom and became shorter. Sleeves are shortened.
Simple, clean lines and shorter lengths.
The first pantsuit for nurses adopted at the State Hospital in the late 1970’s.
Variety in fashion trends is reflected in uniform styles. Some nurses wear dresses, but the majority transition to pantsuits.
Nurses wear comfortable and colorful scrubs in many different patterns. Scrubs are practical and easy to clean.
Dress
When the Lunatic Asylum opened in 1874, nurses wore aprons over their everyday dresses. The change to white cloth nursing uniforms occurred in the late 1920’s. Many nurses made their own uniforms and patterns were produced by companies like Simplicity and McCalls.
Nursing uniforms followed the trends of the times and were similar to popular dress styles. Length shortens from floor to knee and in the 1970’s hospitals begin to allow pantsuits. Pants are popular, practical, and comfortable. In the 1990’s nurses switch to scrubs which are easily washed and come in many colors.
Most photographs we have in our archives do not come with documentation. One way we date our photos of nurses is by the uniform style.
