Massage Uniforms

[harrry]

I have been browsing the site and many of you seem to wear scrubs while doing massage. I was thinking of doing that as well but have a couple concerns:

1) Scrubs don't breathe they are generally designed to be liquid resistant (I used to be a dental assistant) I know they now have ones that have some movement but the ones I used to wear did not really have any give.
2) I was talking to another therapist and she told me that in our area scrubs for massage might be considered to stuffy. Since California tends to be fairly casual dressing it up might not be viewed as professional so much as stuffy and stiff.

I am not sure how I feel about the latter thought but comfort is a biggie for me and I tend to get warm while doing a massage anyhow.

Another alternative has been Fitted Polo shirts with my logo embroidered. Do many of you use them? I am wanting very much to create a brand with my massage. Someday I envision having a troupe of mobile massage therapists under my brand. So having a uniform appearance right at the beginnings seems a good idea.

What about pants? Yoga pants seem the most comfortable but they perhaps not professional enough?

What do you wear?

 

[Dogzzz]

Massage Uniforms

We wear scrubs. We have our logo on them (I left out *one* top from getting "logo-ized" in case I was ever in a situation where I would need to "not display my brand"). We are also having name eforum.xxxs made with our logo on them, which will "make up" for when I wear that one top. Dh also has a top without our logo on it, but he has enough with it that he rarely ever has to fall back on his plain top.

I went out of my way to find *comfortable*, *cotton* scrubs for us. I seriously dislike polyester or poly/cotton blend fabrics. My scrubs are the Cherokee Flexibles, with the stretchy stuff along the sides and I *love* them. I can move well in them, I don't find them hot at all (and we are in Texas, where we just had the most horrible summer weather I think I've ever experienced-- and I grew up in New Orleans, so that's saying something!), and I think the black stretchy stuff on the sides is slimming (I *think*, anyway!).

I do think that if we were to ever hire employees (other than our one son, who is hopefully going to be getting his license in a few months and coming to work with us), we would probably revamp our "uniform" to khakis and nice polos with our logo on them, probably. Not for sure on that, and it's a moot point for us anyway at this time.

I do know other MT's who wear other things than scrubs. One we used to know tended to wear a variation on the "polo and khakis" theme, and another will wear shorts and I think I even saw her in a miniskirt once or twice? I'm not certain about that. But personally, Dh and I have felt that scrubs has helped us to be taken more seriously as we've gone about marketing our business. I mean really-- anyone can throw a logo onto a tee-shirt or polo, but who's going to go out of their way to go get scrubs and get them "branded" unless they planned to stick around? Our scrubs were NOT cheap, that's for sure!

 

[Jim Halpert]

Massage Uniforms

I've often thought about wearing scrubs as I think they would give a very professional look. But I can see how they may be considered "stuffy". Most of the instructors at my school wore white lab coats in class and people from other schools often made fun of them as being too hoighty-toighty and stuck-up (totally the opposite though!). They recommended the polo-khaki combination for a professional look.

I love polos! I have a ton of them and even have two that I have embroidered with my logo (thanks to Vistaprint of course) which I make sure to wear with new clients. Khaki's are not my first choice though. I'll wear them on a day I know I have some easy relaxation sessions, but I don't feel they let me move enough for deeper work and certainly not for a Shiatsu session. I prefer black yoga pants; either full length or capris for the summer months. These give a smooth, professional appearance even when paired with sneakers. It may not give the "healthcare worker" impression, but it does say something more like "fitness, alternative health & wellness practitioner".

(Once in a blue moon if I'm seeing a very regular client, I might break out the "got shiatsu?" t-shirt, but lately t-shirts have made me feel a little constricted around my neck. :undecided

 

[Pompal 09.]

Massage Uniforms

Something about wearing scrubs drives me crazy. They seem to fit funny or something. I like yoga pants with a nice flowy top. I'm with akashafive, I don't like anything that's up close to my neck, as well as my shoulders/under arms. The yoga style definitely works for me because there's a yoga studio right next door to my office and every once in a while I'm going back and forth from appointments to classes.

 

[wintersun77]

Massage Uniforms

dress or kahki pants and dress or polo shirt

 

[Dewayne]

Massage Uniforms

I used to think scrubs were stuffy and uncomfortable. That was before I discovered the Flexibles line from Cherokee. A lot of them don't even look like scrubs. I don't find them to be water proof at all. For the most part though, they do seem to be stain proof.

I love that the tops I have from Cherokee last and last and last. They wash well and always look the same even when they are years old. I have the cotton poly blend Flexibles. I don't want to mess around with ironing the all cotton tops. Too much fuss and muss.

http://www.cherokeeuniforms.com/collection/category_style.php?category=30074

 

[Asad A]

Massage Uniforms

I used to think scrubs were stuffy and uncomfortable. That was before I discovered the Flexibles line from Cherokee. A lot of them don't even look like scrubs. I don't find them to be water proof at all. For the most part though, they do seem to be stain proof.

I love that the tops I have from Cherokee last and last and last. They wash well and always look the same even when they are years old. I have the cotton poly blend Flexibles. I don't want to mess around with ironing the all cotton tops. Too much fuss and muss.

http://www.cherokeeuniforms.com/collection/category_style.php?category=30074

And I prefer the all-cotton ones. I have *never* had to iron them. I think the 100% cotton ones only seem to come in prints, though, which is odd. All the solids I've seen are the cotton/poly blend. Weird!

But the scrub pants of that brand don't seem *quite* as durable. Of course it could be due to the fact that I got one black and one lavender, and I wear the black ones MUCH more often than the lavender ones, so that could be it.

 

[unnga]

Massage Uniforms

Thank you for the feedback I am definitely leaning toward scrubs at least on the top. I am not 100% sure about the bottoms yet.

Do you find that massage oil washes out ok?

 

[chzbrgr]

Massage Uniforms

Minxz, we use pretty much pure jojoba (unless Dh adds something therapeutic to that), and we haven't had a problem with it washing out of our scrubs at all. I wash them twice a week (ok, we have enough to last almost a week, no re-wearing, at least not of tops!) on cold with medium heat to dry, since I'm concerned about excess heat messing up the spandex stuff in the Flexibles tops.

 

[Linz]

Massage Uniforms

I don't wear scrubs, but I suppose it depends on the image you're trying to project.

I dress professionally (nice slacks, tailored shirt/blouse, no jewelry, hair up), because I want people to look at me and think "professional."

If I wanted people to think "medical," I might wear scrubs.

"All natural," might be a different look.

"Athletic."

"Approachable."

"Upper class."

"Hip."

If you know who you want your people to be, it's easy to figure out what you want them to wear, and oil be damned.

Kat

 

[Courtney Thibodaux]

Massage Uniforms

I don't wear scrubs, but I suppose it depends on the image you're trying to project.

I dress professionally (nice slacks, tailored shirt/blouse, no jewelry, hair up), because I want people to look at me and think "professional."

If I wanted people to think "medical," I might wear scrubs.

"All natural," might be a different look.

"Athletic."

"Approachable."

"Upper class."

"Hip."

If you know who you want your people to be, it's easy to figure out what you want them to wear, and oil be damned.

Kat

I second this!

 

[crystal-claire]

Massage Uniforms

Do you find that massage oil washes out ok?

Use dawn dishsoap to spot treat, and also directly in your wash to get oil out. It has come out of most every thing I've stained, including sheets, poly blends and 100% cotton, and scrubs.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Massage Uniforms

Thank you for the tip!!

 

[Pompal 09.]

Massage Uniforms

It depends on your clinic type, atmosphere, and intended image/brand you are promoting. scrubs are very medical, and not as many people want this in our area, but alot of people dont want spa. Think of it this way, how many chiros or physios wear scrubs? and our buisness isnt that far off for many of us.
I tell all my therapists to think of buisness casual when working here, and to dress to the level of your client or one step down, never less. in a gym you dress more sporty, in an office tower more buisness like.

I choose to wear polo shirts mostly and some have our clinic logo (great at marketing events to build brand awareness) and being that i have alot of athletes that i treat, i have several polos that i get from differnt major running races or triathlons ie ironmans, and marathons, these have the race logo on them, this kind of sets me apart from other therapists as the running or triathlon expert in the community, becuse they hope to compete in these races some day as well.

 

[piegowdealer]

Massage Uniforms

I just ordered Cherokee Flexables so I'll give review once they get here (I don't like the way reg. scrubs look/fit/move either)

Through the years I have run the gambit of what to wear to a massage. Dress slacks and nice top, Jeans and T, Jeans and personalized Massage THerapist T, medical scrubs, Yoga pants and active top, Kahkis and Polo. I haven't been particularly smitten with any of them except yoga pants...but I don't have the hips for yoga pants these days!

This time I'm trying the Cherokee flexables bootleg pant in grey and a stylish scrub top (no print, a nice neckline, interest at the sleeve, empire waist - you get the idea. I don't feel they immediately scream "HI! I WORK AT A HOSPITAL" - *sidenote* which is why I stopped wearing medical scrubs the last time, clients who saw me on the street assumed - and spread the word - that I quit massage and started working at the local nursing home). If I don't like them I'm going back to nice jeans and a personalized T.

 

[Lucy C]

Massage Uniforms

The cherokee flexibles look really cute. I ordered a couple stain resistant blue polos. I figure I might give them a try initially. I am not sure yet what Im going to do for pants. Black slacks or scrubs of some sort.

I plan on getting my logo embroidered on the shirts just need to save up. Mobile massage is not super expensive to set up but it can add up.

 

[nysenutz]

Massage Uniforms

I've been following my school's tradition of scrub bottoms with a polo top bearing the company's logo. I'd like to give the Cherokee flexibles a try, though. I'll check their store locator.

 

[Ramer T]

Massage Uniforms

My practice is pretty laid back. I work with a lot of active clients and most of them come in wearing workout clothes. I wear yoga pants and a short sleeve t-shirt with flip flops. I work barefoot so flip flops work best for me. Since it is kinda cold out this time of year, I wear shoes to the office then put on my flops when I'm inside. I can't work well if I'm uncomfortable and I doubt my clients care what I'm wearing as long as I'm able give them the help they need.

 

[Thornita]

Massage Uniforms

I've been following my school's tradition of scrub bottoms with a polo top bearing the company's logo. I'd like to give the Cherokee flexibles a try, though. I'll check their store locator.

Be careful with the Cherokee flexibles. If you have any bust at all, and a wide back from being in the massage business (it happens), you may have difficulty finding them to fit. I cannot wear the flexibles, as even with the extra side movement in the scrubs, they are unforgiving for my lats.

 

[jonneyswife1]

Massage Uniforms

I agree. Not too happy with the flexables line. I can't move in the top and the pants are pretty frumpy, but that might just be the size I had to order to fit my queen sized behind