How To Be A Well-Dressed Doctor
Three chic but low-key summer outfits for junior doctors and consultants alike.
The entire premise of Workwear Inc. is that having a ‘proper’ job and being impeccably dressed don’t need to be mutually exclusive. However, if there’s one field where things can get rather tricky, it’s taxpayer-funded healthcare. An associate at a Magic Circle law firm can strut around with a Loewe handbag and no one would bat an eyelid; being decked out in expensive clothes is pretty much part of the job description as an investment banker. When you’re a GP within the context of an abysmally underfunded NHS (and against the backdrop of junior-doctor strikes), going out of your way to look glamorous can appear a little, er, distasteful.
Is that unfair to fashion-loving doctors? Maybe. But clothes are a powerful communication tool, and to me being appropriately dressed for the setting you’re in is 75% of being well-dressed. Even as someone who works in fashion and cannot walk past a stylish woman without blurting out a compliment, I’m not really looking to be wowed when I’m sat in a waiting room. Rather, when my doctor walks in, I simply want to be reassured that they know exactly what they’re doing.
This is what I’ve kept in mind when curating outfits for the doctor who appreciates beautiful clothes but is also committed to their profession. Bracelets and rings are, for obvious reasons, a no. Footwear is practical and sensible (but not ugly), and I’ve avoided anything that’s recognisably ‘designer’. With all that being said, I’ve also thrown in a look for a private consultant for whom the rules are rather different. (I once interviewed an award-winning cosmetic surgeon who was wearing a French fashion house’s Hot New Shoe so soon after it coming out that I’m convinced the creative director was a patient.)
Most importantly, I’ve run these outfits by one of my most fabulous doctor friends, Toni, who has given them her seal of approval. Any other medic readers, do let me know your thoughts on dressing for the job in the comments or via email!
The Doctor Who’s On Their Feet
Shirt, £120, from WNU. Trousers, £94, from Varley. Loafers, £230, from A. Emery. Bag, £445, from DeMellier London. Glasses, £150, from Ace & Tate. Necklace, £150, from By Alona. Earrings, £120, from Daphine.
If I were a doctor doing ward rounds rather than a journalist filing copy, my day-to-day uniform would probably look a little something like this. The shirt is from WNU (who make the best women’s shirts in the world), and I quite like the idea of a collarless style just to soften the smartness of the outfit. The trousers are from Varley (who make the chicest activewear in the world) and are crafted from a durable ripstop fabric but cut into a tailored style. I’m completely obsessed with the silhouette of these loafers (very The Row), and cream feels acres more chic than a black or brown, if a tad less commutable. Then I’ve gone for a sensible investment bag from DeMellier, and I’d top it all off with jewellery that has a little (but not too much) personality, such as these chunky Daphine earrings and a necklace from By Alona*.
*I bought their Naia style for a steal from Matches and it hasn’t left my neck since. I wear it layered with a pendant, for this sort of look.
The Doctor Who’s At Their Desk
Shirt dress, £123 (on sale for £92), from Everlane. Shoes, £490, from Toteme. Bag, £295, from Russell & Bromley (similar vibe here for £98). Pouch, £220, from Métier. Earrings, £240, from Hermina Athens (on sale at Matches for £120). Necklace, £225, from Missoma.
A shirt dress is an underrated, one-piece solution for when you have no clue what to wear – but you can equally run the risk of looking rather dowdy and prim. The secret, as always, is clever styling. I’d try upping the visual interest a smidge with less conventional silhouettes and textures – in this case, a shapely raffia handbag and a croc-effect heeled loafer. I’ve thrown the Métier pouch in there too as it will help organise the tote and can double as a more compact bag if you pop out for lunch. And I love the spikiness of the Hermina Athens earrings (I’m obsessed with this brand) and the Harris Reed x Missoma necklace, which give a sensible outfit just a sprinkle of edge.
The Doctor Who’s In The Private Sector
Blouse, £195, from The Fold London. Trousers, £235, from The Fold London. Coat, £338, from Reiss. Shoes, £595, from Manolo Blahnik (similar here for £186). Bag, £850, from J W Anderson. Bracelet, £365 to £410 (depending where you go), from Paola Sighinolfi (on sale at Matches for £205). Earrings, £260, from the YSSO.
With this outfit, I had the high-flying consultant who runs her own private clinic in mind. Here, the rules around looking too glamorous don’t really apply, but the overall goal is still polish rather than flash. The blouse and trousers are from The Fold, who make elegant, grown-up work clothes, while the coat is something I spotted in-store at Reiss (see below) and thought was divine. The shoes are from Manolo Blahnik – because if I were loaded and charging £250 per consultation, I would only wear Manolo Blahniks. For accessories, this woman can afford all those big-ticket, bucket-list items from the powerhouse brands, but that would be rather obvious and uninspiring. Instead, I’ve gone for a sleek tote by J W Anderson, which feels a bit cooler, and then some craggy gold jewellery by the brilliant Paolo Sighinolfi and the YSSO to contrast all the sleekness. (Most importantly, there’s no faffy clasp on the bracelet so you can slip it off easily when it’s time to ‘examine’.)
