Nurses’ uniforms then and now: how do they reflect the role?

From Victorian crinoline and bonnet to nurses’ caps and aprons and the scrubs-style outfits of today, the evolution of the nursing uniform has reflected the profession’s growing autonomy. As a new exhibition of styles from across the eras examines nurses’ experiences of wearing the uniform of the day, Nursing Standard hears about how it has changed in line with developments in the profession. With new uniforms for NHS nurses in England being introduced, we look at how what nurses wear marks boundaries between professional and patient and reflects the nursing identity.