In the late 70s and well into the 80s, televisions were often tuned to popular shows such as Quincy, M.E. ER, and St. Elsewhere, each of which with actors and actresses adorned from head to toe in medical scrubs. And just as shows like M*A*S*H had spawned an interest in military fashions and Miami Vice decked out an entire nation in pastels, these medical shows brought medical scrubs into the fashion arena.

Consisting of drawstring, straight-legged pants and a V-neck top, made of cotton and extremely comfortable, medical scrubs could be acquired through uniform shops and thrift stores. Throw on a pair and brush up on your medical terminology and you might be able to garner some respect at the grocery store checkout line or, for the more daring, weasel your way out of a speeding ticket.

Of course, many who wore scrubs were inclined to spice up the traditional blue, green or pink duds with a set of Converse High Tops or pumps, and other non-traditional accessories to ensure that their fashion statement was apparent enough that they wouldn’t be asked to perform CPR on someone suffering from a real emergency.

Medical scrubs were only fashionable for a fleeting moment, and mostly because they were mighty comfortable to wear. But for a short time at least, a legion of faux doctors and nurses got to indulge in a little adult dress up and be stylish at the same time.