One of the most difficult decisions you’ll ever make is what to wear to a white coat ceremony. It’s a special and memorable occasion that highlights the start of your future career in medicine or healthcare. Here we break down some of the options you have, along with our top picks.
Table of Contents
What Is A White Coat Ceremony?
Established by the Gold Foundation, the first-ever white coat ceremony took place back in 1993 at Columbia University. The relatively new tradition, which started just at medical schools, has now spread into the nursing, veterinary, pharmacy, dental and physician world, where it has become an iconic rite of passage for all students.
During the medical student white coat ceremony ritual, first-year students don a white coat and recite an oath that acknowledges their obligation of care, signifying their entrance into the profession. The idea behind the concept is that the ceremony is a way of placing an important emphasis on compassion and scientific excellence from day one of a student’s training.
General Tips for What to Wear to a White Coat Ceremony
The world of medicine is pretty conservative, so while you’ll want to dress to impress under that iconic medical student white coat, it’s important to keep it classy. Most schools will stipulate a ‘business casual’ white coat ceremony dress code, which tends to lie between nice-casual and business formal. It’s always worth airing on the smarter side if you’re unsure though! And remember, it’s important that you feel comfortable and confident in your white coat outfit. This is an occasion you’ll look back on in years to come.
When we say the white coat ceremony dress code needs to be kept classy, this means hemlines no shorter than a few inches above the knee. The white coat itself will fall somewhere around your mid to upper thigh – you don’t want it to look like you’re wearing nothing underneath the coat.
And while it’s fun to glam up your outfit, keep accessories minimal.
Men, keeping it business casual for your white coat outfit doesn’t mean whipping out that full suit. Think more dress slacks and button-down shirts. Make sure that you’re presentable and professional though, as you still want to impress. Avoid anything sloppy, unclean or baggy – you need to keep it as classy as those girls!
Related: The Ultimate Doctor Salary Guide – Updated for 30 Specialties
Option 1 for Women: Dress
When looking at dresses for the white coat ceremony, you need to think about style, cut and color. The white coat itself is straight cut, so anything extra-voluminous will either get squashed or add unfavorable bulges to the bottom of the coat. Our top 3 picks are sheath dresses, wrap dresses or fit and flare dresses, as these will give a flattering silhouette under the coat.
While dark colors like black, navy and charcoal are stylish choices, you can afford to be playful with the color of white coat ceremony dresses. Pastel colors like peach, blush or petrol blue actually work well against the white coat, as do floral prints. Ultimately, the color or pattern is up to your personal preferences.
That said, it’s best to avoid a full-on white dress, as white on white will look too ‘samey’ when you throw on that coat. Subtle white within a pattern, however, would complement your outfit.
 |
Best Overall
 |
 |
|
Primary Rating:
4.5
|
Primary Rating:
4.5
|
Primary Rating:
4.0
|
|
$42.99
|
N/A
|
$36.99
|
Our Top 3 Picks:
- Calvin Klein Women’s Round-Neck Sleeveless in Blossom
- Miusol Retro Ruffle Style Slim Pencil Dress in Pink
- VFSHOW Sleeveless Sheath Dress in Dark Blue
Option 2 for Women: Pantsuit
For some women, a pantsuit is a more comfortable white coat ceremony outfit choice. When selecting the pantsuit, something well-fitted would work well, preferably a slim fit. For the bottom half you have the choice of either a skirt or pants.
We recommend a pencil skirt, as this will give you a flattering silhouette style under the coat.
Color-wise, like with the dresses, classic black, navy or charcoal will look stylish. However, you could be a bit adventurous with the color. We like the deep forest color of Le Suit’s lapel pantsuit as it’s a little unique but would look great against the stark white of the coat.
 |
Best Splurge
 |
 |
|
Primary Rating:
4.5
|
Primary Rating:
4.5
|
Primary Rating:
4.5
|
|
$49.39
|
$221
|
|
Our Top 3 Picks:
- Marycrafts Formal Skirt Suit Set
- Marycrafts Business Jacket Skirt Suit Set
- J.Crew Willa Pantsuit in Black
Option 3 for Women: Chiffon Blouse & Preferred Skirt/Pants
Another doctor white coat ceremony dress code option for women is a blouse paired with either a skirt or pants. For the blouse, our top pick is chiffon as it has an elegant feel to it. We recommend either long or short sleeves, or sleeveless, but perhaps play around with the style and neckline. We like a bow tie neck collar as this can look classy, or a self-tie waist as this adds some flair to the white coat outfit.
Either a pencil skirt or slim fitted pants will match up well with a chiffon blouse. If you choose to add some color to the blouse (we’ve chosen a couple of pinks), keep the skirt or pants a more subtle color, like charcoal or black. Alternatively, you could go for a white blouse, and then play around with the color of the bottom half.
 |
Best Overall
 |
 |