Sara,
	 I work in a research lab.  But I just had to add my two cents worth
to this.  Although sometimes bulky or in our way, we are required to wear
lab coats in our labs (all of the company's labs, not just histology)at all
times.  Even when sitting doing paperwork, or at a lab based desk.  The
reason being that even though you may not be working with something
hazardous or biohazard at the moment, you never know when someone will walk
in with chemicals, or when someone on the other side of the bench will
accidentally spill something.  That is also the reason that we must always
wear safety goggles.  As much of a pain as it may be to remember, it is for
our own safety.  (Many an eyeball has been saved....)  The situation of
someone else walking into your lab or working across the bench from you may
not apply to your situation, but it just seems logical that you would want
to be protected at all times, from all possibilities.    
	That leads me to more of what influenced me to write.  I believe
that denim is probably a lot more protection (where the lab coat ends) than
a pair of scrubs, silk/rayon pants or polyester.  And maybe it is because I
believe all the hype, but I think that safety of the worker should ALWAYS
come first.  I don't want to work anywhere where it does not.  Call me a
rebel, but I believe that professionalism begins from how you act and work,
not from what you wear.  I may be alone, but I don't believe that neat pair
of jeans makes one look like a manual laborer.  There are many PhD's and
underlings such as myself who sometimes wear a nice pair of jeans, and I
think that they can still look professional.  Granted, I am not around
patients every day, but I do have many collaborators with which I am in
daily contact.  I think no less of them if they are wearing jeans than
otherwise.  We are not paper pushers here! We work with nasties and we need
to dress for the job.
	I think it is most important to strive to keep safety and work
performance standards high.

Okay, now I am ready for all the flack that I am going to take for this!

	Humbly and very neatly dressed in my ever-so-protective Levis,

	Jenn Johnson