To be pleasantly surprised (Girlguiding uniform)

[brownieleader]

Guiding have just launched the new uniform - it’s the first time since the 90s that all the sections have had a new look together (although each section has had it’s own individual new uniform in that time I think?)

I’m a leader and am often 🤨 at a lot of HQ decisions but overall I like this! I like how it’s not too dissimilar to the old stuff so won’t matter that units will be mix of styles for a couple of years. The Rainbows in particular I think is adorable and my girls will LOVE it but what does everyone else think? Yay / nay / cba?

DD12 will be delighted - she didn't mind the Rainbows or Brownies uniform, but she hates the Guides one! She always says it makes them look like clowns. The new one is much more to her taste. (She's jealous of DS because his Cubs uniform is a plain blue t-shirt and green jumper, but he's jealous because DD doesn't have to wear a scarf!)

I've said she can have the new t-shirt as her current one will probably be a bit small by September, but she'll have to put up with the jacket as it's still big on her...

And clean handkerchief!

I love it. The young leader / ranger who lives in my house is disappointed. The young leader uniform is too bright.
I love the brownies snd rainbows. I’m a little worried about how to look smart on parade with all the choices, but it’s overall
an improvement imo

Hello fellow 90’s child!

I was born in 87 and this way my uniform

I'm an ex Girlguiding leader now Squirrel Scout leader so I haven't seen all the uniform yet. However I love the rainbows new uniform. I think it's fun and quite out there. They are EYFS age and it'll stand up for big adventures for little people. The Brownies one is growing on me but it really does remind me of season just gone Hull FC kit with the tiger stripes on the sleeves. Not keen on the patchwork type gillet so will probably keep my own DD7 in the current hoody until she ages out. The Guide one looks modern and with the times. When I was a guide leader there was always quite a consensus that the collars were a PITA. My only concern that I can see with the uniform is where you pin a promise badge without creating holes in the tops. Not all units will want to use a sash and the collars were handy on Rainbow and Guiding uniform for placing them.

Not as keen on the pink on the rainbows but do like the rest. I remember the guide hoodies coming in in the 90s. It was quite a relief after the shirt, pencil skirt and hat. So restrictive!
I wish scouts would get rid of the shirts. They are so stiff to sew badges on and not practical on a weekly basis but do look smart for events like remembrance day parade

@girlguider this is it. I think scouting despite the different colours actually look much smarter in their uniform and always have done on parade as its a narrow choice in each section. I did find I was more comfortable in adult Girlguiding uniform than I am now in adult scouting uniform because you could mix and match more.

I was around when they did the last release for guides and by god it’s an upgrade 🤣 that guide dress WOULD NOT sell 🤣

Isn’t parade a fairly rare event compared to all the other events scouts do though? Seems odd to base a whole uniform on a once or twice a year event IMO. Every time I’ve seen scouts/cubs out on trips they all seem to be wearing T-shirts or poloshirts in a random colour (purple and turquoise yesterday) with their unit individual name and the scout logo on - essentially each unit seems to invent their own uniform?

Seems much more sensible to me to plan a uniform around camping, high ropes, running around playing games, going to a theme park etc, than marching a couple of times a year.

Anyway, I really like the new uniforms and my brownie is very jealous she doesn’t get to have the new rainbows uniform!

As above though, one of the reasons I read justifying the change was to make the different groups more recognisable as one organisation, which as far as I can see they have completely failed on.

I think I am saying the same thing as you. It’s not because it’s causal, it’s because they won’t all look the same. And that’s an issue out an about too. At the moment, it’s easier to spot them in public. Parade is also our most public event, so important to look consistent I think.

Pencil ,paper, piece of string, clean white hanky, safety pin. Elastoplast in case I fall and 20 pence for a telephone call.

The vast majority of Scout groups still use the official uniform in my experience. (Which is polo shirt and jumper for Squirrels, Beavers and Cubs, and the shirts for Scouts and Explorers).

And here.
I think there is a reluctance, understandably to not ask people in essence to buy 2 uniforms.
Although our explorer unit have practical hoodies then shirts for parade which I think does help in keeping them engaged etc
I like the new uniform but agree one consistent, practical uniform would be welcomed by everyone

Urgh, couldnt disagree more!

Too many Sunday mornings spent freezing to death in a thin polycotton dress and knee socks in a draughty old church in winter, as we were not allowed to wear coats, cardigans or tights on church parade!

And those dresses were not practical for a lot activities.

Felt a right plonker in those stupid hats too!

Another Brownie leader and pleasantly surprised with the new uniform, not sure what I was expecting but they've clearly thought through all the options and listened to lots of members.

Some people were really nasty in the chat! Though I was pleased it didn't get taken over by the trans lobby, like a lot of their social media recently.

@modgepodge every division is different to what they do. Generally any outdoor meeting with the exception of camps or jamboree should be uniform as they are a uniformed organisation. You can still run around in a shirt climbing high ropes or whatever. Lower half doesn't have a uniform code so they wear what they like. Our division we still expect children in uniform, I personally relax it in the warmer months as the jumpers for Squirrels, Beavers and Cubs are quite thick. With scouting you know that it's one or two items whereas in Girlguiding I think I read there were 30 options per section?

Oh yes!
Only when I joined Brownies it was the beret, the bobble hat came while I was there (I think!)

I don’t think it’s 30 per section, 30 overall perhaps?

eg brownies have:
shorts or joggers
tshirt or long sleeve tshirt
gilet or hoodie
cap
Badge sash

thats what was released today anyway. Can’t see another 23 pieces released tomorrow?!

In the stuff I’ve read they’ve deliberately made it ‘mix and match’ style, to make people feel more comfortable, which I think is good. Much like primary school uniform really - and secondaries with formal/non flexible uniforms often get a lot of stick on here. My daughter is fussy about what she wears from a sensory point of view and a shirt or formal dress would likely mean she dropped out.

How sensible that “Under the new, pared-back approach, members will only be required to wear a top from the new range to be considered "in uniform".”

Good for those on limited incomes, i imagine.

Is it too much to hope that leaders have finally got an active-wear t-shirt that's suitable for hot/ wet weather, adventurous activities and can cope with being washed and dried on camp...
Bonus points for being woman shaped...

The "teasing" from HQ has been annoying, just bloody launch it, and it's irritating that the girls' uniform has been disclosed in mass media before the leaders get to see what their options are and before our "sneak peek" this evening. Who needs thousands of volunteers to make the organisation happen eh. (Not my only bone of contention with HQ recently)

I like the Rainbow uniform. It's an improvement on the previous pale blue that rapidly looked washed out. Brownies isn't vastly different. I liked the old accent colour stripes on the previous long sleeved top. I can see the more muted colour appealing more to Guides. I'm sure Senior Section Rangers changes every time I blink. They've had a few redesigns over the years. Brownies was the oldest uniform from the early 2000s, but I think it has aged well.

I prefer Guiding uniform to Scouting shirts (leader and scouts). Despite my gripes about soggy, heavy cotton, at least there are more options for layers and you don't need a massively over-sized shirt to under-layer to have smart uniform on top in cold weather in a 7⁰C unheated hut on parade.

Im a rainbow and a brownie leader and I love what ive seen so far. My own 5yo rainbow is excited for her stripey sleeves! Today has been a great day for comms and in the all-member zoom this evening, it looked even better in the flesh than the photos. Its nice to have something positive for a change! I cannot stand the resistance by some of the leaders to any form of change - if the organisation wants to stay relevant, it has to move with the times and i think this uniform does that. Plus there are so many pockets!! 🥳🥳🥳😅

Yes these need changing it’s not the 1950’s!
My son is a beaver and is shortly going to cubs and I will be chopping his jumper up to sew as sleeve panels on his camping blanket!

I think the guides look quite scruffy and too casual.

Bring back the 90s big logo jumpers too- they're fashionable right now.

They repeatedly said that no big logos was one thing that came out in all the consultation work though?

I wasn’t allowed the 1990’s guides trefoil hoodie because my mum said it was common. I got the sweatshirt with the tiny logo on. I bought the retro one last year