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?

I’ve ordered some bits for DDs this morning. Look forward to it arriving! I’ll definitely get a leader t-shirt - I like that it has leader on the back for events etc. I usually wear my PGL hoodie with my name on at events but having a lighterweight option with ‘leader’ on is great. I like that there’s a T-shirt and polo shirt option. Cargo trousers look interesting too.

Disagree with the achievability of the Scout badges whole heartedly! Yes some are specialist (the equestrian springs to mind) but the majority of the others are quite achievable, especially with a well run troop.

Edit to add:
The challenge removing Scouts shirts, are what do you do with their badges? Most 14 yr boys (and many younger!) are not going to wear a sash!

A t-shirt won't cover it - and will look a bit crap on parade (4 or 6 times a year).

Although most Troops have their own group t-shirt for some activities which covers the need. We don't - we cover a deprived area, and do our best to reduce costs and expectations wherever we can. Like others, the kids wear their school trousers/skirts for parades which work well wit their shirts.

What Scouts need is a smart outer layer, like a fleece.

Agreed. My son is an explorer and his scout group only make the kids wear uniform once a month or for public events, because it's so impractical for actually doing scout stuff! They are sea scouts so spend the entire summer in wetsuits anyway!

Girlguiding's newest identity crisis. Dreading looking into a room of Rainbows and being blinded by all the colours

I grew up in a particularly cold part of Scotland and we all wore our Brownie dresses over our school uniform!

I despised my Brownie uniform dress. It wasn’t comfortable and wasn’t especially practical for most of the activities we did. It just felt like putting another school uniform.

Guide uniforms were absurd at that time. How were you supposed to hike through woods and build fires and play rounders in a stiff collared shirt and a smart skirt? Utter shite.

We were too busy hitting each other with the hats to be fair.

You could make a corking split up your Brownie dress climbing on the railings outside our meeting hall - I found that one out.

I love the new uniform. I think the more muted colours for the older sections are definitely more what they want than the bright red, and I think everyone will look more "uniform" together for the events that are often Guide plus age. I've had radio silence from my Rangers since I shared it with them, but to be fair that doesn't mean they don't like it.

I absolutely adore the Rainbow update! I'm definitely not a pink person, but the long sleeved top and zipped hoodie with the trim are so cute. I wish I could fit into it! I think the Brownies look really lovely too and it instantly says Brownies.

I love that they've used 100% natural fibres in most of the pieces too, so much more breathable and sustainable for the planet😊

Surely a polo/jumper combination same as cubs and beavers would cover it?
Badges on the jumper and practical polo shirt for summer
I always feel for the girls in scouts/explorers wearing a shirt. I would have hated it the guide shirts were bad enough but at least designed for girls.

I like it, the Guide's outfit is so much better. I was a brown dress Brownies and shirt and skirt Guide. I particularly hated the little airhostess hat Guides had at the time.

We only have one or two parades a year. We need a uniform that's practical and can actually be worn. DS is a Scout. They wear their shirts for the start and end of the meeting only as it's restrictive. It is possible to dress our mix and match uniforms to look smart. Like many units we asked foe black leggings or school trousers/skirts and tied back hair. We also add our unit neckers to tie everyone together.

There is a female design of the Scout shirt, they are listed as a Scout 'blouse'. As the mother of Scouts/Explorers I do wish the would change them for something more practical/modern. Mine haven't had the opportunity to buy a unit polo since they were in Beavers/Cubs so they are long outgrown. An official scouting polo that I could replace as they sized out would be far more useful.

There is a lot of research into change management. One common reaction is negativity. Apparently by ignoring the negatives and focusing on those who are positive you actually help people to adapt to change more quickly.

They look great! I’m surprised too.

I'm surprised her leader didn’t mention it when you joined. I'm a leader and we've been telling new starters since September so they can decide whether to buy new/less or to search out preloved/the already reduced items.

My daughter would hate the pink on the rainbows uniform. Other option would be to swelter in the long sleeve stripey top.

Good job she's not in rainbows.

I was a Brownie from 1965-69. We had the old brown dress with the belt plus purse (I LOVED it), tie and our hat was a sort of knitted brown military-style side cap. The new uniforms came in about 2 years into my time but I stuck with the old one because I loved it and my mother certainly wasn't buying me a new one!

One question for Guiders...
Ive noticed different uniforms for Young Leaders & Rangers. Arent Guide Young Leaders also Rangers? Woukd they need both uniforms?

I don't like the rainbows. Too many pieces of different colour. Might as well not bother having a uniform.

My son is a Scout and he feels really proud to wear his shirt. It’s the only formal piece of clothing he owns as he goes to a casual, no-uniform school so he enjoys looking smart once a week and I think he behaves better when it’s on for some reason!

That thing about the Brownie dress being withdrawn in 1985 because of hypothermia is nonsense. I wore it 1987-90ish and then I was a Jeff Banks Guide with the baseball cap.

We do a lot of join events with Scouts and they are never in their shirts - always in unit clothing.

I like the new uniform overall, although I was hoping for an outdoor style trouser that was for all sections like the scouts have. The new cargo pants don’t quite look like what I was hoping for. The girl options have been really thoroughly thought through and clearly come from the girls and that is what’s important.

I like having the option to have Leader on the back of the shirt, although I wish it was on the polo as T-shirts don’t really suit me. It’s very clever to have some of the uniform options the same from Guide upwards - if girls go from guide to young leader to leader, that will save some money. Depending on how much it drags the shoulder down, the reinforced strip might persuade me to wear my badge tab again!

No - a Young Leader doesn’t have to be a Ranger and a Ranger doesn’t have to be a YL. Some do do both. I would pick something from the crossover range if this was an issue.

It's lovely! The Rainbows one is absolutely gorgeous, a bit disappointed my girl wull be a Brownie is September 😂

The difficulty with shared wear for Guides and adults is quickly identfying members of your group, particularly when out and about.

Fortunately I'm with Brownies although we often do have mixed unit events and have Guide helpers with our unit, but it's hard enough doing headcounts in busy settings without a uniform blurring the distinction between small adults that don't need to be included and girls of similar height/ build that do need to be accounted for.