The postcard above is a Girl Scout Camp Post Card that was mailed in 1947. A new uniform style was introduced in 1948 and was used until the early 1960s. That was the one that was in style when I was a Girl Scout.
The official Girl Scout website has a featured exhibit of Girl Scout Uniforms from 1912 to today. The exhibit covers the main styles, but the pictures are rather small and don't include all the variations. The type of uniform I had is shown in the next two pictures that are from my Girl Scout Handbook (© 1953). My uniform was secondhand and had long sleeves. Short sleeved uniforms must have been more common by that time--most of the other girls in my troop had uniforms with short sleeves. The following description is from the exhibit on the Girl Scout website:
Designed by the renowned Mainbocher, the Intermediate Scout uniform was a button-down-the-front dress well suited to Girl Scout needs. The bright green covert dress had an action back, button-down lapel tabs, deep armholes, a dark green web belt, and a six-gored skirt with pockets. The green beret was the official hat.
The next picture shows me (in the center) with my sisters. We were dressed in our uniforms to go to the 1960 father-daughter banquet. I was a Senior Scout then and was wearing the same dark green skirt and white blouse that I wore in junior high, but with a different cap and tie. I think this was considered an alternate uniform. Later I had a newer two piece green Senior Scout uniform that was introduced in 1960.
The next picture is a newspaper clipping I saved. This picture was taken before the father-daughter banquet and shows some of the girls from my Senior Scout troop modeling some of the vintage uniforms that were later worn in a fashion show at the banquet.
I was in the fashion show, but not in the newspaper photo. I once had some photos of the banquet, but I didn't save them. I did find a negative of the fashion show that has me in the picture. I am the girl on the far right in the picture below.
The video below, A salute to Girl Scout style (©1994), shows a more recent Girl Scout fashion show with old vintage uniforms and then current uniforms.
I'm still trying to work out what they were measuring in the second photo - it can't have been the hemline. The uniforms look different from those I remember on UK girl guides.
ReplyDeleteIt is great how you pulled together the history and fashion styles, and was fun to see you as a senior scout! The video was entertaining and informative.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Kathy M.
Oh this feels like a little reunion for me. I had the short sleeve uniform, but my tie looked more like a bow tie rather than the pointed scarf-looking tie your sisters are wearing.
ReplyDeleteI love the old photos and the old uniforms. Somehow the oversized t-shirts and floral leggings just don't have the same appeal.
ReplyDeleteI loved this! I had my cousin's hand me down Brownie uniform and it was the type like in the drawings - with a skinny belt. I only wore it for a year I think. When I was a scout the jumpers were dominant for girls, but as a Senior we went to same colored tee shirts with our names on them. They were purple and everyone had their purple shirt...even the troop Dad, lol.
ReplyDeleteHow excellent that you have these photos of your scouting years. Didn't know Mainbocher was enlisted for the Intermediate style. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see the changes in style over the years, it would make dating photographs relatively easy. I imagine there was quite a competition at the time to fill up a sash with badges. You have some nice photos of your guiding years.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing all the different styles of uniform. You have some interesting clippings and memories.
ReplyDeleteNice that you had some photos of yourself in the uniform.
ReplyDeleteI remember in 1963 when I was supposed to move up to the Cadette and I took one look at the uniform and thought, "No!" It looked like uniforms women wore in the military doing desk jobs. There was something secretarial about the uniform with its white blouse, green skirt, and little tie and hat. I hated it. I bought the handbook and then I quit.
ReplyDeleteA truly wonderful way of looking at the subject and of tracing the passage of time and fashion by different styles of uniform. As always, a fascinating post.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that all of us who were Girl Scouts had definite likes and dislikes about the uniforms that were available to us. It was fun to see your photos of the different styles.
ReplyDeleteI kinda like the idea of the buttoned down dress. Sounds more convenient to me, isn't it?
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ
A fun post. What happened to the old uniforms? No more hand me downs?
ReplyDelete