SoWest 70s 80s 90s Brownie Girl Guide Fancy Dress Costume Outfit

Product Information

This uniform was designed by fashion designer, Jeff Banks and included a choice of sweatshirts (yellow or brown), t-shirts (yellow), shorts (brown), culottes (brown) and sweatpants (brown). The Brownies also wore a brown sash, which they would sew their badges on and had the choice of wearing a baseball cap. A new Promise Badge was introduced in 1993, which was a yellow trefoil. The simplified badge featured the Brownie Man stamped on a brass rectangle, although as the war progressed, the design became smaller and an oval design was used to minimise the amount of brass used in production. 1950s Uniform In 1990, designer Jeff Banks launched a new Guide uniform; a mix and match of bright blue sweatshirts, jumpers, polo shirts, T-shirts, jogging bottoms, skirts and trousers. As with the 1980s leisure wear and Jeff Banks collection, Ally Capellino’s designs are versatile and practical without sacrificing comfort. Today, Brownies are encouraged to be adventurous and try new things, and their uniform reflects this. Compared to the original 1900s uniform, Brownies have changed a lot, and the uniforms have tried to reflect both the contemporary fashions and the functional requirements of a Girlguiding uniform. 2000s Promise Badge

Rangers had a dress of 'Headquarters' blue, a navy blue hat with red badge, and either a striped or plain tie.The first Brownies or 'Rosebuds' did not have an official uniform, but the Girl Guides Gazette suggested that a dark blue pleated skirt, blue knitted jersey, brown edged blue wool cap or 'tam', brown or blue tie and a belt would make a suitable uniform. The brown cotton dress with a tie that we associate with the Brownies was introduced in 1917, with the style barely changing until 1990.

This year saw the introduction of the uniform dress, which became very popular. Girls could, however still wear the skirt and blouse as an alternative. In the 1940s the skirt became a little shorter, due to material for clothes being scarce during the Second World War. Girlguiding UK, Uniforms in Guiding, Girlguiding UK Posters. [09/05/14]. Available from the World Wide Web: < http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/pdf/Guiding_wear_history.pdf> Another makeover, this time by Ally Capellino. The uniform now includes T-shirt, gilet (fleece vest), rugby shirt and sweatshirt in mid-blue and dark blue, with red detail. Badges are now worn on the gilet. Leisure wear would be reserved for camps rather than regular unit meetings, where Brownies would be among other guiding community members rather than the public. As a result, girls dressing in a more formal uniform was unnecessary, and more shorts and t-shirts would be more practical for increasingly adventurous activities on offer to Brownies. This mix-and-match style of uniform drew influence from the American Girl Scouts, who had included greater variety in uniform choices since the 1970s.

Arts and Crafts

In the 1930s, Brownies promised: “I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and the King and to help other people everyday, especially those at home”. This uniform was designed by fashion designer, Jeff Banks and included a choice of sweatshirts (yellow or brown), T-shirts (yellow), shorts (brown), culottes (brown) and sweatpants (brown). The Brownies also wore a brown sash, which they would sew their badges on and had the choice of wearing a baseball cap. A new Promise Badge was introduced in 1993, which was a yellow trefoil. Young Leaders were also able to wear the Ranger uniform even if they weren't part of a Ranger unit. It was instilled in you to help old ladies cross the road. 8. You took your role of being a Sixer VERY seriously Rainbow Guides | Brownie Guides | Girl Guides | The Senior Sections | The Adult Sections | BGIFC (British Guides in Foreign Countries) | Lord Baden-Powell's Role in The Girl Guide Movement (UK) | Uniform Through the Years

Collections are sometimes donated, which can provide a uniform or badge with a personal family story of who wore it and where. These stories help us learn more about how uniforms were worn in the past, sometimes by multiple people as hand-me-downs, and sometimes customised. Not all Brownies wore a sash to keep their activity badges on, and some sewed them directly onto their uniforms. This can help us date a uniform, as badges were introduced at different times and some have been discontinued. Adjustments to hem lengths can also tell us more about a uniform and its past, as hems may have been taken up and let down to account for changes in height or the fashions of the time.

Moving with the times

Guides wearing their uniforms represent their local unit, Girlguiding as an organisation and their place in history. Rather than having one set uniform we have a flexible approach, so that every member has a choice in the clothing that they wear – whether they are a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide, Ranger or an adult volunteer. Land Rangers wore a grey jersey, navy blue tie, navy blue skirt, and a navy blue beret with red hat badge. Cadets wore either their school uniform, or Guide uniform. To distinguish them from Guides, they had a white hat-band, hat badge, and triangular tie. It was still not compulsory for Brownies to wear a uniform, but they wore either; the uniform stated above with a tie or a brown dress with white collar, bib and straw hat. In 1916, a brown belt or braid sash was added to the blue uniform.

Rainbows wear tabards in six colours of the Rainbow; red,orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, a green cap is optional. When metal was needed for the production of munitions and military vehicles, Brownie Promise Badges first simplified their design to use less metal, and then due to further restrictions, were no longer available to all Brownies. Instead, Brownies were encouraged to find alternative badges, and girls with older sisters who were Brownies before them may have re-used older badge designs as well as more Brownies wearing hand-me-down uniforms over the 16 year period. Girlguidng UK's uniform has seen many changes since the first girls turned up wearing a mix of Scout uniform and their normal clothing, in 1909, at the Crystal Palace rally. The uniform changes in the earily years were normally down to the fashion changes of the day, then later during the Second World War because material was hard to get hold of. Then after the War man made fibers were available, so again the uniform changed making it a little cheaper to buy. Finally during the 1990s the uniform was changed to make it more practical and fashionable for the girls to wear. RainbowsIn the 1960s, Brownies promised: “I promise that I will to do my best to do my duty to God and to serve the Queen, to help other people and to keep the Brownie Guide Law”.