The promise made by Brownies in the 1950s was the same as the 1940s promise: “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”, until 1953, when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne following the death of her father King George VI. The promise then changed, replacing ‘King’ with ‘Queen’. Made popular by designers like Mary Quant, the miniskirt reflected the growing youth population as ‘baby boomers’ born in the 1950s became entered their teenage years in the ‘swinging sixties’. Fashion moved away from the more conservative silhouettes of the 1940s and 1950s, and the second wave of feminism fought for increasing equality for women. 1960/70s Promise Badge Rosebuds and Brownies were also busy helping the war effort, collecting books for wounded soldiers and helping chemists by cleaning used medicine bottles to be refilled. 1910s Promise Badge 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. By the 1960s, more families could now afford a brand new uniform, rather than wearing hand-me-downs, and a new design of tie to go with them than in previous eras.

Our uniform ranges are developed with input from our members and designed for active girls and women. Clothing to match the weather and activity

Neckerchiefs

My Mother wore this 1970s uniform when she was a Brownie; however the uniform radically changed in 1990 meaning that I was to wear the yellow and brown uniforms that were designed by Jeff Banks. This newer uniform was a lot more practical and hard wearing, and like the current uniform it comprised of a combination of items for a 'mix and match' outfit. As we can see the Brownie uniform has come a long way from the heavy woollen skirts and jerseys of 1914 to a uniform more comfortable and suitable for the 21st Century girl. The uniform is due to change again this year, I wonder how much more it will alter in the future? 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

During the 1980s, while the Brownie uniform remained the same as the 1960s design, a leisure wear option was introduced, featuring a bright yellow t-shirt and hat. Shorts, available for the first time, mark a transition towards girls making their own choices about how they wanted to dress while representing Brownies. Brighter colours were introduced as fabrics and dyes became much cheaper.

Moving with the times

Today, Brownies can enjoy camp activities like abseiling, zip-lining and high-wire trails which are suited to leisurewear outfits and trainers. 1990s Uniform Brownies might also want to accessorise with other items from our range, for example, with a baseball cap, but this is not part of the uniform. Where do Brownie badges go? Young Leaders were also able to wear the Ranger uniform even if they weren't part of a Ranger unit. 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. 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.

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”. Interest badges, skills builders and awards- Girls can choose where to sew these badges. The badge sash is a popular option, and some girls add badges to their gilets or skorts. 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.

Being a Brownie has always been more than just wearing a uniform, going to meetings and earning badges.

Today's Brownie uniform, which was introduced in 2002, was created by catwalk designer Ally Capellino. The Girlguiding Archive Resource Centre also keep records of uniform catalogues, photographs from unit meetings and camps and recordings of oral histories. 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. But it didn't come without pressure. Those flags were surprisingly heavy for an eight year- old. 12. You loved doing your Brownie 'homework' in the Handbook h