Uniforms as a form of communication
Throughout history and in many organizations, uniforms have united groups of people. Uniforms clearly identify an individual and the group they are a part of. They are used for comradery as well as communication. Uniforms are used throughout a variety of different groups: armed forces, police, security, work or corporate uniforms, medical workers, school uniforms, government officials, sports, prison uniforms, and various social organizations. An example of a social organization that uses uniforms is the Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts wear uniforms to communicate within the community, display accomplishments, and create a sense of belonging. Girl Scouts wear their uniforms less frequently in modern times than previously throughout history. They are mostly worn at counsel-wide and national events, when officially representing Girl Scouts, when selling Girl Scout Cookies, as well as at ceremonies. The uniform communicates a girl’s level, involvement, and interests. The uniform has evolved throughout time just as the organization has. This reflection of modernity aligns itself with the modern interests of girls’ interests and passions. This has caused the organization to change the style, material, and design of the uniform while still incorporating key elements throughout the organization’s 110-year history.
Throughout history, the Girl Scout uniform has been updated to reflect the stylistic choices of the time. In 2020 the Girl Scout uniform received its newest update. The newly designed uniform is an attempt to not only make the uniform more versatile but also more relevant. In an article published by the New York Times detailing the updated uniform, it states, “The organization hopes the new styles will help encourage older girls — those in the trenches of middle school and high school — to stick with being a scout” (Testa). The goal of the new uniform is to pique and hold the interest of generation Z, something the old uniforms’ stylistic choices did not do. It also incorporates aspects of clothing already within each girl’s closet such as leggings and a denim jacket; while updating the hallmark trait of the uniform; a vest or sash. The vest now is a lighter color, made of softer fabric, has a pocket big enough to hold the iPhone, a notch collar, snap buttons, a cinched waist, and epaulet shoulders (Testa). The vest or sash has been traditionally worn over a plain white shirt or polo-style shirt worn with khaki bottoms. This has also been given a rejuvenation, “But the most dramatic expansion is the new range of about 20 teen-targeted ‘official apparel’ items for girls to wear underneath their vests or sashes. Ranging from $10 to $49, there are crew-neck sweatshirts and drawstring joggers, short knit dresses and short cargo skirts, a belt bag, and a denim utility wrap” (Testa). This collection has given a much-needed trendier modernization to the uniform and it communicates the organization’s modern programming.
The evolution of the uniform reflects and communicates the modern evolution of the organization. “We’ve really modernized and changed everything that the girls are learning,” … “new STEM and entrepreneurship programs adopted in recent years. Today, girls earn badges in coding and cybersecurity, in marketing, and making business plans. The outdated uniforms ‘didn’t really reflect that same progression’” (Testa). The organization is reflecting modernity and now they have an updated uniform that does the same. Throughout the Girl Scout’s history, the uniform has been a symbol to share ideas with each other and the general public.
Even though the uniform has been modernized throughout history to reflect the style of the time period the uniform has a rich fashion archival history. The signature Girl Scout color, green, was introduced in 1928. Then in 1948, the American couturier Mainbocher was commissioned to design uniforms. These uniforms were designed in the style of Dior’s New Look. In 1968 Stella Sloat designed an adult Girl Scout uniform that was a green suit that introduced a new modern style. In 1978 designer Halston and the 1980s designer Bill Bass both introduced professional separate articles of clothing that allowed the girls to mix and match aspects of the uniform (Testa). The Girl Scout uniform has been able to balance heritage and novelty with maintaining a sense of shared identity and allowing for flexibility throughout its history. The New York Times article states, “Timothy Winkle, a curator at the National Museum of American History who organized an exhibition around the group’s 100-year anniversary in 2012, said that the Girl Scouts has changed its uniform more than any other major scouting organization,” … “Not necessarily to always be on trend, but to constantly look at their uniform and their brand and say: ‘What is it that our members really want? What would they find appealing? What is going to excite them?’” (Testa). The uniform has always strived to reflect the organization’s ideals while appealing to its members.
Though the style may vary there are key aspects that have received little rejuvenation or have stayed the same. These aspects include the color of the uniforms, key pins, and patches, as well as troop numbers. Every uniform has the American flag, Girl Scout insignia, world trefoil pin, Girl Scout membership pin, and troop number. Daisy scouts wear a smock while the upper levels wear a vest or a sash. The different levels of Girl Scouts are indicated by different colors: blue (daisy), brown (brownie), green (junior), and khaki beige (cadette, senior, ambassador). Different levels have specific pins, membership stars and disks, bridging patches, journey award patches, award pins, and badges (Uniforms). The Girl Scout uniform communicates level and accomplishments. Girl Scouts can ascertain a lot about one another just by looking at each other’s vests; every vest is as unique as the girl who is wearing it.
Each girl’s uniform displays insignia, badges, pins, and awards. There are specific aspects of a uniform that can change; however, some parts of the uniform remain the same for everyone. Regardless of age level, every uniform has the American flag patch, the Girl Scout Council identification set, troop numerals, membership stars and discs, an insignia tab, the World Trefoil Pin, and membership pin. Just as the vest changes color per level of Girl Scout so does the insignia tab (Badges). The insignia tab holds the World Trefoil Pin and membership pin. Daisy and Brownie scouts have a uniquely designed membership pin for that age level; Junior through Ambassador scouts have the same design of membership pin. If a Girl Scout is wearing just the membership pin, they are still considered to be wearing the uniform. The World Trefoil Pin indicates that the wearer is a part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – WAGGGS. This pin has a blue background with three yellow leaves representing the Girl Scout Promise and a flame that stands for loving all people in the world; this pin is a form of communication in its own right (Uniforms). These are the basic parts of the uniform that communicate that it is a Girl Scout uniform and in turn, is reflecting Girl Scout’s values and mission.
After the basic elements of the uniform are worn the rest of the vest becomes individualized to the specific girl who is wearing it. There are different variations of pins, badges, patches, and awards a Girl Scout can display on their uniform. When a Girl Scout transitions between grade levels it is called bridging or flying up; a girl receives a patch to put on her vest when this happens. If an older Girl Scout is involved in Girl Scout camp, they became a program aid -PA- and then a Counselor in Training -CIT- they receive a pin to place on their vest once the training for this is completed. If a Girl Scout completes her Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award she also receives a pin to be worn on her vest. Most of the vest is filled with patches. These patches can be for completion of a Girl Scout Journey, a badge, or a patch for participating in fun events, programs, or activities. Journey and Badge patches are placed on the front of the vest while fun patches fill the entirety of the back of the vest (Uniform Diagram). These variations communicate a Girl Scout’s involvement within the organization and what she has learned and done through Girl Scouts. Girl Scout uniforms also symbolize the ideals the organization stands for. Girl Scouts has a uniform to not only uphold the tradition of having one but also as a means for each individual girl to display her involvement within the organization. This allows for individuality within the confines of uniform and highlights the importance of uniqueness. A Girl Scout vest allows her to nonverbally communicate her interests, achievements, and experiences.
Clothes communicate a lot about a person; they can indicate who you are, what you represent, and what you want to express. Clothing is a form of instantaneous nonverbal communication. Since uniforms are a type of clothing, they naturally convey messages as well. Uniforms contribute to an organization’s visual identity. They are a form of nonverbal communication that showcase a significant amount of information about the wearer. Uniforms give a sense of belonging and equality within an organization. They eliminate social and economic stigma within a group since everyone is wearing the same thing. This fosters a sense of commonness and belonging. It makes everyone feel like they are part of the team. It is just one aspect of an organization or team that helps unite the group of people. They are used for comradery as well as communication. Uniforms help clearly distinguish the wearer from the people they are around; this allows them to be easily identified which is important for emergency service individuals. Uniforms are used throughout a variety of different groups: armed forces, police, security, work or corporate uniforms, medical workers, school uniforms, government officials, sports, prison uniforms, and various social organizations.
Uniforms are used to unify a group visually and communicate non-verbally. A Uniform communicates which organization its’ wearer is a part of, individual information about the wearer based on the appliques on the uniform, as well as symbolizing the ideals of the group or organization. American author, social critic, and historian Paul Fussell said we are what we wear. In his book about uniforms he wrote, “Uniforms ask to be taken seriously, with suggestions of probity and virtue (clergy and nuns, judges when robed), expertise (naval officers, senior chefs, airline pilots), trustworthiness (Boy and Girl Scouts, letter carriers, delivery men and women), courage (U.S. Marines, police officers, firefighters), obedience (high school and university marching bands, Ku Klux Klan), extraordinary cleanliness and sanitation (vendors of ice cream on the streets, operating-room personnel, beauty salon employees, food workers visible to the public and, in hospitals, all wearers of white lab coats)” (Fussell 3-4). A uniform creates a symbol for the team or organization it represents by connecting a visual with the organization. It also communicates ideas about the organization by what it looks like but by also embodying the organization it represents.
Uniforms have united groups of people throughout history. They help unify a group in its goal and purpose. This genre of communication is used across various groups of people. Even though the type of organization changes the purpose of wearing a uniform does not. That purpose is to simply unify the group and represent the organization. A uniform communicates information about what type of organization it represents, and specific information about that organization. Girl Scouts uses a uniform to highlight each girl’s accomplishments and to be a visual reminder of what the organization represents. It does this by being a place to display badges and patches that represent the wide range of topics Girl scouts explore in their programming. It allows a Girl to communicate her interests, her involvement, and her accomplishments within the organization. The Girl Scout uniform has evolved over history, but it will always communicate Girl Scouts’ mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Works Cited
“Badges, Journeys, and Awards: Girl Scouts.” Girl Scouts of the USA, https://www.girlscouts.org/en/members/for-girl-scouts/badges-journeys-awards.html.
Fussell, Paul. “Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear.” Google Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, https://books.google.com/books/about/Uniforms.html?id=lERXgU9uQS4C.
Testa, Jessica. “The Girl Scout Uniform, Updated for Gen Z.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Aug. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/fashion/new-girl-scout-uniform.html.
“Uniform Diagrams Insignia Pin and Badge Placement.” Girl Scouts of the USA, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.girlscoutshop.com/assets/images/content/GSUSA_PinsBadgeDiagram.pdf.
“Uniforms – Insignia List and Placement: Girl Scouts.” Girl Scouts of the USA, https://www.girlscouts.org/en/members/for-girl-scouts/uniforms.html.
CAROLYN FREY 