Girl Scout uniform evolves over the decades

The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta took a dive into local archives to showcase uniforms that span a century of trends and social changes.

Organization archivist Sue Belden has seen many of the updates firsthand over the decades since she first became a Girl Scout. Belden shared the following historical insights with WSB Community: 

Learn more about the 100-year history of Girl Scout cookies at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on "People 2 People." 

This khaki dress was one of the Girl Scouts' first uniforms. Long before iron-on options, the uniform featured hand-sewn patches on the sleeve. Girls were expected to wear long socks to maintain a modest look.

This dress was the Girl Scouts' first uniform with a touch of the organization's signature green color.

3. 1950s

The uniform of the 1950s was the first to be created by a designer. It too featured patches on the sleeve and was first uniform with an elastic belt.

Brownies in the 1960s and 1970s will remember this khaki dress, which was worn with an orange tie and cap. This was the last dress made for Brownies before blouses and jumpers became the norm.

In the 1970s, the Girl Scouts' cadet uniform included polyester bell bottoms in hunter green with a matching beret. Local Girl Scout Ali Sulko described it as  "a cool style, but they're not the most comfortable." The seventh-grader predicts that the flared pant trend will "probably not" make a comeback.

6. 1980s

In the 1980s, the pant and shirt combination continued in kelly green. Yellow cords attached at the shoulder designated patrol leaders.

7. 1990s

A matching backpack option came with the 1990s Brownie uniform, which featured a cotton T-shirt and pants.

Check out this Daisy in the current uniform worn by the youngest Girl Scouts group, which was created in 1985. The blue vest leaves plenty of room to iron on a girl's first patches, which now include global action and financial literacy.

Cox Media Group