Guides’ threat to quit over ‘tacky’ new uniforms
THE radical overhaul of the Girl Guide uniform has been slammed as ‘tacky’ with the outfits likened to those worn by pizza delivery boys.
Some parents said that, because of the change, their daughters were giving up guiding all together because they could not be seen in such hideous clothing.
One mother, Paula Currie, tweeted: ‘Girl guiding @girlguiding lost a future girl guide with that disgusting new uniform my daughter says no way #girlguiding.’
The uniform, designed by fashion students at the Arts University Bournemouth, was unveiled last week for girls aged ten to 14. Clothing is blue and red with choices including a skirt, polo shirt and a hoodie. Guides also have the option of wearing leggings or jeans of their own.
It is a huge departure from the navy blue hooded jacket and polo shirt of recent years. The charity, created in 1910, said the change had come after girls had asked for less ‘boyish’ shapes and more ‘girlie’ attire. It is the first re-design in 14 years.
But one mother, Lorraine Cheek of Chigwell, Essex, said her daughter Sophie, 12, immediately said: ‘I’m not wearing that.’ Lorraine said: ‘It’s like something from a charity shop in the 1970s – it’s awful.’
Forum website Guiders.co. uk was filled with criticism describing the uniform as ‘tacky’ and ‘horrid’. One social media user tweeted a picture of two Domino’s Pizza delivery employees with the words: ‘#guideuniform vs #dominos (sic) pizza uniform… this wins!’ But Chief Guide Gill Slocombe said: ‘We listen to what girls tell us and make changes. We have created a uniform that is right for girls today.’