Women In Scouting

[funscout]

As a woman in scouting, I didn't realize I was supposed to be trying to look fashionable! I really don't think it's necessary. I just want to look like a leader, not a female leader. That's why I won't wear the yellow blouse, skirt, etc.

 

Personally, I think that if a uniform was designed especially for a woman, then it would end up being something like we already have, and don't want. (skirt, culottes)

 

I think we all have issues, male or female about the current uniform, but I guess I thought that "uniform" meant "same" and that we should all look uniform.

 

I have to confess that I chuckle to myself when I see women in the restrooms at council campouts who are putting on make-up and fixing their hair! I say, just throw on a hat and get back to the boys!

[Eamonn]

Seed,

a few weeks back we were offered a lot of U.S Navy uniforms -All male.

We of course have female Sea Scouts.

I gave up trying to work out how to translate female sizes into male sizes or the other way. It seems the Navy has smaller inches than the rest of the world!!

The Dress whites weren't too bad, but we also got Blues.

In order to do up the front there are 13 buttons!! (No zip)

The Scouts both male and female had a great time trying these uniforms on.

I'm not a fashion designer and Her That Must Be Obeyed, tells me I have no taste!! But when they were all in uniforms they all both male and female looked great.

One Lad asked yesterday why there were 13 buttons -I said it was for the 13 original colonies!! I'm not sure it is true or not? But when he asked why there were only 12 button holes I wasn't quick enough to tell him about the Scout Law.

Eamonn.

[msnowman]

Adrianvs said "...I would submit that the purpose of the uniform is not to be something that a young woman (or young man, for that manner) feels is fashionable."

 

But see, if it were something that the young men and women felt was fashionable (or at least not horrifyingly out of date) I think half of the discussions about how to get our Scouts to wear the full uniform would be rectified.

 

As far as the earrings comment, I took that as tongue in cheek, though perhaps I misconstrued how it was meant.

 

The current uniform does nothing for anybody's figure...whether male, female, slender or not, it isn't intended to. But it should at least be comfortable to wear and serve its intended purpose. If that purpose is to look like an 80's flashback it does it well. If that purpose is to be a wearable outfit that serves the purpose of outdoor activities and promotes Unit pride than in my opinion it falls short.

 

YiS

Michelle

[Lynda J]

It isn't just the womens uniform that is poorly designed. The pants for the men and boys are just as bad. They are not designed to be work camping.

The little "cargo" pockets on the front are like my dear old dad use to say "as worthless as ti**s on a bore hog". You can't put anything in them and they are exactly at the groin point so if you do put anything in them and try to sit down it pokes you.

 

I never understood why BSA ever let a fashion designer design a uniform instead of letting scouts design it.

As far as letting them make my uniform. I am a sewer and believe me there is no way you can send someone your measurments and come out with a uniform that really fits. I sew for a woman and I normally do 3-4 fittings before I finish a garment.

But they won't sell me the fabric and pattern so I can make my own.

 

So I just wear the pants and tailor the shirt so it actually fits me. If I get it to fit across the chest it looks like I am expecting and sorry at 58 I don't want that assumption.

[Laure]

As a woman scouter who is also plus-sized, I have two strikes against me! From what I have seen, neither large men nor large women are particularly comfortable in the uniforms, but the more curves one has, the more clothing proportions matter. I wear my uniform shirt to everything, but I must admit, that except for Woodbadge (where I forced myself to wear the scary culottes), I usually wear my own olive non-BSA-but-well-fitting slacks, and no one has objected. I feel SO MUCH MORE comfortable and still feel appropriately uniformed enough as to set the good example. I can't believe that I was a particularly good representative of my Troop looking like an olive sausage in the uniform pants, and look much more professional now. Besides, if I am wearing enough cool patches and a great neckerchief, who even looks at the pants?

[seed]

On behalf of the three women leaders in our pack, I'm going to start a letter writing campaign dealing with our uniforms. I'm going to start ASAP, or as soon as I find that one hour a week that it will take.

 

With all the women who are in Scouting today, I think a little consideration should be given to us.

 

We don't have a need to stand out. We just want to feel good about the way we look in the uniform. The material is cheap, the cut is bad, etc...

 

With or without earings.

[Kaji]

Pardon the male ignorance about female fashion for a moment, but what exactly is the difference between a culotte and a plain old skirt?

[Laure]

Culottes are pants that look like a skirt. They fall below the knee and are wide so as to look like a skirt, but have seperate legs. I found they were more comfortable than the BSA pants, however, they were NOT practical for camping. As an aside, my leader friends got a lot of mileage teasing me about what they called my "coolattas," in honor of the popular Dunkin Donuts drink.

[FScouter]

Did anyone mention that the catalog has a full page of uniforms sized for women. If the men's uniform doesn't fit well, try the women's uniform. If the Scout Shop doesn't stock all sizes / styles, they will order what you need.

[Lisabob]

Fscouter, with due respect you (and the BSA!) are missing the point. Yes, there are lots of "women's" sizes available. However, they are not cut to actually fit women's bodies. THAT'S the gripe most women have. The women's shirt, for example, is not cut in a way that takes into account the fact that most women are not flat chested like most guys are. Consequently, the women's shirts don't fit women well and we're left with a set of bad (and expensive) choices regarding uniforming. Similarly with the pants, though personally I find the shirts more problematic.

 

If the BSA wants to market "women's" uniforms then they darn tootin' ought to actually make uniforms that fit women's body types.

 

Lisa'bob

[SueM]

I think that the biggest problem area that I have with both the shirt (and I might add that I do buy the woman's "Blouse" and not the male shirt!) and the pants is in the hip area. While the Blouse might fit me in the chest area, there is no flare for the hips so if you try to button the bottom button it's too tight. It's the same thing with the pants..they may fit me otherwise in the waist and legs but are really tight right across the hips..especially for someone who has had 5 kids!!

 

Oh..that earring question..I have a nice pair of Peridot studs that really match well with the olive pants!!

 

Sue M.

[AnneinMpls]

No no no, the proper earrings to wear with the uniform are, naturally, fish hooks. To augment your survival gear of course

Anne in Mpls

[gwd-scouter]

Oh please. Don't we girls all wear diamond studs, rings on every finger, gold chains, nice leather pumps, and, of course, full hair and makeup?

 

Back on topic tough. I did wear the yellow blouse when I was a Cub Leader. Never could find blue pants to fit right, so I wore a navy pair docker type pants in winter and or shorts in summer. It was a lot easier to get something similar since the pants did not have the same "cargo" type styling they have now. I even wore a navy blue "skort" from time to time. Yeah, I know, the uniform police can arrest me!

 

I also had the tan shirt and green pants (again, the cargo type weren't around at that time) for when I was I performing District Committee stuff.

 

Definately stood out in the crowd in that yellow blouse! And, I thought the yellow blouse was a better fit than the tan shirt.

 

Now, as SM, I wear the regulation tan shirt and green cargo-style pants. Don't fit all that well and had to get the pants in a size larger than I normally wear, but it's only for one hour a week, right?

 

Now that my cub days are over, my yellow blouse hangs in my closet as a fond reminder of all those bygone days.