The new uniform.

[Gold Winger]

" at least I think I avoided it"

 

Did the young women avoid you after dancing with you just one time? It may not have been your skill on the dance floor. :-)

[OldGreyEagle]

As I remember the Disco Era, Tony Manero notwithstanding, was far more about how you looked and how much you had as opposed to how well you danced. Well in my corner of the world at least

[GKlose]

The best way to describe it might be that my dance skills kept me off the dance floor and my personality probably had a good deal to do with young ladies avoiding me. No reeking required :-).

 

On another note, Tenderfoot son just entered middle school, but he's still just a kid. He doesn't like to bathe unless he has to. I keep telling him it takes just one slip-up to be labeled Mr. Stinky, and that it might take three or four years to live it down. I've also talked with his mom, saying that if she wishes to do all his future girlfriends a favor she should teach him how to dance because he wouldn't be learning anything useful from me.

[Gold Winger]

Way back in high school, I took a ballroom dance class because I figured that knowing how to dance was an important social skill. I learned to waltz, foxtrot, tango, cha-cha, samba, rumba, how to lead, how to dip, how to twirl and even how to Hustle.

 

Boy was I ever disappointed when I went out and wanted to demonstrate my skills. I found that in the 70s most girls were lacking the most basic of couples dance skills and that slow dancing meant just standing in a single spot and rocking back and forth.

[OldGreyEagle]

Most of the ladies in my area adored the "bump" and a few were into the earliest forms of Freak Dancing. Dancing the waltz, foxtrot, tango, cha-cha, samba, and rumba? Did you also enter the club with your pocket protector still in your shirt or did you at least leave it with the satchel that had the finished science paper due next month in the car?

 

You did leave the satchel in the car, right?

[Gold Winger]

Mock me if you will but my terpsichorean skill put me in high demand as a gigolo when I was in my mid 20s. Seriously, it helped make me popular on the dance floor as in my mid-20s when the other guys were out there doing uncoordinated gyrations, I could take Suzie out and whirl and twirl and tango.

 

Now, in my advancing years I'm still in demand . . . unfortunately only for my dancing skills :-(

[Gold Winger]

Mock me if you will but my terpsichorean skill put me in high demand as a gigolo when I was in my mid 20s. Seriously, it helped make me popular on the dance floor as in my mid-20s when the other guys were out there doing uncoordinated gyrations, I could take Suzie out and whirl and twirl and tango.

 

Now, in my advancing years I'm still in demand . . . unfortunately only for my dancing skills :-(

[NJCubScouter]

I just saw the new Boy Scout shoulder loops "in person" for the first time at a district event yesterday.

 

That has to be the ugliest color I have ever seen. Is that supposed to be olive green? It looks like it has some grey in it. Oh well, since I have no foreseeable need to get another shirt, I will probably never wear them.

 

Yesterday was also my first time seeing widespread use of the green unit numbers, on some Webelos dens. (This was a first aid event with a Boy Scout patrol competition upstairs and Webelos Readyman instruction downstairs.) Not necessarily ugly, but if anyone thought boys would be more interested in wearing the new color than the old white-on-red numbers, I don't see why they would. Then again, maybe my "fashion sense" is not up to date: When I was a teenager I saw no problem with wearing the long Boy Scout socks with the garters when I was wearing the shorts. I have shown these to my son, much to his horror.

 

Of course, the BSA will never get all the red off the uniform shirt, unless they are planning to adopt a new version of the American flag.

[chikara]

Things have changed quite a bit since I was a scout..

 

For Scouting to survive they will have to bend and sway a bit with the times.. Boys didnt like the old switchbacks because they were too short.. In response, BSA made the new convertibles and switchbacks longer.. The new canvas pants are a definite improvement over the old pants.. The new ones are practical! The pockets are actually useful for carrying things unlike the tiny buttoned pocket on the old pants.. And, they zipp off into shorts!

 

The majority of boys these days are not gonna have any interest in wearing knee socks.. Im not sure we should even go into some of the comments made by the boys on this topic.. There are a few that are old school, but they just dont sell anymore.

 

I was kinda reserved about the new uniforms when they were announced.. I was skeptical. I work for National SG.. Since I am now wearing them on a daily basis, Ive really started to like them, especially the Nylon shirts... They breath so well and are moisture wicking. I woulda gave my left arm to have one of those for the week at summer camp this past June..

 

As far as the green goes.. There are people that are getting all bent outta shape on the green loops and numbers.. The green looks good and gives the uniform a more subdued feel.. The boys dont look like communist military anymore! :-) Basically you can change with the times, or you can get all worked up over a color change.. Not worth the energy if you ask me.. No matter how stubborn one might be, BSA is NOT gonna change back to red.. Beside, loops and numbers are cheap!

If you dont like the new uniforms go buy an old one. They are 25% off at all the national scout shops until they run out.

But, if you value your comfort while in uniform, buy a new one! Trust me, you'll love em after a bit!

 

Moral of the story: We are in this for the boys. The color of loops and numbers just isnt a major issue. Move on! Wear garters with your knee socks and see how many snickers you get from the boys..

 

Im off my soap box now! :-)

[NJCubScouter]

chikara, I find your post to be kind of rude. Nobody said anything about being "all bent outta shape", being "all worked up", or making anything a "major issue." There is nothing to "move on" from. All I said was that the color was ugly.

 

I also have no need to buy any uniform, new or old, as the shirt I have is just fine and will last as long as I will probably need it to.

 

The boys never looked like Communist military with a tiny little bit of red on the shirt. I never heard any complaints about it -- nor has any boy in our troop ever complained about the red neckerchiefs (the standard BSA red neckerchief) they all wear. In fact, with their neckerchiefs, even when boys start coming in with the new uniforms, they will still be wearing almost as much red as with the old uniform.

 

Or are they discontinuing the red neckerchiefs, too?

[chikara]

NJCubScouter,

 

Sorry buddy.. I wasnt trying to be rude.. This whole new uniform thing is such a non-issue! I get to hear all the complaining daily on a first hand basis..

 

I dont care if BSA decides to go with purple. And yes, people are getting bent outta shape and worked up over this! Not to infer that you were.. But, you did say "That has to be the ugliest color I have ever seen. Is that supposed to be olive green? It looks like it has some grey in it. Oh well, since I have no foreseeable need to get another shirt, I will probably never wear them."

 

Your probably gonna have to get a new uniform sooner, or later.. They dont last forever.. Im getting ready to replace a 5 year old uniform here this week.. When you do, Scout Shops will not sell you red loops, or red/white #'s for your new uniform. If you referred to the loops as "the ugliest color I have ever seen" that would lead one to believe you have a problem with it..

 

As far as communist military goes, when is the last time you looked at a picture of Chinese Military? They wear OD green with red accents.. Red on the shoulders, red on the hats, red rank patches on the sleeves, etc..

 

No, they are not discontinuing red neckerchiefs. That is a troop decision on what color neckerchief to wear. And more and more troops are moving away from neckerchiefs altogether. I personally like neckerchiefs and think they add a touch of formality to the uniform! Im old school when it comes to scouting.. My son who is a Star Scout, likes the knee socks.. But they are now a thing of the past..