Girlguiding unveils first full uniform overhaul in 36 years

Girlguiding unveiled its first full uniform overhaul across all sections in 36 years, with the new range designed to let members wear a top from the collection with their own trousers. The charity said the redesign is its biggest since 1990, when the last major update arrived.

Girlguiding said it worked with Hemingway Design on the new range and built the process around member feedback. The organisation said 55,000 members responded to a design survey last year, while girls, volunteers and other members were asked what they wanted from uniform.

The changes are meant to make the clothing more flexible, while still keeping the shared identity that runs through the movement. Girlguiding said the aim is to let members express individuality without losing a sense of belonging, a balance that sits at the center of the overhaul.

The charity has already been teasing parts of the redesign in blog posts and on social media, including a volunteer-focused ‘versatile top’ and a preview described as ‘Who we are’ and ‘distinctive’. Girlguiding’s volunteer guidance already says all unit leaders should have a uniform top, which can be worn with appropriate bottoms for the occasion, and its wider uniform information says the charity takes a flexible approach to dress.

The move marks another step in the uniform’s long evolution. A history source credits Jeff Banks with the 1990s redesign, which was presented as a notable break from earlier, more formal styles. Girlguiding has said its own material gives girls and young women a platform to speak out and treats them as experts on girls’ and young women’s views, putting member input at the center of the latest redesign.

Girlguiding said the full range was set to launch in June 2026, with the updated clothing intended to reflect how girls and volunteers use the organisation now: less rigid, more practical and more open to individual choice.