Girlguiding has revealed its first uniform redesign in over 30 years, co-designed by 55,000 girls and women in guiding to support feelings of self-expression, belonging and confidence. The new co-designed uniform set out to meet five important design principles, as identified by its members: the uniform will be inclusive and affordable, sustainable, get across who Girlguiding is, recognisable and distinctive, as well as practical and comfortable.
The uniform launch follows new research from Girlguiding that found the majority (93%) of girls aged 6-16 feel the most comfortable when they can choose how to style themselves, with almost half (47%) saying they’re at their most confident when they can choose what they wear, as self-styling, feel-good fashion and freedom of self-expression are key for feeling their best.
Just over a third (33%) of girls said they feel the most confident when they have the freedom to express themselves, with 41% saying strict school uniform rules stopped them from doing so.
Girlguiding’s new uniform has been designed to be styled any way the girls want. With a focus on self-expression and flexibility, to be considered in uniform, all members need to wear is a top from the new range. This can be a t-shirt, a long-sleeve or a hoodie, and there are multiple options for all ages to support freedom of choice and personal style.
Girlguiding’s new co-designed uniform set out to meet five important design principles, as identified by its members: the uniform will be inclusive and affordable, sustainable, get across who Girlguiding is, recognisable and distinctive, as well as practical and comfortable.
Supporting girls in building confidence, the new uniform was co-created with 55,000 members of Girlguiding, who submitted sketches and design ideas and led by HemingwayDesign to overhaul the entire range. Influenced by the very people wearing it, it’s shaped to reflect how girls want to feel: confident, comfortable and truly themselves. During the design phase, members fed back that choice, comfort and practicability were key, all whilst promoting a sense of belonging as part of the Girlguiding family.
Over 1 in 3 (37%) of girls aged 6-16 said wearing a uniform, or matching clothes to their friends, helped them feel a sense of belonging, increasing to 41% for those aged 6-9 years old.
Over half (58%) of girls agreed that, when getting ready for the day, feeling comfortable is the biggest priority. Followed by feeling confident (44%) and happy to have dressed for themselves, not for others (23%).