Girl Guides of Canada

The Girl Guide uniform is one core piece for both girls and women – a navy blue T-shirt or tunic – creating a united look for all our members. A simplified shirt as our core piece provides a comfortable, stylish uniform designed to allow girls to participate in a range of activities while offering good value for members and ensuring the uniform is not a barrier to membership.

Having a uniform is a Girl Guide tradition that remains relevant today. It’s a way of showing that we’re a united, inclusive organization that all girls can join. Having a uniform provides a sense of pride and belonging for all members of Guiding.  Of course, it isn’t the uniform or what a girl or woman wears that defines a Girl Guide member – it’s belonging to a powerful sisterhood focused on creating a better world, by girls.  

The uniform remains a part of Guiding’s identity – and we know many of our members love wearing a Girl Guide uniform. But extensive research and consultation tells us that girls want a more modern and flexible uniform, and one that’s less formal. Recent research into public perceptions of Guiding also tells us that our old uniform, with the need to purchase multiple pieces, was too costly, formal and a deterrent from joining Girl Guides. Girls, parents and volunteers also told us they want a comfortable, well-fitting uniform designed to allow girls to participate in a range of activities, and one that’s good value.

In the fall of 2018, we consulted with girls and Guiders to get their input on the new GGC uniform shirt design. Over 1,100 members completed an online survey and 338 units provided input through a unit activity. We also conducted focus groups with non-member girls and their parents, and specifically reached out to groups of girls and parents to inform the style of the tunic-length shirt. Girls and Guiders from different branches, and across the country, also helped steer our consultation via a National uniform implementation team.  

Throughout the consultation process, we really listened to what members told us – including and especially girls. We heard that some members were not comfortable with the tagline and across-the-chest placement in a preliminary design. With that feedback in hand, our new shirt design looks much different – and we’re excited to offer a shirt and tunic we think our members will feel comfortable in and proud to wear. Members also told us they wanted options for more formal events – and we’re happy to continue to offer ties and badge sashes for members who choose to wear those items for special events.

Yes, the new uniform T-shirt/tunic is the same for all our members – girls of every branch and women. This will create a united look for all our members.

The new guidelines come into effect September 2019. Until then, members can continue to wear any branded GGC clothing or item as appropriate for their activity or event. Previous uniform pieces can still be worn once the new uniform T-shirt is launched.

Yes! Girls and Guiders who love our current uniform options can continue to wear any branded GGC product as appropriate for their Guiding event. Girls can continue to wear uniform pieces they own and will not be required to buy new. Girl Guide units are encouraged to take a flexible approach in what members wear.

Girl Guides has adopted industry-standard North American sizing for our uniform T-shirt and tunic. While some of our other Guiding gear has been a more boxy, unisex shape, our uniform shirts follow standard sizing, fit and measurements for girls’ and women’s apparel – they are more tailored and fitted. Be sure to follow the sizing guide for the specific shirt you’re ordering on thegirlguidestore.ca to ensure you’re ordering the right fit for you!

Looking for more info? See below:

Short-sleeve T-shirt

Our new crewneck T features short sleeves, a less boxy, slimmer fit through the body, and hits just below the waist. Made with a super soft blend of cotton and polyester, it has a comfortable amount of stretch to complement the more streamlined silhouette. Please refer to the sizing guide on thegirlguidestore.ca  to ensure you’re ordering the right fit for you! Please note that the new uniform is a more tailored fit than recent non-uniform T-shirts, which were cut in the more traditional “T” shape, a straight line from the armpit to the bottom of the shirt. The new uniform is a more fitted, industry-standard cut and sizing. This is especially true for the XL-5XL range, where members have told us that they feel comfortable in one or two sizes up, relative to the more unisex cut of the non-uniform shirts we sell.

Long-sleeve tunic

Our new long length tunic has a little something extra, thanks to its relaxed, tunic shape. It features a fuller fit through the body and hits above the knees. This style was constructed with long sleeves, for additional coverage, and has 8” side slits at the hem for ease of movement.

Made-to-measure uniforms

Uniform shirts/tunics may be custom made for members whose requirements fall outside the regular sizes available. Orders for made to measure uniform shirts cannot be cancelled once placed. Please call 1-877-605-9339 to place a custom order.

The T-shirt and tunic are made from 50% combed and ring-spun cotton and 50% polyester jersey. This bi-blend fabric is remarkably soft and incredibly durable – our two top priorities, as requested by girls, parents and Guiders. 

Our new uniform – with it’s affordable, unifying design in two shirt styles – is a reflection of Guiding as an organization where all women and girls are welcome and can feel a sense of belonging.

New! Tunic option

We’re excited that for the first time, a long-sleeved tunic option will be available, alongside a short-sleeve, more fitted T-shirt. We hope these options will appeal to girls and women with different dress styles, body shapes and clothing needs. Ordering a uniform shirt with custom sizing is also available.

A more affordable uniform

We listened to families who told us that the old uniform requirements – with the need to purchase multiple pieces – was a barrier to joining Guiding for some. A single uniform piece – the T-shirt/tunic – creates the value that families told us they wanted. Now, our uniform is much more accessible and affordable for girls.

As a uniformed organization, Girl Guides encourages girls and adult members to wear a uniform as appropriate for their Guiding activities. Many units wear their T-shirts/tunics each week while others choose to save uniform pieces for special occasions like ceremonies or public events. Members can wear our current T-shirt/tunic or any prior uniform pieces, but all members are asked to wear the uniform to appropriate occasions. Our current uniform guidelines require only the core piece (T-shirt/tunic); elements like ties, sashes and scarves are not required and are optional.

Guiding is a place for fun, friendship, belonging and girl empowerment! No one should ever be treated differently for not being in uniform – e.g. have experiences/badges/rewards withheld, be reprimanded,  etc.

Uniform inspections are not part of Guiding so we suggest that you instead find ways to wear the uniform and show pride in being part of Guiding in fun and empowering ways. Units should not require girls to wear or purchase optional pieces such as ties and sashes.

Girls can choose how they’d like to keep or showcase the badges they earn in Guiding. We know Girl Guides are very creative – some options we’ve seen include:

• On a badge sash, which is an optional item that girls can choose to wear with their uniform T-shirt or tunic and is available for purchase in the Girl Guide store.
• On a camp blanket, poncho, vest, sweater, hat or backpack
• In a memory box, scrapbook, album or picture frame
• Whatever creative way they’d like to display them!

There is no requirement for girls to wear their badges. If girls decide to use a badge sash or something else to display their badges, there’s no specified pattern for how they’re placed. The current program badges fit neatly together with their straight edges, while also allowing flexibility for creative placement. For some ideas on how they can interconnect, check out this slideshow featuring our uniform.

If girls choose to use a sash, it’s totally up to them where on the sash they place each badge. Here are some examples girls could follow.

Yes, branch ties and badge sashes will remain available as optional pieces. Some girls told us that they like the feeling of accomplishment and progression when moving branches – and these branch-specific identifiers are still available as options.

Yes, the pin tab and adult scarf remain available as optional pieces.

Girls and women in Guiding can wear any pants or bottoms they’re comfortable in for unit meetings or other Guiding events. Blue cargo pants have been discontinued and are no longer for sale in the Girl Guides store.

There are many flexible options for how members might choose to dress for formal occasions. For younger girls, the existing branch tie or scarf can be worn with the uniform T-shirt or tunic. Older girls (Pathfinders and Rangers) and adult members might choose to pair the uniform T-shirt or tunic or a white shirt with a navy suit, skirt or branch tie or scarf. Please see our look book for more ideas.

We’re always listening to members’ feedback and we’re currently exploring other style options (e.g., blouses, athletic shirts) for future release. If you have ideas to share email us: uniform@girlguides.ca

The new Girl Guide uniform shirt is made by Canadian industry leader Avid Apparel. Fabric manufacturing, cutting and screen printing of our uniform T-shirts and tunics occurs in a combination of Canada, the United States and Mexico.

It is confirmed with our uniform shirt supplier that no latex is used in the manufacturing or printing, handling or shipping of the GGC uniform.