Girl Scouts uniforms have come a long way since their original 1910s design, but they are (and have always been) so much more than something to buy. Your Girl Scout can proudly show off her newfound skills through her patches, reflect on her years of progress as she counts her gold membership stars, and connect with the longer tradition of Girl Scout sisterhood with the World Trefoil pin.

The Girl Scout uniform sums up Girl Scout identity with a single outfit. Whether you are a veteran Girl Scout leader or a parent with your first Daisy, here’s a breakdown of the Girl Scout uniform essentials to help you gear up your girls. 

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Uniform Basics 

Some of parts of the Girl Scout uniform stay the same regardless of your girl’s age or level. Here is the basic insignia that she will take from her Daisy uniform all the way to her Ambassador one: 

• American Flag Patch 
• Girl Scout Council Identification Set 
• Troop Numerals 
• Membership Stars and Discs 
• Insignia Tab 
• Girl Scout Membership Pin 
• World Trefoil Pin 

Daisy Uniform 

The Daisy Scout uniform is a great way to introduce your girl to the basics of what it means to be a Girl Scout. Troop numerals, the Girl Scout patch, her council’s patch, and, of course, her first membership stars will all be items she will carry forward with her as she progresses through Girl Scouts (and look back fondly on as an adult). Daisies get to add their Petal and Promise badges for Daisy specific milestones and experiences. Daisies also have the style option of wearing the Daisy tunic instead of the vest. 

Brownie Uniform 

Your Girl Scout has leveled up, and so does her uniform. While some parts of her Daisy vest or tunic carry over to her new Brownie uniform, new additions include the Journey Summit Award pins and a new Brownie Bridge Award to show that although her Daisy years are behind her, all the skills she learned are still in her back pocket.

Brownies and up can opt to wear a sash instead of a vest (but beware of running out of space for all those badges she’s about to earn!) 

Junior Uniform 

Boasting the iconic Girl Scout green, the Junior vest and sash give your Girl Scout plenty of room for the new pins and badges she’ll earn with her Junior awards and Journeys. Being a Junior also means that your girl starts planning for her Bronze Award. The accompanying bronze-colored pin goes right next to the World Trefoil and carries over to her future uniforms, just like the experience of planning for a larger-scale service project. 

Cadette Uniform 

The Cadette uniform will be her last new vest or sash as a Girl Scout, accumulating the awards and memories of the next seven years! The Cadette khaki uniform is the official uniform for her remaining years as a girl Girl Scout (more on that later on!). If your Cadette finishes her Silver Award, the new silver-colored pin takes its place right next to the Bronze Award pin. 

Senior Uniform 

On top of the Senior badges, your Senior’s uniform starts sporting pins that show that she’s training to be a Counselor and Girl Scout Volunteer. Now as one of the more experienced fish in the pond, your Girl Scout has new opportunities to share her expertise with younger girls and be a mentor at camps and events.  

(You might start noticing less and less open space your Girl Scout’s vest or sash: a sure sign that she’s making headway in her Girl Scout journey.) 

Ambassador Uniform 

The Ambassador uniform displays the very best of all her years of Girl Scouting. The core pins, patches, and badges stay in place on her vest or sash as she displays all her new skills with pride. At the same time, your Ambassador’s new accomplishments of the Gold Award, Ambassador Community Service, and many more now fill the khaki cloth right up to the edges, turning this last uniform piece into an incredible piece of memorabilia she can cherish through her college years and beyond!  

Adult 

Of course, the Girl Scout uniform experience isn’t limited to girls who are in Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts alums who are still involved in Girl Scouts or adult volunteers can now rock brand-new adult vests with their own insignia. The vests are now available in stores and online! GSUSA also offers adult identifiers to wear on the new vest, like special pins to show that you’re an outdoor expert, volunteer awards, and more. 

The Girl Scout uniform is both a symbol of our organization’s shared traditions as well as a girl’s personal growth. As a girl progresses through her years of Girl Scouting, her badges, pins, and awards allow her to hold onto her individual accomplishments and skills (while also showing them off to everyone around her). At the same time, she is part of a larger sisterhood of girls. Whether you encounter the youngest Daisy in her tunic or the oldest Ambassador with her Gold Award pinned on her vest, you’ll know that the wearer of that Girl Scout uniform is striving to make the world a better place.   

What to do next: 

• Ready to buy your Girl Scout her first uniform or other Girl Scout related swag? Visit our online store or stop by any of our store locations. Not to mention, there’s more to the uniform than just the vest, sash, or tunic. Your Girl Scout can add some extra flair to her uniform with official Girl Scout polos, shirts, and scarves. 
• Want to gear up your Girl Scout even more? GSUSA offers Starter Kits that include not only the basic uniform but also resources to help her kickstart her Girl Scout experience and a drawstring bag to take on all her overnight adventures. (Stay tuned for Adult Starter Kits!) 
• Girl Scouts has a long history of alums making a difference long after they hang up their Ambassador vests. Meet Trina Merriman, who played an integral role in founding GSNorCal’s biggest bridging event, Golden Gate Bridging, and embodies being a sister to every Girl Scout. 

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Amanda Gee—Amanda is the Communications Specialist for Girl Scouts of Northern California, where she keeps the website, social media, and email up-to-date with the latest and greatest Girl Scout news. Amanda joined the Girl Scouts in first grade; her fondest Girl Scout memories include building a butterfly garden for her Bronze Award project and eating way too many s’mores around the campfire. When she’s not typing away at her computer over a cup of Earl Grey, you can find Amanda hanging out with friends, biking along the beautiful Alameda Bay Trail, or trying to pick up some new skill or tidbit of knowledge.