Sharing this 30s/40s uniform dress..maybe Girl Scouts.? Anyone seen this dress?

jenny foster

jenny foster

Registered Guest
I am just wondering if anyone knows what this dress is. Unfortunately the tag has been removed from the collar. I believe it is from late 1930s or early 40s. It closes at the side with hooks and eyes. I bought it from an estate that had other Girl Scouts Den Mother items, but I haven't been able to find another dress that was like this one while searching online. Material feels like linen with wool. I love the dress and hoping to find some more info on her. Thank you!
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Hi Jenny,

I love your dress too and agree with a very late '30s to '40s dating. It does look like a uniform doesn't it? Excellent condition - well done! I would totally wear that, and add some red accessories and chunky shoes.
 
The colour makes it look uniform like, but the sash belt and decorative buttons look too dressy to me. I would expect plastic buttons and a buckle closure on the belt if it were uniform.
 
I don't think it's a uniform. I think it's a nice late 1930's early 1940's dress for the reasons Jonathan stated - the decorative buttons and the sash belt. If it were a waitress uniform, it would probably be washable not a wool/linen blend. It's a great very wearable dress!

Linn
 
it looks like a girl scouts leader's uniform from the 40s or early 50s.

i was a girl scout, and while it was later than this, the leader's uniform looked very similar. they were a bit fancier and adult-styled than the uniforms for the girls, which would explain the buttons. the color looks exactly as i recall them.
 
Catbooks1940s said:
it looks like a girl scouts leader's uniform from the 40s or early 50s.

i was a girl scout, and while it was later than this, the leader's uniform looked very similar. they were a bit fancier and adult-styled than the uniforms for the girls, which would explain the buttons. the color looks exactly as i recall them.
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Did leaders have a "fancier" uniform style dress for special events? I am just thinking it could be related because of the number of Den Mother items the women had held onto in comparison with "regular" clothes.
 
Thank you guys for all the comments. It may very well just be "a nice 30s/40s dress"...certainly can't complain about that!
 
jenny foster said:
Did leaders have a "fancier" uniform style dress for special events? I am just thinking it could be related because of the number of Den Mother items the women had held onto in comparison with "regular" clothes.
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hi there, jenny,

no, not for special events. the leaders' uniforms were just more detailed and styled in a more adult way than the uniforms for the girls. Den mothers' uniforms were for Boy Scouts' (my brother was a Boy Scout) and would have been a dark blue, and those women were known as Den Mothers. Girl Scout leaders would have been the equivalent to a Boy Scout leader, but for Girl Scouts, and known as a Den Mother.

If I were you, I'd see if you could contact someone from the Girls Scouts and see if they can identify this as a Girls Scouts Leader's uniform, and from what approximate date.
 
Catbooks1940s said:
hi there, jenny,

no, not for special events. the leaders' uniforms were just more detailed and styled in a more adult way than the uniforms for the girls. Den mothers' uniforms were for Boy Scouts' (my brother was a Boy Scout) and would have been a dark blue, and those women were known as Den Mothers. Girl Scout leaders would have been the equivalent to a Boy Scout leader, but for Girl Scouts, and known as a Den Mother.

If I were you, I'd see if you could contact someone from the Girls Scouts and see if they can identify this as a Girls Scouts Leader's uniform, and from what approximate date.
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Ahhhhh, okay. Thanks
 
anothertimevintageapparel said:
Here is my 1940s Girls Scouts uniform. A cotton "denim" weight fabric.
The buttons are plastic with the GS logo and it has a metal neck zipper and side zipper.
Hopefully this will show the differences.
Very quick photos.

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very interesting! i don't recall the GS uniform as having a zipper like that on the front. although, as i say, my memory of both the GS and GS leaders' uniforms is from the early 60s, and the leaders' uniforms were very similar to this dress.
 
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jenny foster said:
I was never a Girl Scout or have I really researched Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, until now. :)
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well no worries. i do remember the uniforms for both girl scouts and leaders was a shirtwaist dress like this, although by the time i was a girl scout, they no longer used the type of cuffed sleeves as yours has, for either one. although, they may have used it for the leaders' uniforms. i'm not certain about that.

is there a girl scouts' web site around that could help you with this? honestly, i don't know if the girl scouts is still around or no.
 
I don't have the exact date of this photo but I know Averill Harriman was Governor of New York State from January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1958 and that this is a picture of my Girl Scout Troup visiting him in his office. None of us is in "uniform" but several of us are wearing scarves that I think were part of the uniform and some of us have our "pins" on. I am standing in front of my mother who was probably a chaperone - I don't remember her being a Girl Scout Leader.

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I grew up in a little town outside of Albany, NY, which is the State Capital. There are several websites devoted to the Girl Scouts, who recently celebrated their 100th anniversary - and lots of photos.


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