Figure 1.--The original scouting uniforms were all similar to the military-style adopted by Baden Powell when he founded English Scouting. One inovation was short pants rather than the kneepants and long stockings that most boys at the time wore. Only in America were short pants not adopted. It was not until the 1970s that shorts began to become popular with American Scouts.

The original Scout pants introduced by Baden Powell were short pants. This was an inovative step replacing the kneepants commonly worn by boys at the tun of the 20th Century. Scouts and Cubs in virtually every country for decades wore short pants, even during the winter. America was virtually the only country where Scouts did not commonly wear shorts. American Scouts and Cubs wore mostly knickers, but changed to long pants in the 1940s. The American Scout Association promoted short pants, especially for summer wear, but American Scouts did not commonly begin wearing them until the 1970s. Ironically this was about the time that many foreign Scouts began wearing long pants. The English Scouts changed to long pantts in 1969 and many European Scouts gradually began wearing long pants or jeans in the 1970s and by the 1980s short pants were not commonly worn by European Scouts. Cuns still commonly wore shorts, but even Cubs in the 1990s have begun wearing longpants.

Chronolgy

The 1900s

The original Scout pants introduced by Baden Powell wgen he founded the Boy Scouts in 190? were short pants. This was an inovative step replacing the kneepants and knickers commonly worn by boys at the turn of the 20th Century.

The 1910s

It was immediatly adopted by Scout groups all over the world with few exceptions. Cubs Scouts when they were subsequently founded also adopted short pants uniforms. Short pants continued to be worn by most all Scouts, with the exception of American Scouts.

The 1940s

American boys wore knickers until the 1940s when most shifted to long pants. American Scouts, however, continued to be an exception--most Scouts around the world wore short pants.

The 1960s

The first major change shift occured in 1969 when British Scouts changed the uniform to long pants.

The 1970s

While most Scouts in other countries wore short pants in the 1970s, gradually many other countries began changing the uniform. Many Scouts around the world in the 1970s stopped wearing the official Scout shorts and instead began wearing jeans with the Scout shirt.

The 1990s

Scouts around the worldby the 1990s had begun wearing long pants more commonly than short pants. Even Scouts in tropical countries like the Caribbean began wearing liong pants. Some countries like the United States made short pants a seasonal summer uniform.

Origins

Baden Powell chose short pants for the Scout uniform presumably because of his experience in the British Army. Shorts were worn by soldiers on tropical postings and was found to be a comfortable and practical garment. I am not sure if Lord Baden Powell ever wrote about his decession to choose short pants for the Scout uniform, but presumably he did. HBU hopes to eventually acquire any such writings.

Country Patterns

Scouts and Cubs in virtually every country for decades after Scouting was founded in 190? wore short pants, even during the winter. There were very few exceptions. America was the principal exception.

America

America was virtually the only country where Scouts did not commonly wear shorts. American Scouts and Cubs wore mostly knickers, but changed to long pants in the 1940s. The American Scout Association promoted short pants, especially for summer wear, but American Scouts did not commonly begin wearing them until the 1970s. Ironically this was about the time that many foreign Scouts began wearing long pants. The English Scouts changed to long pantts in 1969 and many European Scouts gradually began wearing long pants or jeans in the 1970s and by the 1980s short pants were not commonly worn by European Scouts. Cubs still commonly wore shorts, but even Cubs in the 1990s have begun wearing long pants.

Greece

Greek Scouts and Scouts in other countries began wearing ethnic dress including pants as Scout uniforms--especially at jamborees. Often they would wear a more standard short pants uniform for camping and other Scout activities.

Middle East

Scouts in many Middle Eastern countries appear to have initially worn short pants like other Scouts, but eventually many shifted tio long pants.

Scotland

From the very beginning of the Scout movement, Scottish boys began wearing kiklts rather than short pants. In some cases they would just wear kilts for formal occasions, but some Scottish boys wore them all the time.

Types

The original Scout pants introduced by Baden Powell were short pants, but Scouts have worn many different pants types. HBU knows of no Scout groups that adopted kneepants and long stockings as a Scout uniform. This was an inovative step replacing the kneepants commonly worn by boys at the tun of the 20th Century. Scouts and Cubs in virtually every country for decades wore short pants, even during the winter. America was virtually the only country where Scouts did not commonly wear shorts. American boys except for camp wore knickers. It was not until the 1960s that it became common for American Scouts to wear shorts. By that time many foreign Scouts had begun to wear long pants. American Scouts and Cubs wore mostly knickers into the 1940s. HBU does not know of any other Scout group that commonly wore knickers. Ameriucan Scouts changed to long pants in the 1940s. The American Scout Association promoted short pants, especially for summer wear, but American Scouts did not commonly begin wearing them until the 1970s. Ironically thisdwas about the time that many foreign Scouts began wearing long pants. The English Scouts changed to long pantts in 1969 and many European Scouts gradually began wearing long pants or jeans in the 1970s and by the 1980s short pants were not commonly worn by European Scouts. Cuns still commonly wore shorts, but even Cubs in the 1990s have begun wearing long pants. Scout groups in the 1970s began adopting sweatpants, initially they were worn as a kind of sports outfit, but some groups adopted them formally in the 1990s. In some cases they were worn by the younger boys.

Jeans

Most Scouts until after World war II wore compklee uniforms. This began to change in the post-War era. Through the 1950s the official uniform was generally worn. This began to change in the 1960s. Many Scouts began wearing jeans instead of the oficial uniform pants. We notice this in both America and Europe, but not in Britain where Scouters generally did not allow jeans. American Scouts would wear the official shirt with kercjief, but with jean pants. Both Cubs and Scoiuts did this. It is no longer as common, especially in Amnerica, but there are countries where this opractice continues.

Material

HBU at this time has only limited information on the material used for Scout pants. We do know that nmaterial was a popular material by Scouts in several European countries. Corduroy seems to have been very popular anong French Scouts. Blue cord seems to have been a popular country and was wotn in some French schools as well. Other colors aso seem to have been worn. We have also noted Scouts in other countries wearing corduroy, including Belgium, England, Norway, and Spain. There are almost certainly other countries where corduroy was used. Interesting, popular denim has never been used for Scout pants. We have nloted that beginning in the 1970s that some Scout groups have allowed Scouts to wear denim jeans and even cut-offs with Scout shirts. This was, however, never official uniform options.