English Boy Scout Uniform Garments: Berets

Figure 1.--.

The traditional Boy Scout hat was the lemon-squeezer hat designed by Lord Baden Powell. Scouts wore these hats for decades. Gradually different caps were introduced in various countries. One of the most popular is the beret. Once rather frowned on by British Scouts as decidely Frency, the English Scout themselves adopted the beret in 1969 as the official headgear.

Chronolgy

The traditional Scout hat is almost a symbol of Scouting. Although there was much nostalgia about the traditional lemon-squeezer hat introduced by Baden Powell in the 1900s, it was clear for some time that a new type of headgear was needed. The lemon squeezer was expensive and hard to care for, especially if it got wet.

The British Scout Association when it introduced a radically redesigned uniform, replaced the lemon squeezer with a black beret. For some this was ironic that the English who had so influenced world Scouting and uniforms would adopt headgear so associated with the French. The beret had come along way, however, General Montgomery helped to introduce the beret to the British Army and other military units had adopted it in Britain, America and many other countries.

English Scouts in the 1990s no longer generally wear headgear. They may wear berets for special occasionsd, but most groups no longer wear them.

Style

The beret worn by English Scouts is a standard black beret.

Conventions

Only Scouts wear the beret. Neither the Cubs, who continue to wear the traditional peaked cap or the Girl Guides wear them. English Scouts are now less interested in the Scout uniform, but generally speaking the English Scouts take uniform more serious than other European Scouts.