Guides get the blues as jeans become part of the uniform

Britain's Girl Guides movement is split over a decision to "move with the times" and allow girls to wear jeans, it emerged yesterday.

The Guide Association announced that following popular demand, blue denims would be allowed as part of the uniform from 1 January. Spokeswoman Sue Fortunka said it was an attempt to bring the 710,000 guides up-to-date.

"Jeans are usually a basic item in every young person's wardrobe and we hope the ability to wear these may make Guiding even more accessible to many more girls and young women," she said. "Members will decide whether or not to wear jeans, according to their suitability to the activity."

But the idea has not met unanimous approval. One group has voted to ban them from public parades and church outings, and others are set to follow.

Lady Baden-Powell, a former head of the UK movement, said yesterday that jeans "weren't very suitable for church". "I personally think young people like dressing up on occasions," she said.

Some parents, group leaders, and even the girls themselves say jeans are not appropriate for their image. Margaret Courtney, leader of the 7th Plumstead Group, south London, said her girls had voted not to wear denim on public parade.

"Some parents have asked why they are doing it and that they look scruffy" she said.

But 12-year-old Kate Hill, a member of the 1st Nunhead Guides, south London, disagreed: "If you wear old jeans with holes in them it might look a bit scruffy, but smart ones will be OK.

"We are already allowed to wear them on day trips, or where we might get dirty."

She added: "Guiding is not seen as a fashionable thing to do. If guides are in jeans, more people might join in."

It is the first uniform change since 1990, when celebrity designer Jeff Banks introduced the movement to mix-and-match separates.