Figure 1.--This image from a British Cub Scout magazine, gives prices for each official uniform item. The magazine was published in the 1980s.

The Cub uniform did not change in the 1980s. Cubs continued to wear the same peaked cap, green jumper, grey shorts, and grey kneesocks. The short pants in the early 1980s were still worn quite short. By the end of the decade the style gradually changed to longer shorts. Many Cubs began wearing long pants in the 1980s. Some Cub packs insisted on the regulation short pants, but many other let the boys choose. One Cub from the 1980s remembers the short pants from his uniform--the only short pants that he wore. He writes, "I started going to cub scouts from when I was 9 and continued until I was nearly 12. I went with a friend from school to the weekly meetings and often i would go to his house right after school, watch TV or play computer games, his mother would cook us tea and when it was time we would get changed and walk to the scout hut. This meant I would have to carry my cub uniform in my schoolbag that day. The main items of the uniform were dark green pullover, red neckerchief (fastened with a small plastic 'woggle'), grey shorts and grey knee socks, and a green cub cap. I had a pair of elastic garters to hold up my knee socks, these had decorative felt 'flags' attached in a shade of green to match the green pullover, although not all of the boys wore these. I had only one pair of grey shorts - these were my 'cub shorts' as for school I wore long trousers. As it was the early 1980s boy's shorts tended to be cut quite brief and my grey cub shorts were no exception. I remember i was on! ce on the way to a parade and it was raining, so I wore a heavy coat. The coat came further down my legs than did my shorts, and i felt quite self conscious, as it might have looked like i had no shorts on at all! Generally, I didn't enjoy wearing the uniform, with the brief shorts my legs felt quite exposed, often during cold or wet weather, and sometimes we would get teased by other boys from our school. All in all I was quite relieved when I reached 12 and I was old enough to leave cubs. I was one of the few who didn't go on to attend the scouts."

Unchanged Uniform

The Cub uniform did not change in the 1980s. Cubs continued to wear the same peaked cap, green jumper, grey shorts, and grey kneesocks. The short pants in the early 1980s were still worn quite short. By the end of the decade the style gradually changed to longer shorts. Many Cubs began wearing long pants in the 1980s.

Uniform Regulations

Some Cub packs insisted on the regulation short pants, but many other let the boys choose.

Individual Experiences

Some English readers recall their Cub experiences during the 1980s.

Mark

One Cub from the 1980s remembers the short pants from his uniform--the only short pants that he wore. He writes, "I started going to cub scouts from when I was 9 and continued until I was nearly 12. I went with a friend from school to the weekly meetings and often i would go to his house right after school, watch TV or play computer games, his mother would cook us tea and when it was time we would get changed and walk to the scout hut. This meant I would have to carry my cub uniform in my schoolbag that day. The main items of the uniform were dark green pullover, red neckerchief (fastened with a small plastic 'woggle'), grey shorts and grey knee socks, and a green cub cap. I had a pair of elastic garters to hold up my knee socks, these had decorative felt 'flags' attached in a shade of green to match the green pullover, although not all of the boys wore these. I had only one pair of grey shorts--these were my 'cub shorts' as for school I wore long trousers. As it was the early 1980s boy's shorts tended to be cut quite brief and my grey cub shorts were no exception. I remember i was on! ce on the way to a parade and it was raining, so I wore a heavy coat. The coat came further down my legs than did my shorts, and i felt quite self conscious, as it might have looked like i had no shorts on at all! Generally, I didn't enjoy wearing the uniform, with the brief shorts my legs felt quite exposed, often during cold or wet weather, and sometimes we would get teased by other boys from our school. All in all I was quite relieved when I reached 12 and I was old enough to leave cubs. I was one of the few who didn't go on to attend the scouts." -- Mark