Figure 1.--These Cubs were photographed in the 1970s during a museum visit. Notice the different types of kneesocks the boys are wearing and how they are wearing them.

English Cubs wear grey kneesocks with the uniform. Any plain color kneesocks were allowed, but most boys wore grey kneesocks. Some boys wore ankle socks, but knee socks were usually worn. . The official uniforn, however, was kneesocks. They were worn turned down below the knee, with green tabbed garter showing on the outside (to keep the socks up). The flashed on the garters were green. One element of the uniform that does not appear to be consistent was the kneesocks. Many boys in the early Cub groups did wearing plain grey kneesocks. Many were also wearing dark kneesocks or grey kneesocks with patterned cuffs. Note: different coloured garter tabs were worn by older scouts and leaders, clearly an influence from Baden-Powell's background. A changed occurred in the 1970s. It was not an official change, but many boys began wearing the less expensive kneesocks that did not have turn over tops. An English reader writes, "Cubs wore garters with green flashes on them. Some prep schools did too but in their school colours, but this changed with the wearing of non-turnover-top kneesocks. I noticed this on the HBC "national descriptions" page where the Cub on the left has the new style of kneesocks and no garters and the one third from left seems to have created a turn-over-top in order to accommadate the garters shortening his socks to well below the knee." HBU had repeated the image here (figure 1).

Knee Socks

English Cubs have traditionally worn short pants uniforms with grey grey kneesocks. Of course boys in more recent years have begun wearing long pants. Here the hosiery is no longer important because the socks are covered up. Boys wearing short pants, however wear lknee socks. Any plain color kneesocks were allowed, but most boys wore grey kneesocks. The official uniforn, however, was kneesocks. They were worn turned down below the knee, with green tabbed garter showing on the outside (to keep the socks up). The flashed on the garters were green. One element of the uniform that does not appear to be consistent was the kneesocks. Many boys in the early Cub groups did wearing plain grey kneesocks. Many were also wearing dark kneesocks or grey kneesocks with patterned cuffs. Note: different coloured garter tabs were worn by older scouts and leaders, clearly an influence from Baden-Powell's background. A changed occurred in the 1970s. It was not an official change, but many boys began wearing the less expensive kneesocks that did not have turn over tops. An English reader writes, "Cubs wore garters with green flashes on them. Some prep schools did too but in their school colours, but this changed with the wearing of non-turnover-top kneesocks. I noticed this on the HBC "national descriptions" page where the Cub on the left has the new style of kneesocks and no garters and the one third from left seems to have created a turn-over-top in order to accommadate the garters shortening his socks to well below the knee." HBU had repeated the image here (figure 1).

Ankle Socks

Some boys wore ankle socks, but knee socks were usually worn. This depended somewhat on the degree of impprtace Cub leaders place o the uniform. This is also more common during the war summer weather.