Underdressed for the Boy’s Brigade

So I’ve started volunteering at my local Boys Brigade. It’s been years since I’ve done anything like that so I wasn’t sure how to dress, when I turned up for my first session. Given that it’s youth work and I was going to be fairly active I decided to aim for comfortable. So I changed out of my work wear and into something comfortable: black loose fitting moleskin trousers, wine rugby shirt, navy drivers shoes. Not my most stylish combo but comfortable.Big mistake.

I arrived and all the Boys Brigade, leaders, called officers, were in full BB Officer uniforms. Polished black shoes or boots, smart navy trousers, carefully ironed white long sleeve shirts, navy tie with BB Anchor insignia. I’d not remembered the BB being quite so militaristic. The boys themselves didn’t help my situation either because they too were in uniform.

The primary age boys weren’t so bad their uniforms were a BB emblazoned polo shirt or sweatshirt worn with anything they liked.But when the secondary aged boys arrived later that evening, the age group I’d volunteered to work with, they were in a uniform very much like the officers, except that they swapped royal blue shirts for the white ones and wore lots of badges on their arm bands.

The fact that my visit coincided with a visit from the President of Boys Brigade Australia may have meant that the uniforms were subjected to a higher level spit and polish than typical. But I suspect not. I think these guys just take their uniforms seriously, primarily because they take the BB seriously. It’s been a while since I’ve been the scruffiest man in the room. And by quite a margin. 

Part of me quite enjoyed the novelty. The other part of me is a little more persuasive. It will make sure I’m more appropriately attired for my second visit.

I had assumed that we had arrived at a stage in British culture where young men would be unwilling to wear uniforms to something like Boys Brigade, because it was uncool. It’s one thing to wear uniform if your are a sea, air or army cadet. Those are affiliated to professional armed forces and the uniform is non negotiable for the armed forces. However, civilian uniformed organisations like Boy Scouts and Boys Brigade are a different thing altogether.

Boys Brigade Nigeria

But here was a room full of young men aged 13-19 wearing their uniforms with pride. Uniforms that were well ironed, with shoes that were well polished.

I think I might fit in here just fine……