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Girl Scout Swim Suits

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Imagine, if you will, heading out to the lake or the beach, or maybe the local swimming pool, wearing your official Girl Scout "Bathing Suit" made of 100% WOOL!

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In 1933 the price of the "bathing suit" dropped to just $1.50, although the picture and description remained the same. This might have been an error, as by 1934 the price returns to $2.50.

What do the words "brand" new mean, when the "brand" is in quotation marks in this 1937 catalog?

Trefoil moves to the hip area, right hip as seen in image, or left hip as seen in catalog. The 1939 catalog image (above the swimsuit on right) shows the seams of the suit and the trefoil on the correct side. The 5-102 swim suit from 1937 got dumped into the clearance section pretty fast.

The 1941 swim suit does not seem to have any GS identification. 8-160

Surprise! In 1935 a blue swim suit with the Mariner's logo was offered!

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Subtle changes through the years; 8-161, 8-162, 8-163 styles

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Two view of the same 8-164 swim suit.

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When white rick-rack was added to the swimsuit, the coding number changed to 8-A164 in 1950, but reverted back by 1951 (with the white rick-rack)

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1948 marks the debut of the Brownie Bathing Suit, in 2 fabric choices. 8-166, 8-167

8-165, small changes bring changes in coding numbers

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8-169 has a white Brownie emblem, 8-170 (right) has a brown emblem.

The green swim suit was designed by famed Catalina.

8-168, 8-170

For a change, the Girl Scout swim suit is in bright yellow. 8-171, 8-172

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Attention to details is needed for this swim suit, but you still won't get all your questions answered. Our 1959 "model" with the red hair braid is seen modeling again, this time in the green and white swim suit. On that suit the GS logo is on the left hip on a green stripe. In 1964 did the swim suit really change it's stripes? The GS logo is still on the left hip, but on a white stripe. Just to keep it confusing, two of the images of the real suit shows the GS logo on the RIGHT hip. 8-170. 8-174

Tangerine became a popular color for Brownies. 8-173

The Girl Scout and Brownie dolls of the era had somewhat matching swim wear!

965 The Golden Magazine carried this Sally Senior Paper Doll with the current Girl Scout swim suit.

1970 brings us to the end of Girl Scout Swim Suits...

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