Dress Code

As role models for our campers, we always choose appropriate clothing, and present ourselves with a clean and neat appearance (this includes maintaining regular personal hygiene).

Staff Uniform: The staff uniform consists of a staff shirt (provided) AND black shorts (chino or khaki fabric) with at least a 5-inch inseam. This uniform will be worn on opening and closing days (days when campers arrive and leave), and other important times when we want to look our best!

Everyday Attire: Everyday attire is very relaxed and casual. You’ll want to bring at least a week’s worth of clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty – you have an assigned laundry day once a week. T-shirts and athletic shorts that follow the dress code are great choices.

Shoes: All staff must wear closed-toe shoes with a back or strap and socks while campers are present at camp. Croc-like shoes and most Keen sandals are acceptable so long as they have a back strap and closed toe. Why? To protect your feet! At camp we will be walking a LOT on sometimes uneven ground and walking through wooded areas. There are two exceptions to this rule:

  • Flip-flops or sandals are permitted in the shower/pool area.

  • One day a week, at the leadership staff’s discretion, staff may be able to wear Chaco-like sandals with a back strap and open toes.

What about my tattoos/piercings/dyed hair?

At Camp Potomac Woods, and in all of Girl Scouting, we are committed to diversity and fair treatment for everyone. We believe that the quality of your work should be judged by the quality of your work, and not on any personal identification standard or appearance-based standard. However, we are very committed to our responsibility as professional role models, which includes presenting a “clean” and neat appearance, avoiding excessive or vulgar displays of facial piercings or body modifications and adhering to the camp dress code. Modifications to your personal appearance are completely acceptable as long as they:

• Do not detract from the mission of camp.

• Are not deemed excessive, vulgar or offensive to campers, camper parents or other camp staff.

• Do not change noticeably during the course of any single camp session. (i.e. blue hair on Wednesday, no hair on Thursday)

We also recommend that you save all new tattoos until after your summer adventure at camp. Tattoos do not heal well in hot, humid environments or on sweaty bodies. Your tattoo is permanent - you want it to look good and heal well.

What dress code items are not allowed at camp?

Items showing words or images that may be interpreted as sexual, drug/tobacco/alcohol related, or discriminatory are examples of inappropriate clothing choices. Clothing that shows your midriff or any part of your bra or underwear are also items that should be reserved for days off or be left at home. (No bras, breasts, bellies, or bums.) One-piece swimwear or MODEST two pieces like tankinis are required. The following items are unacceptable and may NOT be worn when working at camp:

  • Pajamas or PJs cannot be worn all day unless it is specifically PJ day. No lingerie or nightgowns.

  • Clothing must not have large holes or tears that expose indecent amounts of skin or holes that expose areas that are required to be covered.

  • No fishnet stockings

  • No bare midriffs, spaghetti straps, halter tops, tank tops with large sleeve openings, tank tops with less than 2” wide straps, basketball jerseys (unless a T-shirt with sleeves is worn underneath), see-through, mesh, or sheer tops through which undergarments can be seen, or shirts/tops that expose the entire shoulder.

  • Leggings or yoga pants are okay, but cannot be worn on incoming and outgoing days

  • No clothing or jewelry may be worn with suggestive or questionable language or drawings. (some examples may include, but are not limited to the following: graffiti, gang related symbols, racial, ethnic, and/or sexual slogans or innuendos, tobacco products, pictures or language about alcohol, violence, weapons, drugs, language that is blatantly disrespectful of others’ beliefs, or images deemed offensive or not in good taste).

  • NO low-cut blouses/shirts/tops or extremely tight tops, tube tops, or any top that exposes excessive cleavage.

  • Bikinis or monokinis (one-piece suits with large portions of exposed skin; such as opened belly and back.)