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Why Star Trek Uniform Colors Changed From the Original Series to Next Generation

The uniforms on Star Trek have changed over time, but for reasons that make a lot more sense behind the scenes than on the Enterprise bridge.

star trek next generation uniform change

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast

Even if you don’t know an El-Aurian from an Illyrian, even if you can’t tell the original Enterprise from the Enterprise-D, you’re probably familiar with one of the fundamental rules of Star Trek : redshirts always die.

Unlike many of the popular misconceptions about the series (Kirk doesn’t actually chase women, for example), the redshirt stereotype does have grounding in the show. Over the course of three seasons in The Original Series , 26 characters wearing red tunics died, as opposed to 15 wearing gold and blue combined. But that trend stopped with the Star Trek movies, and continued to fall away with The Next Generation and the spinoffs that followed.

Why, you ask? Because the costume colors signify a crewman’s role on their particular ship, and the color scheme changed between TOS and TNG .

Although some Trekkies hate to admit it, Star Trek didn’t really have much in the way of canon in its first few episodes. Leaving aside the infamous grinning Spock in the original pilot, it took several episodes to decide on the name of Starfleet or the Prime Directive. The same was true of the uniforms, as demonstrated by the luscious green shirt that Kirk sometimes sported.

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By the end of the series, however, the three main colors solidified into the following divisions: those in command wore gold, people such as Kirk and Sulu. Science officers and doctors, namely Spock and Bones, dressed in blue, while everyone else had red shirts. And by everyone else, that includes engineers like Scotty and security personnel, which is why they tended to get killed.

But as is so often the case with all things Trek , the uniforms weren’t entirely what creator Gene Roddenberry had in mind. Most notably, the gold uniforms were actually intended to be green, but read on camera as the color that we know today. During production of the never-released follow-up show, Star Trek: Phase II , Roddenberry wanted continuity between TOS and the new series, not only in terms of the cast, which mixed Kirk and Sulu with newcomers, but also production. In particular, Roddenberry brought back his original series costume designer William Ware Theiss.

However, when production shifted and Phase II became Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Theiss was replaced by Robert Fletcher, who designed costumes for the movie crew through Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . Fletcher maintained some of Roddenberry’s vision for TMP , which tried to match ’70s aesthetics by giving the crew pastel pajamas. But when Nicholas Meyer took over for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Fletcher designed military-inspired uniforms to match the director’s naval warfare vision.

Although most Trekkies prefer the Meyer movies, Roddenberry hated the militarization of Starfleet and, equally important, resented the way his franchise was taken from him. So when Roddenberry regained some power for The Next Generation , he sought to right the ship, so to speak, by making Starfleet explorers again. And with it, he brought back Theiss.

For the most part, Theiss succeeded where Roddenberry and Fletcher failed in TMP . The TNG uniforms feel like ’80s versions of the ’60s original, especially after they were revised in season 3. However, with the emphasis on division colors came a confusing switch. Once again, science officers and doctors wore blue, but command now wore red while operations wore gold. Also, there’s the skant, but only Lower Decks talks about that now.

So why did the colors change? Once again, the answer is simple and almost mundane. Patrick Stewart apparently didn’t look commanding enough in yellow, while Brent Spiner , in his pale Data makeup, didn’t look good in red.

Roddenberry and the producers may have also been amenable to these changes because of the public’s changing perception of the aesthetic of Star Trek at the time. It was the massive success of Star Trek IV that gave Roddenberry the green light for TNG , and in that movie the crew wore the same civilian clothes that they sported in The Search for Spock , but during the first three Trek movies, Kirk wore red (as did Spock and the rest of the crew, because everyone wore red in Meyers’ more militarized uniforms).

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So in the eyes of casual fans, the Captain wore red. And even Trekkies had seen enough of Kirk in red that the idea didn’t seem outlandish.

The Trek uniforms have been altered many times since. TNG and Deep Space Nine later limited colors to the shoulders, a look continued in Voyager . The TNG movies then introduced darker uniforms in Star Trek: First Contact , with division colors on the underliner, a look adopted by later seasons of Deep Space Nine .

These stories adhere to the division colors from TNG , but whenever the franchise goes back to pre- TNG era — including the J.J. Abrams reboot movies or Strange New Worlds — the TOS colors come back into play. Even the prequel series Enterprise , in which the crew of the NX-01 wears blue jumpsuits with TOS division colors on the piping. And then there’s Discovery , which began with blue uniforms and a different division color scheme, but that show started out as its own thing, anyway.

Rest assured, writers both official and on the internet have offered in-Universe explanations for the evolution of the costumes. But the best explanation is that Star Trek , as an ongoing story over six decades old, had evolved and mutated over the years, sometimes in ways that don’t make sense. And as long as some unnamed operations ensign gets killed now and again, that’s just fine.

Joe George

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

Forgotten Trek

Redesigning Starfleet’s Uniforms for The Next Generation

William Ware Theiss is best remembered as the designer of every costume worn in the 79 episodes of The Original Series . From Captain Kirk’s tunic to Edith Keeler’s dowdy dress to the now-infamous daring attire of almost all other female guest stars, Bill dressed them all.

As his colleague of four years, two on Star Trek , Andrea Weaver later said,

Bill Theiss was a creative designer. His designs for Star Trek were original rather than distilled from other sources or redefinitions of previous works. This is what I appreciated about Bill Theiss. I thought that he was a truly unique and rare costume creator.

Theiss returned to Star Trek to design just about every costume worn during the first year of The Next Generation , including the Starfleet uniforms of the twenty-fourth century.

Theiss’ starting point was The Original Series , not the uniforms from the movies, because he felt clothing was, even then, moving toward a less structured look.

Uniform concept art

“They’re made of jumbo-weight spandex; the material swimwear is made from,” he explained. “But I use the inside of the fabric, the dull side, as the garment’s top.”

They’re a simple, uncomplicated design. I try not to make my designs too complex, visually. Simpler is more effective.

With Gene Roddenberry’s approval, Theiss changed the traditional color scheme: red became the color for command and gold the color for engineering and security. Theiss relegated the colors to a distinctive block on the chest and the sleeves and used black for the shoulders. This set off the actors’ faces better. Black on the hips and legs also helped smooth out their figures.

The actors needed all the help they could get in that regard. Although they were all trim and fit, the spandex uniforms were tight, stretchy and unforgiving of the slightest deviation from physical perfection.

William Ware Theiss and Gene Roddenberry

A little more comfort

Theiss left the show after Season 1 and was replaced by Durinda Rice Wood. She created the first of Whoopi Goldberg’s many Guinan outfits and helped develop the look of the Borg.

Uniform concept art

Wood also left after one season and she was replaced by Robert Blackman. No one knew it at the time, but Star Trek ’s design legacy was about to welcome one of its most influential contributors.

Blackman’s first task was making the uniforms Theiss had designed more wearable without changing their look.

I was brought in early that season to redesign new uniforms and it was really hard to do. They wanted things that didn’t stretch, didn’t hurt their shoulders and breathed, but still looked like spandex. So we kept trying to make these sleek, wool outfits.

Blackman’s first attempts weren’t very successful:

If you watch the first six or seven episodes, you’ll see the actors look like they’re in spandex outfits, but they’re made of wool and the actors can’t move, they can’t raise their arms, they can’t do anything.

Eventually, Blackman refined the cut so there was an acceptable compromise between maintaining the form-fitting look of the original costumes and ease of movement for the actors.

Patrick Stewart

Different standards

For the men, comfort was easier to come by, because their costumes were changed from jumpsuits to two-piece outfits.

An offshoot of this successful redesign was the so-called “Picard Maneuver,” a tongue-in-cheek phrase used to describe the distinctive downward tug Patrick Stewart gave to his tunic after changing position.

But Gates McFadden and Marina Sirtis remained in tight jumpsuits and faced ongoing pressure to maintain their ideal weights without variation as a result.

Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis and Wil Wheaton

For guest actresses, like Elizabeth Dennehy (Shelby) and Michelle Forbes (Ensign Ro), the discomfort was a shock.

“They have stirrups on the feet and big shoulder pads, so it’s like you’re being compressed and pulled together by a rubber band,” Dennehy told Cinefantastique in 1992.

Forbes remembered she thought the costume would improve her posture, but -- “About four hours later, I wanted to rip it off my body.”

The twenty-fourth century may have been one of equality between the sexes; on the television stage of the twentieth century, women were still held to a different standard than men.

Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Next Generation Uniforms

Everything you need to know about Star Trek: The Next Generation's Starfleet issue duds.

Star Trek The Next Generation Uniforms

Arguably as recognizable as The Original Series' color-coded "pajamas" are in pop culture today, Star Trek: The Next Generation's Starfleet uniforms are a distinct part of Star Trek's unique vision of the future.

Originally designed by William Ware Theiss (and notoriously modified by Robert Blackman), Star Trek: The Next Generation's uniforms are deceptively simple creations. Dubbed "spacesuits" by the cast of TNG, these uniforms are more than just lycra spandex and/or wool gabardine television costumes.

TNG's Starfleet uniforms evolved over the course of its seven season run, been the subject of their own real world controversies and production problems, and inspired future generations of costuming – appearing as recently as Star Trek: Picard's first season and Star Trek: Discovery's third season.

Like Star Trek's many famous starships, its props, its sets, its aliens, its fictional history, Star Trek: The Next Generation's uniforms have their own lore and their own secrets.

From the inspirations of Wesley Crusher's acting ensign uniform (which never fully zipped up in the back for some reason) to the iconic and progressive skant to Starfleet-issue jockstraps, we've unfolded ten secrets of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Starfleet uniforms that you need to know (before you get suited up for your next convention appearance).

10. Starfleet Stank

Star Trek The Next Generation Uniforms

Star Trek: The Next Generation's first take on the 24th century's Starfleet uniforms were formfitting and sleek, with bold color blocking reminiscent of The Original Series' iconic look. However, in order to conform to designer William Ware Theiss' strict "no wrinkles" rule, these costumes were held taught with stirrups that looped under the actors' boots and pulled down on their backs.

The discomfort associated with these early costumes is much storied in the legacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation and fodder for numerous tales told by the actors at Star Trek conventions. Jonathan Frakes even claimed to have "ripped more than one of them off in frustration." In at least one telling of the horrors of those uniforms, Patrick Stewart stated that the uniforms caused so much back pain that his chiropractor suggested he sue the producers.

Less talked about, however, is the smell.

TNG's OG uniforms were constructed out of lycra spandex, a material not know for its breathability. According to Theiss' successor, Robert Blackman:

There was no give in the shoulder and there was this constant pressure on the actors who were wearing the costumes for twelve to fifteen hours a day. They were very, very much disliked by the actors – uncomfortable to wear, hot, and they retained body odor.

So along with cat poop in corridors , the uniforms also apparently smelled. The set of USS Enterprise-D must've been Hollywood magic.

I played Shipyard Bar Patron (Uncredited) in Star Trek (2009).

Memory Alpha

Starfleet uniform (2350s-2370s)

  • View history

Starfleet uniforms, 2364

Starfleet uniforms (2364)

Starfleet uniforms, late 2360s

Starfleet uniforms (2369), with optional tricorder and phaser holsters , and armbands

In the early 2350s , the Starfleet uniform was completely redesigned. Closer in appearance to those in service during the late 2260s , the new Starfleet uniform spawned several variants, most notably in 2366 , and inspired versions yet to come.

The next major redesign came in the late 2360s , and was used in conjunction with this design for a few years before both styles were completely phased out.

  • 1.1.1 Skant
  • 1.2 Transitional versions
  • 1.3.1 Captain's variant
  • 1.3.2 Maternity uniform
  • 1.3.3 Uniform undershirt
  • 4.1 Lab coat
  • 4.2 Medical skant
  • 5 Utility uniform
  • 6 Covert ops attire
  • 7 Cadet uniform
  • 8 Provisional uniform
  • 9 Other uniform features
  • 10 Rank insignia
  • 11.1 Background information
  • 11.2 Appearances
  • 11.3 External links

Standard duty uniform [ ]

Starfleet commander, Type A standard duty uniform (2350s-2370s)

Command red

Operations uniform, 2365

Operations gold; note that male and female styles are identical

Starfleet uniform opened, 2364

Sciences blue, open

Introduced as early as 2353 , the standard Starfleet duty uniform in use aboard Starfleet starships , at starbases , and at Starfleet Headquarters on Earth , consisted of form-fitting jumpsuits, primarily black but prominently displaying the wearers' division of service. ( TNG : " Suddenly Human ", " Encounter at Farpoint ")

As with earlier Starfleet uniforms, the divisions were distinguished by color, with red for command , gold for operations , and blue for sciences , but switching the command and operations division colors from the earlier uniform designs , while the science division color stayed the same, with the colors shown on the chest, back and sleeves, as well as in piping along the shoulders, collar, and pant cuffs.

Worn with a Starfleet insignia combadge on the left breast, this uniform also displayed rank insignia – in the form of round pips – below the collar on the right side.

Closing at the front, the Starfleet uniform was adaptable for away team missions, including areas to attach phasers , tricorders or other equipment. While most officers wore the single-piece duty uniform, variants were available, such as the "skant" and medical skant versions.

While an updated version of this uniform was introduced in 2366, the 2350s variation remained in service, usually for lower-ranking personnel. This 2350s uniform disappeared from common use between 2367 and 2370. ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " The Child ", " Shades of Gray ", " Suddenly Human ", " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ", " Violations ", " All Good Things... "; ENT : " These Are the Voyages... ")

A similar uniform design was in use by the Starfleet of the alternate reality by 2379 . ( DIS : " Terra Firma, Part 1 ")

Introduced alongside the standard duty uniform jumpsuit, a skirt or " skant "-style uniform was also available to Starfleet officers as early as 2364 . Similar to its jumpsuit counterpart, the skant uniform was a short-sleeved dress that could be worn with or without trousers, and included knee high, or shorter, black boots.

It was worn by all genders – though men tended to wear the shorter boots – until it was phased out of service in early 2365 . ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " The Child ", " All Good Things... ") In 2381, Ensign Mariner asserted that "nobody wears those anymore," in response to Ensign Boimler 's suggestion that they wear skants to the Command Conference held at Starbase 25 . ( LD : " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers ")

Command red (male)

Transitional versions [ ]

Data wearing the earliest revision of the uniform in 2366

A transitional version, between the Type A and Type B, of the uniform, introduced in early 2366, was designed with two vertical seams down the front of the jacket and dart seams in the underarm areas to create a more tailored look. The male design lacked the waistband found in the final Type B jacket revision. ( TNG : " The Survivors ") The uniforms were gradually phased out over a few months. ( TNG : " The Price ")

In 2366, one junior officer wore an unusual hybrid of the two primary uniform designs: a Type A one-piece uniform with division-colored shoulder and ankle piping, but featuring the Type B collar with neckline piping. ( TNG : " Sarek ")

Beginning in 2366, a new uniform variation was introduced to officers serving in Starfleet.

Retaining the same, distinct two-tone style as before, the newer version featured a higher, more formal collar. Division color piping was relocated from the yoke to the top of the collar, leaving a flat black look. The combadge remained on the left breast. Division colors were retained, with wine-red for command/helm, mustard-yellow for operations/security, and teal-blue for science/medical. Uniforms also came with a division color undershirt beneath the uniform jacket that was tucked into the pants just below the breast. ( TNG : " Ensign Ro ")

This alteration to the standard duty uniform was introduced to senior officers only at first, but was ultimately trickled down to lower-ranking crewmembers by 2368 . Still, while all officers aboard starships wore the same basic uniform, senior officers and department heads generally wore the belted version while other crew members wore the tighter, non-belted versions.

Officers continued to wear this style uniform, even after the introduction of the next uniform redesign , which at first was used only aboard starbases. Still, while the two uniforms were worn in service together (giving officers aboard ship a greater choice of wardrobe), the more formal duty uniform fell out of use aboard starships by 2371 . It continued to see use by officers serving at Starfleet Command on Earth or in other diplomatic service as late as 2374 . ( TNG : " Evolution "; DS9 : " Tears of the Prophets "; VOY : " Caretaker ")

Command red: Riker wears the belted version, Elizabeth Shelby wears the one-piece version

Captain's variant [ ]

Jean-Luc Picard wearing captain's jacket

The captain's variant

In 2368, Starfleet had a uniform variant jacket made available to commanding officers in service aboard starships. ( TNG : " Darmok ", " Unification I ", " Cause And Effect ", " A Fistful of Datas ")

Maternity uniform [ ]

Starfleet maternity uniform, 2370

A maternity uniform in 2370

This appears to be a looser-fitting uniform designed to better accommodate the growth of a crew member while pregnant. ( TNG : " All Good Things... ")

Uniform undershirt [ ]

Starfleet uniform undershirt 2360s

Ro Laren wearing the Type B undershirt

The Type B uniform had a sleeveless undershirt in the wearer's division color, worn beneath the uniform jacket and tucked into the uniform pants just below the breast. ( TNG : " Ensign Ro ")

Flag officer uniform [ ]

Janeway's admiral uniform, 2350s

Flag officer uniform, pre-2358

Sometime before 2358 , this uniform was available to Starfleet flag officers .

This uniform consisted of a double-breasted jacket that could presumably be opened like the jacket of the previous style , along with a featureless black belt, pants, and boots. The jacket opening was trimmed in gold, as were the black shoulders and large black cuffs. Gold trim also ran down the back in the same manner that black piping had ran down the back of the previous uniform style. Rank insignia was worn on the right shoulder just above the trim halfway between the jacket opening and the center of the collar, as well as on the cuffs. ( VOY : " Coda ")

Savar's admiral uniform, 2364

Admiral Savar in 2364

This uniform variant, available to Starfleet admirals and other higher-ranking flag officers as early as 2364, featured a design distinguishing it from the standard duty uniform.

Consisting of a short, burgundy and black tunic, with black trousers, this uniform featured gold braid at the yoke, shoulders and collar. It was also marked by a distinct wedge of black material extending from the right shoulder down to the left waist. ( TNG : " Too Short A Season ", " Coming of Age ", " Conspiracy ")

Nakamura's admiral uniform, 2365

Vice Admiral Nakamura in 2365

As early as 2365, another admiral's service uniform was available. Consisting of a short tunic top, with gold braid and yoke piping, the uniform was worn with black trousers.

The uniform rank insignia was displayed as a box-shaped insignia with pips inside, on either side of a high collar. ( TNG : " The Emissary ", " The Measure Of A Man ")

Brand's admiral uniform, 2368

The post-2366 flag officer's uniform

With the alteration of the standard duty uniform in 2366, a new wave of uniforms for flag officers and admirals came into service.

This alteration featured a long service jacket and trousers. Similar to the standard duty jacket, the flag officer's uniform was marked by a V-shaped black cutout, trimmed in gold.

The rank insignia were enclosed pips worn on either side of the uniform collar, as well as displayed on both sleeves with four widely spaced, thin gold braid stripes ending at the cuff. ( TNG : " The Defector ", " Man Of The People ")

Flag officer uniform starting in 2369

In 2369 , a new flag officer's uniform was introduced. Retaining the familiar long jacket and trousers, this newer version was simpler, abandoning the distinctive black wedge cutout from the previous design for a gold-trimmed closure running down the front of the uniform. The sleeves of the uniform were also modified, now bearing the rank insignia within a wide, black cuff.

This version was ultimately retired from service in the year 2374 in favor of yet another design . ( TNG : " Realm Of Fear "; DS9 : " Behind the Lines ")

Dress uniform [ ]

Picard in his dress uniform in 2364

In the early 2360s, Starfleet personnel were issued a standard dress uniform that had a long wraparound tunic top worn with black leggings. An officer's standard rank insignia were not worn; instead, a band of gold braid ran the entire length of the jacket closure. ( TNG : " Lonely Among Us ", " Coming of Age ")

An admiral's version of this uniform also existed, which was worn in the same style, save for the gold braid, which was much thicker. Q once wore this uniform during his second encounter with the crew of the USS Enterprise -D . ( TNG : " Hide And Q ")

Picard in his dress uniform in 2365

Introduced in 2365, this version of the dress uniform introduced rank insignia to the right shoulder and swapped the single gold braid for two narrower braids running parallel to each other (one gold, one silver), which together were the same thickness as the original. The gold braids also no longer extended below the black material that covered the shoulders from the yoke upwards. By 2366, the leggings had given way to a more standard black pants and boots. ( TNG : " Manhunt ", " Sarek "; LD : " Reflections ")

Starfleet dress uniform, 2368

Picard in his dress uniform in 2368

In 2367, the dress uniform was again modified, this time removing several inches of material at the bottom, bringing the bottom of the jacket to mid-thigh just below the hands. A small section of the gold trim that ran vertical from the end of the top opening to the yoke was also removed, leaving only the trim above the rank insignia that ran around the collar. ( TNG : " Data's Day ", " Qpid ", " Cost Of Living ", " The Perfect Mate ", " Chain Of Command, Part I ")

Dress uniforms in 2370

By 2370, the dress uniform jacket had again been shortened, this time just removing enough material to bring the bottom to the hands, just below the waist. This uniform style was used by Starfleet until its retirement in 2374, though officers aboard the USS Voyager used it throughout their mission in the Delta Quadrant ending in 2378 . ( TNG : " Liaisons ", " Sub Rosa "; DS9 : " The Adversary ", " Crossfire "; VOY : " Course: Oblivion ", " Someone to Watch Over Me ", " Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy ", " One Small Step ", " Ashes to Ashes ")

Medical attire [ ]

Lab coat [ ].

Beverly Crusher, uniform with overcoat

Dr. Crusher in her lab coat

Starfleet medical personnel generally wore standard duty uniforms. In some situations, officers like Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher of the starship USS Enterprise -D wore medical lab coats over their sciences division uniform. ( TNG : " Evolution ").

Medical skant [ ]

First design

A variant of the Type A standard duty uniform available to medical personnel. This uniform featured a tunic with a cut similar to that of the Skant style uniform, but apart from black shoulders, was completely medical-division blue. This tunic was worn untucked over separate black trousers, and standard duty boots. The initial design of this uniform featured two front pockets and a raised band in the midsection; these elements were later eliminated from the uniform. ( TNG : " The Child ", " Where Silence Has Lease ")

CMO Dr. Katherine Pulaski appeared to prefer this uniform to the Type A duty jumpsuit. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2 )

Starfleet surgical scrubs

Dr. Pulaski operating in surgical scrubs

During surgical sessions, scrubs were provided to doctors, consisting of burgundy-colored gowns and caps. Medical personnel also wore rubber-like surgical gloves during more intensive medical procedures and surgeries. ( TNG : " Samaritan Snare ", " Ethics "; DS9 : " Life Support ", " Profit and Lace ", " Tears of the Prophets ")

Utility uniform [ ]

Ralph Offenhouse wearing a sciences blue utility jumpsuit

The mid- 24th century uniform issue included a utility jumpsuit for technical personnel. The jumpsuit, in the three standard department colors, was worn over a black, long sleeve mock turtleneck, although some versions had a short black collar built in, and was worn with black boots. Another variation had division-color boots and black sleeves. Personnel wearing utility jumpsuits were sometimes issued combadges. ( TNG : " The Naked Now ", " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " The Big Goodbye ", " Datalore ", " 11001001 ", " Home Soil ", " Coming of Age ", " Heart of Glory ", " Symbiosis ", " Skin Of Evil ", " Conspiracy ", " The Neutral Zone ", " The Child ", " Where Silence Has Lease ", " Contagion ", " Peak Performance ", " Galaxy's Child ", " The Nth Degree ", " Schisms ", " Eye of the Beholder ")

Covert ops attire [ ]

Worf wearing covert ops uniform

Beverly Crusher and Worf in covert ops uniforms

In certain instances of covert operations or espionage , Starfleet officers were afforded specific attire to aid in the completion of their mission.

As early as 2369, some officers wore a black, tight-fitting jumpsuit uniform, not marked with an insignia or any kind of outwardly identifying marks. Distinguished by an optional jumpsuit hood and black boots, this uniform was sometimes worn with a backpack and technical gear for grappelling or other physically daunting tasks. ( TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I ", " Frame of Mind ")

Cadet uniform [ ]

First year cadet Mitena Haro in a cadet uniform, 2366

During the late 2360s, cadets at Starfleet Academy wore distinct duty uniforms consisting of a black, two-piece jumpsuit with division-colored shoulders, which is a reversal of the Starfleet duty uniform colors, resembling the next uniform design .

Originally, the cadet uniform maintained the low collar of the original uniform design, trimmed in black, and had no rank insignia. Two years later, the cadet uniform featured a high collar, with rank (or student year) insignia being added shortly thereafter. Both versions of the cadet uniform bore several large pockets running down the trousers. ( TNG : " Allegiance ", " The Game ", " The First Duty ", " Journey's End ")

This uniform was in use aboard Terrasphere 8 , Species 8472 's recreation of Starfleet Headquarters and the Academy in San Francisco , in 2375 alongside the next version of the standard duty uniform . ( VOY : " In the Flesh ")

Provisional uniform [ ]

The provisional officer uniform in 2364

The provisional uniform was worn by crewmen such as acting ensigns . There have been two variations of this uniform; the first had a light blue turtleneck tunic with navy blue shoulders and collar bordered with the colors of all three divisions. The blue division stripe crossed over the others to form an upward-pointing arrow on the left shoulder, while the red division stripe crossed under to point down. The uniform's navy blue pants matched the shoulders. The second variation was a heathered battleship grey turtleneck with matching trousers and dark charcoal gray ribbed shoulders and collar.

The first variation was worn with no combadge; the second worn with an entirely silver-colored combadge.

Other uniform features [ ]

Some officers wore alternate uniforms at times. Deanna Troi often wore casual clothing while on duty. Other officers, such as Worf, were allowed to wear accessories relating to their culture with their uniforms, but this was at the discretion of the captain. Bajoran officer Ensign Ro Laren was allowed to retain her culture's traditional earring, despite the reservations of some of her fellow officers ( TNG : " Ensign Ro ", " Chain Of Command, Part I "), and once wore a headband the same color as her division. ( TNG : " The Next Phase ") Benzite officer Mendon, participating in the Officer Exchange Program wore a uniform variant with a higher collar. It is unknown if this was in some way related to the breathing apparatus attached to his chest.

Deanna Troi in her casual dress attire

Rank insignia [ ]

The rank insignia were simplified from complex symbols from the previous uniform to small circular pips . These pips were colored either gold or black, to signify full or partial rank, respectively.

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Unused TNG uniforms

Gene Roddenberry reviews a preliminary TNG uniform design

Final TNG uniform review

Studying the final uniforms

Robert Blackman with uniforms, 1989

Robert Blackman examines the original uniform design

The Starfleet uniforms worn during The Original Series were designed by William Ware Theiss , who returned to design the Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms (which were further adapted into future versions in DS9 , VOY and the TNG -era films by Robert Blackman ).

It is possible that the the command and operations division colors from The Original Series (gold and red, respectively) were switched for The Next Generation to make Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes more "commanding." [4]

Patrick Stewart claimed that the change from this Starfleet uniform to the new version after the second season of TNG was thanks to his chiropractor, who recommended Stewart sue Paramount for "lasting damage done to [his] spine." Evidently, the producers wanted to have a smooth, unwrinkled look to the Starfleet uniforms, which put strain on Stewart's shoulders, neck and back after two seasons in a lycra costume that was one size too small. [5]

Among the costumes and uniforms which were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay, was an operations division uniform from this era. [6]

Appearances [ ]

  • Season 1 (all episodes)
  • Season 2 (all episodes)
  • Season 3 (all episodes) (seen on background performers)
  • " Suddenly Human " (photograph only)
  • " Identity Crisis "
  • " Violations "
  • " Second Chances "
  • " All Good Things... "
  • ENT : " These Are the Voyages... "
  • DIS : " Terra Firma, Part 1 " (hologram)
  • LD : " Reflections " (image only)
  • " The Bounty " (flashback)
  • " Surrender " (hologram)
  • Season 3 (all episodes)
  • Season 4 (all episodes)
  • Season 5 (all episodes)
  • Season 6 (all episodes)
  • Season 7 (all episodes)
  • " Emissary "
  • " Second Sight "
  • " The Maquis, Part I "
  • " The Maquis, Part II "
  • " The Jem'Hadar "
  • " Defiant "
  • " Explorers "
  • " The Way of the Warrior "
  • " The Visitor "
  • " Homefront "
  • " Paradise Lost "
  • " Rapture "
  • " The Sound of Her Voice "
  • " Tears of the Prophets "
  • " What You Leave Behind " (flashback only)
  • " Non Sequitur "
  • " Death Wish "
  • " Infinite Regress " (flashback)
  • Star Trek Generations
  • Star Trek: First Contact
  • " Remembrance " (dream)
  • " Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 "
  • " The Next Generation "
  • " The Last Generation " (flashback; archive footage)
  • " Temporal Edict " (seen on a Miles O'Brien holo-statue)
  • " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers " (seen on Data bubble bath bottles)
  • " Reflections " (image and flashback)
  • " The Stars At Night " (flashback)
  • " Parth Ferengi's Heart Place "
  • " Old Friends, New Planets " (cadet uniform; flashback)
  • PRO : " Kobayashi " (hologram only)
  • " Worst Contact "
  • " Holograms All the Way Down "
  • " Walk, Don't Run "

Skant uniform

  • " Encounter at Farpoint "
  • " The Naked Now "
  • " Code of Honor "
  • " Where No One Has Gone Before "
  • " Lonely Among Us "
  • " Justice "
  • " The Battle "
  • " Hide And Q "
  • " The Big Goodbye "
  • " Angel One "
  • " 11001001 "
  • " When The Bough Breaks "
  • " Home Soil "
  • " Coming of Age "
  • " Heart of Glory "
  • " The Arsenal of Freedom "
  • " Symbiosis "
  • " Skin Of Evil "
  • " We'll Always Have Paris "
  • " Conspiracy "
  • " The Neutral Zone "

Utility uniform

  • " The Last Outpost "
  • " Datalore "
  • " The Child "
  • " Where Silence Has Lease "
  • " Contagion "
  • " Peak Performance "
  • " The Best of Both Worlds "
  • " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II "
  • " Final Mission "
  • " Galaxy's Child "
  • " The Nth Degree "
  • " The Host "
  • " The Mind's Eye "
  • " Redemption II "
  • " Silicon Avatar "
  • " Cost Of Living "
  • " The Next Phase "
  • " Schisms "
  • " Rascals "
  • " Eye of the Beholder "

External links [ ]

  • Starfleet uniform (2350s-2366) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • Starfleet uniform (2366-2373) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • Starfleet uniform (2351-2365)  at Spike's Star Trek Page
  • Starfleet uniform (2366-2372)  at Spike's Star Trek Page
  • 24th century Starfleet uniforms  at Ex Astris Scientia
  • 2 Hoshi Sato

Star Trek Costume Guide - Obsessive Costuming Dude

“The Lost Era” Uniform Timeline

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  • January 5, 2022
  • General Star Trek costumes , TNG , TWOK

As a preface to my updated TNG costuming resources and my upcoming TWOK-era uniform projects, I thought it would be neat to examine what we know of the “The Lost Era” uniform timeline, from the TOS-era movies to TNG.

I’ll be discussing the evolution of the TWOK-era uniforms in my upcoming TWOK-era costume analyses , so for now I’ll only be mentioning uniform changes that I believe pertain to “The Lost Era” and TNG-era uniforms.

Also, for this discussion I’ll be confining my observations to (what I believe were) intentional creative decisions, NOT errors, omissions, or “goofs.”

QUESTIONS ...

In canon – that is, only taking into consideration what was actually seen on-screen during the film/TV franchise – it’s not clear when exactly William Ware Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms became the standard uniforms for Starfleet.

All we really know for sure is that it seems to have been during “The Lost Era” between the launch of the Enterprise B (as seen in Generations ) and “Encounter at Farpoint” (as seen in The Next Generation ).

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

How and when the transition between the TWOK-era uniforms and the TNG-era uniforms took place is a vague issue that’s prompted considerable speculation over the years.

Was there another uniform style at some point in the meantime?

Were the TNG-era uniforms phased in slowly, or were they implemented all at once?

After the heavily-structured, naval, even militaristic TWOK-era uniforms, at what point did skin-tight spandex jumpsuits and unisex mini-dresses become the new standard for Starfleet?

The unenviable task of dealing with these questions in a way that would make sense – both chronologically (in-universe), and to the audience (visually) – first fell to William Ware Theiss, as The Next Generation ’s initial costume designer.

WILLIAM WARE THEISS' APPROACH

Prior to the launch of Star Trek: The Next Generation , William Ware Theiss had also been the costume designer for Star Trek: The Original Series and the aborted Star Trek: Phase II .

Star Trek uniforms - The Original Series

Between Phase II ’s abandonment and The Next Generation ’s launch, however, there had been four feature films with the original cast, for which Robert Fletcher was costume designer and Gene Roddenberry had had limited involvement.

These films featured different Starfleet uniforms and numerous classes/variations, many of which are loved by fans (particularly the “Monster Maroons”), but none of which bore much resemblance to any of Theiss’ costume designs for The Original Series .

Star Trek uniforms - The Motion Picture

After the success of these films, the spinoff TV series was green-lit with Gene Roddenberry “restored to power” as a showrunner, who recruited Theiss to be the costume designer for TNG.

Roddenberry is said to have been unhappy with certain aspects of the films, including what he saw as the militarization of Starfleet, which was also reflected in the movie-era uniforms.

I suspect that one reason the TNG-era uniforms were so drastically different from their TWOK-era predecessors was an attempt by Roddenberry to visually distance – or even disassociate – The Next Generation from the TOS-era movies as far as possible.

Furthermore, Theiss’ approach to designing the costumes for the new series seems to have simply been to “pick up where he left off,” perhaps acknowledging superficial aspects of Robert Fletcher’s movie-era uniforms but mostly just ignoring them.

Theiss favored knit fabrics and unstructured uniforms toward the end of TOS, Fletcher favored heavily-structured wool uniforms for ST2 through ST4, and then Theiss designed unstructured spandex uniforms for TNG.

Theiss established three division colors in TOS, Fletcher introduced more and changed their associations, and Theiss returned to the three division colors for TNG.

… etc., etc.

It is my personal belief that Theiss may have felt slighted by Fletcher’s radically-different uniform designs and, after Phase II never made it off the ground, the success of the movies was salt in his wound …

Star Trek Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier

In Star Trek Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier , Theiss is quoted saying, “Bob Fletcher is a very fine designer, and I mean that sincerely – but we don’t design the same way, and there’s no reason we should. Apples and oranges. My personal feeling is, if you go to a structured, woven fabric, and use the kind of tailoring and structuring he’s done, it puts those costumes back, historically, five hundred years, with shoulder seams and shoulder pads of that type.”

But regardless of the personal feelings of anyone involved or the creative direction from The Powers That Be, Theiss’ approach to “The Lost Era” uniform transition appears to have basically been, “Ignore the TOS movie uniforms and pretend they never happened!”

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that, right from the beginning of The Next Generation ‘s pilot, everyone was already wearing Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

The characters on Farpoint Station waiting for the Enterprise to arrive were already in uniform, as well.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

(It wasn’t like the Deep Space Nine pilot in that regard, when the show’s cast members were first introduced wearing the existing TNG-style uniforms and gradually switched over to the new VOY-style uniforms over the course of the episode.)

Star Trek uniforms - Deep Space Nine

The only (other) instance in which Theiss had to address the uniform transition was about a third of the way through The Next Generation ‘s first season, in the episode “The Battle.”

During the episode, Captain Picard mentally relived the events from 2355, which was approximately eight years prior to the episode.

By now, it shouldn’t be surprising that for these flashback events, Theiss dressed the former Stargazer crew in his TNG-era uniforms. 

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Considering Theiss’ apparent attitude AND the fact that this was ultimately just a mental hallucination inflicted by an illegal telepathic device (with malicious intent), I believe it worthy of mention here … but ONLY as a possible example of the Starfleet uniform timeline, not necessarily a factual one. 

That said, in The Next Generation ’s pilot, Theiss DID dress Admiral McCoy in trousers reminiscent of those from the TWOK-era …

I believe this to have been intended to represent the character as a sort of relic and/or “living legend” from generations prior.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Curiously, for the original wardrobe/make-up tests (as seen on The Next Generation season 1 Blu-Ray set ), McCoy was dressed in a variation of his TWOK-era “monster maroon” uniform.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Note the TNG-era communicator, and the lack of the right shoulder strap.

This may have been done purely for convenience, since Deforest Kelley would’ve probably had several uniforms readily-available from the first four TOS movies, or perhaps Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms weren’t quite ready yet.

It could have simply been an experiment, an abandoned creative direction, or any number of other possibilities.

In any event, it never made it on-screen (in-universe), so it technically “doesn’t count.”

I mention it here because it may have been a source of creative inspiration for Robert Blackman, costume designer on The Next Generation from the third season forward.

ROBERT BLACKMAN'S APPROACH

Whereas William Ware Theiss had created this issue and then more or less ignored it (Gene Roddenberry’s potential directions notwithstanding), Robert Blackman inherited it by default when he came on board the show in season three … and he had to contend with it several times over the remainder of the franchise. 

Star Trek costumes - Robert Blackman

(Durinda Rice Wood was costume designer for TNG’s second season, although the issue of the uniform transition never arose that production year.)

Blackman’s strategy for addressing the uniform transition – aside from actually acknowledging it, of course! – appears to have been to “bridge the gap” between the two uniform styles by gradually transforming the TWOK-era uniforms into the TNG-era ones to the best of his ability.

He had numerous opportunities to present various stages of the transition, as he seemingly envisioned it.

Robert Fletcher’s TWOK-era uniforms and William Ware Theiss’ TNG-style uniforms were so radically different, transforming the former into the latter was certainly no easy task – probably not even practical to even attempt, but Blackman certainly did the best he could, considering the situation he inherited!

Some fans have criticized various errors and faux-pas with the TWOK-era uniforms seen during Blackman’s tenure, but personally I’m inclined to overlook most of them considering the incredible difficulty of his position.

Blackman inherited a wardrobe full of notoriously uncomfortable uniforms which needed to be redesigned and upgraded, in a way that stayed true to the essence of their original design while still being new, different, and more comfortable for the cast.

In addition to the monumental task of upgrading an entire production’s worth of uniforms AND introducing a whole line of new ones, he also had to continually crank out costumes for the guest stars and “aliens of the week.”

Whenever a flashback/time-travel/etc. scenario showed up in the script, Blackman would probably have had a week or less to make it all happen, with all the other stuff going on as well!

Fletcher’s TWOK-era uniforms were probably the most intricately-detailed costumes in the franchise, particularly regarding all the various accessories, trinkets, accents, detailing, positioning of the various components

Dedicated fans study for weeks, months, or even years trying to wrap their brains around Fletcher’s uniforms, often with the intention of getting their own, personal costume “just right.”

But Blackman would have a fraction of that time AND would nearly always have to address the issue of the uniform transition, each time never knowing if or when the writers would revisit “The Lost Era,” or during what specific window any future visit(s) would be set.

In short, Blackman had to incorporate the work of five (!) other costume designers into the show, carrying their legacies forward while cleaning up other peoples’ messes AND making his own creative contributions, under weekly deadlines.

With that in mind, I’ll outline what we do know about the Starfleet uniform timeline here, in approximate chronological “stardate order” – that is, the order that events took place in-universe, although the actual episodes/movies referenced were in a different production order.

Unsurprisingly, the TWOK-era uniforms were in full-swing in 2278, approximately 85 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint,” as evidenced by the crew of the Bozeman .

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Interestingly, that actually predates the events depicted in The Wrath of Khan by several years, making this the earliest example of the TWOK-era uniforms seen in-universe!

As mentioned previously, the TWOK-era uniforms were still in style at the time of the Enterprise B’s launch in 2293, approximately 71 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint.”

The following year, 2294, Scotty was aboard the Jenolen when it crashed onto the Dyson Sphere.

He and one other person survived the crash, and he rigged the transporter to preserve them indefinitely until they were rescued.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

When the TNG crew discovered the crashed ship and completed the transporter cycle, we saw that Scotty was still wearing the more casual class (or variant) of his movie-era uniform, like he’d worn for most of the final three original movies.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Since he wound up being the sole survivor of the crash, we don’t know what the other Starfleet passengers or crew was wearing, but I think it’s safe to assume they were still wearing the movie-era uniforms at that point.

And I find it interesting that after his wounds were treated and he’d cleaned up, he continued to wear this uniform style for the rest of the episode.

He didn’t seem to feel the need to switch to the present-day Starfleet uniform, nor did any of the Enterprise crew seem at all inclined to make an issue of it.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

It made sense for the characters, but I also think it was a great creative choice for two reasons:

First, our most recent (and perhaps strongest) visual association with Scotty by this point was like this ; sticking him in the TNG-era uniform would’ve seemed disrespectful somehow.

And second, it was a great visual representation of Scotty’s situation and what his character was dealing with in this episode; he was a man out of time, a relic of the past who wanted so badly to be useful in a world of new engineering and technology that was beyond him.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Aaaand that’s where things start to get a little hazy …

In 2327, approximately 36 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint” and shortly after Jean-Luc Picard graduated from Starfleet Academy, the TWOK-era uniforms were still in use.

However, the quilted turtleneck-style division shirts had been replaced with what appeared to be a plain, T-shirt style division shirt underneath. 

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

In 2343, approximately 20 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint,” the TWOK-era uniforms were still worn in this manner, as evidenced by the memory of Ian Troi that Deanna experienced inside of Lwaxana’s mind during their telepathic connection.

It IS worth noting that this telepathic projection may not have been Ian Troi as he appeared at the time of his death in 2343, but possibly Deanna’s memory of him sometime prior to that year.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Around that time, major changes seem to have been made to the TWOK-era Starfleet uniforms.

By 2344, approximately 19 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint,” the TWOK-era uniforms were still worn by Starfleet crew, but the undershirts had been eliminated entirely, as had the belts.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Curiously, though, the uniforms worn by the enlisted crew members were still worn with belts …

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

A few years later, around 2348 (approximately 15 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint”), the TWOK-era Starfleet insignia pin worn on the left chest had been replaced with the TNG-era communicator, as evidenced by the hologram Jack Crusher made for Wesley shortly after his birth.

It also looks like the division stripes running down the trousers’ pant legs may have been removed, but it’s difficult to tell for sure …

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Chronologically and in-universe, that was the last time that any variation of the TWOK-era uniforms were ever seen on-screen.

As a side note, a minor modification Blackman made to nearly all of the aforementioned “Lost Era” TWOK uniforms was to replace the gold trim on the left sleeve band with red.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

In-universe, this trend may have begun as early as 2293 (albeit intermittently), considering these Demora Sulu and actor Tim Russ’ costumes from Generations :

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

However, at that point it definitely wasn’t a universal change.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

If one wanted to, I suppose one could make a case that, in-universe, the “red trim” thing only kicked in with younger and/or junior officers at that point … but I really just think it was one of the (many) confusing ways that Generations fumbled.

On the other hand, Generations did give Blackman the opportunity to further nudge the TWOK-era uniforms toward their TNG-era successors with Captain Kirk’s vest.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

The black panels on the sides were not only slimming (definitely more flattering on Shatner at that point), but they were subtly evocative of the black panels on the sides of the TNG jumpsuits and TNG skants .

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

This was a great way to suggest the beginnings of a uniform transition, and as a crossover/“passing-the-torch” movie the context was perfect!

Considering the beginning and ending, that’s about as fluid a uniform transformation as could be reasonably expected, short of whipping up some transitional skin-tight, spandex, jumpsuit-style “monster maroon” uniforms …

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

… or some short-sleeved, skirt-length “monster maroons” worn without pants …

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Good call, Mr. Blackman!

Opinions vary regarding the aesthetic appeal of Blackman’s transitional “Lost Era” uniforms and quite a few logistical errors were made over the years, but I think he made a great creative decision to approach the issue the way he did, and I don’t think anyone could’ve done a better job reconciling two radically different uniform styles.

By the time of Jack Crusher’s death in 2353 (approximately 10 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint”), it appears that Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms had become the standard, as evidenced by Beverly Crusher’s flashback of herself and Captain Picard going to view Jack Crusher’s body at what appeared to be a morgue.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

As mentioned previously, as of 2355 (approximately 8 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint”), Starfleet crew seem to have donned Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms, as evidenced by Captain Picard’s hallucinatory recollection.

I find this is somewhat curious, though, since the Stargazer appeared to be a TOS movie-era ship …

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

In fact, the bridge of the Stargazer looked eerily familiar …

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

On the other hand, consistency in Starfleet ship design makes sense, and they often built these ships to last!

We know of numerous starships that were in service for decades, perhaps most famously the Excelsior -class.

And in the episode “Relics,” Geordi even told Scotty that the Jenolen – a ship over eighty years old – might’ve still been in service if it weren’t so banged up.

(And I’m sure that the existence of the TOS movie-era sets at the time of The Next Generation had absolutely nothing to do with any of this …) 

A few years later, in 2358 (approximately 5 years prior to “Encounter at Farpoint”), Blackman wedged in this curious variation of a Starfleet admiral uniform …

It appeared to be a stylistic hybrid of both the TWOK-era and TNG-era uniforms, albeit with the Voyager -era communicator – whoops!

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Again though, all three of the previous examples I mentioned were telepathically-induced recollections/hallucinations/impersonations, forcibly imposed by malicious aliens, so their reliability as evidence is questionable for our purposes.

However, they do seem to lend a certain amount of credence to each other.

Even if we disregard all three of the previous examples, though, Theiss’ TNG-era Starfleet uniforms had still at least appeared by 2353, as evidenced by the photo of Jeremiah Rossa’s parents.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

This seems to validate the Starfleet uniform timeline, as seen in the aforementioned visions/hallucinations/recollections/etc.

There were three additional examples prior to “Encounter at Farpoint” during which we saw Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms being worn by Starfleet crew.

The first was in the Victory ‘s away team sensor logs, about a year before “Encounter at Farpoint,” during which Geordi La Forge was still a junior officer on an away mission with several other crew members, all of whom donned Theiss’ TNG-era uniforms.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

The second was Lieutenant “Thomas” Riker, the transporter clone of “William” Riker from perhaps a year or so prior to “Encounter at Farpoint.”

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

Curiously though, while his uniform was obviously the Theiss-style, it was an unusual variant in two ways:

First, it was a jacket, rather than a jumpsuit.

And second, it appears to have been made from wool gabardine, as Blackman’s TNG-era uniform jackets were, rather than the appropriate jumbo spandex. It was also lined.

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

And lastly, in The Next Generation ‘s final episode, we saw that at the time of the Enterprise D’s launch, all the crew members were already in Theiss’ TNG-era Starfleet uniforms (again, unlike the Deep Space Nine pilot, in which the cast was introduced in one uniform style then changing to the new one). 

Star Trek uniforms - The Lost Era

IN CONCLUSION

I have the greatest respect for Robert Fletcher, William Ware Theiss, and Robert Blackman as costume designers … even if their artistic visions for future Starfleet uniforms were radically different. 🙂

I think they all three did fantastic work on the franchise, and assuming my outsider’s perspective is reasonably accurate, I understand why they each made the decisions they did while making their respective contributions.

Personally, I think Robert Blackman chose the best approach to address “The Lost Era” uniform transition, and I believe he did as good a job as could possibly have been done – particularly under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

If you enjoyed this blog post, please support my costume research on Ko-Fi .

Every bar of gold-pressed latinum goes toward producing more sewing/costuming resources like this, for everyone interested in Star Trek costumes. 🙂

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Awesome article and video! Although there may have been another in-between uniform, as seen in Jean-Luc's crate in his Stargazer cabin in "The Battle". Something I noticed a few years ago.

https://twitter.com/gaghyogi49/status/1284601458265137152?s=20

That was actually Larry Marvick's costume from the TOS episode, "Is There In Truth No Beauty?"

In-universe, I can only assume that it might be in Picard's possession because of his interest in history ... but it might've been Theiss just slipping it into the episodes for reasons of his own.

It's neat to consider it as an in-between uniform concept, but I don't really see any canonical evidence for it.

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Star Trek just altered uniform canon — Prodigy showrunners explain why

The Protostar crew is looking sharp. Here’s how their cool threads are woven into the larger Trek timeline.

star trek next generation uniform change

Starfleet uniforms change constantly. From The Original Series to The Next Generation to newer shows like Picard and Discovery , part of the fun of a Trek series is seeing the latest spin on the uniforms. However, for Trekkie canon-nitpickers, Starfleet’s various fashion shifts have resulted in eras with different uniforms in play simultaneously. And with the big Prodigy cliffhanger, “A Moral Star Part 1,” yet another new Starfleet uniform has been introduced. But Prodigy showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman have answers! Here’s what they said about how Prodigy’s new duds fit into the 2383 timeline of Trek.

When the crew of the USS Protostar decide to return to Tars Lamora for a heroic rescue mission, they also decide it’s time to look like a proper crew. So far, Dal, Zero, Gywn, Jankom, Murf, and Rok-Tahk have been a bit rag-tag in their civilian clothes, because they’re technically not part of Starfleet at all. Visually, this has made them closer to the “motley crew” of the La Sirena in Picard than any other Trek team . This means that suiting up for “A Moral Star Part 1” was a big deal.

In an email interview, the Prodigy showrunner brothers explained why this episode was the right time for the kids to get their new Starfleet uniforms.

Star Trek Prodigy

Even Hologram Janeway got a new uniform this time out.

Why Prodigy got new uniforms

“We knew at this mid-season break we wanted the crew to return to Tars Lamora to save the rest of the miners,” the Hagemans explain. “And as Janeway states, ‘There’s nothing more Starfleet than that.’ So what better time for our crew to don the uniform?”

The Hagemans also reveal that they “never wanted them to don Starfleet uniforms too early in the season,” because when the crew puts on the new uniforms the moment “means something.”

Star Trek Picard

Picard and Raffi in a flashback for Picard Season 1, set in 2385; just two years after Star Trek: Prodigy and four years after Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2.

Prodigy uniforms in Star Trek canon

Because Prodigy takes place in 2383, this specific uniform style now exists alongside two, perhaps three other styles in service at Starfleet. In the 2380-2381 era of Lower Decks we got the funky uniforms worn by the crew of the Cerritos and other California-class starships. Lower Decks also made it clear that these uniforms were in service at the same time as the First Contact -style uniforms which pervaded most of the TNG movies and the later seasons of DS9 . In 2020, Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan pointed out the precedent in ‘90s Trek canon for various uniform styles to change “every year,” and that he hopes to do a Lower Decks episode in which “they’re testing new uniforms on Boimler."

Star Trek Lower Decks

The Lower Decks uniforms probably exist at the same time as the new Prodigy ones.

But in Picard Season 1, we saw a uniform style different from both the Lower Decks and First Contact era. They must have rolled out sometime in 2385, because Picard, Raffi, Icheb, and others wear that style in the flashbacks. So, what gives? Has Prodigy contradicted this canon? Nope! Here’s why.

The Prodigy uniforms might change, again!

According to the Hagemans, these new uniforms and combadge are unique to this specific ship.

“Since the USS Protostar is an experimental starship, we felt it gave us some freedom to create our own uniform design, as long as it fit alongside the uniforms of this era. We, [executive producer] Ben Hibon, and our design team spent a lot of time discussing the badge and uniforms. We had to balance the style of our series, while also recognizing these kids aren’t actually anywhere close to being Starfleet Officers, which is why we went for a stripped-down design.”

They also doubled down on the Mike McMahan approach, saying “we all know different styles of combadges often co-existed in the same era, and we knew we wanted something special for Prodigy. ”

The second part of the latest Prodigy cliffhanger — “A Moral Star, Part 2” — will air next Wednesday on Paramount+, which the Hagemans promise “was written to be a satisfying conclusion to the first 10 episodes.” But, they also point out that the crew still “has a long way to go.”

For fans of the characters, the crew of the Protstar will surely continue to grow and change. But the Hagemans also hinted that those changes could be reflected in even newer uniforms down the line. “Throughout the seasons, we want their uniforms to evolve with them.”

Star Trek: Prodigy airs its early 2022 finale on February 3, 2022, on Paramount+. The series will return with more episodes in late 2022. Read the full Star Trek schedule here.

Phasers on Stun!: How the Making — and Remaking — of Star Trek Changed the World

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This article was originally published on Jan. 27, 2022

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star trek next generation uniform change

The Most Uncomfortable Uniforms In The Universe Led To An Iconic Star Trek Maneuver

Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms

If one was in a critical mood, one might point out that many of the Starfleet uniforms seen throughout "Star Trek" don't really scream professionalism. In the original series, futuristic military uniforms were little more than warm, tight-fitting t-shirts, black slacks, and polished black boots. Women, meanwhile, wore tailored minidresses and black leggings, hardly practical for away missions that may involve hiking, phaser fire, or quick movement. One might need to flex their well-toned headcanon muscles to posit that future fabrics were more durable and regulated temperature better than what we have here in the 21st century. 

On "Star Trek: The Next Generation," things didn't improve much. For one, some of the original minidresses remained in the backgrounds of the show's first few episodes. This was in the decidedly post-minidress year of 1987. To be fair, the showrunners clearly tried taking the curse off of the inherently sexist costuming by putting a few men in minidresses as well. Exposed legs were soon abandoned altogether, however. For the most part, Starfleet officers wore one-piece, long-sleeve jumpsuits that didn't allow for a lot of natural movement and, uh, weren't very flattering. As actor Jonathan Frakes said in Larry Nemecek's "The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion," if you had an extra donut that morning, everyone could see it. 

In his new autobiography "Making It So: A Memoir," Patrick Stewart also proclaimed his distaste for the uniforms, saying that they were ill-cut, clingy, and perhaps a little too reminiscent of show creator Gene Roddenberry's 1960s notions that everyone would wear sexy, skin-tight clothing in the future. Stewart said that he petitioned for a costume change that was eventually implemented ... in the show's third season.

Season one uniforms

In the third season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the uniforms were altered into something that looked more comfortable and more professional. The top portion of the uniform was a roomier tunic and wasn't entirely attached to the pants. The costume designer also added small collars where the characters' rank pips would be placed. Up until then, the actors were stuck in their clingy, sexist jumpsuits. Patrick Stewart was not shy about his opinions of the uniforms, saying: 

"Gene, it is well known, was a fan of cheesecake — he had Marina [Sirtis] wear a minidress and go-go boots in the pilot, as if the 1960s had never ended, and had contemplated giving Deanna Troi three or even four breasts. We all suffered to a degree from a directive to look sexy. Our one-piece uniforms, created by the original Star Trek's costume designer, William Ware Theiss, were made of spandex and deliberately cut one size too small so that they never wrinkled and kept our bodies on constant display." 

The uniforms certainly fulfilled that mandate, but they didn't feel great. Indeed, Stewart said that wearing the unforms actually hurt, writing:

"The problem was that these uniforms, beyond their leaving little to the imagination, were constricting to the point of causing pain. When I stood up straight — a requirement of the role — my one-piece stretched tightly across my chest, thighs, and back, which caused all sorts of aches."

Stewart eventually devised a plan to get out of those uniforms. He wrote that he asked his doctor to petition the producers, claiming that he couldn't wear the tight outfit for medical reasons. If they didn't change the uniforms, Stewart would sue the studio for the cost of his medical bills.

It must remain smooth

Of course, when the uniforms were finally altered, the mandate to keep them smooth-looking didn't go away. There was to be no wrinkling, no bunching. This caused Patrick Stewart to develop a physical mannerism that all Trekkies will instantly recognize. Named after an in-universe starship battle tactic, Stewart's slight tug on his uniform to straighten it out every time he sat down or stood up was soon called the Picard Maneuver. Stewart wrote:

"It took a couple of seasons to implement the changes, but finally, a new costume designer, Robert Blackman, sympathetically came up with a two-piece uniform made of polyester. My new getup, with a top separate from my trousers, was still snug, but it had plenty of give. Gene, however, was adamant that Captain Picard's uniform must always be unfailingly smooth. So every time I sat down in my captain's chair, I tugged on the hem of my tunic — a tic that 'Star Trek' fans have named the 'Picard maneuver.'"

So even though the uniforms had been altered to be more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, Stewart still had to keep his clothing unwrinkled. I guess wrinkles are a 20th-century problem. And Stewart was hardly the only one to perform this maneuver. Trekkies might recall seeing multiple cast members having to adjust their uniforms constantly. 

The more recent "Star Trek" uniforms were eventually replaced by a pajama-like outfit with a soft, grey, cotton collar that extended up from a seeming long john-like undergarment. Well, when they weren't corsets . In recent years, there have been a slew of new uniforms across multiple series. Few of them have managed to look properly professional or military-grade. At the very least, the newer uniforms look much more comfortable than spandex jumpsuits.

What Star Trek Uniform Colors Mean

Star Trek's uniforms have undergone a staggering variety of changes over the years. The famous tricolor coding, however, has remained intact. Mostly.

From its earliest incarnation, Star Trek has used its distinctive uniforms to help stand apart from other science fiction epics. Over time, they became as important to the franchise as the phasers and transporters: particularly the unique "tricolor" patterns of red, blue and yellow. Every series has its own version, and the specific designs vary as a way of making each series distinctive.

The colors themselves have very specific meanings, though that has shifted from show to show and from design to design. Most of the time, it sticks to the basic parameters set by The Original Series , with the colors designating different departments comprising Starfleet. But a few big changes have come and gone as the franchise has evolved over the years.

RELATED: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season Finale Is a Near Perfect Cliffhanger

The Original Series' Uniforms Helped Star Trek 'Pop'

The two Star Trek pilots -- "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before" -- established the basics of Star Trek 's uniform colors. But the tones were muted and understated, and the rapid expansion of color TV in the 1960s demanded something that popped. The Original Series brightened the colors while formally distinguishing what each one meant: red for security and engineering departments, yellow for command and flight control, and blue for science and medical. The Kelvinverse reboot movies starring Chris Pine use the same color coding for their redesigned variants of the classic uniforms.

William Shatner also wore a wraparound green tunic on occasion, as well as a formal uniform composed of green fabric. (The color disparity resulted from lighting and film stock at the time, which made the green fabric look yellow.) Other departments wore color-coded formal uniforms of the same cut. In addition, enlisted crewmen wore coveralls loosely coded to the department where they worked, and variations such as red workout uniforms would crop up as well. No special significance was attributed to their colors.

The Movies Made Radical Changes to the Star Trek Uniforms

The first Star Trek movie opened over a decade after The Original Series ended, and changing times meant a change in the look. The tricolors went out the window starting with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in favor of muted, neutral tones such as brown, beige, and sky blue. No particular significance was connected to specific colors. Instead, the Star Trek symbol on the uniform's left breast contained a color circle behind the delta, coded to match the wearer's department.

Those uniforms proved too wishy-washy and prompted another redesign. The "monster maroons" made their debut in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , patterned after classic naval uniforms of the 19th century. Every officer's outer tunic was the same deep red, with the color of the shirt below indicating department and duty. White was for command, light green for medical, gold for engineering, dark green for security, dark blue for operations, gray for science, communications, and navigation, and red for NCOs and cadets. Though radically different, the uniforms made for a winning look and remained with the original crew throughout their movie adventures.

RELATED: Strange New Worlds Finally Lets Its Most Underused Character Shine

The Next Generation Brought Back the Tricolors With a Twist

Star Trek: The Next Generation took the opportunity to return to the tricolors of The Original Series , though the cut and pattern underwent a big change. That cemented the red, blue, and yellow as a definitive part of Star Trek: so much so that the franchise's introduction now features the tricolors streaming behind the starships onscreen.

As with The Original Series , the colors each denoted different departments on a starship, with one key change: red now indicated command and helm, with yellow for security and engineering. (Science and medical stayed blue.) That came partially as an attempt to reverse the infamous "red shirt" stigma, but it also had a very practical purpose: stars Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes looked much sharper in red than yellow.

Deep Space Nine and Voyager Gave the Design a 'Fatigues' Look

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine arrived toward the end of The Next Generation 's run and brought a variation to the now-established uniforms. The tricolors moved to the top of the outfit, leaving everything black below the shoulders and a standard gray shirt underneath. That helped the show distinguish itself visually from its predecessor. The new uniforms were intended to serve as Starfleet's "fatigues," workaday outfits for the more rough-and-tumble world of Deep Space Nine . Star Trek: Voyager used the same design throughout its run, and it also appeared in Star Trek: Generations .

Star Trek: First Contact delivered yet another change, with the gray moving to the outer garment and the undershirt now colored to denote department. Deep Space Nine adopted this design during its later seasons, though Voyager -- trapped in the Delta Quadrant -- pointedly did not. In every case, the colors never changed their meaning, denoting the same departments that they did in The Next Generation.

RELATED: Why Deanna Troi Wore a Starfleet Uniform in TNG's Final Seasons

Star Trek: Enterprise Altered the Look Yet Again

The renaissance that started with The Next Generation concluded with Star Trek: Enterprise : a prequel covering the early days of humanity's interstellar exploration and the founding of the Federation. The officers donned uniform blue coveralls reminiscent of submarine crews. Colored piping indicated the crew member's department: matching the Next Generation 's coding for red, blue and yellow.

In addition to distinguishing Enterprise 's crew from that of other shows, the redesign was intended to connect the "classic" Star Trek uniforms to the fashions and patterns of the modern world. It also made a soft nod to the monster maroons of the Star Trek movies. More importantly, it indicated the political differences between the human fleet and future allies like the Vulcans who had not yet joined Starfleet. The ship's two alien members -- T'Pol and Dr. Phlox -- are markedly not in uniform.

Discovery Bridged the Gap Between Enterprise and TOS

When Star Trek: Discovery re-launched the franchise in 2017, it faced a conundrum for its uniforms. The show was set between the "blue coveralls" era of Star Trek: Enterprise and the classic look of The Original Series (and eventually Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ). The first two seasons found Starfleet still wearing blue, though they resembled more formal military uniforms than the coveralls of Enterprise . Metallic piping on the sides denoted department: gold for command and helm, silver for sciences and medical, and copper for engineering and security.

In Season 3, the crew of the Discovery shot forward to the 32nd century, where they assisted in rebuilding a shattered Federation. That resulted in another series of redesigns, incorporating new variations of the tricolor patterns. Red indicated command, gold was for operations (including helm), blue for sciences, and white for medical.

RELATED: Picard's Enterprise-G Uses 'Old' Designs to Make Star Trek Feel 'New'

Picard, Lower Decks, and Prodigy Continued the Tricolor Tradition

The remaining shows in the latter-day Star Trek renaissance -- Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy -- have adopted the same design philosophy as The Next Generation era. Each series features unique uniform designs patterned around the tricolor formula to denote department. Every series' look is unique, but the specific use of color coding remains true to the era in the timeline: matching the specific departments as used in The Next Generation .

In addition, Star Trek: Prodigy introduced cadet uniforms for its young crew. They were black and gray, without any specific color coding. It helped distinguish the crew from Admiral Janeway's crew, who spent most of the first season in pursuit of them and who wore variations of The Next Generation- era uniforms.

What Do The Star Trek Uniform Colors Mean & Why Are They So Important?

Star Trek cast posing in their red uniforms

"Star Trek" is definitely a technicolor wonderland of a show. That sense of eye-catching brilliance trickles down from the background scenery to the props used by each cast member, all the way to the uniforms the show's central crew wears as a part of their duties. 

It's easy to notice that the crew of the Starship Enterprise wear tunics in varying shades. Those colors are quite important — they denote which job class each crew member belongs to. Those classes were devised by series creator Gene Roddenberry and costume designer William Ware Theiss, and are intended to resemble the classifications used by the United States Military on noise-heavy aircraft carriers. 

Sometimes there are differences allowed for dress uniforms; the command staff, for instance, will wear green uniforms during formal occasions. And these rules aren't hard and fast ones; across the whole universe of "Star Trek" series, films, and other ephemera, the colors various officers wear on the show and the meanings behind them change depending on when the scene takes place in the show's general timeline. But these are the color codes that most often denote each character's job on the ship, and the ones used during the original "Star Trek" series to explain who is who and what they do.

The term 'red shirt' gained a negative connotation

Even if you're not a "Star Trek" fan, you've probably heard jokes about how often red-shirted officers are introduced to the show, only for them to quickly die during away missions. For a period of time, the term "red shirt" became a dirty word in the "Star Trek" world; it's gone on to take on a larger cultural significance, indicating that a person is a disposable background element easy to get rid of. And yet many of the show's red-toting characters are the franchise's longest-lasting individuals. The class encompasses the engineering, security, and communication staff positions on the Enterprise. Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan) are among the most prominent crew members who wear scarlet hues. To wear red on the bridge is definitely a high honor.

Are 'red shirts' more doomed than their counterparts? Mathematician James Grime weighed in on the subject during a talk at New York's Museum of Mathematics in 2017. A simple statistical calculation revealed that 10% of the show's red-shirted denizens die during the original show's run — compared to 18 percent of golden-shirted characters. "There is some truth in the old 'Star Trek' myth if you look at security officers ... 20 percent of security officers died. So I think the moral of the story is, if you're on the starship Enterprise and you want to survive, be a scientist," he said.

Ironically, crimson red was eventually used to denote a position of authority on the ship; the uniforms that debuted in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" place the crew in scarlet togs, with no color divisions to mark them.

Blue denotes a scientific mind

If you're feeling blue during your time on the Enterprise, then you're probably logically-minded. Throughout much of the original "Star Trek" series, blue uniforms were given to the show's science and medical officers. That's why Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett), and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) can be seen sporting blue tunics throughout the series' run. The designation of blue uniforms hasn't changed much during the course of various "Star Trek" series; blue and purple shades are used to indicate ship medics in such continuations of the universe as "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Blue was also the chosen shade for the crew uniforms in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," with splashes of brown, oatmeal and white. This change didn't go over well with the cast. Their rebellion against the baggy uniforms went beyond their alleged unsightliness; costume designer Robert Fletcher sewed shoes into the bottom of each uniform, forcing the actors to ask their assistants for help in completing simple tasks such as going to the bathroom. A change was promptly made for the next film, and the red Navy-style uniforms stuck with the whole movie franchise until "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was launched.

Golden shirts denote power

Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), meanwhile, sports a gold-colored shirt. These are the outfits worn by those in command: largely, captains and other figures of authority. In other iterations of the show, gold tunics are worn by members of the ship's security staff. In any event, it's a uniform that denotes power.

But those shirts weren't actually intended to be golden at all; in reality, they were pale green tunics that were filmed as golden or orange-looking thanks to the sort of film the show used. According to an interview conducted with Bill Thiess in 1988 for Star Trek Prop Authority , it wasn't the show's intent to present Kirk and other captains as wearing gold at all. "It was one of those film stock things; it photographed one way – burnt orange or a gold. But in reality was another; the command shirts were definitely green." Unfortunately, thanks to that mistake the look has stuck, and Kirk's uniform is more often remembered as golden instead of green.

Whether they're sporting green or dodging danger in red, there's one thing officers on the Enterprise definitely know how to do – look stylish in a timelessly classical way.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Sherpa Blanket

Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Sherpa Blanket

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This Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Sherpa Blanket lets you relax in ultimate comfort after a long day of commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise. Featuring the iconic colors of the Star Trek: The Next Generation command uniform on the soft mink front and a cozy sherpa back, this Star Trek blanket is perfect to snuggle up in as you unwind during the evening.

  • You'll never need another blanket! This blanket is the perfect addition to your home, it looks good and is a nice companion on cool nights.
  • Made Of: 100% polyester.
  • Care: Machine wash cold on gentle cycle with mild detergent and similar colors. Tumble dry low or lay flat to dry for longest life.

Ordering Information

  • Return Policy: We will gladly accept returns for any reason within 30 days of receipt of delivery.
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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Sherpa Blanket

Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Beach Towel

Make your next beach vacation the best one yet with this Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Beach Towel. Perfect for crew members in the command division, this soft Star Trek: The Next Generation beach towel keeps you dry while showing off your love for your team.

  • Whether at the beach or pool you will use this beach towel as your favorite accessory all summer!
  • Measures: 30"x60".
  • Made Of: 100% Velour Terry Cotton.
  • Care: Please wash before using towel. Pile and softness will return.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Beach Towel

Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt

Are you ready to join the command division of Starfleet? Then you will love adding this official Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt to your wardrobe. Perfect for those who excel in the command division aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise , this tee is a must-have addition to your wardrobe.

PRODUCT DETAILS:

  • CUSTOM STAR TREK APPAREL: This official Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt is made of 100% cotton for ultimate comfort during space travel.
  • OFFICIALLY LICENSED: Wear these officially licensed Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt everywhere you go to show your love for your favorite franchise
  • PERFECT FOR GIFTING: These official Star Trek Uniform T-Shirts make an out-of-this-world birthday, holiday, or graduation gift to any Star Trek fan!
  • From Star Trek marathons to exploring new areas of the galaxy aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, this Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt is a must-have look for any fan.
  • Wear this classic Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt over and over again by machine washing cold on a gentle cycle with like colors. Tumble dry low.
  • Availability: Ships to the United States and Puerto Rico.
  • Shipping Policy: For more information, see our Shipping Policy here .

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt

Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Throw Pillow

If you are in the command division on your starship, then you deserve some R&R every now and then! Inspired by the command uniform of crew members aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Pillow lets you relax in comfort while showing some pride for your division.

  • Show off your favorite shows or characters with this vibrant throw pillow. You'll want to be able to display one of these in each comfortable spot in your house!
  • Measures: 16” Wide x 16” Tall.
  • Made Of: spun poly material with down alternative; blown and closed.
  • Care: Spot Clean or Dry Clean Only.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Throw Pillow

Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Tote Bag

You can let everyone know your status in the command division by throwing this spacious Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Tote Bag over your shoulder. Featuring a design inspired by the iconic red command uniform, this Star Trek: The Next Generation tote bag will become any fan’s favorite accessory.

  • Dimensions: Bag 15" x 15"
  • Maximum weight limit: 44lb
  • Handle length: 11.8".
  • Made Of: 100% spun polyester fabric, Dual handles 100% natural cotton bull denim.
  • Care: Handwash.

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  • March 9, 2024 | The Star Trek: The Cruise VII—A Voyage Like None Other

The Star Trek: The Cruise VII—A Voyage Like None Other

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| March 9, 2024 | By: Aaron Bossig 1 comments so far

Often dubbed “a Star Trek convention at sea,” Star Trek: The Cruise flips the script on traditional conventions. Since its first sailing in 2017, the official Star Trek cruise has embraced its mantra of being “the un-conventional voyage.” While you will find all the trappings of land-based conventions like celebrity autographs, photo opportunities, and shopping, the real draw to Star Trek: The Cruise is in its week-long immersive schedule giving you seven days of living like you’re in Star Trek. The seventh cruise which returned to port earlier this month may have been the best yet.

Morale officers

The “Morale Officers” are a group of elite hostesses provided by ECP to keep the Trek energy going

An immersion into Trek

The illusion of being part of Star Trek begins the second you step off the gangway and are greeted by the ship’s welcoming staff dressed in Starfleet uniforms. The theme from Discovery floats out of the sound system and onto the deck. A turbolift, complete with LCARS display, drops newly arriving passengers onto The Promenade and Quark’s Casino.

Quark's at STTC7

“Come with latinum, leave with memories.”

Everywhere you look, there is some element of the franchise you came to celebrate.

Lower Decks portrait

Visitor’s to the “Mariner’s Retreat” pub will appreciate the decor

As a seven-day event, Star Trek: The Cruise is twice as long as most other conventions. The extra time affords opportunities to provide extra-rich programming. You’ll find the panel discussions tend to have more thoughtful questions, the entertainment events really indulge the actors theatrically, and the fun and games are thoughtfully designed for dedicated Trekkies—as are the local watering holes.

Subspace Rhapsody Bar

The Subspace Rhapsody Bar is a place to keep us connected

Fans and celebs become as one

Not only does the ship look and feel like a part of the fictional final frontier, but the fans and celebrity guests are agreeing to live and party as one for the week. As Connor Trinneer said during the Enterprise panel :

“I will say that, for me at least, the Cruise experience is far and away the better experience.  Conventions are great, but there’s something about being on the ship that after a day, everybody just relaxes, and the encounters that you have. And people aren’t nearly as nervous when you get into an elevator with them at a convention in Vegas or San Francisco or wherever. I really enjoy these for that very reason. We get to interact with you much, much more than we do at a convention.”

Connor Trinneer Anthony Montgomery John Billingsley STTC7 Enterprise Panel

Enterprise ‘s Connor Trinneer (onstage with with Anthony Montgomery and John Billingsley) appreciates the more relaxed atmosphere of Star Trek: The Cruise

Trinneer makes a good point: Only a few hours after he said that, I shuffled into the turbolift on my way to my next scheduled event to find myself sharing a ride with Walter Koenig. He gave me a big grin, looked at my hair (which poufs up in a manner not unlike Captain Pike’s) and asked, “Wow, is your hair really like that?” Pavel Chekov, Mister I-had-to-wear-the-Davy-Jones-wig himself, liked my hair. That’s the elevator for you!

STTC7 Turbolift

You’ll be tempted to ride the elevators just to read the wall decorations

Many of the activities on both ship and shore have fans directly interacting with Star Trek’s most famous names. The conceit of Star Trek: The Cruise is that the guests are the “crew,” and they are there for you, something that you start to experience from day 1.

star trek next generation uniform change

John de Lancie presents original musical performance for Star Trek

Panels go deep

With the multitude of panel events throughout the trip, STTC provides the opportunity to focus on very specific aspects of the show’s creation and hear directly from the people who were on the production team. When Gates McFadden hosted a screening of Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘s “Genesis,” which she directed, it was more than just a behind-the-scenes commentary about amusing accidents that happened on set. McFadden was able to talk about her first experience directing Star Trek, having already worked on Labyrinth and other projects with Jim Henson in which she coordinated choreography and puppet movement. Throughout the session, Gates pointed out how her focus on movement (also an effect of her dance background) influenced her use of camera angles in establishing shots as well as the placement of characters in sickbay scenes. These artistic choices were fresh in 1994, and today continue to add visual flair to modern Trek.

Having access to a full theater and all day at sea, Gates and the audience were able spend time on the commentary in a way that would be difficult at a convention.

Gates McFadden at STTC7

Gates McFadden describing how she wanted each scene of “Genesis”  to convey a sense of movement

In addition to featuring a huge number of Star Trek actors, STTC pulls the curtain back and gives a platform to the writers, science advisors, and others who have helped shape the Star Trek Universe. Michael and Denise Okuda were on board presenting a series of retrospectives on their work making Star Trek visually believable since the 1980s. Through a series of highly detailed photos, Michael described how his graphic designer’s eye compelled him to make alien languages seem visually believable. Denise explained how she used her historical knowledge of the space program and Trek lore to assist in the remastering of The Next Generation and to achieve the distinct look of the Enterprise bridge.

LCARS Binder

Denise Okuda describes the panel graphics Michael keeps stored in a binder

Evening stage shows keep you interested… and laughing

After spending time taking a good look at the business and craft of producing Star Trek, it’s good to just have some fun with the Trek legacy. Fortunately, being on a boat with numerous performing stages gives the Trek actors a chance to do what they do best: put on a show. Panels and workshops take a backseat to stage shows, which are frequently the highlight of an evening on Star Trek: The Cruise.

John de Lancie’s musical history of the Curtis Institute, marked by a newly composed piece based on “Darmok,” was the highlight of the week. The concert gave passengers the chance to appreciate Star Trek’s influence on the world at large while at the same time gaining an appreciation for the legacy and impact of a great musical school. Knowing that the music was composed by a fellow fan, Nick DiBerardino , made the audience feel connected, and knowing that several of the musicians performing were also fans increased the sense of camaraderie. De Lancie’s words during the Picard panel illustrate how he knew the audience on The Cruise would be receptive:

“I think it’s an opportunity for many of us to show different sides of ourselves than what you generally know us as at a convention. I mean, a convention is a very narrow working area, you know: how do you do, what’s your name, a couple of questions and off we go. This is an opportunity to sit down and have lunch with people, and have a drink with somebody. It’s much more of, quite frankly, what I think Trek created fifty-seven years ago. An umbrella, in this case the ship, with like-minded people.”

Curtis Institute Graduates

Curtis Graduates perform “Darmok” as composed by Nick DiBerardino, on stage with John de Lancie

One evening, the audience gathered in Studio B for Wil Wheaton’s reading of his memoir Still Just a Geek , and to hear Wheaton confront difficult memories of his past and family life. The writing was excellent and Wheaton is a gifted storyteller, but there was something else going on that night: The tone of the crowd was less about watching an entertainer and more about showing support for a fellow human being working through difficult memories no person deserves to have. At the start of the event, Wil acknowledged that he didn’t have specific stories in mind and was simply going to choose to read the chapters he felt most in need of reading that day. Intended or not, the event became a strong example of the Star Trek fan community’s focus on mental health.

Wil Wheaton Still Just A Geek

Wil Wheaton struggles through a particularly difficult passage from his book Still Just a Geek

It was the reading of “Spock’s Brain” which really captured the energy that makes Star Trek: The Cruise such a special experience. Rather than simply play back a well-known (and not particularly beloved) TOS episode, the Trek actors jump in with both feet to re-interpret the story comedically. Will Robert Picardo play Brainless Spock in an even more droll manner than he portrayed The Doctor? Can Wil Wheaton contain his joy at getting to play Bones? Is that prop actually made out of picnic supplies? When the audience knows the story so well, telling it a different way is a great way to get a laugh.

Spock's Brain at STTC7

Robert Picardo in the role he was born to play, with Wil Wheaton, Todd Stashwick, Gabrielle Ruiz,  Denise Crosby, and Nana Visitor

From shuffleboard to shuttlecraft… and trivia with the stars

Some passengers opt out of shows and events and spend their nights roaming the ship itself. If you’d like an adventure where you truly blend into the world of Star Trek, sit down for a professional makeup session with an artist like Thomas Surprenant . If you can sit still in a makeup chair for several hours (please expect no sympathy from Armin Shimmerman or John Billingsley), you can emerge wearing full Klingon, Borg, or Cardassian makeup. Not only will it look as good as anything on the show, but it’ll be durable enough to wear for several days. Those shore excursions will be extra exotic now! Makeup sessions need to be scheduled well in advance.

Makeup artist at STTC7

Thomas Surprenant gives passengers the alien makeover of their choice

Even if your idea of a great evening is sitting down at the bar and passing the night away, Star Trek: The Cruise finds ways of making sure you’re never far from a new friend or a good time. As passengers gathered at the Trek-themed pubs throughout the ship, activities popped up to keep conversation lively, build friendly competition, or just encourage some singing and dancing.

STTC7 Cosplay

On Star Trek: The Cruise, every pub crawl is an adventure

You might be the resident Star Trek expert in your immediate circle of friends, but that changes entirely when you’re on a ship with 2,800 other fans who love the show as much as you do. If challenging your Trek knowledge sounds fun, a trivia contest is held nightly, where a Trek actor walks the audience through a list of 20 multiple choice questions.

Picard Trivia Michelle Hurd

Michelle Hurd and one of the ship’s Morale Officers lead the Picard trivia session in 5 Forward

Be warned, the questions start off easy but quickly advance to a point where even the most dedicated fans might be second-guessing themselves. Prizes are awarded to participants who get the highest scores.

If being on the high seas makes you feel musical, you’ll be in sync with Trek stars like Chase Masterson and Mary Chieffo, who enjoy hosting karaoke nights. With the packed audiences always supportive and friendly, karaoke often becomes more than just a single fan performing; it quickly rolls into sing-alongs, dancing, or even a conga line. In the case of Chase Masterson’s party, a conga line is as pretty much guaranteed as a dabo table gag. And in the event you haven’t had enough singing, don’t be discouraged from starting your own impromptu Subspace Rhapsody .

Chase Masterson Karaoke

Chase Masterson has a microphone for anyone who’s ready to sing

And of course, it still is a cruise. With all the Star Trek going on there are all the amenities of the ship, the beauty of being at sea, and the exploration of the ports of call.

star trek next generation uniform change

Take in a sunset on the deck

Cruise VIII cabins can be booked starting March 12

With Star Trek: The Cruise VIII scheduled for 2025, featuring a fresh itinerary including Costa Maya, Belize City, and Cozumel, the un-conventional voyage shows no signs of slowing down. Most promising, however, is the continued commitment of both the fans (who rush to book cabins for the next voyage as early as possible) and the Star Trek celebrity guests, many of whom return year after year.

Cabins for Star Trek: The Cruise VIII will be available to the public on March 12 at StarTrekTheCruise.com .

Gorn Star

What happens on Cestus III, stays on Cestus III

More cruisin’ with TrekMovie

Check out cruise logs for  Day 1  ,  Day 2 ,  Day 3 ,  Day 4 ,  Day 5 , Day 6 , and Day 7 .

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Screen Rant

Star trek generations: why only some uniforms changed to ds9's.

One of the baffling things about Star Trek Generations is why some TNG crew members are wearing DS9 uniforms. Here's what caused the wardrobe mix-up.

One of the strangest aspects of Star Trek Generations is why some crew members of the U.S.S Enterprise-D were wearing the standard Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms while others wore the newer Starfleet jumpsuits from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager . Even weirder was how Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), and Lt. Commanders Data (Brent Spiner) and Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) changed from the TNG uniforms to the DS9 gear during the film with no cause or explanation.

Released in 1994, Star Trek Generations marked the TNG cast's leap to the big screen. To make their first movie extra special,  Generations featured appearances by Star Trek: The Original Series legends Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), and Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig). The big draw was Picard and Kirk finally meeting and teaming up — which resulted in Kirk's death and the original Captain of the Enterprise getting written out of the franchise. Star Trek Generations was also an extremely busy and eventful movie: Worf (Michael Dorn) was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, Picard learned that his family in Le Barre, France died in a fire, Data activated his emotion chip and had to navigate having feelings for the first time, and the U.S.S. Enterprise-D was destroyed. But the curious case of Star Trek Generations ' changing uniforms is something many Trekkers are still confounded by 26 years later.

Related: Star Trek: Sisko Meeting Kirk Was Much Better Than Picard

When Star Trek: The Next Generation launched in 1987, the cast wore form-fitting, collarless, one-piece jumpsuits. At the start of TNG season 3, the costumes changed to the more popular duty uniforms, a two-piece ensemble with raised collars containing the pips denoting the Starfleet Officers' ranks. When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine debuted in 1992, that series' cast received distinctive jumpsuits, which reversed  TNG 's black shoulders with the Officers' division colors and featured a zippered front and a turtleneck. For Star Trek Generations , the producers decided to make some changes for the big screen: the TNG cast got new Starfleet insignias and brand new uniforms were ordered for the film, which were mostly identical to the TNG TV outfits, except the raised collars were now colored and the pips were moved to the right upper chest; however, just a few days into shooting the movie, the producers suddenly decided to scrap the new uniforms altogether. Star Trek Generations'  action figures are the only place the abandoned movie uniforms can be found.

The last-minute call to dump the new movie uniforms led to the decision for Star Trek Generations' cast to wear a mix of the DS9 and Star Trek: Voyager uniforms (the Kate Mulgrew-led spinoff was in preproduction during the TNG movie's shoot). Even though only some of the main cast would be able to wear new uniforms in Generations , this ostensibly fulfilled the producers' requirement to have "new uniforms" for the film. As a result, Stewart, Frakes, Spiner, and Burton borrowed costumes from the DS9 and Voyager wardrobe departments. However, since the uniforms on loan were fitted for DS9 stars Avery Brooks and Colm Meaney and Voyager cast members  Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang — not the TNG cast — it's noticeable throughout the film that the new uniforms don't quite fit.

And yet, no in-movie rationale was given as to why Picard, Data, Riker, La Forge, and some random background actors wore the DS9 -style jumpsuits while everyone else remained in their TNG uniforms and it makes viewing Star Trek Generations rather odd. This incongruity does, however, give Generations the distinction as the only Star Trek  movie mixing different TV series' uniforms on screen.

Starting with the next film, Star Trek: First Contact , the TNG cast finally got their new movie uniforms, which had blue-grey shoulders over colored turtlenecks — a look that was so popular, DS9 adopted it in season 5 and it became the standard Star Trek uniform for years after. But there are yet other uniforms in Generations : when the TNG crew first appears in their debut film, they're on the holodeck wearing 19th-century British naval uniforms. Amusingly,  Star Trek Generations wouldn't have been significantly weirder if Picard and his crew kept wearing those togs for the whole movie instead of switching back-and-forth between the TNG and DS9 uniforms.

Next: Star Trek: Data's Insurrection Role Sets Up Soji In Picard

/Film

Why Star Trek: The Next Generation Was Put On Hold For Years And Years

"Star Trek" was canceled in 1969 and then, 18 years later, the sequel series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" premiered. Reviving canceled shows is standard practice these days, when streaming services have all but replaced network TV and cable. However, the "Star Trek" renaissance was only possible thanks to a feature of that old model of TV: syndication, where a series would be sold for broadcast to multiple different channels.

In a 2007 oral history of "The Next Generation" by Entertainment Weekly, Robert H. Justman (a producer on what's now called "Star Trek: The Original Series") said that syndication reruns of "TOS" were why the suits were interested in a new "Star Trek" series. "[The reruns] just gathered up a whole slew of people who had never seen the show," Justman recalled.

That new "Trek" show ultimately became "The Next Generation." However, it was first conceived of in the late 1970s as "Star Trek: Phase II." That show would've been a more direct sequel to the original, with most of the original cast returning. It failed to get off the ground — because of "Star Wars." Trekkies and "Star Wars" fanboys have an infamous rivalry over which series is America's premier space-set series. However, this time, Paramount was taking its "Trek" cues from the Galaxy Far, Far Away.

Read more: 12 Reasons Why The Original Series Is The Best Star Trek Show

Star Trek: Phase II, Interrupted

As D.C. Fontana (a writer on both "Star Trek" and "The Next Generation") told EW, scripts for "Star Trek: Phase II" were written; the pilot of "TNG" — "Encounter At Farpoint" — was meant to launch "Phase II." Then, she said, "Star Wars" came out in 1977 and Paramount decided they'd rather make a "Star Trek" movie instead. After all, George Lucas' new epic proved that audiences would line up to see starships and space battles convincingly portrayed onscreen. Paramount thus shelved "Phase II" and the "Original Series" cast instead reunited on the big screen for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."

It was only after "Star Trek" proved to be a viable film franchise that a new TV show was produced, which morphed from "Phase II" to "The Next Generation." The title shift reflects the premise being redone; the new series was literally a new generation of characters, with a new starship Enterprise, who followed in the originals' footsteps. "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry accepted the offer to lead "TNG" because Paramount made it clear the series was happening with or without him. However, it was only under later writers, such as Ronald D. Moore, that the series came out of the shadow of "Phase II" and found its footing — footing firm enough to hold for seven seasons total.

Moore, who has since co-created the alternate history space race series  "For All Mankind," acknowledged this "Star Trek" trivia in that series. In this timeline, "Phase II" went ahead, "The Wrath of Khan" was the first "Star Trek" movie instead of the second, and "The Next Generation" became the third and final "Star Trek" series. A world without "Deep Space Nine"? Not sure I could bear that.

Read the original article on SlashFilm .

Star Trek The Next Generation Unnatural Selection Dr. Pulaski old

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COMMENTS

  1. Star Trek: Why TNG's Uniforms Were Redesigned For Season 3

    Star Trek: The Next Generation made several design changes to its version of the Starfleet uniform after the 2nd season, mainly because the original uniforms were causing significant problems for the actors.Star Trek: The Next Generation was the second series in the Star Trek franchise. It ran from 1987 to 1994 and focused on Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D.

  2. Why Star Trek Uniform Colors Changed From the Original Series to Next

    Features Why Star Trek Uniform Colors Changed From the Original Series to Next Generation. The uniforms on Star Trek have changed over time, but for reasons that make a lot more sense behind the ...

  3. "Picard Maneuver" & Star Trek: TNG Uniform Change Explained By Patrick

    Star Trek: The Next Generation changed uniforms in season 3, which Patrick Stewart explains was due to his campaign to secure more comfortable outfits for himself and the cast. Stewart's autobiography, "Making It So: A Memoir," delves into his years playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard on TNG, the four movies that followed, and Star Trek: Picar d.

  4. Why Star Trek's Ever-Changing Uniforms Are More Than Just Style ...

    In the original "Star Trek," the female officers wore miniskirt uniforms, a sexist trope that "Next Generation" tried to take the curse off of by depicting male officers wearing them as well ...

  5. Why Did Deanna Troi Wear A Starfleet Uniform In Star Trek: The Next

    On Star Trek: The Next Generation, Counselor Deanna Troi wore different uniforms than the rest of the USS Enterprise crew.; In the pilot episode, Deanna Troi was seen the Starfleet skant, which actor Marina Sirits called "the cosmic cheerleader" outfit. However, near the end of Star Trek: TNG Deanna Troi starts to wear a Starfleet uniform and she has a good reason to do so

  6. Star Trek: Every Starfleet Uniform & History Explained

    Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan would introduce one of the longest-lived uniforms in Starfleet history. These uniforms consisted of a red jacket, white long sleeved turtleneck and black pants with red piping. It also featured the now-iconic Starfleet insignia on the left breast, as well as new rank insignia on the right shoulder.

  7. 15 Times Star Trek Changed Its Uniforms and Why

    Published Aug 22, 2023. Star Trek's costumes changed with every series, usually with a lot of thought put into the reasons. Here are 15 times Starfleet's uniforms changed. Star Trek 's uniforms are an indelible part of its appeal, starting with the classic "tricolor" tunics in The Original Series . As the franchise expanded, the costumes have ...

  8. Starfleet uniform (late 2360s-early 2370s)

    The Starfleet uniforms introduced in the 2360s and '70s were designed by TNG, DS9, and VOY veteran costume designer Robert Blackman, based upon William Ware Theiss' designs from The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Starfleet uniforms designed by Robert Blackman for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was intended to set the look ...

  9. Redesigning Starfleet's Uniforms for The Next Generation

    Theiss returned to Star Trek to design just about every costume worn during the first year of The Next Generation, including the Starfleet uniforms of the twenty-fourth century. Spandex. Theiss' starting point was The Original Series, not the uniforms from the movies, because he felt clothing was, even then, moving toward a less structured look.

  10. Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Next Generation Uniforms

    10. Starfleet Stank. CBS. Star Trek: The Next Generation's first take on the 24th century's Starfleet uniforms were formfitting and sleek, with bold color blocking reminiscent of The Original ...

  11. Starfleet uniform (2350s-2370s)

    The uniform was used primarily by background actors, though "Encounter at Farpoint" featured both Deanna Troi and Natasha Yar in skant-type uniforms, the latter only briefly. Troi wore the uniform with obvious hosiery, while Yar was shown bare legged.While Troi got a new look entirely for subsequent episodes (according to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p.

  12. Star Trek uniforms

    (Star Trek II). Uniforms similar to the officer style are shown in the Next Generation television series, although without the turtleneck (either replacing it with a crew neck, or no undershirt at all) or belt, and sometimes with the TNG-era combadge replacing the Starfleet badge (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise", "Dark Page", "Family, "Violations ...

  13. "The Lost Era" Uniform Timeline

    Around that time, major changes seem to have been made to the TWOK-era Starfleet uniforms. By 2344, approximately 19 years prior to "Encounter at Farpoint," the TWOK-era uniforms were still worn by Starfleet crew, but the undershirts had been eliminated entirely, as had the belts. TNG, 3x15 "Yesterday's Enterprise".

  14. Why didn't Star Trek: The Next Generation change their uniforms when

    This is further supported by the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, which characterizes the VOY/DS9 uniform style as a "Jumpsuit". - Kevin Laity. Apr 12, 2017 at 18:03 ... something like 'You assumed that uniform changes in the military are always 'branch-wide', they aren't!' Then move on to your evidence (this is the majority ...

  15. Star Trek just altered uniform canon

    Starfleet uniforms change constantly. From The Original Series to The Next Generation to newer shows like Picard and Discovery, part of the fun of a Trek series is seeing the latest spin on the ...

  16. Star Trek's Starfleet Uniform Colors: What They Mean & Why They Changed

    Star Trek's iconic uniforms have through a variety of changes in color designation and design in the past 57 years for a variety of reasons.In Star Trek: The Original Series' unaired pilot, there were only two colors - blue for the science and medical divisions and gold for everybody else.Due to the costs involved in mounting a second pilot for the network, the gold uniforms were retained for ...

  17. The Most Uncomfortable Uniforms In The Universe Led To An Iconic Star

    The more recent "Star Trek" uniforms were eventually replaced by a pajama-like outfit with a soft, grey, cotton collar that extended up from a seeming long john-like undergarment. Well, when they ...

  18. H&I

    The Original Uniforms in The Next Generation Were Extremely Uncomfortable. Star Trek: The Next Generation brought many changes to the iconic Starfleet uniform. One notable difference from the original series was the color coordination of rank, making red the color for commanding officers and ending the "red shirt of death" trope once and ...

  19. What Do Star Trek Uniform Colors Mean?

    Star Trek: The Next Generation took the opportunity to return to the tricolors of The Original Series, though the cut and pattern underwent a big change.That cemented the red, blue, and yellow as a definitive part of Star Trek: so much so that the franchise's introduction now features the tricolors streaming behind the starships onscreen.. As with The Original Series, the colors each denoted ...

  20. Why did Worf wear red in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 1?

    I've read several questions and answers here about the uniform colours in Star Trek and their significance. E.g. this answer gives the following list of uniform colours covering the TNG era (with supporting links to Memory Alpha):. Red/Maroon - this denotes the COMMAND division. Examples are anyone on the command track, including helmsmen, administrators, and commanding officers.

  21. What Do The Star Trek Uniform Colors Mean & Why Are They So ...

    A change was promptly made for the next film, and the red Navy-style uniforms stuck with the whole movie franchise until "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was launched. Golden shirts denote power ...

  22. Uniforms

    from $44.95. Exclusive. Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt. $29.95. $23.95. $32.95. Fast Ship Item. Star Trek cosplay costume, holiday decorations or to gift to any Star Trek fan! Star Trek uniform apparel and accessories are the perfect addition to complete your Star Trek cosplay costume, holiday decorations or to gift to ...

  23. The Star Trek: The Cruise VII—A Voyage Like None Other

    An immersion into Trek. The illusion of being part of Star Trek begins the second you step off the gangway and are greeted by the ship's welcoming staff dressed in Starfleet uniforms.

  24. Star Trek Generations: Why Only Some Uniforms Changed To DS9's

    One of the strangest aspects of Star Trek Generations is why some crew members of the U.S.S Enterprise-D were wearing the standard Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms while others wore the newer Starfleet jumpsuits from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.Even weirder was how Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), and Lt. Commanders ...

  25. Why Star Trek: The Next Generation Was Put On Hold For Years And ...

    After Star Trek: The Original Series ended, the TV show was on hold for 18 years before The Next Generation came along - and Star Wars is partly to blame.