star trek uniforms memory alpha

Screen Rant

Star trek: every starfleet uniform & history explained.

From the colorful tunics of Kirk and Spock all the way to the grey bodysuits of the 32nd century, we're breaking down every Starfleet uniform.

Star Trek's utopian idealism may be eternal, but Starfleet's fashion sense is in seemingly constant flux. Virtually every iteration of the franchise has featured a new uniform for its Starfleet heroes. Sometimes they come off more like superhero costumes, sometimes they seem like strict military wear, and many other times they're somewhere in between. From Captain Kirk's gold tunic to the sleek blue body suits of Star Trek: Discovery , there's no shortage of iconic Starfleet uniforms.

There's rarely an in-universe reason given for the constant costume changes in Star Trek , though the real world reason has always been to keep the franchise looking fresh and sleek, and often to echo real world fashion sense, as well as trends in sci-fi costuming.  Gene Roddenberry's original vision for  Star Trek  has gradually evolved as the series has grown and developed — it's only natural that the look of the franchise, including the iconic Starfleet uniforms, would change as well.

Related: How New Star Trek Shows Avoid A Classic Voyager Trope

The following discussion is a rundown of the primary Starfleet uniforms only; there are scores of variations, like dress uniforms, admiral uniforms, and away team gear. Bearing that in mind, these are all the iconic looks of the Starfleet uniform through the years.

Star Trek: Enterprise

As was appropriate for the prequel series about humanity's first forays into deep space, Star Trek: Enterprise featured economical, functional blue jumpsuits. Colored piping on the shoulders indicated which division each crew member was a part of - gold for command, red for operations, and blue for sciences. Rank insignia were displayed on the right shoulder, with an assignment badge on the left sleeve. Unusually for Star Trek uniforms, these featured plenty of 21st century details like zippers and pockets, sometimes making Captain Archer and crew look like the galaxy's most sophisticated janitors.

Star Trek (2009)

Featured briefly in the opening scene of J.J. Abrams first Star Trek film - with Thor's Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk - these uniforms were something of a middle ground between the look of Enterprise and Star Trek: The Original Series . The jumpsuits were now replaced by tight fitting spandex, but still in fairly muted colors, with blue for command, gold for operations, and grey for sciences. Rank insignia was displayed on the cuffs of the sleeves.

Related: Discovery Officially Makes J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Movies Canon

Star Trek: Discovery

A massive departure from what came before and what would follow, Discovery's all-blue uniforms featured a jacket and pants with striping down the sides, as well as chunky black boots. The striping on the shoulders indicated divisions - gold for command, silver for sciences, copper for operations - and the Starfleet badge worn on the right breast featured both a division symbol and rank pips. This uniform was in service at the same time as a slightly modified version of the classic TOS uniform.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Perhaps the most iconic uniforms in all of Star Trek , The Original Series' uniforms were also perhaps the simplest. These uniforms consisted of a colorful tunic, black undershirt and black pants with black boots. Command classes wore either gold or green tunics, operations wore bright red, and sciences utilized a baby blue. Rank was displayed on the cuffs of the sleeves. This uniform also offered numerous slight variations, like Dr. McCoy's short sleeves and Captain Kirks' wraparound tunic, while most female crew members wore a skirt variation.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

A completely new look was introduced in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Gone were the colorful tunics of TOS , replaced by muted jumpsuits in Star Trek: The Motion Picture 's   polarizing big screen debut . The variations are almost too numerous to list, but the basic look was a jumpsuit that was either blue, white, or beige, with division patch attached to the chest. The uniform also featured a life support belt, and shoes that were integrated into the trousers, creating some unfortunate footie pajama comparisons. The Motion Picture would be the only Star Trek project to utilize this style of uniform.

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

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. Minor variations of this uniform would be used for all of the remaining TOS cast films, and even featured in some Star Trek: The Next Generation flashbacks and time travel stories.

Related: Star Trek: Every Mirror Universe Episode

Star Trek: The Next Generation (Version 1)

The debut of Star Trek: The Next Generation saw the next radical reinvention of the Starfleet uniform. The uniform featured a streamlined jumpsuit design, with the pants and shoulders in black, and the torso either red for command, gold for operations, or blue for sciences. The rank insignia were displayed on the collarbone. The Starfleet combadge made its debut with this uniform - the Starfleet insignia doubled as a communication device. The TNG cast infamously hated the spandex costumes, as the way they were designed caused several cast members to have back problems, and they'd be redesigned for the show's third season.

Star Trek: The Next Generation (Version 2)

Featured during seasons 3-7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation , this is perhaps the second most iconic Starfleet uniform after the colorful tunics of The Original Series . The tight bodysuit look was left behind for a gaberdine material, with raised collars and solid black belts added to the look. The rank insignia were moved up to the collar, and the shoulder piping removed. Captain Picard would wear a variation of this uniform in later seasons that featured a grey sweatshirt and a jacket with the two-toned pattern.

Related: Star Trek Reveals The Federation Knows What Happened To TOS' Spock

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Deep Space Nine ditched the formality of the TNG uniforms for something darker and more utilitarian. These uniforms were largely black jumpsuits, with only the shoulders in red for command, gold for operations, and blue for sciences. The Starfleet delta symbol was slightly updated, changing the back piece from an oval to a buckle shape. A grey undershirt was utilized, and it wasn't uncommon to see officers with their sleeves rolled up, something of a visual cue to the grittier, grimier stories DS9 intended to tell. And while tonally different, Star Trek: Voyager would use this uniform for its entire seven year run.

Star Trek: First Contact

The next major evolution of the Starfleet uniform, this version kept the basic shape of the TNG -era uniforms, though with new color variations. The uniform consisted of black pants and a black and grey jacket, with a colored shirt underneath to signify divisions, once again going with red for command, gold for operations, and blue for sciences. The rank insignia remained on the collar, though they were also added to the cuffs.

Related: Star Trek: The Kelvin Borg Ruined Picard's Most Iconic Moment

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Utilized concurrently with the uniforms introduced in First Contact -  as seen during the first season finale's heroic USS Titan moment - the Lower Decks uniforms are something of a middle ground between the look of the TNG movies and TNG the series. The division colors from TNG were maintained, though a new delta symbol with no backing was used. The uniform consisted of an angular dress shirt with black pants and boots.

Star Trek: Picard (Version 1)

The Starfleet uniforms featured in Star Trek: Picard's flashbacks were predominantly black with colored shoulders to indicate division, still utilizing the division colors established in TNG , and with the rank insignia still on the collar. The delta insignia first seen in Deep Space Nine and First Contact was still in use as a combadge.

Related: Star Trek Theory: Worf Replaces Data In Picard Season 2's Story

Star Trek: Picard (Version 2)

Extremely close to the look of the original DS9 uniforms, the Starfleet uniforms of Star Trek: Picard's relative present were, again, mostly black, with standard TNG division colors on the shoulders and collar. The delta symbol was updated to the version glimpsed in the possible future seen in the TNG series finale "All Good Things," and the rank insignia was moved to the chest.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3

Star Trek: Discovery 's relocation to the 32nd century brought with it yet another new Starfleet uniform. This time the uniform is largely grey, with a stripe down the left side of the uniform signifying division - red for command, gold for operations, and blue for sciences, and white for medical. The combadge is now an oval shape, and is not only a communication device, but a holographic tricorder and personal transporter as well. The rank insignia are displayed on the combadge, while captains wore additional rank insignia on their shoulders.

Next: Star Trek: Every Major Character Who Died & Was Better For It

Star Trek Uniforms Fully Explained

Since its premiere more than 50 years ago, Star Trek has been at the center of a growing web of culture, television, film, and fandom. With nine television series and 13 films, with undoubtedly more to come, there is a wealth of material to analyze and enjoy. Today, an enthusiastic fan can take just a single aspect of the Star Trek universe and dive into it for weeks.

Take uniforms. A seemingly simple concept, right? Star Trek generally focuses on the experiences of people serving in Starfleet, essentially a futuristic version of the Navy in space. So, Starfleet uniforms should be fairly consistent, even boring. Everyone's supposed to look like a cohesive group, so there should be little variation.

However, the uniforms of Star Trek are so varied and connected to the intricate fictional world of the franchise that it's pretty fascinating. Someone appearing on Star Trek: The Next Generation and then showing up again in a film like Star Trek: First Contact will probably have to fit themselves into two very distinct outfits. With more than five decades of stuff to go through, says CNET , there's a dizzying variety of looks for what's supposed to be a pretty staid quasi-military organization.

Practically everything about the history of Star Trek uniforms is linked to behind-the-scenes stories, real-world creativity, in-universe drama, and even a touch of fashion history here and there. From color, to cut, to material, there's a lot to learn.

Color is key to Star Trek uniforms

In Star Trek: The Original Series , which ran from 1966 to 1969, you can't miss the brightly hued uniform shirts sported by the crew of the starship Enterprise . Captain James T. Kirk and other members of the command staff sport golden yellow tops, says Mental Floss . Blue is reserved for the science department and medical personnel, so you'll see it on Mr. Spock, the second-in-command, and the ship's physician, Doctor McCoy.

And what of the folk in red uniforms? According to Star Trek lore, these poor "redshirts" are little more than cannon fodder, though, officially, red is for communications, admin, and security. If you're watching an episode where a random, red-clad crewmember is asked to beam down to the planet with the main cast, don't get too attached. They're probably going to get zapped, eaten, or otherwise annihilated to further the episode's plot.

Of course, there are some exceptions. Statistically speaking, says Nerdist , redshirts are not that bad off. Consider also that red shirts adorn major characters like Scotty, the ship's chief engineer, who made it through the entire series.

Now that you've got that settled, remember that it's only good for one series. In later Star Trek shows, red and gold switched places. Captains like The Next Generation 's Jean-Luc Picard wore a dark red, while his security chief, Worf, wore gold.

Starfleet rank is shown by pips and stripes

Like so many real-world military organizations, Starfleet hinges on rank. Crewmembers are expected to follow orders, but on starships that can carry thousands of people, who are they supposed to take seriously? That's where the rickrack comes in.

In Star Trek: The Original Series , rank was denoted by stripes of gold ribbon on someone's sleeves. The more stripes, the higher the rank. Generally speaking, says Atlas Obscura , two or three stripes means a captain. Commissioned officers are a safe bet for one stripe. Non-commissioned people get either a bit of braid or nothing at all. The stripes were brought back for the reboot films beginning in 2009.

The follow up series, Star Trek: The Next Generation   went for something different during its 1987 – 1994 run. The colors became a more muted, and the old rank stripes, which, frankly, looked like something you might have picked up from your local craft store, were retired. In their place, officers wore "pips," subtle little pins, on their collars. The higher someone's rank, the more pips they sported.

Other films played around a bit with the rank symbols, like the different colors and badges shown in 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Still, they weren't too off the original mark. Generally speaking, the more junk on someone's uniform, the more likely it is that you'll have to follow their orders.

The original series went for velour

Futurama 's Zapp Brannigan character, a send-up of Captain Kirk, is all about his velour uniform. The first Star Trek series really was into luxurious velour, too, but the fabric proved challenging to maintain. It's not as if the 1960s were known for comfortable natural materials, after all.

According to Esquire , the fabric initially used in Star Trek: The Original Series was a little flashy. Costume designers used a stretch cotton velour for the tops, with a black synthetic Dacron infused with sparkles for the pants. Both materials were meant to subtly glitter under studio lights, lending the uniforms a shimmery, 23rd-century, spacefaring feel. 

Unfortunately, the velour was a flop. Many called it "that rotten velour," noting that the fabric tended to shrink in the wash and could tear easily. In the third and final season, designers substituted it for a double-knit nylon, says CNET , which proved to be a much hardier fabric, especially when it got thrown into the washing machine.

Captain Kirk's special green shirt was a little embarrassing

Originally, reports Atlas Obscura , the command staff of Star Trek: The Original Series was supposed to be sporting a muted green. Under the studio lights, though, the cameras read the green velour as a golden yellow. The production team simply went with it for the rest of the series.

Careful observers of the 1960s run will note that Captain Kirk is sometimes seen in a very green tunic-style shirt. According to an interview with series costume designer Bill Theiss , that's because it was made out of a different material. That particular shirt looked genuinely green. This is also why some of the colors in the original series seem to change, said Theiss. Even the miniature of the Enterprise could appear ever so slightly green under the right conditions.

William Shatner, the Canadian actor who played Kirk, wasn't necessarily fond of the tightly wrapped look, says Cinemablend . "It was a little embarrassing after lunch to have that tight green thing on you," he said.

Star Trek's women went from pants to miniskirts

The first pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series , " The Cage " is an odd duck. Though it was shot in 1964, it didn't make it to screens in its complete form until a Betamax release in 1989. Bits of the story were included in the season one two-parter "The Menagerie," but it contained only the briefest glimpses of what might have been.

These included things like a smiling Spock, different uniforms, and a woman in command wearing pants . Star Trek: The Original Series is notorious for its gendered uniforms. The men wore pants and long-sleeved shirts. Female crewmembers were confined to miniskirts so short that Lieutenant Uhura, the communications officer, always seemed on the verge of an embarrassing situation when she sat down.

That's partially why Number One, the second-in-command in "The Cage," stands out: She's wearing pants. Number One, played by Majel Barrett, is also a daring commander. But she wasn't considered right for the character. When Star Trek got its second pilot, none of the women were in command, and certainly none of them wore pants. Barrett returned, albeit as the emotional, mini-skirted Nurse Chapel.

Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura, offers up a counterpoint. "I was wearing [miniskirts] on the street," she told the BBC . "What's wrong with wearing them on the air? [...] It was the era of the miniskirt. Everybody wore miniskirts."

The first Star Trek movie shook took uniforms in a weird direction

Star Trek: The Motion Picture looked like it was going to be a big deal. The 1979 film was the first time that fans would get to see their beloved crew on the big screen. Anticipation was high. Then, the movie debuted.

It landed with a dull thud. While die-hard fans still got enjoyment out of Star Trek 's film debut, most viewers couldn't get past the plodding story and dialogue-heavy scenes. It made just enough profit to justify a sequel, to be sure. SyFy contends that The Motion Picture did originate some interesting new trends for the franchise, like wearable communicators and redesigned Klingons . Still, few would point to this entry as their favorite Star Trek movie.

Some of the blame surely lies with the redesigned uniforms. Where The Original Series had colorful, if somewhat cartoonish togs for the crew, The Motion Picture made it look like everyone was going to the weirdest slumber party ever. According to Memory Alpha , the crew was now outfitted in two-piece tunics and one-piece jumpsuits in mind-numbing shades like pale blue and beige. At least the women on the crew were dressed in the same jumpsuits worn by the men. They might have looked oddly dull for space adventurers, but crewmembers like Lt. Uhura didn't look like they needed to worry about errant breezes. And, if nothing else, the space pajamas look pretty comfortable.

The Wrath of Khan redeemed Star Trek uniforms while cutting costs

Though Star Trek: The Motion Picture began the series tradition of changing Starfleet uniforms at every opportunity, rebooted uniforms didn't get very eye-catching until the second film. In Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, both the plotting and the uniforms got a much-needed upgrade.

To be fair, the striking red jackets of The Wrath of Khan wouldn't have existed as we know them if it weren't for the beige jumpsuits of The Motion Picture . As revealed by Empire , costume designer Robert Fletcher, burned somewhat by his experiences on the first film, decided to stay on in an attempt to redeem his craft. Fletcher still had to work within budget, says Forgotten Trek . Indeed, the budget was smaller, since the studio had been spooked somewhat by the lackluster performance of the first motion picture. As a result, Fletcher rather cleverly utilized the old movie uniforms. His team dyed the tunics red because that was the shade that took best to the fabric. 

Meanwhile, Fletcher added a few more militaristic details to the revamped uniforms, like boxy shoulders, stripes, and shiny rank insignia. Fletch referred to it as "Hornblower in outer space," referring to the popular Horatio Hornblower series, set in the era of the Napoleonic Wars. The maroon color proved so successful that it persisted far beyond the film and back onto television with the follow-up series, Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek: The Next Generation's uniform was all about spandex

While the uniforms debuted in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan were structured, boxy outfits inspired by military getups, the theme wasn't going to last, for William Ware Theiss, who designed the costumes for Star Trek: The Original Series , was ready to completely revamp even his own designs. Theiss was called upon to design the costumes for the first year of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the follow-up series that premiered in 1987. According to Forgotten Trek , Theiss wanted to pull back from the structured look of Wrath of Khan and return to a softer appearance.

That meant spandex. Specifically, Theiss employed a heavyweight material, of the type often used for swimsuits. He also changed the color scheme, making red the color for command staff, while gold was switched to engineering and security. Blue remained the key shade for medical and science personnel.

While designers might have liked the spandex, it got poor reviews from the actors. The form-fitting material was unforgiving of a heavy lunch or brief dalliance with a slice of cake. Robert Blackman, who replaced Theiss in later seasons, came to the rescue with a different cut and wool fabric. Unfortunately, only the male actors got the best changes, like two-piece uniforms. Female actors like Marina Sirtis, who played Counselor Troi, were stuck in uncomfortable one-piece jumpsuits for a while longer.

Deanna Troi's exception confused Trek fans

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , ship's counselor Deanna Troi was actually a Starfleet officer, but you wouldn't know it from her clothes. While everyone else on staff was wearing the regulation Starfleet uniform, Troi was often stuck in revealing onesies that recalled the first film's unfortunate jumpsuits. 

It may have something to do with Troi's gender. As quoted at Forgotten Trek , Marina Sirtis, who played Troi, took a dim view of how the show treated female characters. "The women on this show are very non-threatening," she said. "You don't see women in power positions." Troi was meant to be a soft, caring therapist. Perhaps her clothing was meant to reflect that gentleness, but with an admittedly sexist twist that lowered her necklines and kept Sirtis trapped in revealing spandex for much longer than her coworkers. Too often, her clothes reflected stories where Troi was made to be helpless or even outright dull for the sake of the plot.

Counselor Troi finally got to wear the real uniform in "Chain of Command, Part 1," a season six two-parter. In it, Captain Jellico, an uptight fill-in for Captain Picard, curtly tells Troi to just wear the uniform already. While the impetus for the wardrobe change might have been embarrassing for her character, Sirtis was delighted. As she told the BBC , "I was thrilled when I got my regulation Starfleet uniform [...] I got all my brains back."

The "skant" tried to reach gender equality but fell flat

We should give Gene Roddenberry some credit. While he was often of his time for things like scantily clad secondary characters on Star Trek: The Original Series , he genuinely tried to push back against cultural assumptions. Sometimes, it worked and became practically legendary, as when he helped to create a diverse bridge crew on the first television series. Other times, he pushed for costume parity that simply didn't land.

Roddenberry was involved with the production of Star Trek: The Next Generation from its 1987 premiere until shortly before his death in 1991. He was part of almost everything in the series, including the costume design. As reported by Star Trek.com , Roddenberry directed designer William Ware Theiss to design what became known as the "skant."

This take on the minidress was made out of the same spandex as the other uniforms. It was also meant to be unisex. Crewmembers of any gender would be able to wear the thigh-baring skant. Yet, it was a hard sell. The skant was ever-so-briefly seen on a male crewmember here and there in the first season, says SyFy, but never after that. Female crew like Counselor Troi wore it a bit longer, but actors and viewers alike thought it just made her look like a space cheerleader. Though you can understand what Roddenberry and company were going for, the skant just couldn't stay. It faded into fan lore and obscurity soon after the first season.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine made the uniforms fit for actual work

Star Trek didn't stop with Star Trek: The Next Generation . The sequel series was followed up by a progression of films and further television series. These included Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , which premiered in 1993 and briefly ran concurrently with The Next Generation . Though both series are supposed to take place at roughly the same time, the uniforms seen on Deep Space Nine were a serious departure.

Costume designer Robert Blackman returned to the jumpsuit design but mercifully stayed clear of figure-hugging, back-breaking spandex, says Forgotten Trek . Instead, the looser jumpsuits were made out of wool. Blackman had, like earlier designers, discovered that wool took dye better than other fabrics and held up to repeated washings. 

The softer uniforms looked like they could exist in a real, workaday reality. Characters like Chief O'Brien can be seen in the bowels of Deep Space Nine, a scrappy space station inherited from its previous Cardassian occupants. His jumpsuit, based in part on a mechanic's outfit and NASA workaday gear, looks right at place in the more gritty, realistic world of Deep Space Nine .

Star Trek: Lower Decks brings back color and might explain a big mystery

Star Trek: Lower Decks is an animated comedy series, the first ever to take a look at the ridiculous side of Star Trek . While it's very definitely a silly take on the franchise, the Lower Decks series actually holds a clue to the ever-changing and seemingly inconsistent uniforms across the series.

In part, the uniforms of Lower Decks are an homage to a never-used 1994 redesign. According to Trek Movie , creator Mike McMahan realized the discarded uniform design for the Star Trek: Generations movie was just right for his series. It calls back to The Next Generation just enough to make connections but remains distinct and colorful in its new two-dimensional context.

This latest series might also help explain the constantly shifting Starfleet uniforms. Careful viewers may have already noticed that different ship and station crews sport wildly different looks, even when they're supposed to be taking place at the same time. 

Inverse points out the apparent fact that Starfleet uniforms seem to correspond to very specific ships and jobs. Someone sent to a space station like Deep Space Nine would wear one uniform, while another crewmember on Picard's Enterprise would sport something noticeably different. An outside viewer could still see they were Starfleet personnel but might correctly guess they were stationed in different places. The looks on Lower Decks , which are their own unique creations, add more evidence to support this theory.

Justin Grays

23rd Century Starfleet Uniforms - where are they going?

I am currently working on a researched post, which is taking a bit of time to write. While I'm working on that, I've decided to put this post together about one of my favorite fandoms. I hope that you all enjoy it and leave a comment about your thoughts - I would love to hear what you all think.

Star Trek  now has 13 movies and 7 movies over the past 52 years. Though Star Trek: The Original Series   first aired on 06 Sept 1966,  Star Trek: Enterprise  (first airing 26 Sept 2001) [Note 1] takes place first. The events of this series takes place in the 22nd century, in the years 2151 - 2155, with the controversial final episode  [Note 2] taking place in 2161.

The uniforms of this period were blue jumpsuits that were reminiscent of flight suits of US and NATO military aviation. The uniforms bore colored piping that indicated their Starfleet division (Gold = Command, Blue = Sciences,Red = Operations, Red & White = Flag Officers) and was in use with the Earth Starfleet from 2143 until at least 2161 with very few changes. Starting in the second season, the uniforms were dyed a lighter shade of blue, and in the series finale, the uniform changes were:  epaulets on the shoulders, an additional mission patch displaying the Starfleet logo worn on the right sleeve, and a name tag worn inside the piping above the left breast.

Science division uniforms, 2151 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

From left to right: Crewman Second Class Ethan Novakovich, unnamed science division crewman, and Crewman First Class Elizabeth Cutler

Retreived via http://memory-alpha.wikia.com

Command division uniform, 2152 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Captain Jonathan Archer

Science division uniform, 2161 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Ensign Hoshi Sato

Command division uniform, 2164 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Captain Balthazar Edison

Next was the uniform that was introduced in Star Trek Beyond  (release date 22 July 2016) - it was introduced sometime in the 2160s and was similar to the previous uniform design of the Earth Starfleet - a gray (instead of blue) jumpsuit with the mission patch for the ship the officer served on sewed onto the right shoulder and the Starfleet insignia sewed on the other. The division colors remained the same, but were positioned differently, and the Delta Shield was prominent on the left breast. It is unknown how long this uniform remained in service, because the next uniform we see is in 2233 [Note 3].

Command division uniform, 2233 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Lieutenant Commander George Kirk

By 2233, Starfleet uniforms had changed. As seen in Star Trek (2009)   (release date 08 May 2009), the uniforms were tight-fitting body suits with black piping. Like the its predecessors, the uniforms had pockets, but the division colors underwent a drastic change: Command = Blue, Engineering = Goldish Green, Sciences/Security = Pearl Gray, and Medical = White. This uniform is the first one that clearly uses the sleeve ranks that were introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series . This is also the uniform that we see before Nero's incursion, splitting the timeline.

Timeline split. Prime timeline follows.

A Close-Up Look At ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Uniforms [INFOGRAPHIC] from https://trekmovie.com/2017/06/22/a-close-up-look-at-star-trek-discovery-uniforms-infographic/

Star Trek Discovery  first aired on 24 Sept 2017, becoming the 7th television series in the Star Trek  franchise. The series premier begins on Stardate 1207.3 (Sunday, 11 May 2256), and then Episode 3 picks up starting in November 2256. However, in flashback scenes, we see that the uniform was in use in 2249 at least, possibly earlier. This uniform is considered being part of the prime timeline [Note 4], and is Federation blue in color. However, the division colors take the most radical change ever, using metallic colors: Gold = Command, Silver = Science, and Bronze = Operations, with captains and admirals having extra shoulder piping. The ranks are on the Delta Shield, with the reverse having the wearer's name and serial number. This era is unusual in that Starfleet Cadets also wear the same uniform as officers. The Trekyards team has great reviews of this uniform.

At the same point of time [Note 6], there is another uniform style in use - the uniforms introduced to us in the first pilot episode of Star Trek  and reintroduced in the second pilot episode. The events of " The Cage " occurred in 2254, while " Where No Man Has Gone Before " took place in 2265 (Stardate 1312.4). This uniform had no pockets, and the sleeve ranks were styled very differently than both previous and future incarnations - officers had a single sleeve stripe, senior NCOs had a broken stripe, and all other enlisted had no insignia (later, captains wore two sleeve stripes, but the rest were unchanged). Also, this uniform had different versions for male and female crewmembers. This uniform was unusual in how the uniforms were color and insignia coded. The uniforms came in four colors: greenish-gold, khaki-beige, blue, and reflective gray. The Delta Shields had different symbols on them: a star, a geometric curve, and a circle with two longitudinal lines dividing it. Reflective gray, with a 10-pointed star, was for cadets, while the other three uniforms and symbols denoted if someone was in command, helm/navigation, engineering/communications, administration, science/medical, and security.

Cadet uniform, 2252 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Cadet Finnegan

Command division uniform, male, 2254 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Captain Christopher Pike

Operations division uniform, female, 2254 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Yeoman J. M. Colt

Command division uniforms, male, 2265 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

From left to right, Lieutenant Commander Spock and Captain James Tiberius Kirk

Starfleet uniforms, 2267 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

From left to right: Lieutenant Leslie, Lieutenant Brent, unnamed command division officer, unnamed operations division officer, and Lieutenant Hadley.

Now, the big question here is, where is Star Trek: Discovery  going to go with this? As this is in the prime timeline, we know that the next uniform is the classic design from the run of Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Animated Series : Command Gold, Science Blue, and Operations Red [Note 5]. Will we see any hints of this style of uniform? Even though Discovery appears to be a soft-reboot of the franchise, will they try to start merging the two styles of uniform? I am looking forward to finding out.

Alternate timeline follows.

After the incursion by Nero in Star Trek (2009) , we see Starfleet using a uniform style similar to that in Star Trek: The Original Series : Command Gold, Science Blue, and Operations Red, but with Delta Shields in the design of the fabric. We also see more styles of ground-side and admiralty uniforms, as well as a change to the dress uniforms and a completely new cadet uniform. These uniforms are seen as early as 2258, and possibly earlier, and has the gender-segregated uniform variants. The sleeve stripes to indicate rank are kept from the previous iteration of the Starfleet uniform, although one of the female variants lack indication of rank.

Command division uniform, male, 2258 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Science division uniform, female, sleeve variant, 2258 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Unnamed science division crew member

Operations division uniform, female, sleeveless variant, 2258 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura

By 2263, Starfleet introduced a new style of uniform.  Star Trek Beyond kept the previous uniform colors, as well as the gender segregated uniform styles. However, instead of having a sleeveless variant, a variant with pants was introduced.

Command division uniform, male, 2263 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Captain James Tiberius Kirk

Science division uniform, female, pants variant, 2263 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Lieutenant Syl

Operations division uniform, female, skirt variant, 2263 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Unnamed operations division crew member

Now, the big question here is, where will the Star Trek films go with this? Will there even be a Star Trek XIV ? In the prime timeline, we know that the next uniform is the much derided "pajama uniforms" from Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Will we see any hints of this style of uniform? Or, as the reboot films have gone their own way, will we skip those and see something similar to the much beloved monster maroons that were first introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ?

Starfleet uniforms, 2272 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Main Cast of Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

Retreived via Reddit

Starfleet uniforms, 2286 Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

Main Cast of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

Back in November, I made a post called " A lighter post - my top 10 favorite Science Fiction uniforms, ranked " - here, I will just list out my favorite uniforms of the 22nd and 23rd century.

• Starfleet movie-era uniforms (monster maroons)
• Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek Beyond
• Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek: The Original Series
• Starfleet uniforms from the two Star Trek  pilot episodes
• Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek  and Star Trek Into Darkness
• Starfleet uniforms from Enterprise
• Starfleet uniforms of the mid-2160s
• Starfleet uniforms of the 2230s
• Starfleet uniforms from Discovery
• Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (pajama uniforms)

The Trekyards team also gave us their top 10. I'm curious as to what your favorites are - please leave a comment!

A Human female on the Elysian Council Fair Use  - this image is copyrighted, but used here under Fair Use  guidelines. Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

• Star Trek: Enterprise  was originally titled Enterprise until Season 3. 
• "These Are the Voyages..." was a holodeck adventure that Commander Riker  was on, under the advice of Counselor Troi , during the events of the Pegasus  incident of 2370. This is likely why there are a number of inconsistencies in this episode - as well as such a negative fan reaction.
• In the Star Trek: The Animated Series  episode " The Time Trap " we see a human being in a Starfleet uniform. We are led to believe that she is from the Bonaventure , lost at least a century before, but perhaps even longer. The information given, however is vague at best, and other sources inconsistent, meaning that she could be from anywhere between the late 21st century and the late 22nd century.
• Bryan Fuller, the co-creator of Star Trek: Discovery , said that Discovery  takes place in the Prime Timeline at a press junket in 2016.
• The gold uniforms were actually green in color, but because of color correction technology of the era and stage lighting, they looked gold.
• According to the website Comic Book , the book Star Trek: Discovery: Desperate Hours  explains why the two uniforms are in use at the same time - the colorful ones were in use exclusively by Constitution -class starship crews.

If you like what you read here, and would like to show your support, please consider donating.

I am on Patreon  to help fund the work that goes into maintaining a website and creating researched content. Also, it will give me some financial relief as I am also endeavoring to complete a number of science fiction and fantasy stories, and hopefully compile them into zines or collected works. As a sponsor, you'll get quality blog posts, early access to completed stories, and the knowledge that you are helping me fund the creative process. I will get the benefit of some stress reduction as I won't have to worry about finances as much anymore, and that will help me be free to create more work.

It's not always possible to sponsor on a monthly basis. If you would like to do a one time donation, please feel free to use PayPal  or SquareCash . Producing content takes time and effort, and any support would be most appreciated. Your donations help me cover expenses and eventually will let me be able to create quality content full-time.

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

We respect your privacy.

“The Lost Era” Uniform Timeline

• 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 ).

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 .

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 .

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 …

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.

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

(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.)

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

(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 .

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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

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 …

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.

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

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

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.

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 .

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 …

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

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.

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 …

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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). 

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. 🙂

Related Posts

TNG Jumpsuit Analysis, Part 4

• April 24, 2024

TNG Jumpsuit Analysis, Part 3

• December 26, 2023

TNG Jumpsuit Analysis, Part 2

• August 29, 2023

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.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Name  *

Email  *

Add Comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

• View history

In the context of occupations , the term uniform was used to refer to the clothing worn for the purpose of displaying membership in an organization . In the military , the uniform also displayed rank insignia and position as a form of non-verbal communication of authority and purpose between members of said organization. Many intelligent cultures evolved the use of some form of uniform clothing or decorations to facilitate this. Along with their duty uniform, the members of an organization wore dress uniforms on special occasions.

Because of their struggled past during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor , the Bajorans Mullibok , Baltrim , and Keena did not like uniforms. Mullibok told this to Major Kira Nerys when she beamed down to the surface of the Bajoran moon Jerrado and was menaced with Bajoran farming tools . ( DS9 : " Progress ")

At times, the Starfleet uniform played a role in an individual's strength against coercion. For example, Data refused to remove his Starfleet uniform and don clothes provided by Kivas Fajo , representing his freedom from within "involuntary confinement." ( TNG : " The Most Toys ") When Sisko and O'Brien were with a Human colony led by Alixus , Sisko refused to exchange his uniform for clothing that leader provided, despite undergoing extreme punishment . ( DS9 : " Paradise ")

At other times, the Starfleet uniform played a role in an authority figure's establishment of control. For example, when Edward Jellico briefly served as captain of the USS Enterprise -D , he ordered Deanna Troi to wear a standard uniform when on duty, rather than casual attire which she traditionally preferred. ( TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I ") In contrast, when Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hudson stopped living a double existence and became completely Maquis , he refused to accept his Federation uniform when Benjamin Sisko offered it to him, saying, "It's just a uniform, Ben." ( DS9 : " The Maquis, Part II ")

In 2267 , Trelane jovially commented to DeSalle that both he himself and the Starfleet personnel whom DeSalle represented shared a love of uniforms. ( TOS : " The Squire of Gothos ")

The Jem'Hadar had uniforms which allowed their wearers to be almost completely unaffected by many forms of anti-personnel force field . ( DS9 : " The Jem'Hadar ")

Uniform types [ ]

• Andorian uniforms
• Bajoran Militia uniforms and earrings
• Breen uniforms
• Cardassian uniforms
• Jem'Hadar uniforms
• Karemma uniforms
• Confederation of Earth uniform
• French Army uniforms
• Japanese uniforms
• MACO uniforms
• National Socialist uniforms
• Terran Empire uniforms
• United Earth Starfleet uniforms
• United Earth Defense Force uniforms
• United States military uniform
• Starfleet uniforms
• Ferengi uniforms
• Klingon Defense Force uniforms
• Romulan uniforms
• Son'a uniforms
• Talarian uniforms
• Tamarian uniforms
• Tellarite uniforms
• Varro uniforms
• Vulcan uniforms
• Xindi uniforms

External link [ ]

• Uniform at Wikipedia
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

• Star Trek TV Blog
• EAS auf deutsch

• Starship Database
• Starship Articles
• Fleet Charts
• Starship Gallery

• EAS Fleet Yards

• Treknology Encyclopedia
• Warp Propulsion
• Time Travel
• Investigations
• Observations

• The Original Series
• The Next Generation
• Deep Space Nine
• Abramsverse
• Strange New Worlds
• The Animated Series
• Lower Decks

• Character Bios
• Quick Reference

• Product Reviews
• Technical Support
• Reports & Interviews

• Add Your Link
• Disqus Comments

Read my review of DIS: "Mirrors" . The episode comes with two big reveals, of which the second one works a lot better.

Over 60 new or significantly improved images of Alpha and Beta Quadrant Starships, Part 1 and Part 2 .

I have also updated over 20 articles in the past couple of days, such as Appearances of the Romulan Warbird (animated Warbirds), Analysis of the Qualor II Surplus Depot (summary and new HD images), Commercially Available Chairs in Star Trek (a few new finds) and several more that now have references to recent episodes.

Here are my review of DIS: "Face the Strange" and my analysis of the time travel effects in this fun episode.

Lower Decks has been canceled, Strange New Worlds has been renewed. Here is my comment .

My review of DIS: "Jinaal" . After a promising start of the season, things begin to fall apart in the third episode.

https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/index.htm

Last modified: 25 Apr 2024

© Ex Astris Scientia 1998-2024, Legal Terms

This website is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with CBS Studios Inc. or the Star Trek franchise.

Fleet Yards

Star Trek: Lower Decks Points Out Starfleet’s Uniforms Are Delightfully Out of Control

There's very little uniformity in Star Trek's uniforms. While most shows keep mum about it, Lower Decks points out that it's become a part of the fun.

The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3, Episode 5, "Reflections," now streaming on Paramount+.

Starfleet's uniforms are among the most iconic in pop culture, with their distinctive red, gold and blue colors officially part of the franchise's introduction . Yet despite the fact that they're essentially military uniforms, they have undergone a staggering amount of changes over the years. Every Star Trek show has a fresh variation on them, and the franchise's largely successful efforts to keep them in canon mean that its characters switch uniform styles every few years.

Star Trek: Lower Decks takes a sharp jab at the trend in Season 3, Episode 5, "Reflections." In the process, it admits the reality that Star Trek 's uniform situation is completely out of hand. But it also quietly acknowledges that -- far from being a detriment -- it's become part of what makes the franchise so fun .

RELATED: Why Morgan Bateson Is the Most Underrated Starfleet Captain

Like a lot of aspects of Star Trek , the uniforms evolved -- sometimes inelegantly -- as part of the franchise's natural development. The first two pilots of the original series featured muted tunics for their respective crews, which were replaced by the classic "tricolor" designs when the series was picked up. (Both were the product of costumer Bill Theiss.) The latter were brighter and fit in with the show's colorful aesthetic more readily. They also provided a benefit for the network, which wanted vivid shows as color TVs slowly replaced black and white models.

The movies took the uniforms in a radically different direction. Star Trek: The Motion Picture went back to far more muted tones, in an effort to match the gritty aesthetic of Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope , which had opened just a few years earlier. Those, in turn, were replaced by "the monster maroons" in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan : wine-red uniforms that Kirk and his crew wore for the remainder of their big-screen adventures.

That style arose from the sensibilities of director Nicholas Meyer, who explained the change on the Wrath of Khan Blu-ray. (He wanted Starfleet to more closely resemble a traditional navy akin to the Horatio Hornblower novels.) Star Trek: The Next Generation returned to the tri-color pattern of the original series, which cemented their status as icons of the franchise and which has been followed in some form or another by every Star Trek series since.

RELATED: Lower Decks Reveals the Dark Side of This Star Trek Staple

Despite this, the need to differentiate one series from another led to a staggering variation in cut and pattern. Starting with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the only thing that's stayed "uniform" are the three colors and the Starfleet logo communicator badges. In other words, it's a hot mess. And like so much else about the franchise, that's become part of the enjoyment: providing cosplayers with increased options, offering rewards and add-ons for games like Star Trek Online and even doing their job of being an easy visual reference to mark which particular show is which. The franchise itself has added to the chaos with each new series, even though those changes aren't usually mentioned by anyone in-world.

Lower Decks itself is as guilty as any other show: their uniforms arrived in an in-world era marked by Deep Space Nine's "grays" which are still worn by the higher-ups on the show. The constant variation is the basis of the joke in "Reflections." Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner are manning a Starfleet recruitment kiosk at a job fair, where they endure the taunts of other nearby vendors who look down on the fleet . The jabs eventually come around to the uniforms -- specifically the way they keep changing. That's a step too far for the crossover-ready Boimler , who explodes with rage after one of their tormentors pulls the pip off his collar.

It's a funny moment, but Boimler's sensitivity on the matter suggests some real basis for the jabs. Clearly other characters in the Trek universe have noticed all the switching around, and some of them find it decidedly weird. That eccentricity is part and parcel of Star Trek , where even the silliest developments often become beloved traits of the franchise . Lower Decks, as always, gets a big laugh simply by saying the quiet part out loud.

New episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• View history

Uniform is a term which is used to refer to items of clothing that are worn by members of an organization that displays that they belong to it. In the many services, navy or military organizations across the galaxy , membership insignia and rank insignia (showing rank and title ) is often displayed to communicate an individual's position or authority to other members.

Uniforms [ ]

• Bajoran uniforms
• MACO uniforms
• Earth Starfleet uniforms
• Terran Empire uniforms
• Federation Starfleet uniforms
• Klingon uniforms
• Romulan Imperial Fleet uniforms
• Vulcan uniforms

Appendices [ ]

External link [ ].

• Uniform article at Wikipedia , the free encyclopedia.