star trek next generation uniform colours

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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.

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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 | @jageorgeii

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

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

"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.

Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Next Generation Uniforms

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

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'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).

Starfleet uniform

Starfleet uniforms in 2371, showing two separate styles in use at once

A provisional officer's uniform alongside a standard duty uniform

Starfleet uniforms were uniforms worn by individuals serving in the Federation Starfleet , originally a United Earth organization. These uniforms facilitated the wearers' needs as both scientists and researchers , as well as Starfleet's military role. The uniform and combadge used by Starfleet personnel may vary by the ship or facility they were assigned to, or the officer's rank or department. These were often retained even when visiting other Federation locations. ( TNG : " The Child "; DS9 : " Homefront ", " Tears of the Prophets "; LD : " We'll Always Have Tom Paris ", " Kayshon, His Eyes Open "; DIS : " Saints of Imperfection ")

Casual duty attire also allowed for considerable variation of uniform aboard a Starfleet vessel, though it was ultimately up to the captain's discretion. Wearers were expected to abide by the Starfleet dress code , though special exceptions were sometimes made for certain aspects of an individual's cultural heritage, such as Worf 's Klingon baldric , Nog 's Ferengi headdress , and the earrings of Ro Laren , Kira Nerys , and Shaxs . ( VOY : " Learning Curve ", et al.) According to Elim Garak , " I think Starfleet should allow their officers more latitude in accessorizing their uniforms. You'd be surprised what a nice scarf can do. " ( DS9 : " Broken Link ")

On two occasions, the term " Federation uniform " was used to describe Starfleet uniforms.

In 2369 , the Bajoran civilian Mullibok , who was being evicted from his home , asked Commander Benjamin Sisko how many Federation uniforms he planned on sending down to have him removed. ( DS9 : " Progress ")

In 2372 , Chakotay referred to his as a Federation uniform as he explained to Kar how it was like the Jal name that the Kazon earned. Chakotay told him that his uniform was earned through " years of study ", and " learning about science and ships and navigation , " adding too, that he was further taught to be "[..] prepared us to defend ourselves in battle. They prepared us very well. And we had to pass many difficult tests before we were given the right to wear the uniform. " ( VOY : " Initiations ")

• 1.1 Command
• 1.2 Operations
• 1.3 Sciences
• 2.1.1 Type #1
• 2.1.2 Type #2
• 2.1.3 Type #3
• 2.1.4 Type #4
• 3 Uniform variations
• 4 Dress uniforms
• 5.1.1 Design
• 5.2 Ambiguous uniform
• 5.3 External links

Divisions [ ]

Starfleet uniforms were classified by color among the command, sciences, and operations divisions. Occasionally, the uniforms were also broken down by department, while displaying rank insignia conspicuously. The color scheme had varied over time throughout Starfleet history, but the uniforms were designed for comfort even in the most extreme environments. ( DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations ", " Let He Who Is Without Sin... ")

Command [ ]

The command division was the head of Starfleet, with most of the ranking officers in Starfleet Command wearing these colors. Generally, this division was responsible for the administration of starships , starbases , and space stations .

Operations [ ]

The operations division was the backbone of Starfleet, encompassing the engineering , security , and support departments. This division was responsible for technological innovation and for maintaining and defending the Federation.

Sciences [ ]

The sciences division was the heart of Starfleet, composed of the exploratory , medical , and mental health departments.

Uniform styles [ ]

Unknown eras [ ].

These Starfleet uniforms were introduced between the 24th and 31st centuries .

Type #1 [ ]

A female officer in an unknown uniform

This uniform was worn by an operations division officer , as seen in a photo within the Transporter Facility maintained by Chief Petty Officer Carlton Dennis . ( LD : " Grounded ")

Type #2 [ ]

A female junior officer in a uniform from an unknown era

This uniform was worn by one of Tal 's hosts . ( DIS : " Forget Me Not ")

Type #3 [ ]

A holographic representation of a female lieutenant

This uniform was worn by officers in an unknown era. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ")

Type #4 [ ]

Holographic representations of officers in uniforms from an unknown era

This uniform was worn by the delegation welcoming the Kelpien and Ba'ul Alliance into the Federation. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ")

In the 23rd century , similar uniforms had been in use as cadet outfits. ( DIS : " Through the Valley of Shadows ")

Uniform variations [ ]

Troi in her casual attire

Some officers wore alternate uniforms. Deanna Troi often wore casual clothing while on duty, and T'Pol retained her original Vulcan uniform with a few concessions to her Starfleet rank and ship assignment. Other officers, such as Worf, Montgomery Scott , and Ro Laren, were allowed to wear accessories relating to their culture with their uniforms, but this was at the discretion of the captain. Uniforms were also altered to accommodate non-humanoid officers, such as the three-armed, three-legged uniform of the Edosian Arex , and the uniforms for beluga whales Kimolu and Matt . ( ENT : " Borderland "; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ; TNG : " Ensign Ro "; TAS : " Mudd's Passion "; LD : " First First Contact ")

Uniforms were also adapted to environmental or atmospheric conditions. When exploring the planet Tyree , Benjamin Sisko and colleagues wore long, flowing gown uniforms to deal with the sand . They featured a colored stripe to represent departments. ( DS9 : " Shadows and Symbols ")

Dress uniforms [ ]

Worf wearing his dress uniform with a Klingon ceremonial sash

Dress uniforms were a variant of the standard Starfleet uniforms worn for special occasions, such as weddings , courts martial , funerals , and the greeting of ambassadorial delegations and heads of state. ( TOS : " Court Martial ", " Journey to Babel "; TNG : " Lonely Among Us ", " Manhunt ", " Data's Day "; DS9 : " Move Along Home ", " Rules of Engagement "; VOY : " Course: Oblivion ", " One Small Step ", " Ashes to Ashes "; Star Trek: Insurrection )

A pair of dress uniform boots worn by Patrick Stewart was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. The pair shows that the legs were completely covered and the boots were kept on by a harness. [1]

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Patrick Stewart 's character of Jean-Luc Picard has appeared in more styles of Starfleet uniform than any other character on screen without story contrivances (like time travel , holodecks , or alternate timelines ) being involved.

For most of Star Trek 's history, Starfleet uniforms have had at least three division colors. Some characters have worn different division colors in different episodes. Leslie , Jae , Tom Paris , Harry Kim , and Sylvia Tilly have each been shown wearing three colors at different points (including, for Paris and Kim, alternate timelines and holodeck scenarios); however, the first character to wear all three division colors in one episode was Ensign Sam Rutherford , who wore operations gold, command red, and medical blue in LD : " Envoys ".

The Starfleet uniforms worn during Star Trek: 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 on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager , and the TNG -era films by Robert Blackman ). Robert Fletcher designed the uniforms seen throughout the original series movies, with later new designs provided by Nilo Rodis .

Robert Blackman also designed uniforms worn on Star Trek: Enterprise , a design representing a precursor to those seen in TOS . The uniforms seen in Star Trek: Discovery were designed by Gersha Phillips . The uniforms in Star Trek: Picard were designed by Christine Clark .

Michael Kaplan designed the uniforms seen in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness , and Sanja Hays designed the uniforms for Star Trek Beyond .

As shown in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction , a number of Starfleet uniforms have had padding to increase muscular appearance. Such cases include two costumes for Tom Paris , one racquetball costume for Julian Bashir , and a Deep Space Nine costume for Worf, to create a more Klingon appearance. According to Wil Wheaton , all the main cast members wore muscle padding during the first two seasons of The Next Generation , mainly because of the tight-fitting nature of the spandex uniforms used in these two seasons. [2]

Several prototype uniform undershirts to those seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [3]

Ambiguous uniform [ ]

Female on the Elysian Council

A Human female seen as a member of the Elysian Council in " The Time Trap " wore a uniform of ambiguous origin. It was described in the Star Trek Concordance as "a white suit with blue collar and an insignia on the left breast," and was suggested to "possibly [be] an early Star Fleet [sic] uniform". While it is known that the Bonaventure , and possibly other Earth/Federation ships, were lost in the years prior to 2269, it is unclear if this is indeed a Starfleet uniform, and, if so, from which era it originated.

External links [ ]

• Starfleet uniform at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 22nd & 23rd century Starfleet uniforms  at Ex Astris Scientia
• 24th century Starfleet uniforms  at Ex Astris Scientia
• Starfleet uniforms  at Spike's Star Trek Page
• Interview with William Ware Theiss at Phaser Resource (X)
• 1 USS Voyager (NCC-74656-A)
• 2 Star Trek: Prodigy
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

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Star Trek Actor Compares Working With William Shatner & Patrick Stewart

Star trek found a vulcan way to honor majel barrett roddenberry, every star trek ship with an illegal cloaking device.

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

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Published Mar 5, 2021

You Wear It Well: The Uniforms of Star Trek 

Turns out, "dress for the job you want, not the job you have," might still be a phrase heard in the 23rd Century and beyond!

StarTrek.com

The Delta Shield. The colors: red, gold and blue. The form-fitting jackets and often black trousers. Even the confining jumpsuits. Star Trek uniforms have a special place in pop culture, equal in renown maybe only by the jerseys and full kits of certain sports teams. Let’s take a look at some of the uniforms over the years and what messages they are sending to the galaxy.

Star Trek: Discovery — Of Terran Capes And Crowns with Gersha Phillips

Star Trek: The Original Series

The TOS uniforms are arguable the most recognized and iconic of uniforms in the canon. They are the blueprint for all other uniforms in Star Trek . While they carry some of the elements from the “The Cage” unaired pilot episode — tunic-like top, Section colors, black capri-length trousers and boots — the cut and fit of the garments are narrower, the colors much sharper and for the women, no pants. Looking back from our vantage point the uniforms feel more inspired by the 1960s' mod culture, or the era’s British rock bands, not what a fleet of earth-based space explorers would be wearing in the 23rd Century. However, the athleisure vibe of it all was as portentous to our time as the TOS-inspired technology and gadgets that we use on a daily basis. Comparing these uniforms from the garments of other space traveling cultures seen throughout TOS is where you can really see the youthfulness of Starfleet. While Romulans’ uniforms echo the turtleneck silhouette, knit fabric and ultra miniskirts of Starfleet, the rigid textures, exaggerated shoulders, and the addition of a scarf or half vest overlays connotes a sense of the authoritarian militaristic society. Comparing the two looks, without context, you wouldn’t be at fault for easily assuming that Starfleet was the newest team in a galactic travel league.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation was all about the jumpsuit, with a touch of individuality. The best examples of this is Lieutenant Worf’s beautiful Klingon military sash or baldric and Lt. Troi’s flowing dresses and jumpsuits. The Next Generation also famously changed command colors from gold to red, ending a fan favorite “red shirt” trope from TOS. You see other examples of Starfleet uniform styles on the flagship Enterprise , including skants and tunics. The men’s TNG dress uniforms could even be worn as dresses due to their somewhat elongated line. However, from a design and storytelling point of view, the jumpsuit's utility is matched with the artful graphic design which evolves easily into the dress uniform’s elegance and formality.

Into the #Starchive Featuring Captain Picard's Uniform

We can see Starfleet’s evolution of mission and the number of lightyears traveled in the precision of the TNG uniform. Interestingly, the need to continuously mirror the delta design — in the shoulders, sleeves, even in the transition from bodice to trousers both section colors, front and back — is like a monogram. For the many species Jean-Luc Picard and his crew will make First Contact with, this uniform conveys a simple message: We are Starfleet.

Star Trek: Enterprise

We cannot talk about jumpsuits without talking about Star Trek: Enterprise ! The uniforms on this series most closely represent what our beginnings of further flung space travel might look like. In fact, rather than trying to create something that feels brand new and “science fiction,” the Enterprise crew looks like a team from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The command colors are placed in a simple elegant line framing the shoulders ending, of course, in a point or delta shape. The jumpsuits have the wonderful addition of actual pockets, which actually makes you wonder where all the pockets have been all of this time. Hallelujah — there will be pockets in the future! The jumpsuits are reminiscent of a behind-the-scenes pit or union crew, workers who are laying the important foundation for the future. Yet, similar to workwear from the 20th Century, there is an elegance of how a non-gender specific garment function matches and enhances its form. A more advanced culture may be more fancily dressed, but no one can jump on a nacelle rigging faster than Charles “Trip” Tucker, III.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager

These series combine the streamlined look of the TNG jumpsuit with the function of Enterprise series jumpsuits — jackets, pockets, and pleated trousers. The colors: command red, operations gold, and sciences blue continue with the addition of a mock turtleneck undershirt in grey, which evolves later in a uniform variant where the section colors are the turtleneck and the upper bodice detailing is a quilted grey. Grey as a standard color for Starfleet uniforms appears in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and seen again in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, discussed below.

Into the #Starchive with Captain Janeway's OG Uniform

Deep Space Nine uniforms are particularly interesting in the way all clothes are, in relation to the places and people we associate these outfits with. What makes DS9 unique is the variety of dress everywhere on the starbase, from the Bajoran military uniforms with even more emphasis on the upper bodice and shoulders than Starfleet’s uniforms, to the regalia of the Bajoran monks.In the context of running a space station, Starfleet uniforms need to balance a message of both authority and hospitality. In a sea of colorful people and outfits on the space station’s promenade, the Starfeet uniforms’ relative dark color scheme is the easiest to recognize.

Star Trek: Discovery (Seasons 1-2)

At first glance the Discovery uniforms ignore all previous series. However, there are nods to past series that reveal themselves. While no longer jumpsuits, the jacket, and trouser-leggings of Discovery are blue and thus similar to the Enterprise series. As the series is set between Enterprise and TOS this for me, as a fan, a welcome nod. Most startling is the loss of the iconic red, gold and blue color scheme, it is seen nowhere unless you count the reddish-bronze for Operations. Out of all the series the Discovery uniforms are the most formal. Comparing them to other series, they in fact look like the uniforms of people who have been traveling throughout the galaxy for some time. The form-fitting suit with metal rather than rainbow colors seem to say, “We mean business.” Discovery leans into a militaristic style, more than with previous series. From the rigidity of the jacket to the stripes at the shoulder the uniform appears to, if not welcome , then at least expect conflict and war. The subtle pips on the delta shield could be interpreted to mean that while rank is important, the crew of the Discovery is a family — a band of brothers and sisters equally important and valuable as a captain or admiral. The biggest hint to where this series is going is the asymmetry introduced into Starfleet uniforms for the first time. The eschew collar which creates a delta shape in the front of the face (invoking TOS’ uniform) is closed by a bold metallic zipper that goes from the left of the neck to the center at the jacket bottom. These off-center details could be interpreted to mean that unexpected outcomes are coming!

Star Trek: Discovery (Season 3)

A conversation about Star Trek uniforms would be incomplete without some mention of Season 3’s far-flung future Federation uniforms. It’s not hard to see where these new uniforms took inspiration from other Trek series. In addition to the grey color seen most notably in Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the quilted-ridges at the top of the jacket mirrors that of Deep Space Nine ’s uniforms, and the asymmetry at the bottom of the jacket reminds us of Discovery ’s earlier uniforms. Season 3 even brings back the red, gold, and blue for command, operations, and sciences, this time in a bold sculptural color block down the right side of the jacket. Its appearance seems to state that knowing you and your colleagues’ place in the Federation and on your ship of duty is paramount for rebuilding. This is no time for subtlety. While this same meticulous design could also be overcompensation for the reduction of the Federation’s place, power, and purpose in the 32nd Century it could also be the Federation’s way of “dressing for the job you want (the premiere intergalactic union of planets), not the one you have.” And that’s a tip we can all take with us, to the board room or the Ready Room.

Designer Gersha Phillips Looks Back on Discovery Season 2 Costumes

Bio: Tereneh Idia (she/her) is a writer, fashion designer and fashion educator who has taught and designed in Pittsburgh, New York City, Nairobi, Kenya, Singapore and Bali, Indonesia. While missing out on Star Trek as a child, she expects the rest of her adult growing up to be inspired and entertained by Star Trek.

Star Trek: Discovery streams on Paramount+ in the United States, airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada, and on Netflix in 190 countries.

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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.

What Do the Different Uniform Colors Mean on ‘Star Trek’?

By jason serafino | mar 30, 2023, 3:23 pm edt.

Gene Roddenberry may have dreamed of a perfect future when he created Star Trek , but parts of his vision were firmly rooted in the real world, specifically in the physical makeup of the crew of the Enterprise itself.

Roddenberry, along with the show’s producers, decided to take numerous cues from the United States Navy when creating the official ranks on the show, including a captain overseeing a crew made up of a commander, a handful of lieutenant commanders, lieutenants, and several subordinate roles. But it’s the different colors of the Starfleet uniforms that really tell the story of how the Enterprise operates.

Fans know the basics: an array of blue, red, and gold shirts line the bridge of the ship every episode. Those colors weren’t just randomly picked for the sake of diversity, though. They actually correspond to the ship’s various service roles . The gold shirts are worn by the command division, which includes Captain Kirk, Lieutenant Sulu, and Pavel Chekov. Red uniforms belong to the engineering/communications division, including chief engineer Scotty and communications officer Uhura. The blue shirts are worn by the science/medical staff, including McCoy and Spock .

As with everything in Star Trek , though, it’s a lot more complicated than all of that. In addition to the red shirts belonging to engineers and communications personnel, they are also assigned to the security division. What’s the purpose of the security division on the Enterprise ? Well, they’re usually the supporting characters who are immediately killed whenever the crew is confronted by a new enemy. This is something of a running gag for fans of the franchise, as whenever one of the “Red Shirts” is seen on screen, you know they’re not long for this world .

Also, those gold shirts worn by Kirk and crew might not have been so gold after all. According to an interview with Star Trek ’s costume designer, William Theiss, the idea was for the show’s uniforms to be red, blue, and green. In fact, on the set, Kirk’s outfit certainly looked to be an avocado (or lime) green, but the end result was a little different when the studio lights finally hit the uniform.

“It was one of those film stock things,” Theiss said, “it photographed one way—burnt orange or a gold. But in reality was another; the command shirts were definitely green.”

This might come as a surprise to Trek fans until you remember that Kirk actually did wear green on a few occasions, including the times he was in formal dress and his seldom-seen alternate green get-up, seen in the clip below.

These alternate uniforms were all the exact shade of green Theiss describes, but they were made from a different material than the standard Enterprise shirts and apparently had no issue retaining their natural color scheme when lit on set. The gold shade may have been a production mishap, but the color has since entered the Trek canon as the official hue of Kirk and his command staff. So, in the Star Trek universe, Kirk wears gold; in the real world, though, the bridge of the Enterprise was designed with a completely different color palette in mind.

It gets more confusing when you look at the later Trek series, like The Next Generation , which had the command staff in red and operations in yellow—basically the reverse of the original series. Then, of course, the movies switched costumes and colors with nearly every entry, including the powder blue monstrosities worn in Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

Roddenberry’s eye for detail was unique for sci-fi TV at the time, and everything on the Enterprise had a specific purpose. Despite some production fumbles, ill-fated redesigns, and inconsistencies later on, the colors that make up Starfleet’s uniforms tell a story that many viewers probably never even noticed.

A version of this story originally ran in 2016; it has been updated for 2023.

What Star Trek Uniform Colors Mean Throughout the Franchise's Eras

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The original series' uniforms helped star trek 'pop', the movies made radical changes to the star trek uniforms, the next generation brought back the tricolors with a twist, deep space nine and voyager gave the design a 'fatigues' look, star trek: enterprise altered the look yet again, discovery bridged the gap between enterprise and tos, picard continued the tricolor tradition, star trek: prodigy delivered new cadets uniforms, lower decks gives the tri-colors a humorous twist, strange new worlds perfectly balances old and new.

• Star Trek's uniforms have evolved throughout the decades over the course of the franchise.
• The meanings behind the colors have shifted throughout the Star Trek eras, but most series generally stick to the tri-color format.
• Each new Star Trek series has brought its own unique take on the main crew's uniforms while still providing visual connections between the eras.

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.

Updated on March 22, 2024 by Robert Vaux: New Star Trek series have been released since the article's first publication. It has been updated with several new entries accordingly, and the formatting has been adjusted to meet CBR's current guidelines.

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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.

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

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.

Star Trek The Next Generation: When Does TNG Get Good?

Star Trek: The Next Generation overcame a terrible first season to become one of the best sci-fi shows on TV, but what changed to make that happen?

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.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

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.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

Star Trek Voyager

Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.

Star Trek Theory: Picard Retconned the Divisive Enterprise Series Finale

One shot of the NX-01 in Star Trek: Picard suggests the Star Trek: Enterprise series finale didn't happen the way fans think - and that may be good.

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 The Original Series' 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.

Star Trek: Enterprise

A century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.

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.

Star Trek: Discovery

'keep being noisy': picard star provides star trek: legacy update.

Star Trek: Picard's Ed Speleers shares how fans can help get Paramount to greenlight the proposed sequel spinoff series, Star Trek: Legacy.

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 .

Picard includes a number of key characters who weren't in Starfleet -- at least when the series began -- and as such, it de-emphasizes the tri-color look as much as possible. It helps protagonists in uniform still visibly match their colleagues. It also lets Picard show a side of the Star Trek universe outside of Starfleet, something that helps distinguish it from other series in the franchise.

Star Trek: Picard

Retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard is drawn back into action when a mysterious young woman seeks his help, triggering a journey that leads him to confront the ghosts of his past. As he assembles a new crew to uncover the truth behind a dangerous conspiracy, Picard navigates a galaxy that has changed significantly since his days aboard the Enterprise.

Star Trek: Prodigy similarly takes place outside the bounds of the Federation, at least in the early episodes. Its protagonists are a band of young runaways, who escape a planetary labor camp by stealing a wayward Starfleet vessel. In the course of their adventures, they learn Starfleet's mission and commit to upholding it, despite no training and no official rank.

It also 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, who spent most of the first season in pursuit of them and who wore variations of The Next Generation- era uniforms.

Star Trek: Prodigy

A group of enslaved teenagers steal a derelict Starfleet vessel to escape and explore the galaxy.

How Similar Is Star Trek: Lower Decks To Rick and Morty?

Writer Mike McMahan helped shape Rick and Morty, and created Star Trek: Lower Decks, but how similar are the two animated sci-fi comedies?

Star Trek: Lower Decks is intended as a parody, but it's also canonical, which means it treats its characters and their mission just seriously enough to convincingly put them alongside their live-action counterparts in other series. Final proof arrived in Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 7, "Those Old Scientists," in which Lower Decks actors Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid played their characters in live-action form alongside Christopher Pike and his crew.

Their uniforms adhere to the standard Starfleet color scheme from The Next Generation era. ( Lower Decks takes place a few years after the final Next Generation theatrical film.) The cut features a narrow black top and the wearer's department color across the chest and torso, along with black trousers. Canonically, the uniforms are for crew members working on California- class ships, which are largely relegated to second-tier missions and maintenance duties.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

The support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, have to keep up with their duties, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds faces continuity challenges the likes of which no other Star Trek series has encountered. Set after the first two seasons of Discovery and a few years before the events of The Original Series , it needs to keep in step with continuity while still forging a distinctive identity for itself.

That extends to the uniforms, which match the same color patterns as The Original Series. Captain Pike is seen in the same yellow as WIlliam Shatner's Captain Kirk -- sometimes in the green wraparound -- with the rest of his crew wearing the same colors as those who will eventually replace them aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. It has also made the notable move of eliminating the infamous "miniskirts" that female crew members wore on The Original Series. Though Nichelle Nichols made the look iconic, it has subsequently been criticized for its objectifying qualities. Strange New Worlds loses the skirts -- the series' women wear trousers just like the rest of the crew -- while still subtly evoking the style in the new cut.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

The Star Trek franchise is currently streaming on Paramount+.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

Star Trek Uniform Color Meanings

What is the meaning of the uniform colors in Star Trek? This post will cover the original crew, the next generation (TNG), and beyond, including deep space 9 (DS9), and Voyager.

Generally, the different uniform colors helped to differentiate between the different duty positions, levels of authority, and generally the command structure of the federation, and the crew on the starships.

In the Star Trek universe, the colors of the uniforms worn by crew members hold specific meanings. Let’s break it down:

Original Series

Red Uniforms: These are typically worn by crew members in engineering, security, and communications roles. Notably, Lt. Nyota Uhura and Montgomery (Scotty) Scott wore red uniforms. Wearing red on the bridge is considered a high honor. However, there’s a running joke about crew members in red shirts often meeting unfortunate fates during away missions. So, if you’re on the Starship Enterprise and want to survive, don’t wear red!

Blue Uniforms: These represent medical and science divisions. They’ve remained consistent across various “Star Trek” series. Blue shades indicate ship medics and scientific personnel.

Gold Uniforms: Worn by command officers, gold symbolizes the importance of strategic decisions. Command staff, including Captain Kirk, would wear these iconic golden shirts.

TNG, DS9 & Voyager

In Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), and beyond, not only did the uniforms modernize, the color meanings changed. Let’s delve into the significance of each uniform color:

Red Uniforms: These are worn by command staff. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his senior officers sport these crimson hues. Red signifies leadership, decision-making, and strategic roles. If you’re in red, you’re at the helm of the starship, making critical choices for the crew and the mission.

Blue Uniforms: Medical staff wear blue. Dr. Beverly Crusher and other medical officers would have a blue uniform. This remains the same as in the original series.

Gold Uniforms: Operations and security staff wear gold. Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge, Lt. Worf, Lt. Tasha Yar, and Chief O’Brien fall into this group. Gold symbolizes efficiency, engineering, and tactical prowess. These officers keep the ship running smoothly, maintain systems, and ensure security.

In summary, the colors of Starfleet uniforms reflect the crew members’ roles and responsibilities as they explore the final frontier!

Why The Uniform Colors Change?

The switch in uniform color in the 24th century likely aimed to move away from the negative connotation associated with “redshirt” deaths, those unfortunate crew members who often met their demise during away missions.

The evolution of Starfleet’s uniform colors reflects different visions of the franchise’s costume designers over the past 50 plus years. Each new designer brings their own perspective, adapting the color meanings while honoring the legacy of this beloved sci-fi saga.

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A Guide to the Different Uniform Colors the Characters Wear in ‘Star Trek’

Star Trek: The Original Series premiered in 1966. And in the year 2022, the franchise doesn’t seem to be slowing down soon. Currently, there are several ongoing television series with a new film and series recently announced.

I was a toddler when Star Trek: The Next Generation came out in 1987, making Picard’s Enterprise crew one of my earliest memories. I still love the series (as I sip out of my Chateau Picard wine tumbler). But the meaning of their uniform shirts eluded me for the longest time. Honestly, I thought you just picked your favorite color outfit when you joined a crew. After the “redshirt” trope (where a redshirt team member was more likely to die on a Star Trek away mission) became known, I thought there might be more to it. Apparently, there is a whole color-coded system in place. And the meaning of the colors changed slightly through the various shows.

The Original Series

For the original Star Trek series and the Enterprise prequel that came later, the uniform color breakdowns are:

Red – Engineering, Security, and Communications

Blue – Science and Medical Staff

Gold – Command Staff

Green – Command Staff Formal

The original series is where the redshirt trope comes from. It always seemed like if a random character in a red shirt went on an away mission, then they were not making it back to the ship. The largest group of people wore red uniform shirts, which would make it more likely that a person who died or got injured would have a red shirt on.

The Next Generation

When The Next Generation arrived, the series changed several things from the original, including the uniform colors:

Red – Command Staff

Gold – Operations and Security Staff

TNG , more so than the original series, set the template for most future shows. Even though the uniform styles changed, the color classifications stayed the same in Deep Space Nine , Voyager , Discovery , Picard , and the animated show Below Decks .

However, every season contained at least one character who wore their own take on the uniform that did not line up with the standard Starfleet look. Examples being: Deanna Troi from TNG (to relate to her patients better), Odo and Kira Nerys from Deep Space Nine (because of their connection to the Bajoran military), and Seven of Nine in Voyager (because of her cyborg physiology).

Now that we are clear on which uniform color means what, which color would you pick?

(feature image: Paramount)

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From TOS to Star Trek Beyond: The Evolution of Uniforms

From its humble – and somewhat precarious – beginnings in 1966, Star Trek’s place in science fiction has grown to epic proportions, unmatched by others in its genre (which, of course, is a bone of contention).

Arguments aside, there’s one constant element in Star Trek that we cannot do without: their wonderfully designed uniforms. I have to admit – there’s not much sexier than a person in uniform. Especially if they’re in Star Trek.

I’m not saying outlandish alien features and costumes don’t add to a story’s appeal, but Star Trek’s crew members – from TOS to Star Trek Beyond – hit the spot with their simple but “look at me” vibe.

So, how well do you know your Star Trek uniforms?

If your memory is a little hazy, let’s help you with that. Here is a Star Trek uniform guide which showcases the threads from The Original Series, The Motion Picture, The Next Generation, Generations, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, and the most recent movies.

Perfect timing for Star Trek Beyond, don’t you think?

Which uniforms do you like best?

Related: Which Star Trek Villain Are You?

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Every Starfleet Uniform From 'Star Trek,' Ranked

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When a Starfleet officer is preparing to "boldly go where no one has gone before," they need every bit of confidence they can muster. Not knowing what awaits them on undiscovered worlds, the clothing they wear is vital. A Star Trek officer's uniform serves a very important role. It not only protects its wearer from alien climates and environmental elements, but it instantly impresses an idea of status.

Star Trek officers are ambassadors, representing Starfleet to galaxies far beyond the stars. Besides the differences used to signify varying roles, the overall unity in design sends a visual message to other cultures that they are all part of the same organization, and work together as a team. Over the decades, Star Trek uniforms have undergone several redesigns. But which one stands out as the best? Here is every Star Trek uniform, ranked.

13 'Star Trek: Prodigy'

Tv series (2021).

A visually stunning animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy follows the exploits of a group of young misfits who happen upon an abandoned Starfleet ship. As they discover their strengths, both individually and collectively, they get to have some pretty entertaining adventures. Luckily for the young would-be cadets, a hologram of Captain Kathryn Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ) is programmed into the vessel and provides them with some much-needed guidance.

Since the young confiscators are not official Starfleet ensigns , it is understandable that they don't start the series in uniform. However, the choice not to have them wear uniforms makes the show feel a bit more like a saga befitting Guardians of the Galaxy rather than Star Trek . When the ensemble finally does don fatigues, they are all the same, with no distinctions or special notice given.

Star Trek: Prodigy

A group of enslaved teenagers steal a derelict Starfleet vessel to escape and explore the galaxy.

12 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'

Tv series (2022).

Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) is famously Captain James T. Kirk's ( William Shatner ) predecessor and mentor. The series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finally gives his character a chance to have a storyline in his own right and get the spotlight he deserves.

Despite the exciting concept, the uniforms used in the series are lackluster. They are fashioned similarly to the 2009 movie with an aesthetic that resembles sports clothing rather than military dress. They use colors from the classic series, black top borders from Star Trek: The Next Generation , and don't give the audience anything new to emulate.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount) and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in the 23rd century as they explore new worlds throughout the galaxy in the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series.

11 'Star Trek: Nemesis'

Movie (2002).

Finding a way to differentiate the uniforms used in the television series and those used in the films is tricky. In the movie Star Trek: Nemesis some fantastic performances are given by the actors, including a younger Tom Hardy as the principal villain, Praetor Shinzon. But not much can be said about the costumes.

In a nod to other Star Trek television shows taking place around the same time, the uniforms feature predominantly black bodies with colored top portions and shoulders. However, in Star Trek: Nemesis , instead of using the bright colors on top of the uniforms, they chose to use gray on every uniform and the undershirts being the predominant form of color designation. This decision leads to a washout of originality and an underwhelming visual picture.

Star Trek: Nemesis

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10 'Star Trek: Picard'

Tv series (2020).

A flash-forward saga, Star Trek: Picar d follows Captain Jean Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) several years after his first missions aboard the Enterprise. He faces new foes with the help of some familiar faces. Fans of the character's debut series, Star Trek: The Next Generation will enjoy multiple cameos from fellow costars.

Comfortable and casual seem to be the motif for the clothing in this iteration of the Star Trek universe. If human history serves as any indicator, this is indeed where fashion is headed. Out are the tight corsets and laced bodices of the Victorian era, and in are the stretchy yoga pants of the 21st century. It is no wonder that the fabricators for Star Trek: Picard took their cues from realistic trends to envision a future where uniforms are understated and informal. Albeit sleek and stylish, the ensembles used in Star Trek: Picard lack the pizzazz that is synonymous with other uniforms in the genre .

Star Trek: Picard

Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, long retired from Starfleet, is thrust back into the heart of galactic intrigue when a desperate young woman seeks his aid. Determined to uncover a vast conspiracy and protect her, Picard recruits a diverse team of allies. As they navigate a galaxy fraught with new dangers and old enemies, Picard faces personal demons and ethical dilemmas, all while trying to uphold the ideals he has always stood for.

9 'Star Trek: Voyager'

Tv series (1995).

Star Trek continued to be a show that promoted gender ideals that were not yet the norm in everyday life, including women as high-ranking officers. One of the highest and most prestigious ranks within the Federation was that of a starship captain, and the series Star Trek: Voyager gave audiences the confident and tenacious Captain Kathryn Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ).

While imagination and innovation inspired the character choices and writing for the series, the costume department didn't reinvent the wheel. Borrowing identically from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine lookbook, the uniforms that the crew members onboard the Voyager wore were nothing special.

Star Trek: Voyager

8 'star trek', movie (2009).

Going for a sinuous appeal, the wardrobe designers for the 2009 film Star Trek must have taken inspiration from athletic wear companies. While the sleek and figure-hugging fabric used in the cinema reboot is contemporary, it leaves something to be desired when it comes to being scientific or military garb.

With the t-shirt style cuts and microfiber cloth, the actors in the film look like they are about to embark on a cross-fit workout session, rather than a historic and significant quest across the galaxy . In terms of modernization and trying to reach a younger audience, the clothing choices may have worked, but for the overall tone of the characters, they fall short.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

7 'Star Trek: Enterprise'

Tv series (2001).

Even though Star Trek: Enterprise was filmed more recently, it is a prequel, set nearly a century before the original series with Captain Kirk (William Shatner). Due to the antiquated setting of the series, the crew's solid-colored jumpsuits are a visual nod to NASA and early space exploration. The uniforms are also emblazoned with an insignia on the arm, similar to NASA astronauts wearing mission patches.

Even though the classifications have some differentiation by using colored stripes around the shoulders, they are still largely monochromatic and not the most visually appealing . The large, bulky zippers add to the nuance of the timeline, but do little to earn fashion points.

Star Trek: Enterprise

A century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.

6 'Star Trek'

Tv series (1966).

The uniform that started it all. The original series boldly went where no show had gone before in many of its themes, plot lines, and on-screen firsts. The show also used color very vividly to distinguish between different duties within Starfleet command. Most military fatigues use small details to denote status, like pins, embellishments, or insignia. But Star Trek was unique in that it so clearly denoted the different roles onboard the ship. This could be a necessary way to communicate quickly to other cultures of alien species which officer(s) they need to interact with.

All marks given for originality, the 1966 uniforms are not the most elegant or stylish of the show. The Starfleet crest is present on the uniforms, but it is only embroidery . The uniforms were also heavily gendered, with women's dresses being very short. The female officers looked like they were dressed for a party at a disco, rather than a diplomatic voyage to new worlds.

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

5 'Star Trek: Lower Decks'

Part Star Trek , part Rick and Morty , Star Trek: Lower Decks ' creator Mike McMahan brings satire and absurd adult humor to the galaxy. Fans of the live-action shows will get a kick out of the many inside jokes and meta references that only a true Trekkie/Trekker will appreciate. The animated series follows the daily routines of lower-ranking crew members onboard a starship, instead of largely focusing on officers of command rank, like most of the other series.

The uniforms in Star Trek: Lower Decks have the distinctive colors, small collar pins, and black pants that make a Star Trek uniform great. They also feature the recognizable top black border that is reminiscent of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a new, sleek off-center cut that makes them stylish and futuristic looking.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Behind every great captain, is a crew keeping the ship from falling to pieces. These are the hilarious stories of the U.S.S. Cerritos.

4 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'

Movie (1982).

The most imperialistic looking uniforms the good crew aboard the Enterprise ever wore were the red uniforms in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . The uniformity and regal quality of the costumes evoke feelings of militia. Perhaps this feeling was too much felt by audiences, and that's why the wardrobes were short-lived. Future designers chose to go back to more sci-fi stylized designs.

With the crisp lines and contrasting thick black belts, the regimentals worn in the movie look more like those worn by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police than those in other Star Treks . Even if the costuming was a little off the mark, the movie itself is considered to be one of the best in the canon .

Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan

With the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.

3 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'

Tv series (1993).

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine not only flipped the script by focusing on the activities taking place on a starport rather than a starship, but it also flipped the colors of the traditional uniforms. Instead of having the top portion be black and the body of the uniform be colored, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine used a black body as the base for the outfits, with only the top portion of the shoulders being colored .

Another stylistic decision was to use v-necks instead of the standard crew necks. Gray undershirts were worn beneath the uniform as well, giving the audience more of a visual separation between the character and the role they performed. They weren't merely a uniform with a person in it, but rather a person wearing a uniform .

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

2 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'

Tv series (1987).

Adapting a classic TV show for a current audience is no small task. From the writing to the costumes, everything has to be refreshed to give the drama an appeal to modern viewers. The wardrobe designers for Star Trek: The Next Generation did a fantastic job of taking inspiration from the old while envisioning the new. The first revamp of the original series, this adaptation has remained a favorite for many years.

The standard colors of yellow (gold), blue, and red were given a reprieve, but the designations changed. Red now represented command, gold for operations, and blue for science. The show started with crew members in one-piece jumpsuits, but later changed to two pieces with black trousers and high-collared shirts. The designers of the show also upgraded the Federation's crest. Now it was not merely an embroidery on the uniform, but a shiny, metallic, and functioning communicator that was worn like a pin on the left side lapel. Another important upgrade was that these uniforms were not gender-isolating. The female and male officers wore the same uniform.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

1 'Star Trek: Discovery'

Tv series (2017).

If Star Trek is about exploring all worlds, can the costume department give the best of both worlds when it comes to the crew's uniforms? The designers for Star Trek: Discovery have done exactly that. The series is a prequel to the original TV show, but falls in the timeline after Star Trek: Enterprise . It is uniquely positioned to have a visual bridge between the old and new uniforms, and it accomplishes this with great style.

In the first few seasons, the uniforms are solid blue with large, obnoxious zippers running up the front, (a nod to Star Trek: Enterprise ) with gold, silver, and bronze stripes and panels down the shoulders and sides to denote rank. But, as the story goes forward , the uniforms begin to change color, more closely resembling those worn by the cast in the 1966 series. By season four, the prominent colors of yellow, red, and blue are used to denote command, operations, and science, respectively. Even though the earlier uniforms are less immediately identifiable as Star Trek uniforms, they are still stylish and a favorite for audiences to cosplay. This series not only manages to give fans something new to enjoy, but something old to reminisce about as well. And simply using color to evoke the ethos of the beloved show, serves as a testament to the series' iconic wardrobe legacy.

Star Trek: Discovery

Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

NEXT 'Starfleet Academy' Just Beamed Up Another Oscar Nominee

Why Did Deanna Troi Wear A Starfleet Uniform In Star Trek: The Next Generation's Final Seasons?

Quick links, deanna troi's starfleet uniform, explained, how marina sirtis felt about deanna troi's new uniform, deanna troi almost wore a different starfleet uniform, giving deanna troi a starfleet uniform wasn't enough for sirtis.

• On Star Trek: The Next Generation , Counselor Deanna Troi wore uniforms different from those of the rest of the USS Enterprise crew.
• In the pilot episode, Deanna Troi was seen in 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 with good reason to do so.

One of the most underappreciated characters on Star Trek: The Next Generation was the newest addition to the Enterprise's bridge crew. Recognizing the importance of mental health, a counselor was added to the cast of Starfleet officers. Yet, Deanna Troi rarely wore a Starfleet uniform until the final seasons of The Next Generation , and the reason is surprising. Interestingly, despite spawning three sequel series, no other Star Trek series of the era included a ship's counselor, making Troi unique.

The real-world reason for Deanna Troi's penchant for civilian attire was lower-minded than Star Trek is supposed to be. Given the full-body costumes, there was little in the way of showing skin among the cast. Skimpy outfits for series regulars and guest stars were very common for Star Trek: The Original Series . However, the late 1980s and 1990s were different times. The new costumes provided a way for producers to add some "sexy" to the bridge, and it came via the low-cut, skin-tight outfits actor Marina Sirtis was forced to wear. The in-universe rationale, however, makes sense. The USS Enterprise-D was a ship with a crew complement of more than a thousand people, civilians, and children. The Starfleet uniform is a symbol of authority, so Troi wore civilian clothes, without rank, to make people feel more comfortable . Yet, that symbol of authority inspired her to wear only Starfleet uniforms later while on duty in The Next Generation Seasons 6 and 7.

Updated by Joshua M. Patton on July 3, 2024: By allowing her to wear a Starfleet uniform, the characterization of Deanna Troi was expanded, though the actor wished for a more complete and involved backstory. Instead, Troi was primarily defined by her relationship with Will Riker. While this is one of Star Trek's best romances, the character deserved more. This article has been updated to comport to CBR's current formatting standards.

10 Most Memorable Star Trek TNG Episodes, Ranked

Star Trek The Next Generation revived audiences by boldly going where no one has gone before with some truly memorable episodes.

In the series pilot episode, Deanna Troi wears the "skant," a mini-skirt uniform worn by both men and women. "I was dressed as the cosmic cheerleader...[i]magine a potato with matchsticks sticking out of it," Sirtis says in The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. After that episode, however, she sticks to civilian clothes, though the actor didn't find these outfits any more flattering. It wasn't until the two-part episode "Chain of Command" in Season 6 that she finally got her Starfleet uniform.

In the episode, Ronny Cox guest starred as the infamous Captain Jellico, given command of the Enterprise while Captain Picard went off on a secret mission. Jellico's brusque style contrasted in many ways with Picard's, causing severe friction with First Officer Will Riker . As Counselor Troi tries to explain to Jellico why the crew is resisting his many commands, he tells her to start wearing her uniform . He appreciated "formality on the bridge." After this episode, Troi is rarely seen out of uniform. While some might suggest it was Jellico's influence, Troi started this journey a season earlier.

The Season 5 episode "Disaster" involved a massive power outage on the Enterprise. Troi is the senior officer on the bridge and has to take command. Despite problems with how the character was written, "Disaster" is an excellent episode for Troi. She's uncertain in her role, and the officers under her command challenge her decisions. A member of the empathic Betazoid species, Troi uses her emotions in command, going with the orders that "feel" right. During "Conundrum," a later Season 5 episode where everyone loses their memories, she's the only one who notices something is wrong.

A Season 7 episode of The Next Generation , "To Thine Ownself," potentially explains why Troi stayed in uniform. She mentions her brief time in command as an exciting challenge. So, she decides to go up for promotion to full Commander. While she never mentions the Starfleet uniform, if Deanna Troi wanted to lead, she needed the authority a uniform provided . She still wore civilian clothes while off-duty, but once in uniform, the ship's counselor became a more involved crew member. This continued into the movies, where she donned the new grey and black uniform introduced in Star Trek: First Contact . However, Troi sticks to civilian clothing in Star Trek: Picard until she gets one of the leather Starfleet field jackets the rest of the crew wear.

Why Star Trek V: The Final Frontier's Visual Effects Were So Bad

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier has a bad reputation among fans, but the film's biggest problems were its visual effects and the problems behind them.

The creation of Deanna Troi is one of the Star Trek: Phase II ideas in The Next Generation , recycled by Gene Roddenberry. The character of Ilia, a Deltan, was used in The Motion Picture , and Troi was her replacement. The Betazoid abilities were supposed to be more than mere empathy, specifically manifesting in an increased libido. The character was supposed to have three breasts, though writer Dorothy "D.C." Fontana talked Roddenberry out of that. While it seems sexist now, it's equally possible it was a misguided attempt to challenge the moral conventions of the time about women and sex. Just as skants provided an updated version of The Original Series ' miniskirt but subverted expectations being worn by both men and women.

Still, as far as Sirtis was concerned, Deanna Troi's characterization improved once she donned a Starfleet uniform . "I was thrilled when I got my regulation Starfleet uniform," she told the BBC in 2001 , "consequently, I got all my brains back because when you have a cleavage, you can't have brains in Hollywood." Once she was in uniform, Troi would go on away missions, use phasers, and participate in more action-oriented scenes than before. Even still, Sirtis may be selling the early seasons of Troi a little short. While not always written powerfully, her character has always been a vital part of the crew in the eyes of both fans and her castmates.

Whether in uniform or more revealing civilian clothes, Deanna Troi is a remarkable character. She is the show's most compassionate and caring character, save perhaps for Whoopi Goldberg's Guinan. With her deep concern for people, she carved out a place for herself among leaders, warriors, and scientists. At its core, that is what Star Trek is supposed to be about. However, the change affected Sirtis, and her performance as Troi only strengthened once she started looking like a true member of Starfleet .

Star Trek: The Picard Maneuver, Explained

Among his other accolades, Jean-Luc Picard has a military maneuver named after him, and it appeared early in Star Trek: The Next Generation's run.

While Marina Sirtis appreciated wearing what the cast calls "the spacesuit" more than civilian attire, she almost wore a uniform of a different color. When Star Trek: The Next Generation was still in the casting process, Sirtis auditioned for the role of security officer Tasha Yar. Meanwhile, model and actor Denise Crosby read for Troi. It was series creator Gene Roddenberry who made the call for the two actors to switch roles.

According to The Fifty-Year Mission, an oral history of Star Trek , producers "selected [Denise Crosby and Marina Sirtis] for the opposite roles, and Gene said, 'I want Crosby to play Tasha and Marina to play Troi.'" Crosby was ultimately killed off near the end of the first season because, as Crosby reveals in the same book, she felt her character was being under-utilized, but she was forced to stand on the bridge for long hours on shooting days. Crosby would return for two episodes later in the run, however.

Troi's character underwent many changes during the development process , but she was always meant to be the counselor. Some writers, like Brannon Braga, felt the character didn't make sense, especially given the "Roddenberry Box," a set of rules declaring Starfleet officers don't have petty disagreements, fights, or jealousy. Despite writing some of the best Star Trek episodes across the franchise, a counselor was essential.

The ship is often in dangerous and traumatic situations, so it makes sense that the crew and civilians aboard would need someone to talk to. Consulting producer David A. Goodman credited the show and character "for making therapy palatable for a whole new generation" in The Fifty-Year Mission . Her seat on the bridge was meant to reinforce her importance as a member of the Bridge crew.

The Star Trek Universe Is in Very Good Hands Jonathan Frakes Bids Farewell to Star Trek: Discovery

In an interview with CBR, Star Trek legend Jonathan Frakes talks about taking the director's chair one last time for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5.

By allowing Deanna Troi to wear a Starfleet uniform and seek promotion, The Next Generation storytellers gave the character more depth than she had previously. Yet, this late interest in her career wasn't enough for Marina Sirtis, at least in hindsight. At the Showmasters Comic-Con in 2023, Sirtis explained what she felt the character of Troi lacked. "In a general way, I'd have liked to known more about her," she said. "I always used to say, 'We know she's got a crazy mother, and that she's from Betazed and that she likes to work out in the ugliest leotard ever known to man...we know nothing [else] about her." The only other detail viewers got about Troi's past was her relationship with her "Imzadi," Riker.

When Deanna Troi returned for Seasons 1 and 3 of Star Trek: Picard , she was no longer an active member of Starfleet. She married Riker in Star Trek: Nemesis , and the couple had two children. There was Kestra, named after her deceased sister and Thad, who died of an incurable disease. She did serve with Riker while he was the captain of the USS Titan, but after that, she became a wife and mother. However, the Picard series finale showed she still worked as a counselor, in a humorous scene where she helped the nearly-human Data work out his new feelings. Still, Troi never got the kind of backstory or development characters like Worf or Beverly Crusher did .

Deanna Troi is an iconic Star Trek hero , no matter what uniform she's wearing, a Starfleet spacesuit or the goofy gray and pink workout outfit. The decision to allow Troi to wear a proper uniform and take on more command responsibility was, arguably, long overdue by Season 6. Yet, the writers struggled to live up to Troi's potential. She was supposed to be as intelligent as Spock, after all. Still, Sirtis was able to elevate the material and, thereby, Troi herself through her remarkable and heartfelt performance.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

Release Date September 26, 1987

Cast Majel Barrett, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Main Genre Sci-Fi

Genres Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure

Rating TV-PG

Creator Gene Roddenberry

Production Company Paramount Television

Number of Episodes 176

Network CBS

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

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Since its debut in 1987 the TNG Communicator Badge has been a sought-after future tech we all wish we had. The Fametek Chirping ComBadge plays the classic "Chirp" sound effect that activates on demand with a touch. The perfect addition to your uniform for your cosplay Star Trek experience.

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• Instant "Chirp" response when tapped
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• Plays classic communicator chirp sound effect when you press it
• Replaceable button batteries (included)

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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!
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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.

STTNG-100199-0001-ST-TNG-CUB

Star Trek: The Next Generation Starfleet 2364 Men's Jacket

Outfit yourself for missions through space and time with the Starfleet 2364. Constructed of heavy denim with rugged topstitching, the jacket is strong enough to last a Vulcan's lifetime. The signature angular style of the Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms is transformed into streetwear, recognizable as TNG-inspired, practical, and wearable. It's perfect for all your voyages, great and small. Whether you don Command Red, Operations Gold, or Sciences Blue, you'll be ready to tackle journeys in Enterprise D or just around your neighborhood in this sleek jacket. Live long and prosper!

• Heavy duty water and stain repellent denim
• Reinforced topstitching
• Asymmetrical zipper
• Two snap closure external pockets
• Internal pocket
• Comes with a certificate of authenticity.
• Made in the USA
• Care:Dry clean
• Command Red - Red with black accents and red thread
• Operations Gold - Gold with black accents and gold thread
• Sciences Blue - Blue with black accents and blue thread
• Availability: Ships to the United States and Puerto Rico.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Sherpa Blanket

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.

STTNG-100206-0002-ST-TNG-CUS

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.

STV-100145-0001-ST-TNG-CUT

Star Trek: The Next Generation Starfleet 2364 Women's Jacket

Outfit yourself for missions through space and time with the Starfleet 2364. Constructed of heavy denim with rugged topstitching, the jacket is strong enough to last a Vulcan's lifetime. The signature angular style of the Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms are transformed into streetwear: recognizable as TNG-inspired, practical, and wearable. It's perfect for all your voyages, great and small. Whether you don Command Red, Operations Gold, or Sciences Blue, you'll be ready to tackle journeys in the Enterprise D—or just around your neighborhood—in this sleek jacket. Live long and prosper! 🖖

2364-CMR-W-033

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NX-01 Flight Jacket Celebrate the first warp 5 starship with the NX-01 Flight Jacket. Designed after the crew jumpsuits, this flight jacket features multiple pockets, two shoulder patches and an interior schematics of the NX-01.   Available to preorder at Hero Within SDCC booth #1943. Preorder price: $99 USD.

The second new jacket is modeled after Wesley Crusher’s acting ensign uniform from  Star Trek: The Next Generation  Season 1, adorned with the signature tri-color stripe and lined with an episodic image from “Where No One Has Gone Before.”

The Wesley Jacket Represent your favorite acting Ensign and space genius with our Wesley Jacket. Inspired by Wesley Crusher’s season 1 uniform, The Wesley features a brush cotton shell, interior pockets and an inside print from “Where No One Has Gone Before” (When Wesley first meets the Traveler). Available to preorder at Hero Within SDCC booth #1943. Preorder price: $99 USD.

Fans not attending San Diego Comic Con are likely to get their chance to see these jackets in person at Creation Entertainment’s upcoming  Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, running August 1-5.

More information about these jackets will be available soon at HeroWithinStore.com.

Hallmark is expanding their 2024  Star Trek holiday ornament lineup — which we first told you about back in April — with one more starship this summer: a special convention-exclusive variant of their upcoming  USS Enterprise- B starship.

Debuting at Hallmark’s SDCC booth (#3348) on July 25, this “Nexus Damage”  Enterprise -B variant ornament celebrates the 30th anniversary of  Star Trek: Generations , and is limited to only 3200pc of total production.

Retailing for $35, this will be only available in person at San Diego Comic Con and will not be available through Hallmark’s online store (with small quantities reserved for Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club members). There will be an allotment planned for each day of the convention… so if you want it, get to Hallmark’s booth ASAP when you get to the convention.

(East Coast fans, you’ll also have an opportunity to get this ornament on site at New York Comic Con in October.)

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