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Star trek: every starfleet uniform & history explained.

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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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Starfleet Uniforms, Ranked

A new star trek show debut means new star trek fashion—so it's time to do some ranking..

The arrival of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is giving us our latest imagining of the iconic original series uniform —but Star Trek is home to so many wonderful uniforms that it’s time to go where no runway has gone before, and shine a light on which ones make the cut... and which ones are best used as phaser-fodder.

18) The Motion Picture

Now, just because these are at the bottom of the list doesn’t mean they’re actually bad —they’re just a really, really bizarre change from the wonderful technicolors of the original show. The designs themselves are actually quite interesting, they’re just let down by the flat colors across the board—everyone just looks a bit samey, whether in the beige or the grey.

17) Enterprise (Discovery)

When Discovery first introduced a riff on the classic Trek uniform, it was actually pretty solid—a fun blend between the colored division jackets of TOS with the jumpsuit design Discovery had already introduced as its Starfleet standard, along with the smart idea of it existing as a uniform for flagship vessels like the Enterprise . It’s mostly that time hasn’t been kind to this look, especially since Strange New Worlds has come along and done a much, much better interpretation of that classic uniform. Plus, those jacket collars just look very weird.

16) Enterprise

A huge change from what had come before it, but one that made sense for Enterprise ’s prequel setting. The blend of modern astronaut jumpsuit vibes with the subtle, but notable use of Star Trek division colors to line the shoulders is actually quite clever. It might be very different to what we expect from Trek usually, but it works.

15) Kelvin Timeline (Pre-Split)

Kind of like the Motion Picture jumpsuits, these trade the sort of color divides we usually expect from Trek for a more standardized look across the board. But the sea blue is definitely a better uniform look than TMP ’s sea of beige, and these at least shake it up by subtly differentiating the tone of color between the shirt and trouser portions of the design.

14) Discovery (Seasons 3 and 4)

After jumping forward to the 31st Century, Discovery ’s uniforms under went a big change to something much more formal—gone were the blues and chrome metallic accents of the original jumpsuits, in exchange for colorful... space business suits? These definitely read more as a dress uniform variant than an actual standard uniform at times, but that’s not necessarily bad, and deciding to tweak the colors in s eason four instead of them being predominantly grey was the right choice.

13) The Cage

Sure, they got a singular outing in Star Trek ’s original pilot, but these are great—space sweatshirts for all! It’s a shame there wasn’t as much color deviation in these as what we’d eventually get (and if anything, the standard beige color feels a little like what TMP would eventually draw on), but these actually look kind of comfy, to be honest.

12) The Wrath of Khan

Speaking of standard uniforms that look more like dress variants though! They’re very fancy, but these are great—any complaint you might have about the loss of division variants is overridden by the big bold use of red, the cut of the jacket, it all works.

11) Kelvin Timeline (Post-Split)

What if the classic TOS uniform, just a bit more modern? These are a great update to the iconic original—there’s something almost athleisure-y about the material of the original Star Trek 2009 design, with just enough modern texture but not enough that it distracts from the pure simplicity evocative of the original design. The minor update for Beyond with a higher-collared, more tailored overshirt isn’t quite as good, but they’re overall solid updates.

10) Prodigy (Training)

The latest animated Trek show isn’t big on uniforms as it focuses on a motley crew of alien kids, but when it came time for them to suit up in the climax of the first half of season one , these swanky Starfleet cadet uniforms were a pretty good riff on Academy wear. No division colors, sure, but there’s just enough going on in the simple black/grey design, and the cut of the shoulder coloration is evocative of several prior Trek designs in a cool way.

9) Strange New Worlds

The third and most recent riff on the original Star Trek uniform on this list is just really, really good. Like the Kelvin movies version, this does a ton of tiny little details to give the uniforms a pop of contemporary texture while not distracting from the simple design—and the little division emblems woven into sections feels very in line with the design language established in Star Trek: Discovery . Combined with a nice, modernized riff on the original miniskirt for female officers, and this is just an all-round fabulous refresh.

8) Discovery (Seasons 1 and 2)

These uniforms were pretty controversial at first, but for a Star Trek show that wanted to act as a transition between what we had seen from Enterprise visually to the “future” to come of the original Trek, these are a fantastic take on that more space-jumpsuit design. The blue is a lovely touch, and the metallic division coloration on the torso and upper trousers might not be the classic colors we all known and love, but it pops really well. And, once again, the devil is in the details: incredibly extra of Starfleet to make those color blocks out of teeny-tiny Starfleet deltas.

7) Prodigy (Admiral Janeway’s Crew)

Sure we only got a tiny look at these at the very end of Prodigy ’s first batch of episodes, and they have a lot in common with the TNG -era dress uniforms, but as standard looks these work quite well—evocative of post- TOS design language and colo rs, smart but not overtly smart. Clearly Admiral Janeway runs a snazzy-looking ship.

Speaking of Janeway, sure technically these are the first Deep Space Nine uniforms, and the Generations uniforms, but sue me: they’re the uniforms we see throughout Voyager , and DS9 would go on to pilfer its own iconic uniform look from the TNG movies. But anyway, these rule! It’s a great evolution of the TNG -era suits, bringing up the division colors off the chest and onto the shoulders, and there’s just a little extra pop of color with the lighter undershirt and it s higher collar.

5) The Next Generation

Whether it’s the original S pandex jumpsuit or the eventual post-s eason three jacketed look, TNG ’s uniforms are iconic for a reason. We get the re-working of the division colors from TOS to put command in red and operations/engineering in gold, and the introduction of the uniform black to bring cohesion across the entire crew—but keeping enough division color to feel evocative of TOS —makes this feel like a super-smart update on Star Trek uniform design a century in the making.

4) The Original Series

You just can’t beat the originals sometimes (ignore the fact that they’re at number four ; basically every uniform here is good in its own way anyway). The bright color feels unlike anything you would’ve imagined at the time as the uniform for a starship, and yet TOS ’ legacy and influence is still being felt all these decades later.

Picard has actually technically had three different Starfleet uniforms—one seen briefly in flashback, one for the rest of season one , and then a third for season two’ s premiere—and they’re all mostly similar enough to not be worth breaking down individually. The s eason one suits, both flashback and present, are nice, modern takes on the design language of the Voyager uniforms, with the flas hback ones bringing more design to the shoulders, and the “present” suits bringing that design focus to the cut of the collar. Season two, meanwhile, briefly seen as it was, actually feels like a live-action riff on the next entry on this list, and very good for it...

2) Lower Decks

It might be controversial to put these suits so high considering Lower Decks , despite being really good, still has this sort of underdog reputation simply for being animated. But I don’t care, these are fabulous suits. The appearance of the  division color all over with the piping on the boots and up to the collar is a lovely touch, and the strip of white dividing the shoulder sections and the colo red body of the jackets is a lovely little pop. T hese feel like a really good step between the TNG and Voyager / DS9 era uniforms, even if they technically come after.

1) Deep Space Nine

As with the Voyager uniforms, yadda yadda yadda appeared elsewhere, yadda yadda yadda don’t care, yadda yadda yadda DS9 is the thing most associated with them. All that out of the way—these are very good uniforms.

The simple switch of bringing the division color to the undershirt and the gray onto the shoulders is a really smart touch that feels reflective of the darker period these uniforms were introduced in: there’s something just a little more militaristic about these uniforms as the Federation heads into conflict with the Dominion, but there is just enough of a pop of color that they feel like Star Trek uniforms still, a little bit of light in the dark. And it’s all done through one simple, minor change! Fantastic.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power .

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Zip me up, Scotty: 50 years of Star Trek uniforms

The colorful uniforms worn by the crew of the Starship Enterprise count as some of the most iconic looks ever. Here's how they've evolved over the past 50 years.

Star Trek uniforms

Ask any cosplayer : One of the most enduring aspects of Star Trek is the famous Starfleet uniform.

The instantly recognizables colors and iconic pointy badge have been adapted for new TV series', movies and games from The Original Series up to the latest Trek adventures Discovery , Picard ,  Lower Decks  and Strange New Worlds . Check out the many outfits worn by the crew of the Enterprise on their continuing mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and boldly look cooler than anyone before.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Originally conceived by costume designer William Ware Theiss, the colorful pop art outfit debuted in 1966 in The Original Series.

Star Trek: The Animated Series

The multicolored uniforms looked great in the luminous cartoon world of The Animated Series.

Star Trek movies

In a series of Star Trek movies, the crew of the Enterprise adopted maroon tunics for the big screen.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The crew of The Next Generation  saw a new take on the multicolored Starfleet uniform.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Aboard Deep Space Nine , a darker version of the uniforms reflected the darker stories told in this series.

Star Trek: Voyager

Crew members on Star Trek: Voyager  also wore the darker uniform.

Star Trek: Enterprise

Prequel series Enterprise showed us an early Starfleet uniform.

Star Trek rebooted

Stepping outside of the established TV timeline, a new series of movies sleekly updated the iconic uniforms for a new generation of fans.

Star Trek: Discovery

Sonequa Martin-Green (centre) and Michelle Yeoh (right) lead the cast of Star Trek: Discovery on CBS All Access and Netflix. (Disclosure: CBS is CNET's parent company.) 

Star Trek: Picard

Patrick Stewart returns for Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access and Amazon Prime Video.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks will introduce to a side of Starfleet we don't normally see, with a new twist on the uniform.

Let's look at the development of Starfleet's uniform in chronological order. The earliest version appears in prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise, featuring Captain Archer and his crew in flight suits with colored accents presaging The Original Series and shoulder panels like The Next Generation.

Prequel series Discovery is set shortly before The Original Series, and gives the zip-up jumpsuits of Enterprise a more sci-fi twist with metallic side panels and shoulders.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

By season two of Discovery, we see a nifty combination of various eras of the uniform, which will continue as we return to the starship Enterprise in new series Strange New Worlds.

In 1965, the first pilot episode for The Original Series starred Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Pike, wearing a prototype version of the uniform we know and love.

The pilot episode, The Cage, features colored tunics with ribbed collars.

The womens' tunics boast a stylish pointed collar, and were much less revealing than what would come later.

On away missions, the crew donned special jackets.

Spock and Captain Pike in their blue-grey planet-exploring garb.

For the second pilot the uniform went through some changes. In the episode entitled  Where No Man Has Gone Before , William Shatner and Sally Kellerman wear uniforms in the familiar colors but with a different collar.

Although it's tough to see in the series itself, in the pilot you can see the famous "gold" uniforms were actually lime green. They only appeared gold under studio lighting.

When the series proper began in 1966, the familiar black neckline appeared.

The different colors represent the job each crew member does: Blue is worn by science and medical officers, gold by command officers, and red by security and engineering officers.

The colored shirts are paired with black boots and naval-influenced trousers.

Lieutenant Uhura and Nurse Chapel model the rather more daring version of the uniform worn by women crewmembers.

Other lower-ranked crew members wore color-coded jumpsuits.

Yeoman Janice Rand shows off a Starfleet regulation hairdo.

The Enterprise's lethally high turnover of red-garbed security officers gave rise to the expression "red shirt," meaning a minor character who's pretty much doomed.

Series creator Gene Roddenberry believed clothes would have no visible fastening in the future, so the zips are concealed in the shoulder. Initially, the uniforms were made of velour. 

For the third series, the costumes were made of nylon fabric similar to baseball uniforms -- because the previous velour versions shrank.

The Animated Series made the gold color official.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

The 1979 film  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  did away with the bold colors of the series, adopting new tunics in shades of grey, beige and white.

The new uniforms didn't prove as popular as the iconic shirts from the series, lasting just one film.

The new uniforms were rather snug.

From 1982's Star Trek: Wrath of Khan onward, designer Robert Fletcher put the original crew in tunics that evoked Starfleet's naval tradition, including bell-bottom trousers. 

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

The differing colors for different departments returned on the wrist and shoulder straps, and an undershirt.

The film also saw some warm jackets for away missions.

In 1987 The Next Generation began with the crew in form-fitting spandex jumpsuits. The colors return, but this time it's command wearing red, engineering and security in mustard, and science and medicine once again in blue. 

Unfortunately the futuristic-looking outfits gave some cast members backache, so the spandex only lasted two seasons.

For the third series, Mister Worf and his crew mates donned more relaxed wool gabardine tunics, designed by Robert Blackman.

After the switch to the new uniforms in The Next Generation, lesser crewmembers were sometimes glimpsed in the older outfits. Their poor backs.

In 1993 Captain Sisko and the crew of Deep Space Nine adopted a black uniform with colored shoulders, previously seen in The Next Generation as the uniform of Starfleet Academy.

From 1995, Captain Janeway and the crew of Voyager wore the black uniforms.

Lost in the Delta Quadrant, the Voyager crew didn't keep up with the latest fashion and so didn't make the switch to the grey-shouldered uniform.

When The Next Generation  crew made the leap to the big screen, they donned a new uniform with grey shoulders. The department colors are seen on the undershirt and the rank stripes on the wrist.

Star Trek: Lower Decks follows the escapades of junior officers Starfleet officers aboard the USS Cerritos, wearing a new take on the Next Generation uniform.

Lower Decks is set in 2380, a year after the Next Generation crew's final mission, Star Trek: Nemesis. It seems Starfleet has ditched the black and grey for a return to bright colors, perfect for the palette of a cartoon.

The Lower Decks uniform includes a simplified badge, a line of silver piping and a point at the bottom. The folding front harks back to the movie tunic. 

In Deep Space Nine's fifth season, the DS9 crew switched to the uniform worn by the Enterprise crew in the movies.

Star Trek: Picard sees a return for the beloved Next Generation captain. He's long left Starfleet behind so he isn't wearing a uniform, although those shoulders look pretty familiar. Picard streams on CBS All Access in the US and Amazon Prime Video elsewhere. 

The show features flashbacks to Picard's final days in Starfleet, when TNG-style coloured shoulders were given a striking striped flourish.

In Picard's present day, the more streamlined shoulders have returned, but with a new collar.

This is the admiral's version of the 32nd century uniform.

As Discovery continued, the ship jumps forward to the future where Starfleet's uniforms are grey with subtle colored accents and an oval badge. 

In season 4 of Discovery, the 32nd century uniforms invert their colors for a black stripe on familiar blue, gold and red tunics.

Sometimes our heroes are seen in alternative uniforms.

Captain Kirk occasionally wears a green tunic.

Captain Picard got his own version of the Captain's uniform with this blue tunic and red jacket.

Throughout the movies, the captains wear different variations on the captain's vest.

Doctor McCoy gets in on the action with his medical smock.

Captain Kirk gives a martial arts lesson, complete with Starfleet-issue uniform.

Mister Spock models a spacesuit.

The Discovery crew in a modern take on the spacesuit.

For special occasions, the crew don Starfleet dress uniforms.

A fancy Captain Kirk meets the villainous Khan while wearing his dress uniform.

The dress uniform appeared in different forms throughout The Next Generation. Here's the version worn by the crew for a wedding in the 2002 movie Star Trek: Nemesis .

Counsellor Troi got to wear her own clothes throughout The Next Generation. Troi eventually started wearing the official uniform in later seasons, but she wasn't the only character to appear in their own gear.

Child prodigy Wesley Crusher wasn't officially a Starfleet officer, so he wore an outfit that hinted at the uniform style.

Another youngster in the series, Deep Space Nine's Jake Sisko, got to show off much jazzier duds.

When Voyager rescued Seven of Nine from the Borg collective, she expressed her new freedom with some very tight outfits.

Vulcan officer T'Pol also got to wear her own (very tight) outfits. Most illogical.

The crew of the Enterprise have encountered many other uniforms during their voyages, like these Klingon outfits in The Original Series.

Star Trek the movies

The Klingons underwent a serious makeover for the movies and The Next Generation.

Klingons get a modern makeover in Star Trek: Discovery, influenced by their brief appearance in Star Trek Into Darkness.

The Romulans appeared in uniform in The Original Series.

By the time The Next Generation aired, they too had a striking new look.

Eagle-eyed fans will notice that the uniforms aren't always spot-on, like when Uhura was seen in a command uniform in the episode The Corbomite Maneuver.

Occasionally, the crew have to slip out of uniform, like when a time-travelling Kirk and co had to blend in with 1930s America in The City on the Edge of Forever .

Yes, well, anything to blend in, right?

Some of the best alternative uniforms are seen in a parallel universe in the episode Mirror, Mirror.

The mirror universe is home to a fascist version of Starfleet, complete with evil versions of our heroes -- and their uniforms.

Discovery updated the Terran Empire's uniforms in the mirror universe with striking armor.

In 2009, big screen  Star Trek  reboot reinvented the look of the classic series.

In the films Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness , gold is once again the color of command, with metallic insignia on the chest and sleeves. The V-neck shirts are worn over black undershirts.

The film's prologue showed us this glimpse of an earlier uniform, styled somewhere between the blue-ish flightsuit of Enterprise and the colored shirts of The Original Series.

The new films also feature planetside uniforms that nod to the lines and colors of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

In the 2016 film Star Trek Beyond , the uniforms are subtly altered, with more built-up shoulders and slightly darker panels down the sides.

The neckline nods to the rounded collar of later Next Generation uniforms.

The new films continue the tradition of skin-tight outfits with this diving uniform worn by Lieutenant Uhura.

Star Trek Beyond also sees the crew don blue and yellow jackets when escaping the ship.

The new films recognise that the original Starfleet uniform is one of the most iconic movie or TV costumes ever.

With more Trek on the way, here's to another 50 years of cool uniforms!

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Star Trek Points Out What’s Off About Discovery’s Starfleet Uniforms

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, Season 5, Episode 3 - "Jinaal"

• The 32nd-century Star Trek: Discovery uniforms are formal but modern.
• Starfleet uniform evolution incorporates designs with division colors and rank insignia.
• The most practical and stylish Starfleet uniforms for missions are the red tunic and TNG later season styles.

Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) hosts an 800-year-old Trill consciousness named Jinaal Bix in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal", who points out something odd about the 32nd-century Starfleet uniforms. Written by Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Wilkinson and directed by Andi Armagian, "Jinaal" sends the USS Discovery crew to Trill for the next clue to finding the Progenitors’ technology. Jinaal leads Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) on a dangerous journey to prove their worthiness and retrieve the next clue.

Jinaal tells the Starfleet Officers, “ I love what you’ve done with the uniforms. A little formal, though .” Indeed, Star Trek: Discovery ’s 32nd-century uniform designs are a departure from previous Star Trek shows, embracing a more formal and stylized look. Attempting to maintain and develop the uniform continuity of the Star Trek multiverse timeline yet also deliver something fresh, Discovery 's season 4 and 5 outfits are reminiscent of the "monster maroon" uniforms in the Star Trek: The Original Series movies. Discovery 's 32nd-century outfits incorporate modern technology and are significantly different from the uniforms in other Star Trek series.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

What’s off about star trek: discovery’s 32nd century uniforms, the uss discovery crew's blue uniform changed to grey in season 3.

Star Trek: Discovery 's uniforms were originally an sleek update of Star Trek: Enterprise 's blue jumpsuits. At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Discovery 's crew donned tailored grey uniforms with colored stripes denoting rank that drew comparisons to the uniforms showcased in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Already an odd choice, Discovery ’s updated uniform design incorporated a stiffer, thicker fabric and featured a division color swatch down one side. Discovery' s grey uniforms appeared unnecessarily formal, seemingly more suited to a political environment than the bridge of a Starfleet starship.

Starfleet's chronological evolution of uniform designs is a fascinating study.

Starting with season 4, Star Trek: Discovery 's uniforms switched to the franchise's traditional color-blocking. Discovery 's newest uniforms feature a black stripe down one side with the standard black pants and boots. The asymmetrical tunics denoted division - red for command, blue for sciences, white for medical, and gold for operations. While a clear improvement on Discovery season 3 style, the current Star Trek: Discovery uniforms are still not generally among fan-preferred uniform designs, and they haven't proven popular with cosplayers. Starfleet’s chronological evolution of uniform designs is a fascinating study, with designs veering regularly from the early blue jumpsuit style to primary color jumpers and jumpsuits to more formal jackets with undershirts and pants – and back again.

Which Starfleet Uniform Is Best For Star Trek Missions?

Starfleet's command gold transitioned to command red between the 23rd & 24th centuries.

Though each iteration of Starfleet’s signature style offers something valuable, it can be argued that some designs are certainly better and more appropriate for their purposes than others. Somewhat subjective, each Star Trek uniform design updates and expands on previous versions. Undoubtedly, the early Star Trek: Enterprise blue jumpsuits offer the most practicality (and come complete with pockets), though perhaps not the most interesting or aesthetic overall design. The slightly ill-fitted designs from Star Trek: The Original Series and early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation offer a more standardized look to Starfleet’s finest but a little less practicality. The same can be said of Star Trek: Discovery ’s options for each season.

With a view to Star Trek missions, however, two clear front-runners emerge based on practicality: the red Star Trek: The Original Series movie uniforms and Star Trek: The Next Generation' s uniforms from seasons 3-7. Iconic, sleek and practical, these designs provide a good balance of functionality and style, offering a clear representation of Starfleet along with a comfortable and immediately usable ease of movement . However, Star Trek: Discovery' s black away mission uniforms offer a rugged balance to the more formal style of the current season 5 Starfleet uniforms.

Star Trek: Discovery is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Release Date September 24, 2017

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Federation Stardate: 40446.8

Star Trek: UNIFORMS

Though we do have some costumes and uniforms in our gift shop at Federation Headquarters, we do not offer them online.  Why?  Well, because many costumes have sizing issues that result in returns.  Some manufacturers' sizes run small.  Others may run large or have a bad fit in one place or another.

But fear not!  Our partners at Hero Within offer the best in costumes and uniforms from 'Star Trek' and other fandom realms.  And if you order from them and mention The Federation, they make a donation to our organization.

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Star Trek: Picard Magnetic Delta Badge

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This magnetic pin comes to you directly from the   Star Trek: Picard . It is a full-size delta. While manufactured with FanSets normal attention to detail this pin is not meant to be an exact prop replica. With a bright silver delta over a matte finish black nickel it measures 2 ¾" tall. Revised for screen accuracy this new version of the Picard Delta features a groove in the silver overlay. This magnet lets everyone know how much you enjoy Star Trek: Picard.

Product Details:

• Official Size and Scale!
• Double Clutch Magnetic Back
• Measures 2 ¾” tall

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• Availability: Ships internationally to most countries around the world.
• Shipping Policy: For more information, see our Shipping Policy here .

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Casual duty attire

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Casual duty attire was informal clothing worn instead of a standard uniform while on duty.

On some Starfleet vessels, certain crew members were granted permission, at the captain 's discretion, to wear casual duty attire while serving on board. This diversion from the standard uniform code was typically granted to senior officers in specialized positions. ( TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I ")

• 1.1 T'Pol's uniform
• 2.1.1 Late 2250s-Early 2270s
• 2.1.2 Mid 2270s
• 2.2 Bomber jacket
• 3.1 Deanna Troi's duty attire
• 3.2 Captain's variant
• 3.3 Neelix's duty attire
• 4.1 Background information

22nd century [ ]

T'pol's uniform [ ].

In 2153 , Enterprise NX-01 science officer T'Pol resigned from the Vulcan High Command . ( ENT : " The Expanse ") As she was no longer permitted to wear her former uniform as a civilian, she opted to don brightly colored, tight-fitting jumpsuits while on duty. ( ENT : " The Xindi ") After T'Pol accepted a commission to commander in 2154 , her civilian jumpsuits were modified to include division coloring, rank insignia , and other details consistent with standard uniforms of the period . ( ENT : " Borderland ") T'Pol continued to wear variations of her civilian jumpsuits until at least 2161 . ( ENT : " These Are the Voyages... ")

23rd century [ ]

Wraparound tunic [ ], late 2250s-early 2270s [ ].

Kirk wearing the first version of wraparound tunic

Archer in the second version of the wraparound tunic

Captains had a choice of relaxed clothing to wear when on duty, in the form of a wraparound tunic . In 2259, Christopher Pike wore a green, leathery tunic with high shoulders; unlike future versions, it was worn with a standard Starfleet delta badge on the chest in addition to the delta clasp at the waist. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

James T. Kirk favored two green variations in the 2260s. Charles Evans also wore a beige version of this tunic, though where it originated from is unknown. ( TOS : " The Enemy Within ", " Charlie X ", " The Doomsday Machine ")

The captain of the USS Defiant also had a green tunic when the ship disappeared through a spatial rift in 2268 , to reemerge in the mirror universe in the year 2155 , where Jonathan Archer found the tunic in his quarters and wore it himself. ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ")

Mid 2270s [ ]

Sulu in a wraparound tunic

This wraparound tunic was worn by Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu shortly before the USS Enterprise departed drydock to confront V'ger and during Admiral Kirk 's briefing to the entire crew. This tunic had short sleeves and was worn over a black undershirt. Epaulets denoting rank were found on the tunic. Pants matching the color of the jacket were also worn. A metal Starfleet emblem found near the waist on the jacket was used to close it over the undershirt. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Bomber jacket [ ]

Fleet Admiral Morrow wearing a bomber jacket

In keeping with the Starfleet practice of allowing officers of command rank to wear a less formal variant of the uniform, command officers were given the option of wearing a suede leather bomber jacket version of the uniform starting in the late 2270s. This was worn over the department color turtleneck. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ; Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

24th century [ ]

Deanna troi's duty attire [ ].

Between 2364 and 2370 , Deanna Troi frequently wore casual, nonuniform attire while on duty as ship's counselor , as an alternative to a standard Starfleet uniform . She primarily favored unitards in a variety of colors. ( TNG : " The Naked Now " – TNG Season 6 ) Occasionally, she wore a turquoise variant with a long skirt. ( TNG : " The Survivors ")

While serving under Edward Jellico in 2369 , she was ordered to wear a standard uniform while on duty. ( TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I ") After Jellico's order, she wore a traditional uniform almost exclusively during the rest of her posting aboard the USS Enterprise -D . ( TNG Season 6 – Star Trek Generations )

Captain's variant [ ]

By 2368 , Starfleet had a uniform variant available to commanding officers in service aboard starships, consisting of a red command division suede jacket featuring banded cuffs and either leather or fabric black shoulders. Less formal than the standard duty uniform, this "captain's jacket" was a more casual dress option, with trousers reminiscent of the previous Starfleet uniform . ( TNG : " Darmok ", " Ensign Ro ")

Neelix's duty attire [ ]

During Neelix 's time joining the crew of the USS Voyager as morale officer and cook , he wore a number of Talaxian outfits while on duty and serving in an official capacity. ( VOY : " Someone to Watch Over Me ", " Live Fast and Prosper ", et al.)

Despite Neelix's interest, from his first day aboard Voyager , Tuvok indicated the ship would not replicate him a Starfleet uniform. ( VOY : " Caretaker ")

In an alternate timeline , during the Year of Hell , Neelix was given a field commission and wore an operations division uniform. ( VOY : " Before and After ")

Appendix [ ]

Background information [ ].

Troi's low-cut outfits were a throwback to the costumes of Star Trek: The Original Series . ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 102 , p. 54) The costumes were all cut differently and some were lower than others, exposing more of Troi actress Marina Sirtis ' cleavage to the camera. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 102)

In the "Stardate Revisited" documentary included with the TNG Season 1 Blu-ray collection, Marina Sirtis described the "gray unitard" outfits from the first season as being made of denim ("...and not the stretchy kind... like wearing skin-tight jeans up to your neck"). Those costumes were an attempt to design an outfit for Troi that would be more flattering than the " skant " uniform, which she wears in TNG pilot " Encounter at Farpoint ". " So they came out with the ugly gray spacesuit, " Sirtis recalled, " and they put a belt in a lighter-colored fabric exactly where my fat was. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 101) In essence, Sirtis hated those grey costumes. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 23, No. 2/3, p. 77)

At the start of Season 2 , Troi's maroon-colored costume was designed by then-new TNG Costume Designer Durinda Rice Wood . Marina Sirtis found it "much more flattering" than the grey unitards. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 23, No. 2/3, p. 77) Costume Designer Robert Blackman , who succeeded Wood, didn't approve of the jumpsuit, however. " I kept wondering why her uniform was a slightly different color, and more vulnerable-looking, " he said. " I was told that it was not a uniform – they are day clothes. I said it was not happening for me. " ( The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 16 , p. 35)

Marina Sirtis cited Robert Blackman as the originator of Troi's "wardrobe" of casual attire. " He came up with the idea that if Troi's not wearing a Starfleet uniform, then she should have more than one outfit to wear, " the actress noted. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 23, No. 2/3, p. 77)

Troi's blue-green dress was designed by Blackman, inspired by his opinion that she needed to look more vulnerable and softer than the maroon outfit made her seem. " So I came up with a fabric that's a wonderful shade of blue-green, " he commented, " with the asymmetrical neckline, a dress and pants. " According to Blackman, both he and Marina Sirtis were happy with the dress, as were most other people. Blackman thought the dress gave Troi a softer image and made her appear less officious, giving the impression she was more accessible. ( The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 16 , p. 35) However, Sirtis described the garment as, " That green dress, the one you wanted to straighten out the neckline on all the time. " She went on to say, " I wasn't crazy about the dress, because you had to take the whole thing off to go to the bathroom. But the underwear was fabulous. I had to wear a corset like a merry widow, and then we had what I like to call the industrial-strength, Starfleet-regulation brassiere. This became the standard uniform for every woman on Star Trek , and that's because the women saw me as me and then they saw me as Troi, and they went, 'I want a bra like that,' because it adds inches where there really are none. It is kind of depressing at the end of the day when you take it off. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 102)

Aside from wearing the skant uniform during "Encounter at Farpoint", Marina Sirtis was always shown wearing casual duty attire except in one instance before the sixth season episode " Chain Of Command, Part I " – in a fictional future presented in the Season 4 installment " Future Imperfect ". After "Chain of Command", Sirtis wore the unitard costumes only thirteen more times, predominantly in post-duty-shift settings, and always appeared in a standard Starfleet uniform as well. Those subsequent episodes were TNG : " Ship In A Bottle ", " Starship Mine ", " Second Chances ", " Liaisons ", " Dark Page ", " Inheritance ", " Parallels ", " Homeward ", " Sub Rosa ", " Lower Decks ", " Thine Own Self ", " Eye of the Beholder ", and the series finale, " All Good Things... ".