star trek next gen uniform change

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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!

Star Trek’s Next Movie Can Answer A TNG Starfleet Uniform Mystery

• Star Trek: Section 31 may answer the mystery of disappearing turtlenecks in Starfleet uniforms.
• The evolution of Starfleet uniforms in the "lost era" suggests a gradual change in styles.
• The longevity of the "monster maroon" uniforms in Star Trek is unusual compared to other eras.

When Star Trek: Section 31 streams on Paramount+, the next Star Trek movie can finally answer a mystery about Starfleet uniforms first raised in Star Trek: The Next Generation . In TNG season 3, episode 15, "Yesterday's Enterprise", a temporal rift introduced the 2340s USS Enterprise-C, commanded by Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O'Neil), to the 2360s crew of the USS Enterprise-D. Kacey Rohl will play a younger Rachel Garrett in Section 31 alongside Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Philippa Georgiou, implying Section 31 may take place in Star Trek 's "lost era", set between Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 2293, and the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 2364.

The Starfleet uniforms of the lost era were the longest-lasting of any style seen throughout the Star Trek franchise. Affectionately dubbed the "monster maroon" due to the distinctive red woolen jacket, the Starfleet uniform first seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in 2285 lasted up until the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the 2360s. In this era, rank insignia was worn on the sleeves, much like in Star Trek: The Original Series , and the department was denoted by a colored strap on the shoulder and matching turtleneck. The turtleneck wasn't part of the Enterprise-C uniforms of the 2240s, though, so when did they disappear?

Star Trek: Every Starfleet Uniform & History Explained

Section 31 movie can answer a star trek uniform mystery, where did the turtlenecks go, and when did they stop being used.

Depending on when Star Trek: Section 31 actually takes place, Section 31 may be able to answer the question of the mysteriously vanishing Starfleet turtleneck. A more militaristic Starfleet might be inclined to use the more efficient version of the "monster maroon" uniform , like the alternate reality of "Yesterday's Enterprise", but that doesn't take into account flashbacks in the Prime Timeline of Star Trek lacking the turtleneck, like Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) in TNG season 6, episode 15, "Tapestry", or the presence of it in the war-torn alternate future of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 10, "A Quality of Mercy".

Is there an in-universe reason for TNG's "monster maroon" uniform change?

TNG flashbacks show two Monster Maroon variations designed by Star Trek: The Next Generation costume designer Robert Blackman. Ensign Picard's uniform in 2327 lacks the turtleneck, but has a collarless undershirt, making it a "middle maroon", so to speak. By 2344, the Enterprise-C crew's "mini maroon" lacks both the undershirt and the "monster maroon's" black belt. Put in chronological order, Blackman's Starfleet uniform variations from TNG flashbacks suggest Starfleet uniforms evolved throughout the lost era , from Star Trek movie costume designer Robert Fletcher's Monster Maroon into the slimmer silhouette of Starfleet uniforms in TNG season 1, designed by William Ware Theiss. But is there an in-universe reason for TNG 's "monster maroon" uniform change?

Why Star Trek: TOS Movies’ Maroon Uniforms Were Worn By Starfleet For Decades

80 years of the "monster maroon" is unusual, compared to rapidly changing starfleet uniforms in other eras..

Star Trek 's maroon Starfleet uniforms were in use for 50 years before any variants were introduced, and even then, the undershirt variant lasted 16 years, and the collarless version was used for 11 years. With over 80 years of use, that's different from other eras of Star Trek , where Starfleet uniforms change rapidly, and sometimes even use more than one uniform at once, like the utilitarian colored-shoulder uniforms in early seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the white-striped variant for support crews in Star Trek: Lower Decks, or the myriad uniform styles seen in both the 22nd and 32nd centuries on Star Trek: Discovery .

Using the maroon TOS movie costumes for flashbacks provides a clear visual signal that the story is set much earlier.

Without a Star Trek series set in the lost era, it's cost-effective to reference the TOS movie uniforms when representing the lost era on-screen . Because the maroon uniforms are strikingly different from TNG uniforms , using the maroon TOS movie costumes for flashbacks provides a clear visual signal that the story is set much earlier, while also saving the time and cost it would take for designer Robert Blackman to come up with brand-new uniforms just for that era. If Section 31 takes place in the lost era, we may finally see an explanation for why Starfleet's maroon uniforms lasted right up to Star Trek: The Next Generation without changing much.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+. Star Trek: Section 31 will stream on Paramount+.

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

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s)

Writers Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore

Showrunner Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Where To Watch Paramount+

Studio(s) CBS

Distributor(s)

Cast Humberly Gonzlez, Joe Pingue, Sam Richardson, Omari Hardwick, Robert Kazinsky, Michelle Yeoh, Kacey Rohl

Redesigning Starfleet’s Uniforms for The Next Generation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A little more comfort

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

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

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

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

Blackman’s first attempts weren’t very successful:

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

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

Different standards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 Times Star Trek Changed Its Uniforms and Why

Star Trek's costumes changed with every series, usually with a lot of thought put into the reasons. Here are 15 times Starfleet's uniforms changed.

It can be quite a mess sometimes, but it's also part of the fun. And like most other aspects of Star Trek , it's undergone a great deal of change over the decades. In some ways, the franchise can be marked solely by the number of times they changed the costumes.

RELATED: 10 Sci-Fi Tropes That Aged Poorly

15 The Classic Original Series Uniforms Took Shape

The uniforms from The Original Series are iconic and set the pace for the rest of the franchise. But they also underwent a few upgrades from the two Star Trek pilots: "The Cage" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Most notably, the colors became bolder, which catered to then-cutting-edge color TV.

The Original Series also established the different departments each color represented. Yellow (and green) noted command and helm, blue stood for medical and science, and red was for security and engineering. Eventually, those three colors became emblematic of the franchise as a whole.

14 Star Trek: The Motion Picture Brought the Blands

Star Trek: The Motion Picture arrived ten years after The Original Series was canceled, and the pop-art style of the tricolor uniforms was deemed behind the times. The new uniforms reflected a far more subtle palette. The bright reds and yellows were replaced with softer hues of beige, white, and blue.

It didn't work, causing the crew to fade into their surroundings while badly dating the film in the process. And while The Motion Picture turned a profit, it fell short of the Star Wars- like numbers that Paramount envisioned. The uniforms were dropped in favor of something new.

RELATED: 10 Best Television Universes, Ranked

13 The Wrath of Khan Introduced 'The Monster Maroons'

In their place came "the monster maroons," consisting of dark red tunics over pale-colored turtlenecks. They first appeared in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , which director Nicholas Meyer likened to swashbuckling naval adventures.

The new uniforms reflected that aesthetic, resembling those of 19th-century European navies. They proved far more successful than those of the first film. The original cast continued to wear them for the remainder of their big-screen appearances.

12 Star Trek: The Next Generation Resurrected the Tricolors

The original movies were still in production when Star Trek: The Next Generation made its debut in 1987. Set 100 years after the events of The Original Series , it gave the franchise a chance to resurrect the tricolors for the first time in decades. Red and yellow were reversed -- with red now used by command officers and yellow by engineering and security -- and the new uniforms now resembled one-piece jumpsuits.

Season 3 brought a slight change to the look, with higher collars and a less snug fit. This was reportedly to accommodate the actors who found the original design excessively tight. Other subtle variations were added as the show progressed, such as a removable jacket for Captain Picard.

11 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Went Dark

The arrival of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine necessitated another re-design. With two Star Trek shows running at the same time, different uniforms would provide visual distinction. The tricolors remained, but they moved to the very top of the outfits, with the rest black below the chest. A gray undershirt was worn beneath the top.

The new uniforms were intended as a kind of workaday fatigue: worn on the Final Frontiers' rougher areas like Deep Space 9. Star Trek: Voyager used the same design for its uniforms, as did the feature-length film Star Trek: Generations .

RELATED: 10 Best Shows That Somehow Never Won An Emmy

10 Star Trek: First Contact Brought Out the Grays

Star Trek: First Contact delivered another big change in 1996. The aesthetic of Deep Space Nine 's fatigues was revised. The top of the tunics was now a uniform gray, with the undershirt color-coded to the appropriate department.

Deep Space Nine followed suit starting in Season 5, Episode 10, "Rapture." The move maintained continuity as well as visually distinguishing the show from Voyager (which didn't make the change since its crew was trapped in the Delta Quadrant). They've remained in place with "capital ships" in Star Trek: Lower Decks as well.

9 Star Trek: Enterprise Drew More Modern Inspiration

Star Trek: Enterprise was posited as a prequel to The Original Series, depicting the early days of space exploration and the founding of the United Federation of Planets . With starships of the era cramped and clunky, the uniforms resembled those of submarine crews. Crew members wore blue overalls with colored piping representing the tricolor departments.

The blue proved remarkably durable, considering Enterprise 's unfairly truncated status. It formed the basis for Star Trek: Discovery 's uniforms and also appeared in Star Trek: Beyond . They formed a visual link between the modern world and Star Trek 's hypothetical future.

8 The Kelvinverse Redefined the Classic Universe

2009's feature-length Star Trek was the first franchise effort in five years since the cancelation of Enterprise . It returned to The Original Series uniforms for the reboot. This time, it provided a more modern cut.

That included a better style of fabric, more pronounced delta badges over their hearts and a series of tiny symbols patterned in the uniform itself. Subtle touches helped distinguish them from their predecessors, along with variations such as some women's uniforms losing their sleeves.

RELATED: 10 Best Sci-Fi Series With The Worst Special Effects

7 Discovery Wasn't Afraid to Show the Metal

The first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery were set a decade before The Original Series . That gave the uniform design an easy mandate. It had bridged the gap between the blue coveralls of Enterprise and the classic tricolor look of Captain Kirk.

It did so by formalizing the cut and adding metallic piping to the sides. The metal colors matched that of the Delta logo. Gold stood for command, silver for science and medical, and copper for security and engineering.

6 Captain Pike Returned to The Original Series Look

Season 2 of Discovery also brought the core of what would become the Strange New Worlds crew , as Christopher Pike, Mr. Spock, and Una Chin-Riley arrived. They wore protean versions of the classic Original Series look, marked by an asymmetrical collar and subtle metal piping along the shoulders.

It signaled the end of Discovery 's blue phase, though their uniforms needed to make the jump to the 32nd century to find their own look. Meanwhile, Pike and his crew got another slight update once they moved to their own show.

5 Picard Evolved the TNG Outfit

Star Trek: Picard followed the example of The Next Generation -era shows: a uniform design centered around the tricolors. It loosely resembled Deep Space Nine 's fatigues, with the tricolor on top and black beneath. New com badges completed the look.

The design underwent another upgrade in Season 2, which it retained for the rest of its run. It added a tunic fold-over, reminiscent of the monster maroons of the first six feature-length movies. It also simplified the accouterments, making it all less busy.

RELATED: 10 Controversial Star Trek: TOS Episodes That Wouldn't Fly Today

4 Disco Revealed New Uniforms for the 32nd Century

Season 3 of Discovery ended with the crew effectively rechristening a shattered Starfleet. That included a wholesale abandonment of the blue uniforms in favor of new takes on the tricolor.

The season finale provided a brief look at all-gray uniforms with a stripe down the right side in the tricolor configuration (white was added for medical). Season 4 abandoned the gray for new versions of the tricolors, along with a more militaristic cut along the shoulders. Season 5 looks to maintain the same uniform for the series finale.

3 Lower Decks Delivered a Uniform for the Working Class

Lower Decks was set a few years after the end of The Next Generation 's movie run. As such, many crews still wore the gray tops from Star Trek: First Contact and the later seasons of Deep Space Nine . As a support ship, however, the USS Cerritos required a new set of threads.

The uniforms stuck to the tricolor pattern, with a black top and a tunic lined with white piping. Science and medical personnel also wore white boots. The design successfully made the leap to live-action during Lower Decks ' crossover with Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 7, "Those Old Scientists."

2 Prodigy Combined the Old and New

Star Trek: Prodigy followed Lower Decks ' example of bringing the Final Frontier into the world of animation. In this case, the show was aimed at a younger demographic, with a crew of teen-ish prison escapees onboard a starship. They eventually adopted cadet uniforms: black with a skewed gray top.

At the same time, Admiral Janeway pursued the crew in a ship of her own. At this point in the timeline -- 2383 -- Starfleet shifted away from the First Contact grays, back to another variation of The Next Generation tricolors.

RELATED: 10 Forgotten Eras Star Trek Should Explore

1 Strange New Worlds Brought the Uniforms Full Circle

The arrival of Strange New Worlds brought the franchise back to The Original Series era, slightly updated for modern sensibilities. The tricolor pattern remained, with red and gold returning to their original meanings. The cut was more modern as well, though still very much in keeping with the spirit of the iconic originals.

The new outfits also added a few modern touches, such as variants with zippers for improved comfort. Some medical personnel -- notably Christine Chapel -- wore white instead of the tricolors, while women's versions of the outfit trended subtly away from the miniskirts of the 1960s.

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).

TNG Admiral Uniform (season 1) Analysis – Preface and Overview

With the launch of The Next Generation , costume designer William Ware Theiss immediately introduced a new family of Starfleet uniforms into the franchise’s canon.

The standard duty uniform he introduced was, of course, the TNG jumpsuit , and as an alternate uniform option, he also introduced the TNG skant . (See right.)

A few episodes into the show, he introduced his TNG-era formal uniforms, and a few episodes after that, the first (proper) Starfleet admiral made an appearance – Admiral Mark Jameson.

Starfleet admirals were only seen in a mere three episodes during The Next Generation ’s first season, and with each appearance, the design of Theiss’ admiral uniforms actually changed a little.

Nevertheless, with the introduction of his admiral uniforms, Theiss completed his family of TNG-era uniforms, although the uniform family would continually be revised and expanded over the remainder of the show.

Here’s an overview of the TNG season 1 admiral uniform:

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

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

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

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

Season one uniforms

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

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

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

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

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

It must remain smooth

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

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

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

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

What 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.

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The Real Reason The TNG Crew’s Uniforms Changed In Star Trek: Generations

1994’s  Star Trek: Generations   was the first cinematic outing for Jean-Luc Picard and  The Next Generation  crew, and the movie definitely worked hard to make it feel like their story had been lifted to another level from the TV series. Many of the characters had to deal with some personal upheaval, the Enterprise-D itself was destroyed and, most notably, William Shatner came back as Kirk. There was also an effort to give the crew a new look for the big screen, too. But this didn’t go according to plan.

It’s long been a source of irritation for fans that, randomly and without explanation, the Enterprise-D crew swapped their traditional TNG  Starfleet uniforms for the  Deep Space Nine/Voyager- style models in this film. From the next movie, 1996’s  First Contact,  onward, the crew donned brand new uniforms, so their fashion habits in Generations  are a weird outlier. And as you’d expect, the reason behind it has to do with behind-the-scenes troubles.

Originally, the idea was to kickstart the era of  TNG  at the movies with all-new uniforms – these were identical to the TV versions except the raised collars were colored with the pips denoting their ranks moved to the right upper chest. Just a few days into the shoot, though, the producers decided to junk these costumes. With replacements needed to be found immediately, costumes from DS9/VOY were borrowed.

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton, for example, are actually wearing the same clothes worn by  DS9 ‘s Avery Brooks and Colm Meaney and Voyager ‘s Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang . A few background actors can also be seen dressed in these type of togs, but everyone else is in their usual TNG  attire. This means  Star Trek: Generations   is the only movie that mixes different uniforms together. But it only happened thanks to a last-minute panic.

Starfleet uniform (2350s-2370s)

• View history

Starfleet uniforms (2364)

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

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

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

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

Standard duty uniform [ ]

Command red

Operations gold; note that male and female styles are identical

Sciences blue, open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transitional versions [ ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Captain's variant [ ]

The captain's variant

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

Maternity uniform [ ]

A maternity uniform in 2370

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

Uniform undershirt [ ]

Ro Laren wearing the Type B undershirt

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

Flag officer uniform [ ]

Flag officer uniform, pre-2358

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

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

Admiral Savar in 2364

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

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

Vice Admiral Nakamura in 2365

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

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

The post-2366 flag officer's uniform

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

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

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

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

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

Dress uniform [ ]

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

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

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

Picard in his dress uniform in 2368

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

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

Medical attire [ ]

Lab coat [ ].

Dr. Crusher in her lab coat

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

Medical skant [ ]

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

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

Dr. Pulaski operating in surgical scrubs

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

Utility uniform [ ]

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

Covert ops attire [ ]

Beverly Crusher and Worf in covert ops uniforms

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

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

Cadet uniform [ ]

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

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

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

Provisional uniform [ ]

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

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

Other uniform features [ ]

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

Rank insignia [ ]

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

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Gene Roddenberry reviews a preliminary TNG uniform design

Studying the final uniforms

Robert Blackman examines the original uniform design

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

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

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

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

Appearances [ ]

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

Skant uniform

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

Utility uniform

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

External links [ ]

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

Screen Rant

Why troi didn’t wear a star trek uniform until later in tng.

Counselor Deanna Troi didn't wear a Starfleet uniform until the last couple of seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Here's why.

• Troi wore civilian clothes for most of TNG to put her patients at ease as the ship's counselor and indicate her position.
• Captain Picard allowed Troi to wear civilian clothes on the bridge due to her empathic abilities and his disregard for unnecessary regulations.
• Troi's evolution as a character and desire for more responsibilities led her to wear a Starfleet uniform, making her feel like a commanding officer and allowing her to take command when necessary.

For most of the run of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) didn't wear a traditional Starfleet uniform. Despite being one of the main characters who spent much of her time on the bridge of the USS Enterprise, Troi wore various civilian outfits throughout the first several seasons of TNG . It was not until the last couple of seasons, when Troi began taking on more responsibilities on the ship, that she regularly began wearing a Starfleet uniform. TNG never offered an official in-universe reason for why Troi wore civilian clothes for much of the show's run.

Counselor Troi served as an advisor to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), often sitting to his left on the main bridge. As a half-Betazoid, Troi could sense the emotions of those around her, making her an invaluable asset in confrontations with unknown alien species. She also worked as the ship's counselor, offering counseling sessions for the many officers and civilians on the USS Enterprise-D. By the last seasons of TNG and the subsequent films, Troi began advancing her career and took on more duties aboard the ship.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast & Character Guide

Why troi didn’t wear a starfleet uniform for most of tng.

Although Star Trek: The Next Generation never offered an official explanation in regard to Troi wearing civilian clothing, there are a few different possibilities. As the ship's counselor, Deanna likely wore civilian clothes to put her patients more at ease. A young Starfleet officer or a civilian on board might feel intimidated speaking to a high-ranking officer and be less inclined to open up about their emotions. Deanna's outfits may also have been an indication of her position as the ship's counselor , in much the same way that Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) often wears a blue coat over her uniform.

Because of her empathic abilities, Troi held a higher position on the Enterprise than many ship's counselors would. Under normal circumstances, she likely would not have been a bridge officer, but Picard valued Troi's ability to sense others' emotions and asked her to act as his advisor. Captain Picard was never a stickler for unnecessary regulations, so it would make sense that he allowed her to wear civilian clothes even while on the bridge. As a real-world explanation, some of the people behind the scenes of TNG thought Marina Sirtis looked better in the one-piece outfits rather than the standard Starfleet uniforms.

How Troi Wearing A Starfleet Uniform Showed Her Evolution

When Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox) takes command of the Enterprise in TNG season 6, episode 10, "Chain of Command," he insists that Deanna Troi change into a standard Starfleet uniform. This may just be because Jellico is a stickler for regulations and protocol, but Troi seemed to like wearing the uniform, as she would wear it more often from this point on. For much of TNG , Deanna Troi didn't have much to do. The writers sometimes seemed to struggle to come up with story ideas for her character, and Troi was often relegated to pointing out the obvious.

As Deanna evolved in later seasons, she grew as a character and began to take on more responsibilities on the Enterprise. In TNG season 7, episode 16, "Thine Own Self," Troi tells her future husband Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) that she wants to become a full Commander and take on more command duties. In wearing the Starfleet uniform, Troi likely feels more like a commanding officer and is perhaps also taken more seriously as a commander. Troi finally takes the bridge officer's test in "Thine Own Self," which allows her to take command of the Enterprise when necessary. This development not only made Troi a more interesting character but was also a welcome change for actress Marina Sirtis.

Marina Sirtis Liked Playing Troi Better Wearing A Starfleet Uniform

Marina Sirtis has expressed in multiple interviews that she didn't always love the way Deanna Troi was portrayed as a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation , including the way she dressed. In an interview with BBC in 2001, Sirtis spoke about how happy she was when Troi began wearing a Starfleet uniform, saying:

"I was thrilled when I got my regulation Starfleet uniform, or the regulation space suit, as we call it. First of all, it covered up my cleavage and, consequently, I got all my brains back, because when you have a cleavage you can't have brains in Hollywood. So I got all my brains back, and I was allowed to do things that I hadn't been allowed to do for five or six years. I went on away teams, I was in charge of staff, I had my pips back, I had phasers, I had all the equipment again, and it was fabulous. I was absolutely thrilled."

Although Deanna Troi appeared in only one episode of Star Trek: Picard season 1, she made a more significant return in Picard season 3. Despite being largely absent for the first half of Picard season 3, Deanna proved to be instrumental in the final few episodes, as she helped thwart the Borg/Changeling plot. Troi got to be a hero in the final few episodes of Picard season 3, using her Betazoid powers to help save the day. The Deanna Troi of Picard season 3 has grown a lot since her earliest days on Star Trek: The Next Generation and the character will always be an important part of the Star Trek family regardless of her outfit.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Sherpa Blanket

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

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

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• Return Policy: We will gladly accept returns for any reason within 30 days of receipt of delivery.
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• Availability: Ships internationally to most countries around the world.
• Shipping Policy: For more information, see our Shipping Policy .

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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.

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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!
• Measures: 16” Wide x 16” Tall.
• Made Of: spun poly material with down alternative; blown and closed.
• Care: Spot Clean or Dry Clean Only.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform Tote Bag

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

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

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Command Uniform T-Shirt

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

PRODUCT DETAILS:

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

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