Well, given how profoundly fashion sensibilities change over time, I tend to find it implausible if the costume designs in a show or film set in the future don't look strange and ridiculous to present-day observers. Although I guess one could argue that fashion goes in cycles and everything comes back into style eventually.
I always take the contrast way up on that movie to keep it from looking so soft and video-y, I need my contrast (on TMP.)
I quite agree although I like the TMP uniforms much better than those that followed which I always thought looked ludicrous. Also, as the '70s recede ever further into the past I feel there's less stigma and connotation attached to the designs. Indeed, overall, TMP is the least dated looking of all the Trek films in terms off design and aesthetics. It's holding up better than some might have once imagined.
Agreed. While the colors are somewhat unpleasant to the eye, the scheme and thought put into the TMP uniforms was very remarkable and made them seem very realistic to me.
I've always liked the design of the TMP uniforms, but was left flat by the color schemes. Christopher is right in that the colors look much better in the new DVD version, but they still look a bit bland to my eye. Perhaps because the TOS uniforms and the later movie era uniforms had such vivid colors in them. I do agree that the TWOK+ uniforms are a bit too fancy for regular duty uniforms, though I do like the design as a dress uniform. A while back I did a photoshop of what the TMP uniforms might look like with a bit more vivid color, as well as adding some color to the bridge:
The uniform just looks garish that way. I think it would be better to stick with the same basic colors but just make them a little more vivid. I like the red doors, though. Makes sense for the exits to be brightly colored in case there's a fire or something.
We mock '70s styles now, but our kids will be mocking '00s styles just as gleefully. Fashion shifts so much that it's impossible to say that one decade's styles are any more "futuristic" than any other's. And I don't see what's specifically "'70s style" about the TMP uniforms. I though the fashion sense of the '70s was dominated by garish, flashy patterns and exaggerated shapes, and the TMP uniforms couldn't be more opposite to that. To me, they seem quite functional and plausibly futuristic. Certainly more so than those ludicrous retro costumes from TWOK and beyond.
another page with different illustrations and photos of the designs 22nd & 23rd Century Starfleet Uniforms
I liked the TMP uniforms and still do. The only major changes I would make would be to change the built in foot wear concept to a seperate and more practical boot and to switch the bio-belt think to a more compact design resembling something closer to a buckle. As for the WOK type uniforms, the so-called monster maroons, I like them a lot, but agree they seem more of a Class A type uniform to be worn on special occasions. The grey over black style uniforms from First Contact on are good. I think they may be my favorite style. But, having said all this, the most practical day to day uniforms they ever came up with in any incarnation of Star Trek was the old fashioned "boiler suits" from Enterprise. They even had pockets, lots of nice pockets.