Captain Picards Jacket...

[Chick_McGeester]

I have a question about the Jacket that Picard started wearing in Season 4 or 5. Basically whats the in-universe reason, and whats the real world reason?
I seem to remember hearing that Patrick Stewart HATED the original tunic and complained that it was too small and too tight. This lead to Patrick always pulling down the tunic when he stood up.
Am I right or was there something else?

[Ar-Pharazon]

I don't know about in-universe, but most modern military branches have alternate uniforms of one kind or another.

That is, outside of summer/winter or regular/dress.

[SchwEnt]

I don't know the in-universe explanation.
But it seems odd.

I can understand the captain having a different uniform,
like Kirk's wraparounds from TOS.
But a jacket, in a controlled artificial environment? Indoors? People don't usually wear jackets indoors.
Would it be uncomfortably warm?
Or no worse that wearing a three-piece suit inside?

[Alienesse]

Hey, whatever the in-universe or real life reason for the jacket, one thing is certain: it sure looked smashing on our beloved captain!

That's good enough for me.

[Too Much Fun]

The only time I thought it served any practical purpose was when he got beamed down to the planet in "Damok". It seemed to be useful there when the weather started getting cold, but Picard didn't know he was actually going to get beamed down, so he couldn't have planned to wear that just in case. I agree with others, though...it looked very cool and comfortable on Picard (way better than the regular season 3-7 uniforms, which I hated), so that's reason enough for its existence.

[Galileo7]

Alienesse wrote:

---

Hey, whatever the in-universe or real life reason for the jacket, one thing is certain: it sure looked smashing on our beloved captain!

That's good enough for me.

It looked good setting Picard apart as the Captain. The pips on the collar were not enough to show he has in command.

[od0_ital]

Galileo7 wrote:

---

... The pips on the collar were not enough to show he has in command.

Obviously, that's why he also got the best chair on the bridge, the cool office, and everyone on the ship did (almost) everything he told 'em to, and said, "Yes, sir" as they did it (almost) every time.

[Eckauskas]

I thought it looked......odd, to be honest.

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Yeah, a suede jacket was so much more 80's than 90's

[C.E. Evans]

Aside from it being a nod towards Kirk's wraparound green tunic, I considered Picard's new threads as being a captain's casual uniform 'cos rank has its perks. It's possible, though, that the jacket was optional and it could be worn just with the gray tunic...

[Holdfast]

I liked the jacket concept. The idea of a captain indulging a little in the privilege of rank seems fine by me.

It's not even that eccentric really. If you want eccentric, General Sir Thomas Picton used to regularly wear a top hat into battle, with his regular uniform. At Waterloo, he didn't even wear uniform (it got delayed in transit). Mind you, he got shot through the topper there and killed. So maybe wearing a top hat isn't such a good idea. But a suede jacket? Sure.

[Galileo7]

Holdfast wrote:

---

I liked the jacket concept. The idea of a captain indulging a little in the privilege of rank seems fine by me.

It's not even that eccentric really. If you want eccentric, General Sir Thomas Picton used to regularly wear a top hat into battle, with his regular uniform. At Waterloo, he didn't even wear uniform (it got delayed in transit). Mind you, he got shot through the topper there and killed. So maybe wearing a top hat isn't such a good idea. But a suede jacket? Sure.

I like the jacket too. When the captain is wearing the same unform, except for four pips, off the bridge or observation lounge Picard, Janeway and Kirk look like the rest of the crew on an away team. Maybe as you note Starfleet's policy is to make the captain look like the rest of the away team, so he or she will not be the first one shot at.

[JRoss]

It seems that the jacket is standard Starfleet maternity wear, soooo...

But seriously, out-of-universe it was to show that Picard's the boss, and in-universe, I have no idea.

[Red Ranger]

Alienesse wrote:

---

Hey, whatever the in-universe or real life reason for the jacket, one thing is certain: it sure looked smashing on our beloved captain!

That's good enough for me.

Same here!

Too Much Fun wrote:

---

The only time I thought it served any practical purpose was when he got beamed down to the planet in "Damok". It seemed to be useful there when the weather started getting cold, but Picard didn't know he was actually going to get beamed down, so he couldn't have planned to wear that just in case. I agree with others, though...it looked very cool and comfortable on Picard (way better than the regular season 3-7 uniforms, which I hated), so that's reason enough for its existence.

Incidentally, Darmok was the ep that his jacket and black-and-gray tunic made its first appearance. Wonder if Jonathan Frakes would've gotten the same uniform if they killed off Picard and Riker became captain as they had once planned at the end of The Best of Both Worlds?

[Chick_McGeester]

So no one else has heard the story that Patrick Stewart got the jacket cause he hated the tunic?