Is it just me who doesn't like the WTOK and later TOS movie uniforms?

[Ray Hardgrit]

Isn't it also weird that Starfleet didn't change its uniforms for 40 years, then suddenly started introducing a new uniform style every eight years or so?

The new series have given us a few possible explanations for that.

Actually Deep Space Nine was the first, showing the TNG uniforms still in use alongside the new DS9 uniforms. They could've introduced a new uniform style every eight years throughout the Lost Era, and kept the Monster Maroons around for postings that suited a more traditional look.

Picard showed that uniform styles can return after a gap, with its late 24th century look being very similar to the DS9 uniform. Maybe the Monster Maroons went away for a few decades and came back.

And Lower Decks showed that some places just hold onto old uniforms forever, while everyone else moves on.

 

[Qonundrum]

The earlier versions with the belts and turtlenecks look good, but don't make a ton of sense unless Starfleet ships and bases got very cold for some reason.

The later design, the bulky jackets with no undershirts, just look uncomfortable and awkward. I found those awkward uniforms distracting all through "Yesterday's Enterprise." Garret and her crew would've looked great with the full WoK uniforms, dunno why they changed it.

I recall reading something somewhere that the makers of "Yesterday's Enterprise" really wanted to make new uniforms for 1701-C personnel, but there was no budget, so they had to take the motion picture uniforms and remove bits to suggest as much change between the decades as they could.

Isn't it also weird that Starfleet didn't change its uniforms for 40 years, then suddenly started introducing a new uniform style every eight years or so?

Making up for lost time?

 

[Peach Wookiee]

How is is that the TNG uniforms didn’t result in us seeing the Riker unit?

 

[Warped9]

I have never much liked the uniforms from TWOK-TUC. I understand why they are the way they are as they better camouflage the physiques of the aging cast members. I still don’t like them. I much preferred the concept of the TMP uniforms which looked more evolutionary from TOS. That said the TMP design and tones needed to be tweaked. And the one-piece outfit, such as what Decker wore, should have never seen the light of day. But the TMP uniforms, like those of TOS, only work with people who have decent physiques.

 

[Cicero]

Garret and her crew would've looked great with the full WoK uniforms, dunno why they changed it.

IIRC, the last needle for the (ancient) specialized machine they were using for the quilting broke.

Isn't it also weird that Starfleet didn't change its uniforms for 40 years, then suddenly started introducing a new uniform style every eight years or so?

It does happen in reality, strangely enough. The US Navy's enlisted wore the same dungaree working uniform from 1913 to 1999 (aside from a brief, maligned experiment with a different shirt in the 70s, and switching from the classic white "dixie cup" hats to baseball caps).

After introducing a visually similar but more comfortable dockers-and-dress-shirt style uniform in 1999 (phased out in 2010), the service has entered a cycle of rapid—and so far unending—replacement of everything but their dress uniforms (which have nonetheless undergone some small changes).

The uniforms used in Battleship are from an entirely different design philosophy than the essentially traditional look of the Navy on 9/11.

 

[FormerLurker]

How is is that the TNG uniforms didn’t result in us seeing the Riker unit?

That's what the episode Angel One was for.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I recall reading something somewhere that the makers of "Yesterday's Enterprise" really wanted to make new uniforms for 1701-C personnel, but there was no budget, so they had to take the motion picture uniforms and remove bits to suggest as much change between the decades as they could.

They removed the wrong bits.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

That's what the episode Angel One was for.

We saw his chest.

 

[drt]

I recall reading something somewhere that the makers of "Yesterday's Enterprise" really wanted to make new uniforms for 1701-C personnel, but there was no budget, so they had to take the motion picture uniforms and remove bits to suggest as much change between the decades as they could.

Honestly, they should have used the Season 1 jumpsuits with some different dodads, like a belt or something. They’d already established in “The Battle” those uniforms had been in use for a while. Having them used nine years prior when the 1701-C was destroyed isn’t nearly as odd as using the TWOK suits for 60+ years.

I much preferred the concept of the TMP uniforms which looked more evolutionary from TOS. That said the TMP design and tones needed to be tweaked. And the one-piece outfit, such as what Decker wore, should have never seen the light of day.

I like the idea of the one-piece outfits, as they remind me of the TOS technician jumpsuits. The TMP ones just needed to be looser fitting.

 

[CoveTom]

Honestly, they should have used the Season 1 jumpsuits with some different dodads, like a belt or something. They’d already established in “The Battle” those uniforms had been in use for a while. Having them used nine years prior when the 1701-C was destroyed isn’t nearly as odd as using the TWOK suits for 60+ years.

I like the idea of the one-piece outfits, as they remind me of the TOS technician jumpsuits. The TMP ones just needed to be looser fitting.

Roddenberry was obsessed with the uniforms being form-fitting. The TNG cast are fond of relaying the fact that he would remind them that in the 24th century, there are no wrinkles.

 

[FormerLurker]

We saw his chest.

Damn network censors. Oh, wait...

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Damn network censors. Oh, wait...

He was wearing what looked like a codpiece.

 

[Firebird]

How is is that the TNG uniforms didn’t result in us seeing the Riker unit?

Under the auspices of Rick Berman, that's not the kind of bulging he wanted to see from the costumes.

 

[Captain Zog]

I love the movie era uniforms. Much nicer looking than the ones worn by the crew in the TV show, which just scream 1960s, replete with miniskirts et al.

 

[Riley]

I love the monster maroons, though I can appreciate why some don't like them. I honestly think the TMP uniforms could have been reworked slightly and would have felt more like TOS. Take Kirk's admiral uniform, switch the gray out for black and the white for muted TOS department colors, and add a black belt with the Starfleet insignia. Such a uniform might have lasted through the films as it would have been a lot more comfortable and cheaper to produce.

 

[fireproof78]

I love the monster maroons, though I can appreciate why some don't like them. I honestly think the TMP uniforms could have been reworked slightly and would have felt more like TOS. Take Kirk's admiral uniform, switch the gray out for black and the white for muted TOS department colors, and add a black belt with the Starfleet insignia. Such a uniform might have lasted through the films as it would have been a lot more comfortable and cheaper to produce.

Agreed. Plus keeping the department colors and rank stripes would be more familiar for the first film.

 

[Uxi]

The earlier versions with the belts and turtlenecks look good, but don't make a ton of sense unless Starfleet ships and bases got very cold for some reason.

The opposite that they are so climate controlled that the layers don't matter. And when they leave the comfort of the ship to go on an away team, they have the TWOK field jacket or for a combat situation the wooly pully sweater uniforms from Star Trek V.

 

[CoveTom]

The opposite that they are so climate controlled that the layers don't matter. And when they leave the comfort of the ship to go on an away team, they have the TWOK field jacket or for a combat situation the wooly pully sweater uniforms from Star Trek V.

Nothing is better in combat than a nice wool sweater!

 

[Artoo Atari]

I don't recall ever reading this anywhere, but I would imagine that the monster maroons were also a little more "forgiving" when worn by the older actors. No insult intended; it's just life.

 

[CoveTom]

I don't recall ever reading this anywhere, but I would imagine that the monster maroons were also a little more "forgiving" when worn by the older actors. No insult intended; it's just life.

As James Doohan gained weight, they did tend to keep him out of the jacket, however. In TUC, I believe the only time he wore it was in the final scene at the conference where they all stood together.