Clean Slate: Uniforms!

[Penta]

It's slow, languid post-Turkey time here in the states, and in the interest of fighting off the boredom of this slow period, I want to propose a sort of brainstorming session on a frequently ignored topic in Trek:

Uniforms.
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Feel free to slip loose of whatever constraints Trek uniform tradition might impose upon you.

If our more artistic members want to draw illustrations, I don't think? anyone would mind. (mods?)
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Personally:

If I were designing a uniform for Trek, I would abandon a lot of the concepts that came before. Almost all of them, in fact.

In my conception, it would look something like this:

Duty Uniform (Class B)

For this uniform, intended for day-to-day use aboard starships and starbases, I'd start off with a jumpsuit that looked something like the blue jumpsuits worn by Space Shuttle Astronauts prior to the loss of Challenger - I believe current astronauts still wear them as something of a uniform today. On the left side would be the combadge we all know and recognize. Right side would feature something no Trek uniform (that I know of) has yet had to date: A namestrip, like on current RL uniforms. Rank insignia would go on the collar. Footwear would be black boots, likely using velcro. (Because I personally despise laces.) "In-universe", I imagine the uniform as being riddled with nanotech sensors - taking a page from "Future Soldier" concepts of RL, I'm thinking biosensors to track vital signs while on away missions (or at any other time) - if the vitals exit predetermined parameters, sickbay gets alerted.

Dress Uniform (Class A)

For these, there can be no question: Dress Whites, preferably with a cover (headgear) of some sort, though Andorian antennae provide enough of an argument against that I'd want the uniform to be able to look good without it.

Combadge on left, below which would be a ribbon bar (for "office use") or miniature medals. In my view, a well-devised ribbon set can (besides looking good) be read by the knowledgable as a sort of summary of someone's career and accomplishments, and I think the same goal could usefully be accomplished by ribbons in a Trek context.

More controversially, I'd include a provision for a dress sword for wear by officers.

On the right, again, name badge.

 

[Johnny]

I'd put anyone doing dirty work, like cleaning warp conduits or such like, in overalls, just the standard zip-up-one-piece kinda suit. Or maybe something that goes over the top of the standard uniform when things get grubby. I'd give engineering crews something more practical, and bridge/duty stations with the standard style. I'd give the greese-monkeys some kind of boot, supportive, steel toe capped with buckles, hardwearing.

I definitly like the zip front jackets, but I'd like to see more colour.

I always wanted to see some kind of off world gear, some kind of armour. Everytime I see an away team member get shot in the chest it bugs me because there's no forethought for protection.

I'm not sure about the sensors in the suit, if that were the case, then I wouldn't want sickbay to be informed every time I'm staring at some pretty lady...

 

[JNG]

More controversially, I'd include a provision for a dress sword for wear by officers.

That image seems strongly at odds with that of a peaceful exploratory organization. Offhand, I can't think of a dress-uniform situation where this would be a good thing.

 

[Penta]

JNG: Hence why I called it controversial.

The dress sword is pulled from RL military uniforms - everybody but the Air Force, among US services, issues them to officers. I personally see Starfleet as less of NASA, more of a military with a peacetime patrol/exploration mission. Additionally, they'd be an optional kind of thing, but one the uniform is designed to support.

Johnny: Heh. The biosensors are designed with broad parameters - they're meant to alert to severe irregularities, not just getting excited from looking at a hot girl.

I agree completely regarding armor and the like for away team activities. On the other hand, though, you don't want to appear intimidating when you might meet a new civilization. But there should be something more than the usual uniform, yes.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

CLASS-A
Officers:

You know, remember that dress uniform that Kirk had in TMP?
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/trekevent/uniform1.jpg

Assuming the lower part of the shirt didn't look like a dress, was simply straight (no curve), a little shorter perhaps, and the gray part was Navy Blue (including the pants).

I'm also wondering if in addition to that, that if the white stripe down the middle was slightly thinner in the middle, and around the side of the white stripe would be a red-stripe much like this USMC uniform
http://barslavesandbananas.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/dress-jacket.jpg which didn't widen out all the way to the shoulder.

I remember seeing a sketch for the TMP uniform which featured four stripes (which were the same shape and size as those red USMC uniform stripes) which were white and side to side (which were on either side of the white stripe) -- imagine if they were red?

You could also have the pants with a white stripe on the inside leg so it produces the illusion of a continuous stripe (yet appears more ornate than a jumpsuit).

Then get rid of that sega gamegear bio-sensor and replace with Star Trek TWOK belt-buckle and there you go.

That would look totally kick-ass as a dress uniform I think. Stripe set up to be the same as the modern day US Navy.


CuttingEdge100

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Don't hotlink to sites unless you have permission or it's a site specifically for image hosting.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Alidar Jarok,

Do you mean don't make it an image? Or don't even type the URL in?


CuttingEdge100

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Url is fine. But if you use image tags, you need to either upload it to a specific site (such as photobucket) or obtain permission of the owner of the site (the first one is far easier ).

 

[Nerys Myk]

Designed these for a pre-Cage concept I had. It won't be too hard to figure out my influences for these "kitbashes".

The ranks

 

[kv1at3485]

I'd have no set uniforms on the logic that the garment material is "smart" and able to morph into everything from a spacesuit to stuffy formal wear.

And we'd never have to complain about them never going to the head again, because the facilities are... built in.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Nerys Myk,

You know that Fatigues uniform all the way on the right side has a nice look about it -- very NASA Astronaut / Submariner kind of look. I really like it.

I wonder how it would look if you combined it with the cadet/enlisted uniform in Star Trek TWOK-TUC (except you simply kept the white area on the shoulder of the uniform and extended it all the way down to the pant-cuff) but kept the NASA-Astronaut kind of look about it -- in otherwords revised coloring.

CuttingEdge100

 

[Penta]

Some of the discussion after my post has me revising my concepts - and expanding on them a bit.

Dress Uniform

Remove the dress sword. Consulting with a cousin of mine who's a marine has me rethinking how much they add to the appearance.

Fatigues

Primarily for the use of personnel deployed to planetary surfaces, I see these as being adaptable camouflage - I realize that most people see Starfleet as more exploratory than military, but the lack of pattern/outline-breaking features on the Starfleet uniforms we've seen thusfar makes Our Heroes even more of a target than they might normally be.

Thinking about a fatigues setup, I imagine it being long-sleeved; there's a high collar that can connect with a hood or helmet, and optional gloves as well. Boots are designed for long foot marches in difficult terrain, focusing a lot more on foot support than current Starfleet footwear.

On the left side is the combadge, right side is a removable namestrip - worn in stationary deployment situations, not worn on exploratory/recon missions.

Sensors, like in the duty uniform, should be embedded throughout the suit. Additionally, the comms for deployed personnel are "always on" - yes, a hot microphone setup for the on-the-ground personnel. Earbuds are used to communicate between the ship and crewmembers on the ground - you don't want non-Starfleet personnel able to hear your comms.

Armor

I'm split in my thoughts of how armor would be designed.

My first thought is an integrated suit of, well, powered armor, on the philosophy that Starfleet doesn't start fights, but finishes them - and finishes them decisively. These would be in dark, non-reflective colorations, and heavily incorporate embedded sensors at every level - under the armor would be worn essentially an undersuit for cooling and insulation, with sensors monitoring vital signs. The armor would use the limitless power of Trek batteries to provide a microclimate to the wearer, and to power onboard sensors - audio and video pickups at a minimum, recording to an onboard computer package for later review, with optional streaming to another location. I would seriously consider thermographic and IR sensory modes.

Helmet would cover the entire head, and include audio and visual enhancements in the faceplate. Subvocal commands would control a HUD and C3 setup that would provide mapping, position display, and tactical information. Gloves would be gauntlet style.

Naturally, the entire setup would be sealed against environmental factors. I'm not sure whether Starfleet would natively design their armor for strength or speed enhancements (if such are even possible) or whether EVA/zero-g operation would be a consideration.

My second concept is more stripped down - a chest suit worn over the fatigue uniform, and a contemporary-style helmet for head protection.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

I think an officer dress uniform like Kirk's outfit with the following revisions
-Wwith the pants also having a white stripe on the inside leg to match.
-The white stripe revised to be a little thinner and doesn't widen all the way out to the shoulder with red-stripes outlining them like in the red stripes on the USMC dress blues.
-The pants would have the red-stripe too. The gray part of the suit would be changed to dark blue or navy blue.
-The biomedical sensor to be replaced with a TWOK-ish belt buckle.
would be best...
-Striping to be more like the US Navy (4 stripes is a captain etc)

It would combine the looks of Star Trek and the USN/USMC together. Sleek and futuristic, with some traditional elements all in one.


As for the standard officer's uniform I'm thinking something like a combination between'
-Neryk Mys' Federation Fatigue uniform: http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c389/MikeN1138/StarTrek/caeuniforms.gif
- TWOK-TUC Cadet/Enlisted Uniforms with the white-part of the uniform extended all the way down the uniform from the shoulders to the ankles.
- Rank insignia on the shoulder-tag to be the same as used currently in USN (gold bar for Ensign, silver bar for Lieutenant Junior Grade, two silver bars for Lieutenant, a gold oak-leaf for a Lieutenant Commander, a silver oak-leaf for a commander, and a silver eagle for a Captain)

Enlisted Uniform to look the same as the Standard Officer Uniform I just mentioned above except no tag on the shoulder. Insignia on upper arm as used in the USN.

I think that about covers it; a dress uniform, a standard uniform for both officers and enlisted...


Okay: Since I completed my concept; what do you think about the whole idea I've come up with (everything)


CuttingEdge100

 

[Penta]

So far as rank insignia goes: At the size required for collar or shoulder wear, I'm not sure that contemporary rank insignia meets the "distinguishable at a distance" test. Weirdly, this is the *one* element TNG-NEM uniforms get right - you can read the rank insignia at a distance with some accuracy!

That said, I'm not sure about the rest - I'd need to see your concept before I could really comment, CuttingEdge.

Oh, and I forgot a uniform:

Academy uniforms

General theme here - The Long Gray Line. They look odd, yes, but I really like them as far as the "image" it projects.

The standard duty/class uniform of the cadet is a two-piece uniform consisting of a gray tunic, and black dress pants, with black boots. Rank insignia are worn on the collar as per standard starfleet uniforms, and the standard combadge is also worn. Like the standard duty uniform, pockets are plentiful, and the uniform is designed so that PADDs may be carried in the pockets while maintaining a neat appearance.

While on field exercises, Academy cadets wear normal Starfleet fatigues.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Penta,

That said, I'm not sure about the rest - I'd need to see your concept before I could really comment, CuttingEdge.

This is the concept for the dress-uniform developed for TMP (before it was made into a final uniform). I scanned it in from "The Art of Star Trek".

1.) You remember the coloring of Admiral Kirk's uniform right? It was white in the middle, and gray on the outside...
-Imagine if one was to keep the white part the same, but make the gray parts navy blue...

2.) If you notice the curvy white "stripe" in the middle of the shirt on the conceptual-dress uniform, you'll notice there are several sets of stripes/lines along the side of the white uniform right?
-Imagine if those stripes were red. Red goes good with white and it goes good with navy-blue.

3.) Now if you look at the bottom of the shirt, notice how it curves down?
-Imagine if that was made straight with the curved area eliminated...

4.) Imagine now if that bio-medical sensor that kind of looks a little bit like a Sega Game-Gear right around the waist of the uniform where a belt-buckle normally is?
-Imagine if a TWOK style belt-buckle was there instead

-------------- Items 1-4 are the primary things I'm going for ---------------

Regardless, I have one final idea...

5.) Notice the pants have a line drawn on the side of the leg?
-Imagine if that was removed.
-Now imagine those lines on the side of the white part of the uniform (the ones I suggested to be made red in color were also on the pants (right about the same spacing as they are on the shirt) and run straight down the leg.
-Now imagine the area on the pant leg inside of those stripes are white, and outside of these stripes (outboard) are navy-blue.


As for the stripes, I was thinking of the same stripe thicknesses and spacing uses in the USN, and the same ranking system used in the Navy regarding striping...


What do you think of that?


CuttingEdge100

 

[Penta]

It definitely has possibility, now that you've explained it.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Penta,

Thanks

 

[Captain X]

The long-sleeved blues for my Foundations series:

 

[Penta]

Capt. X,

Without looking at Foundations, that doesn't look like a practical starship uniform, in my opinion. It looks too...formal. Great office uniform though.

All,

Y'know, the more I think about this topic, the more I wonder:

What makes up a good uniform? A topic we've danced about that should probably be attacked head-on.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Personally, I've always liked the idea of black jumpsuits with a branch-colored tee-shirt as the standard duty uniforms, but I think they should be comfortable and something that could be worn for most of the day if necessary. Baseball caps featuring a ship's or starbase's individual insignia could also be worn, but the "Enterprise arrowhead" would be the insignia for the entire fleet, though.

And pockets--good grief, even in the 24th-Century you're going to need pockets because not everything can be magically attached neatly to a uniform.

I've always been fond of the bare-bones rank system used during "Where No Man Has Gone Before," because it's so drastically different than what we currently use. I probably would alterate it like this though:
Crewman: No insignia
Pettys: 1 chevron
Chiefs: 2 chevrons
Warrant Officers: 1 broken stripe
Officers: 1 stripe
Captains: 2 stripes
Admirals: 3 stripes

Dress uniforms for officers would probably be a white jacket worn over a branch-colored turtleneck with black service trousers and shoes. Female personnel would have an option between this unisex design and a version with a three-quarters length skirt. The enlisted dress uniforms would be similar in design to the officer dress uniforms, but the jacket would be gray.

Branch colors:
Command: White
Services: Tan
Sciences/Medical: Blue
Operations: Orange
Security: Brown

I would also include field jackets, various special environment clothing, armor for security personnel, etc. There would be casual duty attire available, but I would have it that civilian attire would be acceptable when a person was not on duty and there wasn't a crisis situation imminent.