Functionality of the costumes?

[asp7485]

The Starfleet uniforms as designed for the 24th century era Treks do not seem very accommodating when it comes to answering nature's call. For example, the spandex uniforms from the early days of TNG must have been particularly difficult. Do you suppose the actors had to unzip them all the way down from their necks when they needed a break? That would be quite the sight at the urinal. I see the same problem with the jumpsuits designed for DS9/VOY. There doesn't seem to be an opening in the front or any easy way to get that costume off when you gotta go!

Of course, in the 24th century, we have evolved past the need for the restrooms (we go to "waste extraction" as DS9 tells us). Still, how did the 20th century actors handle this situation? I remember reading that when Jeri Ryan needed a potty break, production stopped because she had to take the catsuit completely off (and I don't even want to think about using the loo in the full Borg drone costume). This seems a very inefficient costume design when time equals money. I also remember hearing the actors wore "muscle suits" underneath their uniforms (Wil Wheaton has mentioned this).

For all the costumes achieved in making the cast look good and maintaining the smooth, sleek look of the future, how did the present day actors manage to go to the bathroom?

...and here's another thing I wonder. When TNG switched to the better looking season 3 uniforms, what is holding the men's pants up? There doesn't seem to be a belt there and I would think an elastic waistband would be visible? Do you think they wore suspenders under the uniform top? If not that, then what?

-Aaron

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

That IS kind of odd, when you think about it. At least the Enterprise uniforms made sense--just like a flight suit, all one has to do is drop the zipper to take care of business.

 

[DestinyCaptain]

Yes, but you have to take the whole thing off to do a twoozy. The TOS uniform makes the most sense. This is followed by TOSfilm and TNGfilm. After that its TNG season three male uniform. The ENT flightsuit, the TNG season 1 and 2 unitard, the TNG season 3 female variant, and the DS9 unitard all have a MAJOR flaw when it comes to the potty break.

 

[sojourner]

well, in hollywood production costs trump time in the money department, so costumes are made as cheaply as possible to do the job. In show, for say the tng era, you can imagine the uniforms are made of technomagic materials that allow for more functions than we are lead to believe onscreen. The best example of this is things like phasers that just "magically stick"
to the uniforms. yes, in reallife it was just velcro, but we are meant to imagine greater.

 

[BigC]

http://sewiknit.blogspot.com/2006/03/invisible-zipper-tutorial.html

 

[nx1701g]

The worst were the ones from TMP. George Takei said at a convention not too long ago that the wardrobe department sewed them into the costumes.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Yes, but you have to take the whole thing off to do a twoozy.

But at least it's understandable how it's done, unlike the other uniforms where you can't even see a zipper. Pilots and astronauts have been doing exactly that for two or three generations now and I don't see anyone changing the design. So for ENT, which is not far from those days, it makes sense.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The bigger issue for me is how Starfleet can send people into battle wearing pajamas. By the 23rd C, there must be fabrics that are as tough as Kevlar and as light as silk. Phaser blasts should bounce right off em.

By the 24th C, they can adapt replicator technology to the uniforms. Everyone wears their own personal replicator, some tiny bug-like object, which allows them to push a button and materialize or de-materialize their clothing, change clothing etc. That should simplify trips to the bathroom wonderfully. They should be able to switch from shipboard wear to combat gear instantaneously.

 

[WillsBabe]

The bigger issue for me is how Starfleet can send people into battle wearing pajamas. By the 23rd C, there must be fabrics that are as tough as Kevlar and as light as silk. Phaser blasts should bounce right off em.

It occured to me, too, about the weather. They never seem to get cold, or too hot when they arrive planet-side. Other than TWOK, they never seem to need jackets or coats. But then it never seems to be raining, or snowing or anything other than fairly temperate unless it's a plot point.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

The bigger issue for me is how Starfleet can send people into battle wearing pajamas. By the 23rd C, there must be fabrics that are as tough as Kevlar and as light as silk. Phaser blasts should bounce right off em.

HA! I actually deal with that issue in my fanfic. All I can say is that the Cardassians are looking at the Starfleet types and thinking they're crazy.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I don't think any of the Starfleet uniforms are very practical. They were designed more to look good on TV or on the big screen than anything else, IMO.

Although I think those "combat fatigues" worn in Star Trek V might be a contender...

 

[clint g]

The closest thing to a practical uniform in Trek would have to be the Ent uniform. They are based on flight suits after all

 

[Anwar]

I think they still go to bathroom in the future, we saw Picard coming out of a room labeled "Head" (AKA Toilet).

 

[Nick Ryder]

Y'know Temis, I had a concept similar to that back during my RPG days, basically embedded in the cuff was a small band that went around the cuff, (what looked like the division color band on the cuff was that band) and it had a few simple replicator/transport functions. Like one press would dematerialize a portion of the uniform or change it out entirely. And basically the limited replicator function could also store weapons and other gear that an officer might need. Essentially there was a small transport buffer built into the uniform and all one had to do was activate the remote and it would remateralize whatever was stored.

Although I think by the 24th Century... I think they had suspenders under their uniforms to hold the slacks up. I don't remember where I saw it, may have been a behind the scenes thing, but I recall seeing Picard wearing suspenders underneath his red uniform shirt, they were just hidden for filming. I suppose we're supposed to believe that the pants had some built in cinching system in the waistband.

Although for the flight suits, like the kind some of the officers wore, I imagine they had to do what anyone else who wore a sort of flight suit, pull off the top, drop it down and pray you don't get called to battle before you get the thing back up!

 

[T'Girl]

The worst were the ones from TMP. George Takei said at a convention not too long ago that the wardrobe department sewed them into the costumes.

David Gerold wrote that when he wore one for the rec room scene in TMP that you had to take someone to the bathroom with you because the zipper went down the back.

Better for number two.

Worn tight cover-alls at work, a pain getting them off your shoulders.

The bigger issue for me is how Starfleet can send people into battle wearing pajamas.

That what TOS uniforms are. Pajamas! They really do look like the most comfortable.

Y'know Temis, I had a concept similar to that back during my RPG days, basically embedded in the cuff was a small band that went around the cuff ...

Maybe just for a color change. At least let the security guys alter their shirts and slacks to a camoflage pattern.