Shirts and Skins in TOS

An explanation why Kirk's shirts appeared either green or yellow and why Spock's skin color was different in some scenes

http://www.startrek.com/article/shirts-and-skins-in-tos

 

Yes, in the final produced product, the TV screen the command division uniforms appeared gold. So that is the canon color.

Kor

 

Except for the wraparounds, jumpsuits and dress jackets.

 

I always thought that bright light, including sunlight on location, created the yellow appearance, while dim lighting revealed the green, while this article states the opposite.

And I thought that the dye Theiss used (on the white fabric all tunics were made from) was a mix of green and yellow and entirely responsible for the shifting appearance.

 

It is a funky yellowy green to begin with. Then withthe factors discussed in the neat article, plus the first two seasons' tunics being made of velour which can have multiple sheens, and it wouldn't be hard at all to come out gold.

I still wonder why early screen tests didn't show Theiss this and send him back to the dyeing vat and make them greener from the get-go.

 

I say the accidental yellow-gold color was brighter and more appealing than the intended shade of lime green. It went better with its red and blue shipmates. I wish it had been deliberate, with no green involved. That's right, I'm saying it.

 

Somewhere long ago here I posted some palettes and images of greeting cards from the mid sixties, and man, that chartreuse, gray-blue, and cherry-red of the color-corrected remastereds (not the fire engine red I grew up seeing) are really things of their times. The gold, and how the red appeared before, maybe are a bit less dated-looking than the colors that were intended.

I like when Kirk is on the bridge with his green wrap, however. The rgb really goes well together, better than e gold. My opinion.

 

I know what you're getting at but the outfits have always looked yellow to me and the figures brought out in 1994 were definitively yellow for command personell!
JB

 

Yes, just like in any military service of today the officers have gold braid to signify their rank and status.

 

Good article. I had no idea of this. Mind blowing really

 

My Mego action figure wears a yellow shirt. That makes it official. So, there.

 

There's an interview posted somewhere on the web (I'm sure you can Google it) with William Theiss where he said the actual color of the command tunics was an '(inside of an) avocado greenish yellow.' In some episodes, this color does show through.

 

Agreed. I always disliked the green wraparound and the dress uniform.

 

Kirk's dress uniform reminded me of Nehru jacket I had as a kid, that was the same color. Later handed down to my sister. She wore it better than I did.

 

WOW! is there an emoticon for envy? Let's try this, then:

 

This is a key quote: "Theiss must have been disappointed in how the tunics looked on television because he designed two wraparound versions for William Shatner that had deeper, different shades of green." I always saw the wraparound uniforms as a different color, like alternate jerseys on a baseball team.

 

To be honest none of the outfits used in any sci-fi series has ever looked practical has it! Especially when you see what the real astronauts of this day and age wear!
JB

 

They have nicer ships, and don't have to worry about losing atmospheric pressure any moment. Trek has simple, straightforward, very practical uniforms. No pointless frills like lapels, ties, cuffs...

 

True, but could you see the authorities granting the crews of ships voyaging into space something similar to Kirk and crews outfits?
JB