Star Trek Uniforms or Accessories in Public?

[AshGL1914]

On one of the Star Trek costuming boards I haunt, someone asked an interesting question...would you (or have you for that matter) ever wear a Star Trek uniform or costume, or part of one (even an insignia for that matter) in public?

His actual original question was
"What ST uniform do you think you could pass off as normal wear in public?
Say, Take the comm. and rank pips of a Late season TNG uniform. Do you think you could where it in public and anyone not being a Trek fan would not give you a second look."

But that discussion took on it's own life and became more about what you would or wouldn't wear in public that might identify you as a Trekkie.

So how about it?

John

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I usually wear Cool Kids My Age clothes (skinny jeans (but not girl skinny), t-shirts and a cool jacket). I adorn my cool jacket with a TWOK-style Starfleet delta every now and then for kicks.

Not sure I'd wear a full uniform in public unless I had much of a reason to, though. (Or if I had one...)

 

[6079SmithW]

I would never wear a uniform in public. Not even at a convention. Themed T-shirts? Maybe, but most likely not.

 

[AshGL1914]

May I ask why not?

John

 

[Shazam!]

I'd assume because it's outstandingly tragic.

 

[6079SmithW]

For one, it just doesn't appeal to me at all. I have no interest in doing it, plus those costumes are expensive. Second, to be blatantly honest, it calls attention to you and screams, "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!" Now, I'll admit to being a nerd and a geek with no life but I see no reason to paint a target on myself.

Also, I have met people who do this kind of stuff and they fit the most negative stereotypes about trekkies. I do not want to be associated with these kinds of folk.

This is, of course, from my personal views and life experience and there are probably people who can pull it off without being a walking stereotype.

 

[AshGL1914]

Really?
Tragic by what standard?
If you mean someone like Barbara Adams...

who wore her uniform to the Whitewater Trial in '96, than I'd have to agree. But other than that, tragic how?

John

 

[AshGL1914]

For one, it just doesn't appeal to me at all. I have no interest in doing it, plus those costumes are expensive. Second, to be blatantly honest, it calls attention to you and screams, "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!" Now, I'll admit to being a nerd and a geek with no life but I see no reason to paint a target on myself.

Also, I have met people who do this kind of stuff and they fit the most negative stereotypes about trekkies. I do not want to be associated with these kinds of folk.

This is, of course, from my personal views and life experience and there are probably people who can pull it off without being a walking stereotype.

Ok. all valid points, but lets look at them one at a time.

"to be blatantly honest, it calls attention to you and screams, "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!" Now, I'll admit to being a nerd and a geek with no life but I see no reason to paint a target on myself."

Why? That sounds a bit self loathing to me. Why on earth does it HAVE to say "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!"? That's incredably negitive for a fan of STAR TREK don't you think?

As for their being some that do infact reinforce negative stereotypes about Trekkies...I DO agree with you, in the most strident way possable. See the picture of Barb Adams I posted above? Need I say more?

But you did allow for the idea that...

"there are probably people who can pull it off without being a walking stereotype."

I would say that's true. It comes down to a combination of panache, having the style to pull it off, and just having the courage to not give a damn. Your average football fan has no fear in wearing the colors of his beloved team despite never having the ability to ever step foot on a field or pitch!

John

 

[6079SmithW]

For one, it just doesn't appeal to me at all. I have no interest in doing it, plus those costumes are expensive. Second, to be blatantly honest, it calls attention to you and screams, "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!" Now, I'll admit to being a nerd and a geek with no life but I see no reason to paint a target on myself.

Also, I have met people who do this kind of stuff and they fit the most negative stereotypes about trekkies. I do not want to be associated with these kinds of folk.

This is, of course, from my personal views and life experience and there are probably people who can pull it off without being a walking stereotype.

Ok. all valid points, but lets look at them one at a time.

"to be blatantly honest, it calls attention to you and screams, "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!" Now, I'll admit to being a nerd and a geek with no life but I see no reason to paint a target on myself."

Why? That sounds a bit self loathing to me. Why on earth does it HAVE to say "Hey! I'm a socially awkward dork/nerd/geek with no life!"? That's incredably negitive for a fan of STAR TREK don't you think?

It doesn't have to, but in most cases I've seen this assessment is correct. Also, I guess I do loathe myself sometimes.

As for their being some that do infact reinforce negative stereotypes about Trekkies...I DO agree with you, in the most strident way possable. See the picture of Barb Adams I posted above? Need I say more?

But you did allow for the idea that...

"there are probably people who can pull it off without being a walking stereotype."

I would say that's true. It comes down to a combination of panache, having the style to pull it off, and just having the courage to not give a damn. Your average football fan has no fear in wearing the colors of his beloved team despite never having the ability to ever step foot on a field or pitch!

John

The difference is that sports is socially acceptable and "cool" while sci-fi in general, and star trek in particular, is viewed as the realm of nerds and geeks (a.k.a. "not cool").

 

[AshGL1914]

Cuba Gooding showing a bit of Trekkie fashion sense. And on a hard drive somewhere I have an image of Ashton Kutcher in jeans, trucker cap and TOS Command Tunic (looked like an original 40 year old one to boot) from an old episode of "Punked".

Actually, I wonder if some of that depends somewhat on geographic location...here in the Pacific Northwest when I throw something genre into my outfits, it's been met with incredably positive response. Now would I ever wear a FULL uniform out and about to anything other than ComicCon? No. But a tunic? Sure, why not.

First I have to tell you a bit about where I'm coming from on this, and then tell you what I'd wear or have worn.

As a young kid I lived in my Donmoor Star Trek shirts.

As an older kid when I had left such things behind, I found myself into alt music and punk (real punk, not what PASSES for punk today).
Now of course punk has it's own look and philosophy, part of which is wear what you want, and screw them all if they don't like it. Now of course over the years punk evolved it's own kind of uniform, but the core was always anarchist in origin. Add to this the idea of the sports fan who feels no awkwardness in wearing a jersey in public, when most who do, have never played the game of the uniform they are wearing.
Now take all of that and throw it into your imaginary blender and hit frappe.

With all of that stated know that I WEAR WHAT I WANT ANY TIME I WANT! I feel no more awkward wearing my James Cawley command tunic with a pair of jeans and my Doc Martin 1460 boots

(the last vestage of my punk roots. I'll die wearing a pair), to the store (as I did last week),than the boob who wears his Oregon Ducks jersey to church on gameday.

I am an Indiana Jones fan. I have a fedora made by one of the men who made Harrison's. I wear it.

I am a Doctor Who fan. I wear a 14 foot scarf all winter long.

But most of all...I AM A TREKKIE, and I'll wear a TOS tunic, or ST III bomber jacket, or even Scotty's damn dress tunic and kilt for that matter.

Alot of it has to do with attitude. If you try to walk down the street in a Star Trek shirt and are constantly thinking that people think you are a freak, and project NO confidance, then you're going to be self-concious, and uncomfortable, and people are going to know it and react. Then you're not wearing your outfit, it's wearing you.

Now, put on the same tunic with a pair of jeans, push up the sleeves, wear your watch or cuff, or whatever else you normaly do wear and you've just thrown abit of something you love into your outfit and you know what, that's cool! Life is too short to worry, and you know what, as long as you OWN your look, people will like it.

The point is DON'T CARE if people stare. DON'T CARE if it looks odd. Only care how you feel wearing it.
If you want to rock a command tunic, go for it. I've found over the years that with some style and the proper application of attitude you can pull off any look you want. Your average (real) rock star doesn't care what other people think of what he's wearing, why should you?

STUniformGuide wrote: Hmmmm???

Normal wear..Sheldon would say "The TOS tunics...braid and all"....

can you imagine going to disneyland...

​

Disneyland.



John

 

[6079SmithW]

^I think the short answer to this is that I am uninterested in paraphenalia. I just watch the shows I like, get the dvds, and that's it.

That being said, I get what you're saying and am glad that you are expressing your love for those shows and are confident enough in yourself to display it in public.

 

[AshGL1914]

And that's totally cool too.
The only point I was trying to make was that you were actually right on both counts.
For the most part it does seem to be the case that most wearing unifoms (or bits of uniforms), reinforce negitive streotypes reguarding Star Trek fans.

But, that doesn't have to always be so, nor is it the whole story.

Abit of geek in your wardrobe can be fun and I've found it can actually lead to making friends of people who might otherwise have never known that they share a common intrest.

John

p.s. As a kid I was at game two of the 1983 World Series. You wouldn't be an Orioles fan by any chance would you? -J

 

[6079SmithW]

I think I've attended two Orioles games in my life, both when I was a child. I was never a big sports fan and the only sport I really like is lacrosse. The Orioles kind of suck right now, tbh, and I don't care for them.

 

[AshGL1914]

Sorry. Just thought I'd ask. I lived near Baltimore as a kid. The Orioles do and have kind of sucked for the better part of twenty years, but I was spoiled by the fact that when I lived there they were one of the best baseball teams to have ever taken the field.

Thanks for the conversation.
John

 

[6079SmithW]

It was nice chatting with you. Where abouts Baltimore did you live?

 

[AshGL1914]

Well, for a good chunk of my childhood we lived in Rising Sun, MD, but for a time we lived near White Marsh.

John

 

[BDJ]

I once attended the Academy of Country Music Awards in a long western tux coat, grey western style vest, black belt, new jeans,new brown ropers. On the vest, just inside the jacket I also wore a DS9 style delta badge I bought off of QVC (believe it or not). Just like a sheriff's badge. It looked damn cool if I do say so myslef. I got many compliments on it too!

I was inspired to do so by Aaron Neville. I saw him wearing a TNG badge on his vest when he was performing at a show.

I even had a couple of cuties ask if it "beeped" and when I assured them it did...they asked to touch it!! It was a proud day for Trekdom in my book!

 

[plynch]

Plus locating the Nationals a few miles away has pretty much doomed the O's to tiny-market status.

Sad, for the once perennially good-to-great Orioles.

 

[Keith1701]

I'm a member of STARFLEET which has a club near Warner Robins, Georgia, and if I was asked to wear my STAR TREK TOS UNIFORM to a convention, meeting, or event, I would do so, if the event was to promote my love in STAR TREK.

 

[C.E. Evans]

On one of the Star Trek costuming boards I haunt, someone asked an interesting question...would you (or have you for that matter) ever wear a Star Trek uniform or costume, or part of one (even an insignia for that matter) in public?

His actual original question was
"What ST uniform do you think you could pass off as normal wear in public?
Say, Take the comm. and rank pips of a Late season TNG uniform. Do you think you could where it in public and anyone not being a Trek fan would not give you a second look."

Frequently (but not all the time) I will wear one of those metal combadges from the Hollywood pins collection on my jacket during cool weather. Once in a while, someone will recognize it, but I'd say about 99% of the people I pass everyday don't, and those few that do are usually other Trekkies. The majority of people just think it's some kind of special club pin or something.

But an actual uniform costume? Nah. If I was in some sort of fan-made production, sure, but otherwise I wouldn't even wear one to a Trek convention. A single pin on my jacket is enough for me...