The NON-Starfleet costumes. Discuss...

[Blue Squadron]

OK, here’s a thing for you all to ponder...

I was going to put this in the 20+ page thread on the new Starfleet uniforms but then I decided it probably warranted a separate discussion.

Having watched Ep 3, I have decided that the Starfleet uniforms of both the current (2390s) and the flashback (2380s) periods are fine. Whatever. They are what they are and I’ll roll with it.

What I’m starting to find truly jarring, however, is the blatant anachronisms in the civilian clothing. That’s just weird. And annoying.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it all needs to look like the extreme experiments with way-out ‘60s fashion that were the William Ware Theiss designs of TOS; nor do I believe that they all have to look like the ‘90s spandex-and-silk of mid-TNG or DS9.

I actually quite *like* some of the costumes in Picard that are less fussy and markedly less self-consciously “futuristic” than some of the non-Starfleet TNG outfits (the Federation science teams, the Ten-Forward waiters, some of the civvy costumes for the main cast...) but, honestly, blatantly twentieth century buttoned shirts and chinos with a Walmart suede jacket or Oh wearing sunglasses...?!


It does the one thing that good production design should never do which is to blatantly break the moment and shatter the willing suspension of disbelief that is part of enjoying any sci-fi or fantasy show.

I don’t need the spandex of TNG but I do think they should have put a *bit* more thought into making the civilian clothing look less obviously anachronistic. It’s like having the main characters from JAG in contemporary navy Blues, Khakis or Whites but then having half the civilian costumes look like Townsfolk and Homesteaders from the time of the the revolutionary war from 250 years earlier.



I fully accept that, as the saying goes, “your mileage may vary...” and there will be a good chunk of you who like this approach. It’s not unlike what they did for the Battlestar Galactica re-boot. I don’t mind that at all but it’s very inconsistent next to the more traditionally “Trek” look of the Starfleet uniforms.

Thoughts...?

 

[BillJ]

I'm fine with civilian clothes looking modern.

 

[Longinus]

Yes, agreed, they are too contemporary. It bugs me a bit. You could wear them now and no on would look you weird. Try to do the same with 18th century threads.

 

[Longinus]

I'm fine with civilian clothes looking modern.

Because it makes sense to you that fashion practically does not evolve for four hundred years?

 

[BillJ]

You could wear them now and no on would look you weird.

A refreshing change for Trek fashion.

 

[BillJ]

Because it makes sense to you that fashion practically does not evolve for four hundred years?

I'm okay with it not looking like the fashion train wrecks from past Treks.

 

[Hythlodeus]

I've no problem with it. civilian clothing tends to get more comfortable and practical as time progresses, even somewhat formal attire, but there comes a point where it starts to look silly. and with the progress rate witnessed in the last couple of decades or so, we probably reach a point where we practically wear pyjamas all day somewhere around 2050.
This of course is aesthetically unpleasing, so I'm glad costume designers went with a less pyjama more contemporary approach

 

[Kor]

They should all be wearing jabots, knee-length breeches, white powdered wigs and tricorn hats. Fashion trends tend to be circular, so it makes sense that some popular designer would popularize older styles at some point.

Kor

 

[Hythlodeus]

Yes, agreed, they are too contemporary. It bugs me a bit. You could wear them now and no on would look you weird. Try to do the same with 18th century threads.

I sometimes do, had no real problems so far other than missing pockets

 

[Blue Squadron]

I’m totally happy with the “less-pyjama” thing. They needed to move on from that.

I actually kinda like some of Picard’s sweaters; Dhaj and the Romulans at the Chateau work just fine. But something that looks like it could have been worn by Hannibal Smith in an episode of the A-Team is just wrong!

 

[Takeru]

Because it makes sense to you that fashion practically does not evolve for four hundred years?

Realistically they shouldn't wear contemporary clothing but looking at the futuristic civilian clothing Star Trek did on the previous shows I can't help but think "Screw it, contemporary is fine".

 

[Blue Squadron]

It’s all relative...

 

[BillJ]

Somebody went back in time to alter the fashion timeline. They are the Federation's greatest hero.

 

[acappellasaurus]

Any arguments aside, I very much enjoy retiree-Picard's sense of style. There's something about that green sweater he's wearing - I really like it.

 

[SJGardner]

After decades of garish spandex, jumpsuits and vests from the same fabric as bus seat covers, I was very happy to see civilian clothes that weren't too far removed from the 21st century norm. They give the setting a lived-in look and aren't so intrusive that they distract from the story. If I had to choose between contemporary with minor cosmetic alterations and pyjamas, I'd choose contemporary every time. It worked on Babylon 5 with collarless patterned shirts and jackets with their lapels removed and the rest of the collar fastened to the shoulders, and this similar approach definitely works on Picard for me too.

 

[Alexander Corrino]

I'm probably the worst person to be asked about this since I think Jean-Luc looks good no matter what he's wearing (or not wearing, hurr). Doesn't bother me at all that he seems to have found a love for contemporary-looking sweaters. He's always a fashion queen.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Picard should be walking around in Kyle Riker's buisness onesie with the shoulder pads. No other costumes are valid.

 

[SJGardner]

Picard should be walking around in Kyle Riker's buisness onesie with the shoulder pads. No other costumes are valid.

Also, some civilian skants.

 

[Kelso]

Some of the costuming is quite good.

But I don't care much for off-the-rack JCPENNEY outfits they've been putting on Stewart.

This week he's dressed like Carl Denham on a voyage to Skull Island for whatever reason.

 

[Blue Squadron]

After decades of garish spandex, jumpsuits and vests from the same fabric as bus seat covers, I was very happy to see civilian clothes that weren't too far removed from the 21st century norm. They give the setting a lived-in look and aren't so intrusive that they distract from the story. If I had to choose between contemporary with minor cosmetic alterations and pyjamas, I'd choose contemporary every time. It worked on Babylon 5 with collarless patterned shirts and jackets with their lapels removed and the rest of the collar fastened to the shoulders, and this similar approach definitely works on Picard for me too.

I agree; it’s the contemporary-with-no-changes-at-all that bug me. Minor alterations to contemporary styles that are just enough to set them apart are fine by me. It strikes me as odd that they have managed to do that for some of the outfits but seem to have made no effort at all with others.

The B5 civilian clothes were a good example of very familiar but just-different-enough to set them apart. The B5 Earth Force uniforms also had a cut and construction that that was broadly in keeping with the style of the civvy clothes. One of the things about Picard is that the 2390s Starfleet uniform, while consistent with evolution from other recent iterations of the Starfleet uniforms, isn’t really consistent with many of the civilian clothes.