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Uniforms

That is interesting, thanks for posting. My guess about the rank stripes is that they were based on what was illustrated in the FJ Technical Manual, before things were clarified by the Jon Povill memo of Aug. 3 1978 that's included in TMoSTTMP.

Yeah, seems things were a bit in flux during these costume tests. Like with this version of the Class A, which was used in a lot of promotional photos:

tumblr_ncp0j0jKyq1sqf5tdo10_400.jpg
 
The uniforms from Star Trek: The Motion Picture have always been my favorite of the movie uniforms. They have sort of a naval flair to them and look futuristic. The maroon uniforms never seemed all that practical as an everyday duty uniform. They would have worked great as dress uniforms though. Also, there wasn't a lot of consistency regarding the color of the turtlenecks.
 
The Motion Picture uniforms could have been good if the color scheme had been a little bit different, and I think if they lost the black box thing.

I think the colors is what really bothers me. I have seen some color changes that would make the uniforms more appealing.
 
That is interesting, thanks for posting. My guess about the rank stripes is that they were based on what was illustrated in the FJ Technical Manual, before things were clarified by the Jon Povill memo of Aug. 3 1978 that's included in TMoSTTMP.

I don't have that book. Can anyone clarify the content of the Jon Povill memo regarding rank stripes?
 
I don't have that book. Can anyone clarify the content of the Jon Povill memo regarding rank stripes?

http://www.st-spike.org/images/uniforms/2273-2277/memo.gif

That direct link is not allowed, but you can get to it here. Apparently it's a transcription, because the one in the book shows the letterhead and it looks like the stripes were drawn in felt-tip pen. So here's a scan, stitched together into one image because in the book it's on two pages:

povill_tmp_uniform_memo.jpg


Another memo from the next day corrects Rand's grade from ensign to CPO. Note it says the "epaulets" should be the same as the sleeves, though of course that wasn't actually the case with the admiral's stars.
 
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^ Thanks. I had deduced the change in the representation of Ensign from watching the film. Of course, the representation of Ensign is different not only with the FJTM but also with TOS, as Chekov was an Ensign for his entire tenure on the series yet had nothing on his sleeve, braid or stripe.
 
The sudden change from hippiesque campy attire in TOS and TMP to more formal militaristic wear (well, relatively ;) ) smacks of a belligerent admiral who has recently come into the position of being able to decide uniform policy and has resented the casual attire he's been forced to wear all these years so sets about "smartening up" the fleet.

You could argue the exact same thing happens again in the TNG era when they go from spandex pajamas and overalls to the sharp grey formaler look.

It may yin and yang like this through the decades as Admiral Fashionista gets replaced by admiral formal over and over :p

I've always assumed that those uniforms come into play during a more militaristic time period for the Federation..... we see by the later movies that there is a lot of turmoil and politics; It wouldn't surprise me to find out that something we just haven't heard about; some big, unheard event / story / scenario that occured during the post TMP 5YM (or even, the V'ger incident itself) sparked the change.

As far as TNG goes, it could be a delayed response to the Borg / Dominion War... that had to be the most violent time period the Federation had seen in quite some time.
 
A lot of people have said that TWoK officer jackets were too formal and stuffy. I agree. I've posted this before, but here it is again, my version of more casual 'class-B' officer's jacket:

Rank pins would go on the coloured strips on the shoulders.
 
My ideal Trek unis are similar to those, though I'd make a couple of adjustments:

One thing I've always thought would help the monster maroons is if the bottom of the tunic was like the season 3+ TNG uniforms. Just to break up the red a little more.

I've also always thought that, if any Star Trek uniform should use rank bracelets, it was those--since they're closest in kind to the dress jackets of both the US and Royal Navies. Then, on the shoulder clips, you'd have the old TOS department insignia (command delta, science glob, engineering swirl) as a brass piece. Then that way the turtleneck could always be white. (I've always hated the look of the other colors.)

Then, as more of a "duty uniform" have something similar to a cross between the TMP tunic and Kirk's vest. It would be sleeveless and would pullover the turtleneck, almost like a tabard. It would use the department colors and have the belt buckle thingy (though be much smaller) and have the rank brass on the shoulders.
 
To me the science emblem was always a dual electron nucleus without the proton/neutron core. Better description than "glob", I think.
 
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