Why Starfleet changes uniform styles so bloody often

[fireproof78]

Yeah, the uniforms in Trek have always been impractical. I know they wanted it to be "THE FUTURE!!!" (trademark pending) but it comes across as impractical and, at times, uncomfortable.

Personally, I think the TOS ones offer the most flexibility but no pockets is just such a deal breaker.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Yeah, the uniforms in Trek have always been impractical. I know they wanted it to be "THE FUTURE!!!" (trademark pending) but it comes across as impractical and, at times, uncomfortable.

Personally, I think the TOS ones offer the most flexibility but no pockets is just such a deal breaker.

The "ST:ENT" uniforms seemed to be very comfortable and offered "Lots of Pockets" which I liked.

I liked DS9 & VOY era 2x piece uniforms.

 

[BillJ]

Plus it shows "In-Universe" that StarFleet can stick to a set of Uniforms and be consistent with it for ~70 years.

If we ever visit that era, I can guarantee those uniforms will be retconned out of existence.

 

[BillJ]

Personally, I think the TOS ones offer the most flexibility but no pockets is just such a deal breaker.

Just imagine them with a pocket.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

If we ever visit that era, I can guarantee those uniforms will be retconned out of existence.

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Continuity!!!!

 

[fireproof78]

Just imagine them with a pocket.

Always have. Plus they have the built in life support belts from TAS

If we ever visit that era, I can guarantee those uniforms will be retconned out of existence.

But never from our hearts.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

One of the best uniforms in Sci-Fi TV IMO was the B5 "Army of Light" Uniforms IMO.

 

[Imaus]

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Continuity!!!!

Eh this is one of the things that I wouldn't really mind;

The Monster Maroons are the sorest one of the bunch. Even the 2270-2277? Uniform, while biege and plain, could had been an evolution of the Tri-Colour. But then comes...this Imperial style mostly Red formal military assemblage. At least, it could had been more colorful, and the degradation it suffered over 70 years also isn't really befitting: they got rid of most trimmings until they were wearing a jacket over their bare chest. I would ease in the new Tri-colour and the switch out of the militaristic style after Khitomer, personally.

 

[JesterFace]

This is an interesting theory, but it does bring a lot of questions. Like: Why is Starfleet even selling action figures?

I think I need to add to my earlier post, by actionfigures I meant that TV companies can sell us all kinds of things, not Starfleet in the future.
But, why not, in 2375 Picard action figure could be a huge hit. It could even come with wig options. Holographic wig options?

 

[fireproof78]

One of the best uniforms in Sci-Fi TV IMO was the B5 "Army of Light" Uniforms IMO.

Try as I might I could not get in to them.

The Monster Maroons are the sorest one of the bunch. Even the 2270-2277? Uniform, while biege and plain, could had been an evolution of the Tri-Colour. But then comes...this Imperial style mostly Red formal military assemblage. At least, it could had been more colorful, and the degradation it suffered over 70 years also isn't really befitting: they got rid of most trimmings until they were wearing a jacket over their bare chest. I would ease in the new Tri-colour and the switch out of the militaristic style after Khitomer, personally.

Would have made more sense to do the reverse, with the jacket removed, save for formal occasions, resulting in use of teal for medical, purple for sciences, and white for command. Eventually some admiral goes for just red for command division and forgoes the jacket all together.

Switching out after Khitomer makes sense in my mind. I think the Maroons came after seeing another Klingon aggression stage coming and wanting to present a more military posture. Once peace was secured we see the relaxation.

 

[JesterFace]

My main issues were the lack of pockets with zippers or other fasteners on them.

About pockets, if anyone thinks TNG era uniforms need pockets, check out 'The Mind's Eye'. Geordi has a phaser in his pocket when he is about to assassinate Governor Vagh.

 

[The Wormhole]

My main issues were the lack of pockets with zippers or other fasteners on them.

IIRC, Roddenberry had a massive irrational hatred of zippers and actually mandated that Starfleet uniforms should not have zippers, feeling zippers would no longer exist in his perfect future.

Yeah but it only lasted that long because it was cheaper to barely modify existing costumes than it was to make new ones.

Indeed, it's no coincidence that the period of time that went the longest without any uniform changes is also the one that had no TV shows or movies set in that time period.

What did surprise me though was that on Picard they created a separate new uniform design for the 2380s flashbacks instead of using the current 2399 uniforms or even the gray shouldered FC uniforms.

 

[fireproof78]

IIRC, Roddenberry had a massive irrational hatred of zippers and actually mandated that Starfleet uniforms should not have zippers, feeling zippers would no longer exist in his perfect future.

You are quite right.

 

[Nerys Myk]

IIRC, Roddenberry had a massive irrational hatred of zippers and actually mandated that Starfleet uniforms should not have zippers, feeling zippers would no longer exist in his perfect future.

Yet the zippers were pretty much can't miss.

 

[ChallengerHK]

Geordi has a phaser in his pocket

Or maybe Geordi was just happy to see him

 

[Sci]

One of the best uniforms in Sci-Fi TV IMO was the B5 "Army of Light" Uniforms IMO.

Ah, yes, the uniforms adopted by the Babylon 5 crew after Sheridan declared independence and B5 became a sovereign military dictatorship.

IIRC, Roddenberry had a massive irrational hatred of zippers and actually mandated that Starfleet uniforms should not have zippers, feeling zippers would no longer exist in his perfect future.

Gene's Vision™ was a mistake.

What did surprise me though was that on Picard they created a separate new uniform design for the 2380s flashbacks instead of using the current 2399 uniforms or even the gray shouldered FC uniforms.

Yeah, that was weird. Also, the uniforms they used for the 2385 scenes were quite possibly the ugliest Starfleet uniforms ever created. They're even worse than the TMP jumpsuits.

Side note:

For those of you keeping track, it has now been canonically established that Starfleet changed regular duty uniforms 7 times in 50 years:

• c. 2354, when they switched from the turtlness-less, belt-less version of the TWOK uniforms to the skintight spandex of TNG Seasons 1 and 2
• 2366, when they changed from the skintight spandex to the TNG classic uniforms
• c. 2369-2371, when they gradually abandoned the TNG classic uniform (except for high-profile postings like Starfleet Headquarters) in exchange for the DS S1-5/VOY uniforms
• 2373, when they switched over to the FC uniforms just two years after finally phasing out the TNG S3-7 uniforms
• c. 2380, when they adopted the LD uniforms seen about the USS Cerritos
• c. 2385, when they adopted the butt-ugly PIC flashback uniforms just five years after adopting the LD uniforms
• c. 2399, by which time they adopted uniforms that look like modified versions of the VOY uniforms

Edited to add:

I think my favorite uniform-changing absurdity is that they go from using the VOY-era combadges with the rectangular shield behind the arrowhead in 2377, to using a bare arrowhead with no shield behind it (something Starfleet hadn't done since the 2260s) in 2380, to using the VOY-style rectangular shield again in 2385.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Starfleet is the Federation's smartphone. It's always upgrading to a new version. Nothing probably reflects its constant modernization to the public better or more quickly than its frequent changes in uniform designs, IMO.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

IIRC, Roddenberry had a massive irrational hatred of zippers and actually mandated that Starfleet uniforms should not have zippers, feeling zippers would no longer exist in his perfect future.

That's one of Gene's rules I wouldn't mind ignoring, it was DUMB. My uniforms will have PLENTY of pockets, all with zippers and other forms of fasteners to keep them closed when not in use so your stuff inside the pockets doesn't fall out.

Ah, yes, the uniforms adopted by the Babylon 5 crew after Sheridan declared independence and B5 became a sovereign military dictatorship.

You're one of President Clark's loyalist's, aren't you!!!

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Side note:

For those of you keeping track, it has now been canonically established that Starfleet changed regular duty uniforms 7 times in 50 years:

• c. 2354, when they switched from the turtlness-less, belt-less version of the TWOK uniforms to the skintight spandex of TNG Seasons 1 and 2
• 2366, when they changed from the skintight spandex to the TNG classic uniforms
• c. 2369-2371, when they gradually abandoned the TNG classic uniform (except for high-profile postings like Starfleet Headquarters) in exchange for the DS S1-5/VOY uniforms
• 2373, when they switched over to the FC uniforms just two years after finally phasing out the TNG S3-7 uniforms
• c. 2380, when they adopted the LD uniforms seen about the USS Cerritos
• c. 2385, when they adopted the butt-ugly PIC flashback uniforms just five years after adopting the LD uniforms
• c. 2399, by which time they adopted uniforms that look like modified versions of the VOY uniforms

UGH!!!

Starfleet is the Federation's smartphone. It's always upgrading to a new version. Nothing probably reflects its constant modernization to the public better or more quickly than its frequent changes in uniform designs, IMO.

Too many people have "Free time" on their hands if they're worrying about uniforms and not making something that is perfectly "Functional" and "Useful" while looking good.

 

[Sci]

You're one of President Clark's loyalist's, aren't you!!!

Just noting the irony of a breakaway military dictatorship waging war upon the civilian dictatorship to which it used to belong, in the name of restoring a democracy it does not itself actually practice.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Just noting the irony of a breakaway military dictatorship waging war upon the civilian dictatorship to which it used to belong, in the name of restoring a democracy it does not itself actually practice.

I'd like to quote my favorite poem:
The Road Not Taken by "Robert Frost":

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves, no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I felt Sheriden took the road less traveled in his choices, and it "Made ALL THE difference" in Inter-Galactic history.

 

[Sci]

I'd like to quote my favorite poem:
The Road Not Taken by "Robert Frost":

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves, no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I felt Sheriden took the road less traveled in his choices, and it "Made ALL THE difference" in Inter-Galactic history.

Sure, but it still would have been nice if he had actually held elections for the Governor of the State of Babylon 5 or whatever instead of just ruling by military fiat.