The crew of the starship Enterprise in uniform
In the mid-2270s, a new Starfleet uniform design was introduced over the previous design, with many different variations. The uniform base was light gray, dark gray, white, or one of at least four shades of brown. Most involved matching trousers and tops or one-piece jumpsuits. Unlike most Starfleet uniforms, the tunic's color did not indicate department or assignment, and seems to have been a personal choice by the wearer; departments were indicated by the color of trim and accents.
These uniforms bore rank insignia on the sleeve or on shoulder tabs. The delta shield emblem was adopted as the Starfleet insignia and was worn on the chest by shipboard personnel and flag officers. Some base personnel, like those on Epsilon IX, continued to wear duty badges unique to their assigned base. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
Distinctive features of this period included a life support monitor belt buckle and shoes attached to the trousers. This style of uniform was phased out by 2278. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture; TNG: "Cause And Effect")
In the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the life support monitor belt buckle was non-canonically named the "perscan" device.
Standard duty uniform[]
The standard Starfleet uniform was a two-piece tunic that came in a blue-grey, beige, khaki, brown, dark brown, or white color, including any combination thereof. The tunic was worn untucked, and had a life support monitor belt buckle, though no visible belt. Rank insignia was worn as sleeve stripes, and an assignment patch showing a division color was attached to the tunic chest.
This tunic came with three variations of collars. The standard was a crew neck collar, but there was also a V-necked flared collar version, and one with an angular, squared-off collar. A variant did feature a visible belt. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
The flat-collar style is identified in Star Trek Encyclopedia, 3rd ed., p. 534, as the standard "duty uniform", while the flared collar version is labeled "long-sleeve fatigue."
Although McCoy is the only featured character to wear the angular collar variant, it was manufactured for other background characters.[1][2]
The higher collar worn by Spock looks to be from the same undershirt he wore with his Vulcan robes when he came aboard the Enterprise, suggesting he may have simply put his uniform on over it.
Short sleeved tunic[]
James T. Kirk in a captain's white duty tunic
A short sleeved version of the standard tunic was also available. This tunic featured either a low V-neck collar, or flared V-neck. Rank was shown by division color epaulets, and a division color assignment patch was attached to the tunic chest. The V-neck tunics were available in same colors as the standard uniform.
This style was identified as a "short-sleeve fatigue variant" in Star Trek Encyclopedia, 1st ed., p. 359, and in later editions, simply as a "short sleeve fatigue" (3rd ed., p. 534). It was identified by Robert Fletcher as a "class B uniform" in Star Trek: Costumes (p. 41).
Admiral's uniform[]
James T. Kirk in a rear admiral's uniform
The flag officer uniform was a two-piece tunic with dark gray pants and a white and dark gray flared shirt with a high collar. Rank was shown by both epaulets and sleeve stripes, and a gold Starfleet insignia pin was worn on the chest.
Rear Admiral James T. Kirk wore this type of uniform in his assignment at Starfleet Headquarters on Earth, when he was Chief of Starfleet Operations.
This style was identified as an "admiral's uniform" in Star Trek Encyclopedia, 1st ed., p. 359. In Robert Fletcher's production notes, it was identified as the "class A uniform," originally intended to be worn by all cast members. (Star Trek: Costumes, p. 43) Director Robert Wise wanted a more monochromatic look, resulting in several additional styles used on screen. [3] [4]
The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (p. 125) identified this uniform as an example of a "loden green" (rather than gray) "dress uniform."
In the alternate reality, by 2258 admirals wore a uniform and dress uniform similar to this. In the book Star Trek - The Art of the Film, Star Trek costume designer Michael Kaplan stated that the resemblance was intentional.
Wraparound tunic[]
Hikaru Sulu in a wraparound tunic
Crewmembers had the option of wearing a wraparound tunic. Its function is similar to the duty jumpsuits of the previous uniform style, and like those jumpsuits, it was worn with a black undershirt. A silver version of the admiral's Starfleet insignia pin held the coat closed.
Station tunic[]
Station personnel variant
An additional two-piece variant with a deeper, ribbed-V neck collar, wide-draping sleeves, and fabric belt, was commonly used by station personnel, such as on Epsilon IX station. Rank was displayed solely on shoulder epaulets.
Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 19, p. 101, suggested this variant was used specifically by station-based personnel, and was not seen aboard the Enterprise or at Starfleet Command.
This style was reused in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as Saavik's athletic wear.
Utility jumpsuits[]
The duty jumpsuit was a one-piece uniform with integrated footwear, all one color. Rank was shown on the division color epaulets, and a division color assignment patch was attached to the chest. Some of these jumpsuits had large pockets located on the thigh.
This style was identified as a "utility jumpsuit" in Star Trek Encyclopedia, 1st ed., p. 359.
A variant style included a raised collar, and zipped closure up the center. Another variant featured the zipped closure, and a wider, collarless neck-opening.
Engineering attire[]
The white "engineering tech suit" was one of the few designs from TMP that carried over to TWOK. Additionally, four of these suit were originally stated to be created in orange for use as "emergency fire suits", which would later appear in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. (Star Trek: Costumes, pp. 54-55)
Medical attire[]
Medical tunic[]
For use in the medical department, a white tunic with a flared collar was used, with a medical green caduceus in place of the assignment patch.
Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 19, p. 97, distinguishes the white medical tunic as a "medic's uniform", used by the whole medical staff, from the "CMO's duty uniform", the angular flared collar tunic.
Patient attire[]
Spock wearing the standard patient attire
Patients in Starfleet sickbays wore a loose fitting white tunic with a hood like flared collar, the interior of which was orange. This was worn with white pants with prominent closers running all the way down to the ankle.
Away mission gear[]
Field jacket[]
Will Decker in an excursion jacket
Landing parties had the option of wearing a tan protective jacket over their uniform, with pockets for supplies, displaying division and rank on the upper left sleeve.
This design was referred to as a "field jacket" in Star Trek Encyclopedia, 1st ed., p. 359. Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 19, p. 101, describes it as a tan, "combat-style" field jacket, that resembled those used in the 2250s, and suggested that rank was moved up the sleeve so landing parties could wear gloves, roll up their sleeves, and get dirty.
Body armor[]
Security body armor, c. 2270s
Starship and base security personnel wore body armor, complete with helmets that bore the Starfleet delta.
EV suits[]
Pressure suits hanging in their alcoves
- See: environmental suit and thruster pack
Embellishments[]
Assignment patches[]
Starship personnel wore assignment patch with the Starfleet delta embroidered in silver over a colored circle designating the wearer's division, according to this code:
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- White – Command
- Orange – Sciences
- Light green – Medical
- Red – Engineering
- Pale Gold – Operations
- Silver – Security
Spock and McCoy wearing excursion jackets with orange (science) and light green (medical) department colors on their left sleeves
Those same department colors were also applied to shoulder tabs on some uniforms, and the sleeves of field jackets.
Wardrobe designer Robert Fletcher stated in his personal notes (p. 1) that "the emblem is the same for all divisions, only the background colors change. The standard woven division patch is worn on the left sleeve of the engineering protection suit and some special duty uniforms."
The color codes for each area of service were defined by Fletcher, and noted in Star Trek: Costumes (p. 45).
Metal Starfleet pin[]
Starfleet command division personnel with metal Starfleet logo
Some Starfleet personnel wore metal badges on their uniforms in place of the division patch. These were similar to the gold badges worn by admirals, and identical to the silver badges worn with the wraparound tunics.
Utility badge[]
Utility jumpsuit badges
Certain utility jumpsuits featured a badge in place of the Starfleet insignia.
Rank insignia[]
Rank was displayed on the standard uniform in similar golden sleeve braids on both cuffs as used on the previous uniform style, though ensign was now represented by a broken golden band which had previously been used to indicate lieutenant junior grade. Lieutenant was represented by a solid gold band, lieutenant commander by one solid and one broken gold band, commander by two gold bands, and captain by two solid gold bands with a broken gold band in the middle.
Uniforms and jumpsuits that did not include sleeve braids could also display rank bands on shoulder epaulets. Flag officer uniforms were the only style to feature both. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
| Unknown | Chief petty officer | Unknown |
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| Type | Ensign | Lieutenant | Lieutenant commander | Commander | Captain | Rear admiral |
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| Sleeve insignia | 
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| Epaulet insignia | 
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Elements of the sleeve insignia were carried over from Star Trek: The Original Series, while the epaulette insignia were developed by Robert Fletcher. (Star Trek: Costumes, p. 45)
| Starfleet uniform styles | |
|---|---|
| By era: | 2140s-Early 2160s • Mid 2160s • 2230s • Late 2230s-2250s • 2250s-Early 2270s • Mid 2270s • Late 2270s-2350s • 2350s-2370s • Late 2360s-Early 2370s • 2370s-Early 2380s • Early 2380s • Mid 2380s • Late 2390s • Early 2400s • 29th century • 32nd century • 33rd century |
| By type: | Casual duty attire • Alternate & parallel uniforms • Alternate reality uniforms • Fictional uniforms • Terran Empire uniforms |
| Related topics: | Assignment patch • MACO uniform and equipment • Starfleet decorations • Starfleet insignia • Starfleet ranks • Terran Empire ranks • Uniform |
Appendices[]
Background information[]
The mid-2270s style uniforms were designed by Robert Fletcher, and most were only used in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
When William Ware Theiss, designer of the uniforms used on Star Trek: The Original Series, was unavailable to work on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Fletcher was selected to design uniforms better suited for the big screen, more believable, and less likely to be perceived as sexist given the changing styles of the 1970s. (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, p. 124)
Fletcher developed an eighteen-page production document that laid out designs for divisions, ranks, and insignia, though not all suggestions were used in the film. [5]
Fletcher came up with the idea to connect the shoes to the uniform, to create a seamless "futuristic" look. The shoes were then designed by an acclaimed Italian shoemaker, and fitted for each principal actor (a "very difficult and expensive process.") On the first day on set, a mix-up had resulted in Majel Barrett Roddenberry's two-inch heels and Nichelle Nichols' five-inch heels being sewn to each others uniforms. (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, pp. 127-128)
As Star Trek: The Magazine would later note: "when work started on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, everyone was clear on one thing: they hated the Starfleet uniforms that had been designed for the first movie." Described as "bland", "formless and lacking in color," even Fletcher acknowledged he didn't like them himself. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 3, Issue 5, p. 92) George Takei stated that this version of the uniform was not comfortable, and that because of the way it was designed it required assistance to be removed – even for minor things such as using the restroom. He stated that the redesigned uniform featured in the rest of the films with the original series cast was brought about because of the cast's reluctance to film any further films with this version of the uniform. (Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier)
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Some of the white and blue uniforms were later recycled as jumpsuits worn under the lab coats of the Regula I personnel in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, while white and gray utility jumpsuits were dyed crimson and tan for use as the late 2270s-2350s uniform junior crew/utility jumpsuits. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 3, Issue 5, p. 92)
For more information, see: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Rank insignia[]
Preliminary rank designs
In designing his Class A uniform, Fletcher began working on his concepts for rank insignia, which were identified by insignia placed on straps over both shoulders. Insignia were included for the ranks of "mid shipman", "lieut comm jr. grade", "lieutenant comm", "commander", "captain", "admiral" and "adm of the fleet". (Star Trek: Costumes, p. 45)
Jon Povill sent Fletcher a production memo, dated 3 August 1978, explaining the rank insignia to be used in the film, with no reference to lieutenant junior grade or other flag officers. (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, p. 126)
Other than appearing in Fletcher's preliminary sketches as the insignia for a "lieut comm jr. grade", the otherwise unidentified triangular insignia was worn on the epaulets of several crewmembers. Several sold as part of the It's A Wrap! sale and auction listed them as representing the rank of petty officer. [6](X) [7](X) [8](X) [9](X) [10](X) [11](X) [12](X) [13](X) [14](X) [15](X) [16](X) [17](X) [18](X) [19](X) [20](X) [21](X)
Crewmembers in the rec deck scene, including an operations crewmember (labeled James Doohan but played son Christopher Doohan,) wore an otherwise unidentified solid thin line-insignia. [22](X) Auctioned uniforms labeled for Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols also featured this insignia. [23](X) [24] Several more unlabeled shoulder straps featuring the insignia were also included in the auction, which referenced fan speculation that it could indicate "crewman, second class." [25](X) [26](X) [27](X) [28](X) [29](X) [30](X) [31](X) [32](X) [33](X) [34](X) [35](X) [36](X)
Shoulder straps with the rank insignia of lieutenant were also sold. [37](X) [38](X) [39](X)
External links[]
- Starfleet uniform (Early 2270s) at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
- Starfleet uniform (mid 2270s) at Spike's Star Trek Page
- 22nd and 23rd century Starfleet uniforms at Ex Astris Scientia