30 Years Ago, Star Trek’s Coolest Uniforms Brought The Franchise Together

Star Trek: First Contact introduced the coolest Starfleet uniforms, bringing together Star Trek‘s 24th century in a way that never happened again. Directed by Jonathan Frakes, Star Trek: First Contact premiered in November 1996, introducing not just new uniforms but a new Starship Enterprise, the Sovereign-class USS Enterprise-E.

One of the most popular aspects of Star Trek are Starfleet uniforms. Trekkers love to cosplay as their favorite Star Trek characters, proudly donning the colorful attire of Star Trek: The Original Series, the form-fitting jumpsuits of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the various modern uniforms seen in Star Trek on Paramount+’s many series.

In Star Trek: The Original Series‘ era, Starfleet had a shared look of color-coded tunics and black trousers and boots. Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced two different versions of Starfleet uniforms in the 24th century, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine debuted a more utilitarian uniform that would be adopted by Star Trek: Voyager.

For a brief and memorable time in the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, all of 24th century Starfleet wore the same uniforms, and it was glorious.

Star Trek: First Contact eschewed the old Star Trek: The Next Generation uniform design in favor of sleek, new, mostly black attire with a purplish-blue, ridged shoulder design. Starfleet division colors were determined by a turtleneck undershirt, with rank pips on the right side of the neck.

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A welcome departure from Starfleet’s ‘space pajamas’ look, Star Trek: First Contact‘s uniforms looked comfortable, durable, and stylish. Star Trek: First Contact’s uniforms quickly replaced the previous designs and became the standard worn by every Starfleet Officer in the 24th century.

The new Starfleet uniforms were adopted by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine starting with season 5’s episode, “Rapture,” which aired just a couple of weeks after Star Trek: First Contact. For the first time since a handful of the USS Enterprise-D’s crew wore DS9-style jumpsuits in Star Trek Generations, everyone in TNG and DS9 wore the same uniforms. And they all looked great.

Since the USS Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew continued wearing their color-coded jumpsuits. After Voyager returned to Earth, however, the crew that remained in Starfleet fell in line, as evidenced by Admiral Janeway’s cameo in Star Trek: Nemesis and Lt. Tom Paris’ (Robert Duncan McNeill) appearance in Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Star Trek: First Contact‘s uniforms remained Starfleet’s standard from their introduction in 1996 to the last sighting of 24th century Starfleet in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis. As a prequel set 200 years before, Star Trek: Enterprise was the lone exception of Rick Berman’s Star Trek era, as Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and his Starfleet crew wore distinctive blue worksuits.

Why Every New Star Trek Show Has Different Starfleet Uniforms

The slew of new Star Trek series on Paramount+ lacks the same kind of uniformity seen in the 24th-century Starfleet. The closest is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy continuing Star Trek: Discovery‘s 32nd century uniform design, while the cadets wear grey variants. Otherwise, every Paramount+ Star Trek series introduced its own specific Starfleet uniform.

Star Trek on Paramount+’s series take place in different eras of Star Trek’s timeline. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ characters wear forbearers of Star Trek: The Original Series‘ uniforms. Star Trek: Picard was set at the dawn of the 25th century, with new Starfleet uniforms that are evolutions of TNG‘s designs.

Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ uniforms are variants of Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s that are specific to California-class starships. Meanwhile, Star Trek: Prodigy‘s uniforms are different from Lower Decks, and the show’s young heroes wear variants of Starfleet Academy uniforms.

Star Trek on Paramount+’s series are a visual feast when it comes to the plethora of Starfleet uniforms, even if it breaks the logic of Starfleet as a military organization requiring a common uniform design. There’s no real rhyme or reason anymore why there are so many different kinds of uniforms in Star Trek, but they generally look good and suit their specific shows.

Meanwhile, Starfleet adopting Star Trek: First Contact‘s uniforms was a memorable period when every Starfleet Officer looked their best in one of the franchise’s finest designs. The beautiful uniformity of 24th century Star Trek may not happen again.