When discussing the diverse and often debated costumes of Star Trek, it’s impossible to overlook the garment worn most frequently by female characters: the Starfleet uniform. This iconic attire has undergone numerous iterations throughout the franchise’s history, each reflecting not only changes within the fictional Starfleet but also evolving societal norms and fashion trends. To understand the journey of the Star Trek Female Uniform, we need to begin at the very beginning, in its earliest forms.
Initially, delving into the Starfleet uniform might seem like starting in the middle of the story. However, to truly appreciate its evolution, we must first examine its genesis and trace its development through each series. This exploration will be the first of many, charting the course of this significant costume element across the Star Trek universe. For this initial discussion, we’ll focus on the uniforms of the 2250s to early 2270s, laying the groundwork for understanding later variations.
Our journey begins with a perhaps unexpected starting point:
The Pragmatic Beginnings – ‘The Cage’ Uniforms
The uniforms featured in the original Star Trek pilot episode, ‘The Cage’, represent the very first depiction of Starfleet attire on screen. Upon revisiting ‘The Menagerie,’ which incorporated footage from ‘The Cage,’ one might be struck by the unexpected practicality and even appeal of these early uniforms. Far from the vibrant colors and shorter hemlines that would become synonymous with Star Trek, these initial designs present a more grounded and functional aesthetic.
Perhaps surprisingly, a key element contributing to the practicality of these uniforms is their unisex nature. Aside from a subtle cowl neck detail on the women’s tunics, there is virtually no discernible difference between the garments worn by male and female officers. This equality in design extended to the welcome inclusion of pants for women, a sensible choice for individuals serving on starships and engaging in potentially hazardous missions.
The fabric of these uniforms appears robust and durable, seemingly capable of withstanding the rigors of Starfleet duty – a stark contrast to some later uniform iterations that appeared far less resilient. Adding to their practicality, the ‘Cage’ uniforms featured smart, silvery-grey jackets, designated as excursion jackets according to Memory Alpha, for landing party missions. These jackets further enhanced the impression of preparedness, suggesting protection from the elements and potential hazards of alien environments.
Beneath these jackets, a utility harness was integrated to hold essential equipment like phasers and communicators. This thoughtful design detail underscores the overall functionality of the ‘Cage’ uniform, arguably making it the most practically conceived Starfleet uniform seen throughout the franchise, with the possible exception of the uniforms from Star Trek: Enterprise. Crucially, this practical and functional uniform was worn by both men and women without differentiation.
However, these pragmatic ‘Cage’ uniforms were short-lived, replaced by the more visually distinctive and widely recognized uniforms that would define Star Trek: The Original Series for the majority of its run. The shift from the peach color of the pilot uniforms to red was reportedly due to the former’s tendency to appear similar to gold on camera. Interestingly, the command gold that became iconic was initially a lime green fabric, which translated as gold on screen. Similarly, Captain Kirk’s tunic variation, made from a different fabric than the velour used for standard uniforms, also appeared green due to fabric properties.
Another notable detail about the TOS uniforms is the use of satin velour, a material choice that presented some challenges. The velour was prone to shrinking when washed, often resulting in tunics appearing somewhat short. This issue was later addressed in the third season with a switch to a more resilient double-knit fabric.
The Iconic TOS Era – Mini-Skirts and the 1960s
But when we discuss the star trek female uniform of the Original Series, the image that immediately springs to mind is undoubtedly the iconic dress uniform. This design consisted of a short dress with long sleeves and a distinctly short skirt, worn over matching high-cut shorts, black pantyhose, and boots. In contrast to the male uniforms, the female version incorporated a wide, open collar, typically black but occasionally matching the tunic color, as seen most notably on Nurse Chapel’s uniform.
Several key points are essential to consider when examining these uniforms. Firstly, it’s crucial to acknowledge that these, like virtually every costume in TOS, were the creation of William Ware Theiss. Theiss is associated with the “Theiss Titillation Theory,” which posits a direct correlation between a costume’s perceived sexiness and its apparent vulnerability to wardrobe malfunctions. His designs, exemplified by the revealing android costume in “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” and the backless gown in “Who Mourns for Adonais?”, certainly seem to align with this theory.
Theiss Titillation Theory and Design Intentions
The design philosophy behind the TOS costumes, particularly the female uniforms, is further illuminated by comments from individuals involved in the show’s production. Robert H. Justman, an associate and later co-producer of TOS, offered candid insights into the costume design process:
‘Bill Theiss was a most interesting person…he resisted coming up with a final design…but he was very creative… [For TOS] I used to go to most every fitting with Gene to make our comments and make our changes which often consisted of making sure that there was less material on the girl than she had beginning with. So that’s how the wardrobe came about…we went for skin exposure, we wanted to get a bigger audience…Certainly the guest stars were usually beautiful and definitely hardly clothed. And that was all right by Gene…I think the women liked wearing very little. I think it got them a lot of attention.’
Majel Barrett, Gene Roddenberry’s wife and a recurring actress in Star Trek, echoed this sentiment:
‘It was just part of the fun, it really was, and he got very fancy… Gene loved to have beautiful women around and he loved to have beautiful women with no clothes, or as few clothes as he could possibly put them in, and Bill accommodated him in every way he could.’
However, Barrett also offered a somewhat contrasting perspective:
‘Gene had wanted very much to show women in a more positive point of view, and women that were stronger…but he kind of pulled back a little and said ”Okay, they are pretty things”, and that’s why we end up with little short skirts and big bouffant hairdos and, you know, it was a very sexist thing to do, but he did it.’
These differing viewpoints highlight the complexities and perhaps contradictions inherent in the design choices.
Fashion of the 1960s – Contextualizing the Uniforms
To fully understand the TOS star trek female uniform, it’s crucial to consider the socio-cultural context of the 1960s, the decade in which the show was produced. This era witnessed significant shifts in fashion and societal norms. The bikini gained mainstream popularity, beehive hairstyles were fashionable, and in 1964, Mary Quant introduced the miniskirt, which rapidly became a defining garment for young women in the Western world.
Therefore, while contemporary audiences might view the TOS uniforms as overtly sexualized or sexist, it’s essential to acknowledge the prevailing fashion trends of the time. Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed Uhura, addressed criticisms of her uniform’s revealing nature by pointing out:
‘So? I was wearing them on the street. What’s wrong with wearing them in the air? I wore ’em on airplanes. It was the era of the miniskirt. Everybody wore miniskirts.…It amazes me that people still make some remark about ‘the revealing’. They revealed nothing. I had long black stockings on and boots up to my knees and the skirts and panties on and a skirt that gave you freedom to move in, – so what?…It amazes me because everything is more revealing today on the street than those costumes.’
Similarly, Robert Blackman, a costume designer for later Star Trek series, noted the evolution of societal views on women:
‘The notion of woman has changed since then. It’s not that women are no longer sexual images, but we have to also depict them as something more than that, because they are. You know, in the mid 60s to 70s, it was Barbarella, it was Barbie, it was Babe time. But we can’t in full honesty, and in modern thought process, do that.’
Functionality vs. Fashion – A Modern Perspective
Reflecting on the star trek female uniform of TOS through a modern lens reveals a significant contrast with the practicality of ‘The Cage’ uniforms. The mini-skirted dresses, while arguably reflective of 1960s fashion, certainly prioritize aesthetics over functional utility for starship duty. (Though it is worth noting Uhura was equipped with a utility belt on away missions).
However, it’s also important to recognize that the male uniforms of TOS, with their form-fitting tunics, were not paragons of practicality either. And despite the less functional design of the female uniform, it did not prevent Uhura from being a capable and active member of the crew, even participating in combat situations when necessary. Furthermore, in the episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?”, when Uhura utilizes her technical skills to rewire the communications system, she is depicted wearing a technician’s jumpsuit, a uniform shared by male crew members in similar roles.
As Blackman articulated, creating a similar uniform design today, without intentional parody or replication, would likely be met with criticism. However, judging a product of nearly six decades past solely by contemporary standards risks overlooking the significant differences in societal norms and fashion sensibilities between then and now.
While acknowledging the potential for criticism, it’s also worth appreciating that female characters in TOS were given uniforms at all, a step forward from some later Star Trek iterations where female characters were sometimes relegated to civilian attire.
Considering the evolution of the star trek female uniform from the practical ‘Cage’ designs to the iconic, fashion-conscious TOS versions, we are left to ponder: Are the TOS female uniforms unforgivably sexist by today’s standards, or are they best understood as a product of their time, reflecting the fashion trends and evolving societal views of the 1960s? The answer, perhaps, lies in a nuanced understanding of both historical context and contemporary perspectives.
