TMC
10-20-2025, 07:24 PM
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/star-trek-tngs-uniforms-werent-184500063.html
At the beginning of the third season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" — a season which debuted on September 25, 1989 — the costumes underwent a noticeable change. In previous seasons, Starfleet uniforms were slim-fitting, one-piece jumpsuits that zipped up the front. If an actor wanted to use the bathroom, they essentially had to strip all the way down. What's more, they were uncomfortable, being so slim-fitting that the actors were forced to walk bolt upright, causing back aches. Jonathan Frakes once said that they also tended to accentuate an actor's gut, which wasn't flattering. And, in addition to all that, most of the actors had to wear fake musculature padding underneath their unitards, making their chests and shoulders slightly broader. It wasn't fun. Those uniforms were designed by William Ware Theiss, who also worked on the costumes on the original "Star Trek."
The changes in season 3 were a relief, as the jumpsuits were abandoned in favor of two-piece uniforms that had shirt and pants sections. The new uniforms were designed by Robert Blackman, who took over the show's costume department in 1989. The new uniforms were a better fit and allowed for a greater range of physical movement. Also, they had little collars now, which was just more aesthetically pleasing. Blackman also upgraded the uniforms' materials, much to the actors' relief. The new uniforms were initially made of wool gaberdine, which was an upgrade from the heavy Lycra spandex of the first two seasons.
Back in 2013, Blackman spoke with the BBC about his career on "Star Trek" (an interview preserved by Fast Company) and he revealed a lot of secrets to the "Star Trek" uniforms that we couldn't see on the screen. Most notably, he said that the Lycra uniforms had poorly designed shoulders, which caused them to pinch up into an actor's armpits. The result was that an actor's armpit stink would soak into the cloth ... and stay there. Lycra notoriously doesn't breathe, and it retained odors. Ew.
At the beginning of the third season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" — a season which debuted on September 25, 1989 — the costumes underwent a noticeable change. In previous seasons, Starfleet uniforms were slim-fitting, one-piece jumpsuits that zipped up the front. If an actor wanted to use the bathroom, they essentially had to strip all the way down. What's more, they were uncomfortable, being so slim-fitting that the actors were forced to walk bolt upright, causing back aches. Jonathan Frakes once said that they also tended to accentuate an actor's gut, which wasn't flattering. And, in addition to all that, most of the actors had to wear fake musculature padding underneath their unitards, making their chests and shoulders slightly broader. It wasn't fun. Those uniforms were designed by William Ware Theiss, who also worked on the costumes on the original "Star Trek."
The changes in season 3 were a relief, as the jumpsuits were abandoned in favor of two-piece uniforms that had shirt and pants sections. The new uniforms were designed by Robert Blackman, who took over the show's costume department in 1989. The new uniforms were a better fit and allowed for a greater range of physical movement. Also, they had little collars now, which was just more aesthetically pleasing. Blackman also upgraded the uniforms' materials, much to the actors' relief. The new uniforms were initially made of wool gaberdine, which was an upgrade from the heavy Lycra spandex of the first two seasons.
Back in 2013, Blackman spoke with the BBC about his career on "Star Trek" (an interview preserved by Fast Company) and he revealed a lot of secrets to the "Star Trek" uniforms that we couldn't see on the screen. Most notably, he said that the Lycra uniforms had poorly designed shoulders, which caused them to pinch up into an actor's armpits. The result was that an actor's armpit stink would soak into the cloth ... and stay there. Lycra notoriously doesn't breathe, and it retained odors. Ew.