Ranking the 10 best Starfleet uniforms

Starfleet changes its uniforms pretty frequently. There are even with variations depending on what ship or station someone is posted to. Let's explore some of the best we've seen over the decades.
Starfleet uniforms from several eras of Star Trek history.
Starfleet uniforms from several eras of Star Trek history. | Star Trek Timelines
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7. Enterprise

Jonathan Archer
Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer, wearing the standard uniform of the United Earth Starfleet in Star Trek: Enterprise. | Paramount Pictures/CBS Entertainment

One of my favorite parts of Star Trek: Enterprise is how the costume and production designers envisioned a step between our present-day styles and technology and those of the future. The uniforms by Robert Blackman are a key part of this. They take cues from present-day flight suits, with mission patches and lots of pockets, and mix them with Star Trek's division colors and rank insignia.

That said, these uniforms are not especially vibrant. The division colors are relegated to a strip of piping around each shoulder, while the majority of the garment is just dark blue. I appreciate the sense of practicality that these uniforms offer, but like the Motion Picture ones, they are not very exciting.

6. Star Trek: Beyond

Star Trek: Beyond
Chris Pine as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock in Star Trek: Beyond. | Paramount Pictures/CBS Entertainment

As with the previous two Kelvin-Timeline movies and Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Beyond's uniforms, designed by Sanja Milkovic Hays, are another homage/take on the iconic TOS uniforms. Of all the imitations, I think these ones are the best. Once again, the blues are a bit dark for my taste, but that is a trivial issue.

The main reason I consider these uniforms better than those of Strange New Worlds (and definitely those of Star Trek 2009 and Into Darkness) is that the fabric is smooth and clean. I definitely get the urge to add details for a big-screen adventure, but I am just not a fan of the cutesy Star Trek patterns being integrated into the material.

Honestly, the only major critique I have of these uniforms is that they are too similar to the TOS uniforms without just replicating them. This is a problem with trying to make prequels and work within a pre-established fictional era. It's hard to add something new while also staying in keeping with the setting.