Star Trek Voyager Uniform

This summer have been much hiking and biking (including a very nice trip to the Swedish "High Coast", Höga kusten), and not so much sewing. I have made one project thou: something I have wanted for a long time, namely an uniform from Star Trek Voyager. I have watched the 7 seasons twice, and am a huge fan of Captain Janeway. (I also like the cybernetic, hive-mid Borg of the series a lot, but cosplaying them would be a significantly larger challenge! )

Photo by Iza Palm

The uniform is made from a black jumpsuit which I already had, which I picked apart and remade. Just getting rid of the pockets took several hours, as they were very sturdily attached ( it was a work-wear overall, after all, not a cosy lying-in-the-sofa Onesie/Onepiece...). The main changes was to make it a lot slimmer, and putting on the colored yoke. I removed the sleeves, shortened it at them waist, and then using my standard bodice patter for a template of how much smaller the bodice needed to be. Then I recut the sleeve holes and sleeves, put on the yoke on sleeves and bodice, and attached the sleeves again. All in all, I think re-modelling it took just as long as starting from scratch would have done, but it felt easier to start with something and just pin it in until it fit, rather than cutting toiles and trying. 

I also made a combadge from plastic which I cut and painted. For rank pips, my husband found perfect magnets, the right size and very strong. I also had to make a deviation from what they wear in the series: the uniform has no pockets, and they almost never wear bags, as the spaceship is so sofisticated that there is no need for money or keys. My world however requires me to keep keys and money and phone (that communication badge is still not working…), so I added a hip bag.

Photo by Iza Palm, cropped and lightened a bit to show more details.

I like the result, and compared to the 1880’s dresses which needs corset and bustle and underskirt, it almost feels like cheating to have a costume this comfortable. Now I just needs to make up more excuses to wear it! Also, I would like try my hands with make-up, and paint on Jadzia Dax' markings and cosplay her.

Dual fandoms - Star Trek and Doctor Who! Here you can see the added hip bag. 

The facts:
What is it? A uniform from the science fiction series Start Trek Voyager

Fabric? A remade jumpsuit of very sturdy cotton, and some polyester for the blue-green yoke.

Notions: Metallic zipper, a communicatior badge made from plastic, rank pips (strong magnets).

Pattern: I used my basic bodice pattern as a guide for the bodice. The pattern for the yoke is the same as I used for my Star Trek jacket.

How historically accurate screen accurate is it? It looks decent, but I have not cared whether the construction methods are the same as in the films, or not. My jumpsuit has a waist seem that is not in the series ones, and some seams in the back are different as well. Also, the "real" uniforms used wool twill, which would be almost impossible for me even to find, so I used cotton/polyester instead. I think the overall look is good thou.

Total cost: 8 Euro for the zipper and magnets, 10 Euro for the blue-green fabric (I only needed like 20 cm of the 1 m I bought, but the rest is probably not useful for anything else.)

Hours to complete? A guess is 10 h for the jumpsuit and almost 2 for the combadge and fiddling with rank pips.  

First worn? At the NärCon cosplay and game convention here in Linköping a few weeks ago.

How did I research this? Looking at pictuers, and reading the very good (but very long) costume analysis by a pattern company who apperarantly have done their homework well (found on this page).