Starfleet uniform Starfleet uniforms were uniform s worn by individuals serving in the Federation Starfleet , originally a United Earth organization . These uniforms facilitated the wearers ' needs as both scientist s and researcher s , as well as Starfleet ' s military role . Wearers were expected to abide by the Starfleet dress code , though special exceptions were sometimes made for certain aspects of an individual ' s cultural heritage , such as Worf ' s Klingon baldric and Nog ' s Ferengi headdress as well as Ro Laren ' s ( and briefly Kira Nerys ' ) earring s . Divisions . Starfleet uniforms were generally broken down by color among the three divisions , and occasionally by department , while displaying rank insignia conspicuously . While the colors varied over time , uniforms were designed for comfort even in the most extreme environments . ( ) Command . The command division was the head of Starfleet with most of the ranking officer s in Starfleet Command wearing these colors . The command division , generally , was responsible for the administration of starship s , starbase s , and space station s . Operations . The operations division was the backbone of Starfleet , being composed of the engineer ing , security , and support services . This division was responsible for technological innovation and for maintaining and defending the Federation . Sciences . The sciences division was the heart of Starfleet , composed of the exploratory , medical , and mental health departments . Uniform variations . Some officers wore alternate uniforms . Deanna Troi often wore casual clothing while on duty , and T ' Pol retained her original Vulcan uniform with a few concessions to her Starfleet rank and ship assignment . Other officers , such as Worf , Montgomery Scott , and Ro Laren , were allowed to wear accessories relating to their culture with their uniforms , but this was at the discretion of the captain . Uniforms were also altered to accommodate non - humanoid officers , such as the three - armed , three - legged uniform of the Edosian Arex . ( ; ; ; ) Uniforms were also adapted to environment al or atmospheric conditions . When exploring the planet , Benjamin Sisko and colleagues wore long , flowing gown uniforms to deal with the sand . They featured a colored stripe to represent departments . ( ) Dress uniforms . Dress uniforms were a variant of the standard Starfleet uniforms worn for special occasions , such as wedding s , courts martial , funeral s , and the greeting of ambassador ial delegations and heads of state . ( ; ; ; ; ) Appendices . References . Dress uniform references : Background information . Design . The Starfleet uniforms worn during were designed by William Ware Theiss , who returned to design the uniforms ( which were further adapted into future versions on , , and the TNG - era films by Robert Blackman ) . Robert Fletcher designed the uniforms seen throughout the movies , with later new designs provided by Nilo Rodis . Robert Blackman also designed uniforms worn on , a design representing a precursor to those seen in TOS . As shown in the It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction , a number of Starfleet uniforms have had padding to increase muscular appearance . Such cases include two costumes for Tom Paris , one racquetball costume for Julian Bashir , and a " Deep Space Nine " costume for Worf ( to create a more Klingon appearance ) . According to Wil Wheaton , all the main cast members wore muscle padding during the first two seasons of " The Next Generation " , mainly because of the tight - fitting nature of the spandex uniforms used in these two seasons . Several prototype uniform undershirts to those seen from on were sold off on the It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction on eBay . Ambiguous uniform . A Human female seen as a member of the Elysian Council in wore a uniform of ambiguous origin . It was described in the " Star Trek Concordance " as " a white suit with blue collar and an insignia on the left breast , " and was suggested to " possibly an early Star Fleet [ sic ] uniform " . While it is known that the " " , and possibly other Earth / Federation ships , were lost in the years prior to 2269 , it is unclear if this is indeed a Starfleet uniform , and if so , from which era it may have originated .