The complexity of Star Trek cosplay

Back in April of 2012, while I was still living in the Middle East, I heard that London would be playing host to a sizeable Star Trek convention in the late Autumn, which is an extremely rare occurrence. A trip Stateside is usually required to participate in such events and I’d done exactly that to experience the San Diego Comic-Con for the very first time in 2010.

But this was different. This was Star Trek…and it was in my hometown. Plus, the promotional blurb was making a really big deal over the fact that all five series captains would be at the event for all three days, which was unprecedented – even for US conventions.

It’s also worth noting that I’m what would be considered a Star Trek purest. I believe without any doubt that The Wrath of Khan is the best Trek movie and don’t even get me started on what an monumental disaster Into Darkness was. I’m a fan of the William Shatner-era movies (I’ve been lucky enough to met and interview him a couple of times) and I believe The Wrath of Khan to be Shatner’s best ever performance on screen.

My mind was already made up. Here was chance to show what Star Trek has meant to me, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to offer thanks and play a small part in making Star Trek feel welcome just a few short miles away from where I call home, in East London.

There was only one thing I could do. I had to go in costume and it had to an officer’s uniform from that era, a so-called ‘monster maroon’.

These are the Starfleet uniforms worn through the Kirk-era Star Trek movies from, first seen in The Wrath of Khan all the way to The Undiscovered Country and briefly in Generations.

It was going to be a challenge, but I had about seven months. It was also going to be a fascinating insight into the cult of cosplay and the degree of detail to which fans go. I got to learn from first-hand experience the difference between professional and amateur cosplay.

As I mentioned, I was living in the Middle East at this time. I was just coming to the end of a three year ‘tour’ in Abu Dhabi. This was going to seriously hinder the process of sourcing materials…but, it might also offer one unique advantage.

After trawling the internet for an absolute age, I found a few instances where fans had made their own, on the Starfleet 1701st Uniform Club and on the Replica Prop Forum, but the only one I could find that could be made to order was from StarThreadsGale and her advert on ebay. So, I ordered one at $300 including shipping. Total cost £195.

I also ordered the uniform patterns from the Roddenberry website as a back-up plan. ($25 for the jacket, $15 for trousers and $15 for undershirt, plus postage to the UK. Total cost £40.) This is also the go-to place for all insignia, pips, Starfleet badges and so on.

I tried to time it so that I could collect the delivered uniform from a London address on my next visit to the UK. It was alright…but not as screen accurate as I really had hoped for. The material wasn’t quite right, the flap was secured by velcro and not studs and there was a whole bunch of other flaws as well.

So, utilising the one resource I did have at my disposal in Abu Dhabi – cheap tailoring services – I sought to find the right material in London and then take it to a Little Indian Tailor that I knew once I’d returned to the UAE. I trawled the internet once more to find the best fabric shops in all of London then visited Goldhawk Road near Shepherds Bush and attempted to describe what it was I was looking for: a red/maroon coloured wool-like material, I’ve heard called ‘wool elastique’ or also ‘gabardine’.

I took a few samples and continued onto Berwick Street in Soho, where there are still a one or two good material shops. It was at Misan Fabrics (4 Berwick Street) that I found the closest match to what I was looking for, but it wasn’t cheap though, for three metres (erring on the side of caution) at £58 per metre. Total cost £174.

At this point an important decision had to be made. According to discussion forums online, the actual colour of the uniform is quite a deep, dark red and only under intense studio lighting does it appear the lighter red we are used to seeing. So, do you opt for the darker colour…or the slighter lighter colour since that’s what is familiar. After much deliberation I decided to go for the latter.

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