Inherited Characteristics from the VOY and DS9/NEM-eras

Although Enterprise was a prequel show, a major stylistic influence of its uniforms was the uniforms of modern-era Star Trek. 

Such influences were generally subtle but also arguably undeniable; although on opposite ends of the Star Trek (prime?) canon timeline, it made sense to have some consistency in the Starfleet uniforms over the centuries. 

We explored the ENT jumpsuit's stylistic inspirations and influences in our full, unabridged ENT jumpsuit analysis, which you can read online at ENTjumpsuit.blogspot.com, and the free PDF is available for download on our web site, www.badwolfcostumes.com. 

In this analysis, we will only be focusing on the uniform undershirt. 

The NX-era uniform undershirts (hereafter referred to as the "ENT undershirts") were fairly straightforward, and like the corresponding uniform jumpsuits, they inherited several notable characteristics from the preceding (er, forthcoming?) Starfleet uniform garments while still being unique garments in their own right. 

We'll begin our analysis by taking a look at what the three uniform undershirts had in common.

As with the aforementioned VOY undershirts and DS9/NEM division shirts, the ENT undershirts were made of cotton lycra - but black this time, rather than the blue/gray or division color (as the wearer's division was specified on the blue denim jumpsuit).

STPCAA photo of Travis Mayweather screen-used ENT undershirt

ENT uniform eBay auction photo

The ENT undershirt had a sewn-on collar that was similar in appearance and construction to the VOY undershirt and DS9/NEM division shirt "hero collar" (more on this later).

(Worf DS9/NEM division shirt auction photo on left,
Mike Paugh photo of Reed screen-used ENT undershirt on right)

However, while the VOY undershirt and DS9/NEM division shirt collars appeared to typically be about 2" tall, the ENT undershirt collars appeared to have been slightly shorter, perhaps 1 ¾". 

This was probably because the ENT jumpsuit collars typically appeared to be about 1 ¾" tall, and effort was made to make the jumpsuit and undershirt collars harmonious on the wearer to further complement the nested necklines. (It would've looked weird if the undershirt collar poked up above the jumpsuit collar.)

ENT, 4x15 "Affliction"

ENT, 2x14 "Stigma"

ENT, 2x22 "Cogenitor"

ENT, 1x16 "Shadows of P'Jem"

ENT, 2x10 "Vanishing Point"

As mentioned in our unabridged ENT jumpsuit analysis, there was also the inherited (er, trendsetting?) wearing style of leaving the jumpsuit's front closure "unzipped" for about 4-10" beneath the bottom of the neckline at the center front, forming a V-shaped front opening which revealed the undershirt.

Like the DS9/NEM division shirt, the ENT undershirt closed up the center front.

ENT, 3x17 "Hatchery"

As you can see, the ENT undershirt, while being a unique garment in and of itself, was notably influenced by the preceding (or succeeding, depending on how you look at it) modern-era Starfleet uniform undershirts.

It's a timey-wimey thing. 

NEXT: Analysis, part 1 - Front Button Closure