An original Starfleet cadet costume from the 1960s classic Star Trek: The Original Series. Silver tunics such as these were believed to be first created for the episode Shore Leave, where Finnegan (Bruce Mars), a colleague of Captain Kirk’s from his academy days, appears wearing the tunic. Kirk and Finnegan get into a fight towards the end of the episode, and a stuntman can be seen wearing one of these silver tunics as well, so it is believed that a few were created for this episode. The tunics were later re-used by various Starfleet cadets in other episodes of the show. Completing this Starfleet uniform is a pair of original pants, and although these are not matched to the tunic, the two come together to create a gorgeous ensemble from the classic show.

The tunic is made from a unique reflective silver material, with a loose weave that appears to show horizontal columns when viewed from a distance. The tunic features its original insignia piece, which looks to be a modified off-the-shelf part. This insignia is unique to the silver tunics on the show.

The tunic is in excellent condition overall, although there is some fraying to the fabric at the back left armpit. The tunic features a hidden zipper along the left front side, which aided the actor in getting into it.

The garment also features its original collar, which is a loose-weave cross-hatch fabric that has lost its elasticity over time. The loose collar is a trait seen in almost all original Star Trek tunics. The collar does retain its original hook closures, which are positioned in line with the hidden zipper seam. The collar has been pinned into place for the photos in this document. It may be possible for the collar to be reshaped by an expert using starch and steam.

Completing this uniform is a pair of rarely-seen Original Series pants. These pants have a name written in the label, “Bill Blackburn.” The name is faded, but still legible. Blackburn was a wardrobe assistant on the show who frequently donned a uniform and filled in a background role on the show. Also written in the waistband is “P35” (a Paramount wardrobe department code) and “Size 31.” The pants are made from a unique black fabric that has a sparkle finish, which has never been accurately copied. The bottom cuff of the pants were modified for Star Trek Phase 2 in the late 70s, as almost all Original Series pants were. There is enough material present that they could be returned to their Original Series condition if so desired.

This costume is extremely difficult to match due to the nature of its construction and due to the relatively low resolution of screen captures from the Original Series (even in High Definition), though this does appear to be a very good match for the tunic worn by Bruce Mars in the show. There is no name written in the tunic, so it is impossible to confirm 100% that it was worn by Mars. Silver tunics show up on background characters in several other Star Trek episodes, including “Wolf in the fold”, and “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

This costume was obtained directly from Paramount Studios in the early 1990s, and features one of the few silver tunics known to exist today. This exact tunic is believed to be the one exhibited at the Smithsonian in 1992.