Uniform

What do you say we get you a proper uniform, Lieutenant?— Lieutenant Talla Keyali

Uniform is the clothing worn for the purpose of displaying membership in an organization. In the military, the uniform also displays rank insignia and position as a form of non-verbal communication of authority and purpose between members of said organization.

Planetary Union

The Planetary Union's standard-issue uniform consists of a simple jacket, undershirt, and slacks suitable for the vast majority of humanoid species including Humans, Xelayans, and Moclans. Some species have highly unusual body shapes and are exempt from the uniform requirement, such as Gelatins and Unk's species. On rare occasions, species are permitted to modify or tailor the standard-issue uniform to fit their unique body type, such as the case of Lieutenant Tharl, who cut a hole into the stomach of jacket to accommodate his external feeding tube.

Officers maintain several pairs of their uniform at any time.

Ranks and Positions

Main article: Ranks and Positions

Ranks

The rank insignia, shown above, are located on the top of the shoulders of the Planetary Union uniform. The bars of each rank protrude slightly from the insignia's base.

• Admiral
• Captain
• Commander
• Lieutenant Commander
• Lieutenant
• Ensign

Positions

Positions are jobs assigned to officers onboard their designated vessel. Each position entails the involvement or leading of a specific department necessary to keep the ship and its services in check.

• Command Level: Blue
• Engineering Level: Orange
• Science Level/Medical Bay: Green
• Security Level: Red

Standard issue uniform

You wouldn't be allowed to wear that uniform if you weren't qualified.— Commander Kelly Grayson to Lieutenant Alara Kitan

Admiralty Purple

Adjutant Gray

Command Blue

Engineering Orange

Science/Medical Green

Security Red

Badge

As well as their uniform color, the section a Union officer adheres to is indicated by a badge which is worn on the left breast of their uniform jacket, bearing the distinctive insignia. Initially, the outline and insignia of the badges were colored according to their section on a light silver background, while the Admiralty badge had a gold background. However, at some point in late 2420, following Alara Kitan's departure from the USS Orville, a minor uniform change was issued with new badges, whose outline and insignia were all colored in dark silver.

Uniform undershirts

Undershirts come in both short sleeve and long sleeve variants. From what is seen, most officers (Gordon Malloy, Ed Mercer, Alara Kitan, Talla Keyali, Claire Finn) favor the short sleeve undershirt, while Bortus wears the long sleeve undershirt.

Command undershirt (short-sleeved)

Command undershirt (long-sleeved)

Engineering undershirt

Medical undershirt

Security undershirt

Medical attire

Union medical personnel generally wear standard issue uniforms. In some cases, officers like Chief Medical Officer Claire Finn of the USS Orville wear medical lab coats over their undershirts while operating in Sick Bay. On away missions, however, Dr. Finn wears the standard issue uniform.

Doctor Finn in her lab coat

Environmental suits

Main article: Environmental suit

Environmental suit (Command)

Environmental suit (Engineering)

Dress uniforms

Dress uniform (Command)

Dress uniform (Security)

Dress uniform (Engineering)

Custom uniforms

Lieutenant Tharl

We only have standard issue uniforms on board, so if you need something specific...— Captain Ed Mercer

It is suggested that, in addition to the standard issue uniform, uniforms may be custom made according to species. Lieutenant Tharl, a member of a species distinguished by their external esophagus, is offered "something specific" by Captain Ed Mercer. Tharl declines the captain's officer, revealing that he keeps multiple uniforms.

Exceptions

What about Lieutenant Unk in Engineering? He does not wear a uniform.
Unk is half the size of a shuttlecraft. He'd have to wear a tent.— Bolobar and Kelly Grayson

Though the vast majority of Union Fleet personnel are humanoids, there are a number of races within the Union who have wildly different body shapes. As such, they are not expected to wear the standard issue uniform, or any clothing at all for that matter.

Jorvik's species

Gelatin (Yaphit)

Unk's species

Katrudian (Groogen)

In addition, Isaac, an emissary of the Kaylon, does not wear a uniform while he serves as a "Science and Engineering Officer" aboard the USS Orville. He continues as such even after defecting from his people on behalf of the Planetary Union.

Isaac

Allowances

I dislike having to look so formal all the time.— Ensign Brosk

In certain cases, Commanding Officers such as captains may allow members of their crew to go without their uniform. For example, a generous Captain Mercer allowed Tharl to attend to his bridge station out of uniform during the night shift. Furthermore, in cases of great urgency, crew members may be called to their stations with no time to change into their uniforms. For instance, several members of the Orville bridge crew took to their stations in their nightwear to address a Kaylon threat.

Aboard the USS Orville, Lieutenant Dann had the idea for a weekly casual day which would entail no uniforms, allowing officers to "come to work in a T-shirt." He was convinced to make a proposal to the captain when Ensign Brosk concurred with his idea.

A uniform was generally considered part of standard duty attire. Allowances could also be made for cultural differences. The Belkarian Bolobar once reported for his duty shift entirely naked, explaining that in his culture, wearing clothing on the first day of the month was an affront to the Spirit Lord. Commander Kelly Grayson compromised by allowing him to wear only pants while remaining shirtless.

Older uniform

Ensign Hodges (c. 2320).

The current Union Fleet uniform follows an older uniform used in the early 24th century. A blue uniform was worn by Ensign Hodges, who served as relief navigator.

Other organizations

Union Central

The Chairman of the Union Council

Military

Union soldiers engaged in battle against the Tzel

During the war with the Tzel in the early 24th century, Union soldiers wore gray armor over black bodysuits. Their affiliation is denoted by the blue Planetary Union insignia on their shoulder pads.

Scientists

Separate from the Union Fleet, facilities such as the Epsilon Science Station wear their own uniforms which are colored grey with orange accents.

Epsilon scientist

Xenoanthropologists

Seperate from the Union Fleet, Union xenoanthropologists wear their own uniforms which are similar but not identical to the Epsilon scientists, likewise colored grey with orange accents. Dr. Darden, a team leader, wears a uniform distinct from his subordinates. However, this uniform may not be strictly compulsory, as team member Celeste remains in civilian attire.

Team leader

Team member

Transport ships

The captain of the transport ship USS Bleriot wears a different uniform than that of the Union Fleet.

Bleriot Captain

Prison

Much like the old Earth-esqe world of Sargus 4, inmates of Union Fleet prisons wear orange jumpsuits

Teleya, a Krill prisoner.

Civilians

Though not an officer of the Union Fleet, Darulio's occupation as a scientist in the service of the Planetary Union is indicated by his attire: a shirt and jacket with green accents.

Civilian scientist

Vega Mining Consortium

Captain

Other factions

Moclan Fleet

Captain

Captain

Krill

Captain

Kaylon

Equivalent to the uniforms worn by biological lifeforms, the artificial bodies of the Kaylon are physically distinguished to indicate their rank.

• Kaylon Primary's "eyes" are uniquely colored red. He also bears a distinctly shaped torso and shoulders.
• Kaylon Secondary's "eyes" are colored orange. He is distinguished by the shape of his torso, which matches Primary.
• Kaylon Tertiary's "eyes" are colored orange, with a generic body shape which is shared by all lower Kaylon.
• Isaac, the Kaylon emissary, is distinguished only by his blue "eyes".

Kaylon Primary

Kaylon Secondary

Kaylon Tertiary

Emissary (Isaac)

Janisi

Captain

First Officer
First Lieutenant

Chak'tal

Navarians

Ambassador

Aide

Bruidians

Ambassador

Aide

Multiphasic Planet

Male

Female

Regorians

First Prefect

Chief Advisor

Science Prefect

Production

Early concept sketches of Section uniforms by wardrobe designer Joseph Porro. Seen here is probably Medical, Security, and Engineering (later changed to orange).

Uniforms of the Planetary Union were created by wardrobe designer Joseph Porro, who went through over 100 designs until creator Seth MacFarlane settled on the current version.

• Originally, Isaac was to wear a Union science uniform.

Ed Mercer concept

Alara Kitan concept

Standardized uniform concept

Crewmember flat female jacket.jpg

Isaac costume sketch

Scientist Darulio ("Blue Alien") concepts

Trivia

A Season 2 promotional image featuring Alara wearing the badge that was introduced only after she left the Orville.

• Though yet to be seen on-screen, set photos have revealed that Kelly Grayson and John LaMarr also favor the short sleeve undershirt.
• Incidentally, the new badges were introduced in Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes, the episode following the departure of Alara Kitan. However, Alara can be seen wearing the new badges in several promotional images taken for Season 2, despite never having sported it on-screen.