Star Trek costumes are appealing for fans of every age. There is such a variety of shows and movies now, you have lots of options to choose from. No matter if you are a serious Trekkie getting ready for a convention or a more casual fan planning on a party, there are possibilities for everyone.

The first thing to do is decide which Star Trek era you are going for. Is it the original series that you love the best? Or maybe you prefer Deep Space 9, The Next Generation, Enterprise or Voyager? Or maybe it is one of the movies that really sparks your creativity?

Obviously, whichever you prefer is going to affect what costume you wear, in more ways than just the style of uniform. In the first series, for example, no one liked the Klingons. In later years, the Klingons worked along with the Federation. The make-up used for them changed quite a bit as well.

How much you want to spend is also going to affect what character you can choose. If you do not have a strict budget, you can go ahead and purchase the whole costume. This way, you can be whatever or whomever you want and buy the make-up, accessories and clothing to go with it. If you do have a budget, however, you may want to stick with someone from Starfleet and a character that is more closely human than a Klingon.

For example, if you are in Starfleet, you can easily put together the shirt and pants. Just be sure that you have the right colors and design for the time period you are going for. You can find plenty of references online to help you with that. Obviously, the simplest uniforms are from the original series. If you are creatively inclined and up for some extra work, you can find uniform patterns also. This will enable you to get a more realistic looking costume.

Regarding make-up, if you prefer to be something other than human, you can buy or make prosthetic ears fairly easily and go as a Vulcan. Or, a race like Bajoran takes a very minimal amount of make-up. Just keep in mind that more make-up means more expense and also will be harder to do.

To help with an authentic look, the place to spend a little extra money is in accessories. For example, you can buy the right communicator, weapons or badges to fit your particular character. Even if your uniform is not exact, the right phaser is going to more than make up for that.

You can also add props to fit with your favorite episode or movie as well. If you are a fan of the original series, you could always create your own tribbles, for example. It is the little touches that will make the costume stand out.

Star Trek costumes are perfect for all types of science fiction fans. Just take the time to research your outfit and some props. Add on one or two accessories and you will look like the Starfleet material you are.