In response to a question of what Imperial Navy uniforms look like, I reached out to Gresham and Khatri, the Calledon-based tailors who created the designs that the Navy have used since the mid 8050’s, and they kindly provided me with the following images from their design archives.

In most of these cases the unadorned (rankless) versions are shown, but they were happy to make a mock-up of Kate’s memorable evening dress, as worn during that first night aboard the Raven.

In any case, if you’ve read far enough in Reach the Stars then you’ll know what the rank badges look like already, and you can find them here on this site also.

Enjoy the gallery - PM.

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Navy Officers

Navy Ratings and Warrant Officers

Marines

Other

The deck dress of a male Imperial Navy officer on a tailor's dummy. It comprises of black boots, navy blue trousers, a navy blue double breasted jacket with eight gold buttons, and three on each cuff, a white shit and a navy blue tie.
The deck dress of a female Navy Officer. on a tailor's dummy. Black shoes, black tights, Navy blue knee length skirt, navy blue jacket with eight gold buttons plus three on each cuff, white shirt and navy blue tie.

Navy Officers’ Deck Dress

The most common officer outfit that people think of when they think of the Imperial Navy.

The female version can optionally come with trousers, although most officers chose the skirt back then - still the case today.

Hoops are worn on the cuffs, starting above the buttons.

Ceremonial dress of a male Navy officer. Black shoes with gold buckles, blue stockings, white knee britches, white waistcoat with gold buttons, white shirt with navy blue cravat. Navy blue frock coat with gold edging.
Ceremonial dress of a female Navy officer. Same as the male version except for a white ankle length skirt with navy blue and gold edging instead of the knee britches.

Navy Officers’ Ceremonial Dress

Nicknamed “Full Frock” and worn only on the most formal of occasions.

In use, this is always worn with full medals, and a sword on a blue leather cross-belt. Hoops are once again worn on the sleeves and gold epaulets are worn on the shoulders (the number and decoration of which are dependent on rank).

Evening dress of a male Navy Officer: Black shoes, Navy blue trousers with gold pinstripes, double breasted Navy blue dinner jacket with six buttons and three on each cuff, white double cuffed shirt with navy blue bow tie.
Navy Officer's Evening Dress Female Version
Female Navy officer's evening dress as Kate Altaris would have worn in June 8105. Has a single hoop for Third Lieutenant on each wrist of the dinner jacket, plus a gold lace epaulette on the left shoulder, and Kate's four medals at the left breast.

Navy Officers’ Evening Dress

The evening dress that Kate considered so elaborate.

When in use this is worn with hoops on the sleeves, epaulets on the shoulders and miniature medals.

Gresham and Khatri kindly made up a mannikin with the evening dress as Kate would have worn it in early June 8105. As a Third Lieutenant she would only have had the one epaulette.

The hoop design for evening dress is, as you can see, slightly more elaborate than the standard design used on other uniforms.

Male Navy Rating's deck dress: Black boots, navy blue trousers, single breasted high collar jacket with silver buttons and IN in silver on each side of the collar. Navy blue stable belt with the Navy crest as the buckle.
Female Navy Rating deck dress: identical to male but for the jacket doing up right over left.

Navy Ratings’ Deck Dress

Rank badge is worn on the left upper arm, trade badge is worn on the right.

The female version has a skirt option, but pretty much everyone chooses trousers.

Then, from Leading Rating and upwards the belt is adorned with a silver band that increases in thickness as the rate increases.

A Rating Recruit has a thick white band on their belt to match their armband.

Male Navy Warrant Officer deck dress: black boots, navy blue trousers, double breasted navy blue jacket with eight silver buttons, and three on each cuff, arranged horizontally. Navy crests in silver at the collar. Light blue shirt, navy blue tie.
Navy Midshipman deck dress. Same as an officer's except that the buttons are silver and the midshipman collar patch (silver laurel on a blue background) is worn on each side of the collar.

Navy Warrant Officers’ (blue shirt) and Midshipmen’s (white shirt) Deck Dress

Female versions of these exist in the same pattern as female officer outfits. Most female warrant officers choose trousers, most Midshipwomen choose skirts.

Warrant officers wear their silver rings and other badges on their sleeves above the buttons.

The Midshipman outfit is also worn by attached civilians, such as journalists or scientists - in this case it is worn without the Midshipman collar patches and with white hoops on the sleeves according to the rank honorarium required.

Male enlisted marine deck dress: Black boots, purple trousers, high collar single breasted purple jacket with silver buttons and IMC in silver at the collar. Marine wing badge at the left breast. Purple stable belt, bayonet worn on the left.
Female enlisted marine deck dress: Identical to male version except that jacket does up right over left.

Marine Enlisted Deck Dress

The bayonet worn by all marines (officers or enlisted) in deck dress is the marine’s actual combat bayonet, just in an elaborate sheaf and cover.

Enlisted marines wear their rank on both upper arms. The belt acquires a silver band in the same way as the Navy enlisted as rank increases.

A Marine Recruit would have a white band on their belt to match their armband, and would not wear the marine wing badge as they have yet to earn it.

There is no skirt order in any marine uniform.

Male marine officer deck dress: Identical to enlisted except that buttons and wing badge are gold. No IMC at the collar, and gold edged purple epaulettes.
Female marine officer deck dress: identical to male version except that jacket does up left over right.

Marine Officer Deck Dress

Rank is worn on the shoulders. The similarities between marine officers and enlisted uniforms are otherwise quite deliberate. Other than the gold for an officer, there is little else different.

Imperial Marine Corps Wing Badge: Two silver wings extent from the Imperial Marine Corps crest of a parachute under a crown surrounded by laurel leaves.

Imperial Marine Corps Wing

The badge worn by every qualified marine, gained at the end of the 12 month training course. The officers’ version is gold instead of silver, but otherwise identical.

Deck dress of a Navy attached female Black Hand. Black boots, black trousers, black double breasted jacket with eight silver buttons, white shirt, black tie.

Unknown Uniform

This uniform did not come from any of Gresham and Khatri’s designs.

The image was sent to me over the CoroNET from an untraceable sender.

Based on Kate’s description in Reach the Stars, however, it is clearly similar, or identical, to the one worn by Emma.

NX17 Model C Battle Armour in marine corps purple. Composite purple armour plates over a black carbonite frame. Purple helmet with black visor.

NX17 Model C Battle Armour

A classic of battle armour design and still missed by marines across the Corps, despite being years obsolete now. Designed by aVa in partnership with the Navy. Shown here in Marine Corps purple, but it was also a common enough sight in Navy blue as well.

In use the wearer’s name, rank and unit (or ship) would appear on the left chest plate, and officers wishing to be visible as such might also display rank on their shoulder plates.

The armour has an automatic stealth mode to take on the colours of is surroundings, when needed.