Star Trek + Social Justice is one of my OTPs. I love this episode for a lot of reasons but issues aside, it has excellent fashion.
I love dystopian future costumes, for example this sweater vest thing Katniss wears in Catching Fire:
IS MY FAVOURITE. Past Tense similarly plays with drab, utilitarian layers that resemble now (even more so as this episode takes place in 2024, which is, don’t be scared, less than ten years away now).
And then there’s Jadzia’s outfit that is AMAZING both within context and without.
Jadzia’s suit has elements of men’s fashion from the 1890s (think Wyatt Earp) and the 1920s (think Jay Gatsby). This episode aired in 1995 and takes place in 2024.
The saloon-slash-speak-easy flair also fits her role as moneyed but unknown. The layers tie her to her crewmates, particularly Sisko (Bell), whose layers have a purpose beyond fashion (to keep warm, to carry belongings).
The layers and different complimentary patterns also remind the audience that there are many layers and intricacies to Jadzia’s character, to the crew’s actions, to the plot and the argument.
The pop of color on her tie is reflected in Brynner and the others clothes. Both it and the florals on the tunic are within Jadzia’s signature color palette.
There is a bit of salesman or carnival barker in this look, and the feather lends comparisons to a peacock or other flashy bird. She’s putting on a show, selling something that is’t real, giving a performance within a performance. It’s all related.
Outside of its role as a costume, I love me some girly menswear! The hair is a mess and I don’t fully understand the tunic but the overall effect is brilliant.