Summary
- The Doctor says Seven of Nine's skin-tight suit helps with the healing process post-Borg removal - but is it necessary?
- In Star Trek: Picard, Seven's practical civilian clothes replace the medically-prescribed catsuits and high heels.
- Seven's wardrobe evolution shows her newfound agency, ditching the outfits that were never medically necessary.
Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine costumes in Star Trek: Voyager made no sense. After Seven of Nine's connection to the Borg Collective is severed in Star Trek: Voyager season 4, episode 1, "Scorpion, Part 2", Seven's human body begins rejecting its Borg implants. To save Seven of Nine's life, the Doctor (Robert Picardo) and Kes (Jennifer Lien) work together in Star Trek: Voyager season 4, episode 2, "The Gift", to surgically remove Seven's extensive Borg implants, which allows Seven's humanity to physically reassert itself. By the episode's end, Seven of Nine looks practically human, with regrown hair and new clothing: a tight silver catsuit with integrated high-heeled shoes.
It's no secret that Jeri Ryan was added to the Star Trek: Voyager cast to draw in new viewers as a sexually appealing young woman, and in that regard, it does actually make perfect sense to outfit Seven of Nine in tight costumes and high heels. The young male demographic that Star Trek: Voyager intended to court by adding Seven of Nine is far more likely to tune in when Ryan, as the new hot girl, is wearing something that shows off her body. The reason for Seven of Nine's costumes is abundantly clear from a production standpoint. In-universe, however, the explanation for Seven's outfits is murkier.
The Doctor Designed Seven of Nine's Star Trek: Voyager Costumes But They Made No Sense
The Borg Do Not Wear High Heels
The disconnect comes because Star Trek: Voyager attempts to give an in-universe reason for Seven of Nine's sexy costumes. The Doctor takes credit for designing Seven's skintight silver suit, which is ostensibly supposed to aid in the healing process after 82% of Seven's Borg hardware has been removed. The structure of the underlying corset is intended to mimic rigid Borg exo-plating that, theoretically, Seven's human muscular system hasn't adapted to the absence of. This also implies there's a reason for Seven's shoes that's connected to de-assimilation, but Seven of Nine did not wear high heels as a Borg. It would have made more sense to do away with any explanation at all.
Seven of Nine's silver catsuit disappears after a few episodes, and a new brown bodysuit debuts in Star Trek: Voyager season 4, episode 6, "The Raven", presumably because the medical need for the tightly-corseted costume has passed in the time Seven has been aboard the USS Voyager. Instead of replicating a Starfleet uniform for Seven of Nine, as was done for Star Trek: Voyager's Maquis crewmembers, Seven continues to wear skintight unitards. It could be argued that a one-piece garment made from a stretch fabric that allows for ease of movement is efficient, but if that's the case, there's no reason for Seven of Nine to continue wearing corsets and high heels, as she does.
Seven of Nine wears a Starfleet uniform in Star Trek: Voyager season 7, episode 11, "Shattered", when Seven is assigned an undercover mission in the USS Voyager's past.
Seven Of Nine's Star Trek: Picard Costumes Are More Practical
Seven's utilitarian clothes look great on Jeri Ryan
When audiences are reunited with Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard, Seven's trademark catsuits are nowhere to be found, instead replaced with clothes that Seven of Nine chooses to wear for herself. Seven of Nine's Fenris Ranger look are part of a rugged and practical civilian ensemble, entirely appropriate for the action-packed lifestyle Seven has in Star Trek: Picard season 1. In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Seven of Nine trades the wardrobe of the Confederation of Earth's President Annika Hansen for easy-wearing civilian attire. As a full-fledged Starfleet officer in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Commander Seven of Nine is, at long last, outfitted in a Starfleet uniform.
Ultimately, Seven of Nine's Star Trek: Picard wardrobe reflects well-earned agency after decades of humanity. Gone are the medically-prescribed catsuits and ridiculous high heels. Instead, Seven's clothes are a realistic evolution of a character who's figured out to be human, and makes her own choices. The Borg tenets of efficiency and utility are still high priorities, but in each season, Seven of Nine's costumes on Star Trek: Picard are clearly comfortable. It's a welcome change that proves the catsuits and heels that the Doctor prescribed were never actually medically necessary in Star Trek: Voyager.
