Why We Call it the "DS9/NEM captain jacket"

Before we begin the DS9/NEM "captain jacket" construction analysis, we feel obliged to briefly explain its label. 

This garment was, of course, primarily regarded as that of the captain's - Captain Picard in the latter three TNG movies (First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis), and the Sisko in Deep Space Nine. 

It is worth noting, however, that while other Starfleet crew members and personnel nearly always wore the DS9/NEM duty jumpsuit, many other characters did wear a 2-piece (DS9/NEM jacket + pants) on various occasions during the final two and a half seasons of Deep Space Nine. 

In fact, although we never observed any character other than Captain Picard wear the 2-piece on screen during the TNG movies, and the jacket was really the Sisko's distinguishing garment, every other main (Starfleet) character wore the 2-piece on at least one occasion (except Nog, though he was technically not a main character, only a supporting one). 

Amusingly, the characters often had "magic jumpsuits" that would seem to inexplicably transform from a DS9/NEM duty jumpsuit to a DS9/NEM 2-piece (jacket + pants).

For instance, only a few episodes after these uniforms debuted on Deep Space Nine, Worf shed and donned a DS9/NEM jacket several times while in the Dominion internment camp, even though he was captured wearing a jumpsuit:

DS9, 5x15 "By Inferno's Light"

DS9, 6x2 "Rocks and Shoals"

Early the following season, Chief O'Brien was wearing a jumpsuit at the beginning of "Rocks and Shoals" when the Jem'Hadar ship crashed, which magically transformed into a jacket/pants. 

DS9, 6x16 "Change of Heart"

He got to wear the jacket/pants again later that season. 

Incidentally, that same episode, Jadzia also had a "magic jumpsuit" that transformed into a 2-piece jacket/pants once she and Worf landed on the planet to pick up the Cardassian spy. 

DS9, 6x16 "Change of Heart"

Bashir got to wear the DS9/NEM jacket three times during Deep Space Nine's final season: 

DS9, 7x5 "Chrysalis"

DS9, 7x16 "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges"

DS9, 7x23 "Extreme Measures"

The second time, during the episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges," he had a "magic jumpsuit" that transformed into the DS9/NEM jacket/pants during a commercial break; when he was kidnapped by the Romulans and forcibly sat in the chair before being subjected to their mind probe, he was wearing the jumpsuit, but immediately upon returning from the commercial he was wearing the jacket/pants!

DS9, 7x16 "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges"

Also during Deep Space Nine's final season, Ezri and Kira both had "magic jumpsuits" and got to wear the DS9/NEM jacket/pants. 

Ezri, for instance, was wearing a jumpsuit when she stole the runabout to rescue Worf, but, once they were stranded on the planet after their runabout was shot down, her jumpsuit transformed into the DS9/NEM jacket + pants: 

DS9, 7x17 "Penumbra"

A few episodes later, Colonel Kira was given a field commission of Starfleet Commander, and she donned her DS9/NEM duty jumpsuit, which morphed into the DS9/NEM jacket + pants and back again over the next few episodes!

DS9, 7x21 "When it Rains"

DS9, 7x22 "Tacking into the Wind"

DS9, 7x23 "Extreme Measures"

Neither the DS9/NEM jackets or the "magic jumpsuits" were limited to the main characters; we saw a handful of both over the years on supporting characters. 

DS9, 6x2 "Rocks and Shoals"

This included some fairly memorable ones, such as Sloan (who was actually LARPing as a Starfleet officer at the time), and Broccoli, who appeared to be wearing a recycled O'Brien jacket.

DS9, 6x18 "Inquisition"

VOY, 6x10 "Pathfinder"

However, while there were numerous occasions on which a character other than the show's captain wore the DS9/NEM jacket, they were the exception rather than the norm; the other Starfleet crew members nearly always wore the DS9/NEM duty jumpsuit (even if it was sometimes a "magic jumpsuit"), whereas the captain always wore the jacket (unless off duty, leading an insurrection, or having shed it in favor of one of the layers underneath, such as the DS9/NEM "captain vest"). 

Considering the evidence of the television franchise (Deep Space Nine and Voyager), and Captain Picard being the only character to wear the DS9/NEM jacket during the movie franchise, it seems obvious to us that this jacket was primarily intended for the captain to regularly wear. 

Perhaps it was to be an intentionally distinguishing feature for the captain and its use for others was reserved for situations that strongly merited it (such as having crash-landed in a desert as in Deep Space Nine's "Rocks and Shoals,"with the unzipped jackets visually representing the uncomfortable heat and grimness of the situation, or as with Sloan in Deep Space Nine's "Inquisition" as to subtly put him at the same level of authority as the Sisko by giving him a DS9/NEM jacket and vest). 

Hence why we call it the DS9/NEM "captain jacket" - it was mainly for captains!

Nemesis

Lastly, though, it is also worth noting that not all Starfleet captains of the DS9/NEM era wore the "captain jacket."

DS9, 5x13 "For the Uniform"

DS9, 7x4 "Take Me Out to the Holosuite"

Nevertheless, considering it was worn 100% of the time by the two stars of the era (in the Alpha Quadrant, that is, and while they were both on duty and fully dressed), it is, essentially, the "captain jacket."

Now, onto an analysis of the garment itself!

NEXT: Comparison to the DS9/NEM Duty Jumpsuit