In the final fight scenes of Supergirl season 4, Supergirl donned a Kryptonite-resistant suit of power armor in an effort to stop Lex Luthor, protect her Russian body double, and save the world. It seems like Kara Zor-El got used to life without her swishy skirt, because this year, Krypton’s last daughter is donning something a bit more sleek looking.
There are a few reasons for the new suit. According to Benoist, speaking in an interview with Kevin Smith, the main one is purely practical. Supergirl, like the other CW shows, films in Vancouver, BC, up in Canada. It can get pretty cold up there. Skirts, as you might guess, aren’t nearly the insulator that pants are, especially when you’re hanging from invisible strings so that you can convince people you’re flying.
But it’s not just that. Another thing that separates Supergirl from her Arrowverse co-heroes is that her costume has stayed the same since season 1. Even if there have been minor changes – and I don’t think there have been – any changes have been unrecognizable. Meanwhile, Oliver Queen has gone from a tattered hood to full tactical gear, and the Flash has seen a new costume every year. It’s about time for Supergirl to get some new duds.
This also seems to reflect the more serious tone of season 4. Supergirl has officially been through some serious stuff, so a sleeker costume feels right for her character at this point in time.
Looking back through the comics, Supergirl has donned leggings of various types over the years, from jeans to full body suits. The skirt is the most common, but we’ve seen Kara swap the skirt for pants most often when she goes into space, and most recently in the Injustice comics and fighting games.
Also, Kara now has bangs.
Supergirl returns to the CW on October 6.
