Pel

Quark's bar is full of colorful characters and aliens and I love collecting anything from his establishment. I have been enjoying this female Ferengi waiter costume worn by April Messershmidt for several years and sadly, I am only now getting around to blogging it.. What is particularly nice regarding this Ferengi is the completeness of the costume. The components include a shirt, jumpsuit, jacket, headwrap, and apron. Unknown to me, but suspected, and only upon doing some research did I discover that Pel, played by Helene Udy wore this costume first, as the female guest starring romantic lead for Quark. Her character Pel appeared in the season two episode "The Rules of Acquisition."

To begin with, the jumpsuit has two tags inside: A newer, more pristine DS9 tag with April Messerschmitt, and an older more yellowed tag with H U on it. The only female Ferengi with initials H.U. is Helen Udy. The shirt also has two tags inside, an older yellowed tag with the ink removed from cleaning and a newer tag with again, April Messerschmitt. With no legible name on the older tag, it comes down to screen matching the pattern. If you watch the episode and pay close attention, it can be determined that at least two different shirts were worn. My shirt obviously matches to the very beginning during the Tongo scene and also several other scenes including the end. There are several screen-caps below for comparison. Finally the coat is also Pel's based on the appearance of the jackets right side lapel applique. In person it is quite obvious that there are bulges on what should be the flat portions in between the black rubber ridges in both the second, third and fourth segments from the bottom. Those bulges correspond on-screen with some very directionally distinct highlights under the bright filming lights. I must say that I am over the moon with this news and so very excited to finally have a costume that IS more than it seemed when first purchased. "The Rules of Acquisition" may not have ended happily for Quark, but this is one chapter in collecting with a very good outcome!