A notable change in Kim Jong Un’s public image has taken place over the past 18 months or so: The North Korean leader, who previously wore civilian clothes almost exclusively, suddenly began appearing in public dressed in a crisp, white military uniform, including at the most recent military parade in April.

Even in a democracy, a president’s clothing choices might spark widespread reaction (see Barack Obama’s tan suit), but in an autocracy such as the DPRK, a leader’s attire carries an even deeper symbolic meaning. So what lies behind Kim Jong Un’s sartorial