Nami is the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates and one of the main characters in One Piece, being a part of the first three regular heroes to be introduced in the story. In Nami, Oda has established someone who has incredible skill when it comes to predicting the weather, is also a capable fighter, and above all, a very lovable character.
A big part of what defines Nami is her various outfit changes throughout the series. While on the surface it may not seem as though Nami's clothes hold much significance or nuance, a deeper dive reveals that is not the case.
8 So Many Outfit Changes
Out of all the members of the Straw Hat Pirates, Nami goes through more outfit changes than just about anyone else on the ship. Often, Nami even changes her outfit multiple times during the same arc which, for other characters, doesn't happen often.
This just goes to show that Oda puts extra care in Nami every time he gets to draw her. The only other character in the crew who changes outfits as often as Nami is most likely Sanji, although in his case it isn't always noticeable.
7 Following Bellemere's Style
Bellemere was Nami's mother who passed away while trying to protect her kids from Arlong. Being a former Marine and a capable mother who survived on her own, Bellemere became a massive source of inspiration for Nami in everything, and that extends to her fashion sense.
Just like Bellemere, Nami often wears shirts that feature four-lettered words, such as "GOLD" or "EVIL." Bellemere often wore shirts with four-lettered words such as "MACE" written all over them. Very subtly, Oda shows the fans that Nami still thinks of Bellemere, no matter how far she's come on her journey.
6 Nojiko's Gift
While Nami might not always show it, she's a very caring person who holds her entire family extremely close to her at all times. Nami's tattoo is proof that she carries them in her heart no matter where she goes.
After Bellemere's death, Nami grew very close to her sister, Nojiko; consequently, once she left her home, the navigator started wearing a gold bracelet she received from her sibling as a way to remember her. Once again, it's a subtle detail that can be overlooked, but it shows how much Nami truly cares about her family.
5 Her Outfit Of Choice
Nami is seen wearing a variety of tops throughout One Piece's arcs, and usually, she pairs them up with her favorite skirts that have two holes on the side.
Nami is used to wearing high-heeled sandals, especially her original orange ones, and has done so in almost every arc. Nami also wears a strap on her waist that allows her to hold her climatact in place for when she needs to enter a battle and show off her fighting prowess to those around her.
4 Arlong's Tattoo & Its Evolution
Before One Piece's Arlong Park arc, Nami wore shirts that properly covered her shoulders up. This is due to the fact that her left shoulder bore the Jolly Roger of Arlong, the pirate responsible for the death of Bellemere.
After Luffy defeated Arlong, Nami was able to get rid of the tattoo, replacing it with a tangerine and pinwheel tattoo to pay tribute to Bellemere and Genzo. At the same time, she stopped covering her shoulder up to hide the tattoo and decided to wear a wider variety of outfits afterward.
3 Sanji's Suit
During the Punk Hazard arc, Trafalgar Law managed to switch the personalities of the Straw Hat Pirates thanks to his Ope Ope no Mi powers. Late in the arc, Oda allows Nami to gain control of Sanji's body, a fair turn of events considering the reverse happens earlier in the storyline.
While not for long, Nami technically wore Sanji's suit for the Punk Hazard arc, making her the only other Straw Hat Pirate to have done so in the story. At the same time, Sanji sported Nami's clothes as well until Trafalgar Law eventually switched them back. She also spends a chunk of this arc in Franky's body.
2 The National Treasure Of Zou
The Zou arc saw Nami exchange outfits with Wanda as a mark of minksmanship. While Wanda wore Nami's clothes, Nami got to wear what is known as the National Treasure of Zou, which is a purple dress covered in pearls.
Nami wore this outfit right to the end of the arc but changed when the crew eventually departed for Whole Cake Island to get Sanji back from the clutches of Yonko Big Mom.
1 The Wano Outfit
Nami goes through a lot of outfit changes in the Land of Wano, with her most recent one being a battle armor that she is wearing on Onigashima. Since Nami is usually seen as a Kunoichi in Wano Country, she looks great wearing this red outfit with an armored plate to protect her in battle.
During this arc, Nami faces off against the likes of Ulti and Page One in Wano, and she fares quite well against them. As a warrior, she even manages to play a massive role in taking them down. The outfit reflects how far Nami has come as a fighter since, once upon a time, she would have stayed as far removed from a direct conflict as possible.
