Another tidbit from the podcast I found… very interesting:

MK: Pearl has her jacket and I’ve seen a lot of people talking like… is that a reference to Bad Pearl from Last One Out of Beach City?

RS: Yeah, that’s part of her independence. The jeans, too, she sort of subtly has those jeans. And this is something… I mean she’s been very different lately. She’s been playing the field. She’s been exploring who she is, and all of that I think really got kickstarted in that episode so it’s very important to her.

I’m sorry, what, you’re saying we’ve been missing out on Pearl’s Spectacular Lesbian Adventures all this time? I have never before in my entire life been so against the Steven POV only rule oh my god can I have an entire spinoff.

So I’m assuming that also explains how we got from this:

to this:

Pearl’s been busy.