Wow, these stages are cool. : o

yess, more ojou ringlets!

Is that a new shading technique you're trying out on this series? The contrast between shading and highlight seems bolder than some of your previous works, particularly with the hair, while remaining more muted on things like her bow and the skirt of the uniform. It does a good job conveying that her hair and her uniform have different textures, due to reacting differently to the light source.

I've discussed this with you before, but part of the appeal that school uniforms have for me is how integrating they are. A uniform is very tangible, tactile manifestation of an institution's goals and desires, such that its wearers are constantly reminded of those aspirations by the look and feel of it all around them. This is perhaps a marginal influence, and there's plenty of mischief that can be done with coercing an identity while failing to live up to its ideals, but in good hands, I can appreciate the idea of a school uniform as bringing together many different people and walks of life to unite them through a shared love of learning, their shared costume not only being a proud display of their school's traditions and optimized for the task of learning, but also upholding an egalitarian notion that no matter who you are or what your past circumstances, all students are equals in the eyes of the school. This uniform is naturally an extreme take on it, and there's always a need to be wary of group identities that become so overwhelming and strict that they become a tool to control others, but people do genuinely express a need and desire for higher purposes, and there's no shame in wanting to be part of something like that, provided the institution in turn pays back a mutuality of consideration by ensuring your own needs and desires are also being met through its goals.

That Malduran looks so happy here suggests she's found just such an institution for her. Knowing my background with attachments to others, I can't help but envy her, even as I feel happy for her. There's always more room for happiness in this world.

It is interesting that uniforms also don't just encourage, but in this case enforce certain standards of behavior. That over the time can become habits even when not being forced on the student by their current attire.

Using the stage above, the mantelet and the cuffs practically covering her gloved hands leave them folded demurely in front or in her lap one of the few practical positions for them. She certainly isn't holding her arm from behind like in the previous picture.

The high collar, large bows, and elaborate hair seem to keep her looking straight ahead, even if movement is possible, not sure she can without mussing some or all of that. The care and forethought needed to keep all that neat could be used by her teachers to bleed over into all her actions, and even words?

And the wide skirts requires her to stand at a respectful distance from anyone or anything, doubly so from her fellow students, or teachers if their attire is of similar form. A physical distance to encourage a certain social distance and formality?

That isn't even counting what might be under the dress, such as a corset or enough petticoats to hobble her.

Finally there is the deaging, a willing turning back of the personal clock to a time where Malduran is not expected to decide things, but instead obey the adults guiding her life and development. Doubly so for the era and gender of her current uniform.

She's going to need to start showering today to have that much hair ready to go by school tomorrow... ^^;

Now that is the over the top kind of fashion I love.