<p>Since there seems to be no word of god, let's go:</p>

<p>The gown has to do with the type of magic the girl uses.</p>

<p>So we have </p>

<ul>
<li>The blue snowflakes for elemental magic</li>
<li>the green faeries (dots, whatever) for spirit, body and mind magic</li>
<li>The orange flowers for earth and physical, physics magic</li>
</ul>

<p>The girls:</p>

<ul>
<li>Shiba Myiuki - elemental magic. Uses snowflakes.</li>
<li>Saegusa Mayumi - movement, projectiles and matter summoning. Orange flowers.</li>
<li>Ichihara Suzune - body and mind manipulation. Green fairy.</li>
<li>Mitsui Honoka - Light manipulation. Orange</li>
<li>Watanabe Mari - mind manipulation via aromas. Green</li>
<li>Shibata Mizuki - spirit and magic sight. Green.</li>
</ul>

<p>The list is not exaustive. Feel free to add more examples.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-05T03:01:32.493Z
2014-12-05T03:01:32.493Z
Mindwin Remember Monica
<p>I, too, thought the capes would be explained further, as it does seem to correspond to the owner's magic. I wish they had been, since the audience would be able to then identify approximate magic types on sight, or be intrigued by a new, previously unseen color. Prime storytelling opportunities have been missed there.</p>
<p>There is only one girl I've seen who doesn't wear it, and that's Erika. There are multiple reasons to explain why she would not wear it.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>She's the only Course 2 (Weed) girl character we've seen, so it may be a Course 1 (Bloom) exclusive uniform piece.</p>
</li>
<li><p>If it's truly based on magic, which does seem to play a part in the colors, Erika's style is sword and weapon-based where the other girls use a different type of non-weapon magic.</p>
</li>
<li><p>If it's completely optional, Erika has exactly the kind of personality that would forego the cape by choice.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>As far as the texture goes, it's always looked like a sheer fabric attachment to me rather than lace. If it's supposed to be lace, they didn't do very well in animating it. Looks closer to tulle, maybe? Or, actually, my vote is for chiffon. Chiffon flows the same way as they portray in the anime.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-11T21:27:12.217Z
Point 1 isn't right - we see Mizuki wearing one, and she's a course 2 student. I wouldn't have thought it would be completely dependant on combat type either - Mibu Sayaka chooses to wear said garment while possessing a similar fighting style to Erika. I think it's mostly dependent on choice, as ʞɹɐzǝɹ♦'s answer claims.
Matt
CC BY-SA 4.0
2015-05-11T20:27:11.880Z
2021-12-07T06:23:53.770Z
2021-12-07T06:23:53.770Z
Tory
<p>For a moment I thought that the women's capes represented the grade they were in (something like the Mahoutokoro capes, in the Harry Potter Universe).
But it is not like that, Miyuki, Honoka, Mizuki, and other first year characters wear other &quot;ornaments&quot;.</p>
<p>I think it's about the type of magic the wielder wields.
But if that's the case, why is Lina's (Angelina Kudou Shields) camisole so different?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-07T06:24:30.387Z
Welcome to Anime & Manga! If you have another question, please ask it by clicking the [Ask Question](//anime.stackexchange.com/questions/ask) button.
Aki Tanaka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-09T05:12:51.897Z
Ok, I have a modified hypothesis.

I think that the color of the camisole is due to the type of magic that the witch mainly uses. Three types of modern magic are known throughout the novel, which are:

Sensory Type Magic (also known as ESP - Extra Sensory Perception)
Non-Systematic Magic.
and Extra-Systematic Magic (together with MI Magic - Mental Magic)

There are also others, but I think it could be considered the main ones.
Lenkkary
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-09T05:15:15.517Z
Hiya, just to let you know that you can always [edit] your own posts to add & update the details. Comments are not the most suitable for substantive content like that.
Aki Tanaka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-06T16:22:34.290Z
2021-12-06T16:22:34.290Z
Lenkkary
<p>According to <a href="https://twitter.com/dengeki_mahouka/status/64639399228473344" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the tweet from the official account</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>女生徒の制服は、上着の下にキャミソールタイプのレースを着用します。これは生徒が任意でいくつかの種類から選べます（もちろん着けない生徒もいます）。</p>
<p>The female students' uniform consists of a camisole-type lace underneath their jackets. This is optional and students can choose from several types (of course, some students do not wear this).</p>
</blockquote>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RduPnl.jpg" alt="Seifuku?" /></p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ervY5l.jpg" alt="Miyuki!" /></p>
<p>Therefore I don't believe there's a functional purpose to it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-23T22:06:30.507Z
Ooh, I see. These pictures capture the whole "lace" aspect a lot better than the anime does (probably something to do with the shading). In the anime, those things just look weird and plasticky.
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T13:29:41.093Z
It's for sure optional - I'm certain some of them aren't wearing them.
Clockwork-Muse
CC BY-SA 4.0
2014-04-23T22:03:47.290Z
2021-12-07T06:23:31.257Z
2021-12-07T06:23:31.257Z
кяαzєя
<p>So, in <em>Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei</em> (i.e. <em>The Irregular at Magic High School</em>), the girls' school uniform incorporates this strange translucent cape-like feature. See, for example:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6aVHUl.jpg" alt="girl wearing strange translucent cape-like feature"></p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QDQkxl.jpg" alt="different girl wearing strange translucent cape-like feature"></p>

<p>That translucent cape-thing is very unusual as far as school uniforms go - I've never seen anything like it. Does it serve any particular purpose in the context of the show (like, it makes you better at magic or something), or is it just ornamental?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-22T06:28:35.367Z
it looks like that it's supposed to be a jacket like the boys uniform however made translucent as to show off the girl's body shape cause just from your images it seems the girls have smaller bodies in comparison to the upper part of the uniform (ie. the back/sides of the uniform stick out more from the body)
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-22T06:38:45.883Z
I don't think it serves any actual purpose. I guess its just suppose to be just for looks rather than purpose.
Izumi-reiLuLu
<the-irregular-at-magic-high-school>
Does that weird translucent thing the girls wear serve any specific purpose?
# Does that weird translucent thing the girls wear serve any specific purpose?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-04-22
So, in *Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei* (i.e. *The Irregular at Magic High School*), the girls' school uniform incorporates this strange translucent cape-like feature. See, for example:

![girl wearing strange translucent cape-like feature](https://i.sstatic.net/6aVHUl.jpg)

![different girl wearing strange translucent cape-like feature](https://i.sstatic.net/QDQkxl.jpg)

That translucent cape-thing is very unusual as far as school uniforms go - I've never seen anything like it. Does it serve any particular purpose in the context of the show (like, it makes you better at magic or something), or is it just ornamental?
**Tags:** the-irregular-at-magic-high-school
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: it looks like that it's supposed to be a jacket like the boys uniform however made translucent as to show off the girl's body shape cause just from your images it seems the girls have smaller bodies in comparison to the upper part of the uniform (ie. the back/sides of the uniform stick out more from the body)  
> **username_2**: I don't think it serves any actual purpose. I guess its just suppose to be just for looks rather than purpose.  
---
## 4 answers
### Answer by username_8 on 2014-04-23. Score: 9 | Accepted answer
According to [the tweet from the official account](https://twitter.com/dengeki_mahouka/status/64639399228473344):

> 女生徒の制服は、上着の下にキャミソールタイプのレースを着用します。これは生徒が任意でいくつかの種類から選べます（もちろん着けない生徒もいます）。
>
> The female students' uniform consists of a camisole-type lace underneath their jackets. This is optional and students can choose from several types (of course, some students do not wear this).

![Seifuku?](https://i.sstatic.net/RduPnl.jpg)

![Miyuki!](https://i.sstatic.net/ervY5l.jpg)

Therefore I don't believe there's a functional purpose to it.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2014-04-23): Ooh, I see. These pictures capture the whole "lace" aspect a lot better than the anime does (probably something to do with the shading). In the anime, those things just look weird and plasticky.  
> **username_9** (2014-04-24): It's for sure optional - I'm certain some of them aren't wearing them.  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2014-12-05. Score: 2
Since there seems to be no word of god, let's go:

The gown has to do with the type of magic the girl uses.

So we have

* The blue snowflakes for elemental magic
* the green faeries (dots, whatever) for spirit, body and mind magic
* The orange flowers for earth and physical, physics magic

The girls:

* Shiba Myiuki - elemental magic. Uses snowflakes.
* Saegusa Mayumi - movement, projectiles and matter summoning. Orange flowers.
* Ichihara Suzune - body and mind manipulation. Green fairy.
* Mitsui Honoka - Light manipulation. Orange
* Watanabe Mari - mind manipulation via aromas. Green
* Shibata Mizuki - spirit and magic sight. Green.

The list is not exaustive. Feel free to add more examples.
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2015-05-11. Score: 0
I, too, thought the capes would be explained further, as it does seem to correspond to the owner's magic. I wish they had been, since the audience would be able to then identify approximate magic types on sight, or be intrigued by a new, previously unseen color. Prime storytelling opportunities have been missed there.

There is only one girl I've seen who doesn't wear it, and that's Erika. There are multiple reasons to explain why she would not wear it.

1. She's the only Course 2 (Weed) girl character we've seen, so it may be a Course 1 (Bloom) exclusive uniform piece.
2. If it's truly based on magic, which does seem to play a part in the colors, Erika's style is sword and weapon-based where the other girls use a different type of non-weapon magic.
3. If it's completely optional, Erika has exactly the kind of personality that would forego the cape by choice.

As far as the texture goes, it's always looked like a sheer fabric attachment to me rather than lace. If it's supposed to be lace, they didn't do very well in animating it. Looks closer to tulle, maybe? Or, actually, my vote is for chiffon. Chiffon flows the same way as they portray in the anime.
> **Comments:**
> **username_5** (2015-05-11): Point 1 isn't right - we see Mizuki wearing one, and she's a course 2 student. I wouldn't have thought it would be completely dependant on combat type either - Mibu Sayaka chooses to wear said garment while possessing a similar fighting style to Erika. I think it's mostly dependent on choice, as ʞɹɐzǝɹ♦'s answer claims.  
---
### Answer by username_6 on 2021-12-06. Score: 0
For a moment I thought that the women's capes represented the grade they were in (something like the Mahoutokoro capes, in the Harry Potter Universe).
But it is not like that, Miyuki, Honoka, Mizuki, and other first year characters wear other "ornaments".

I think it's about the type of magic the wielder wields.
But if that's the case, why is Lina's (Angelina Kudou Shields) camisole so different?
> **Comments:**
> **username_7** (2021-12-07): Welcome to Anime & Manga! If you have another question, please ask it by clicking the [Ask Question](//anime.stackexchange.com/questions/ask) button.  
> **username_6** (2021-12-09): Ok, I have a modified hypothesis.

I think that the color of the camisole is due to the type of magic that the witch mainly uses. Three types of modern magic are known throughout the novel, which are:

Sensory Type Magic (also known as ESP - Extra Sensory Perception)
Non-Systematic Magic.
and Extra-Systematic Magic (together with MI Magic - Mental Magic)

There are also others, but I think it could be considered the main ones.  
> **username_7** (2021-12-09): Hiya, just to let you know that you can always [edit] your own posts to add & update the details. Comments are not the most suitable for substantive content like that.  
---
