I Became a Clothing Designer in Another World - Chapter 22

As times flow, perhaps it's like a human instinct to seek out the 'latte' era, so people who cry out for a return to the past, saying today's society is rotten, tend to appear periodically.

European artists who frequently 'resurrect' ancient Greece and Rome like the humanists of the Renaissance or the Neoclassicists and cry out that the old ways were good are typical examples.

The reason I'm suddenly talking about this is that there was a time when a craze for the old ways also swept through dress culture.

In the 18th century, as ancient Roman cities that had gone into their coffins due to a volcano were physically pulled out, and interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture increased for various reasons, there was a brief reinterpretation of ancient Greek or Roman style in clothing.

Combined with the atmosphere of rejecting luxury that formed during the process of France making the king into ㅇ/ᅟᅪᆼ at the end of the 18th century, something called the Empire silhouette dress was born.

Thanks to being influenced by the romantic era when the body was covered with a single piece of fabric without things like slips or undershorts, the Empire silhouette showed different characteristics from the existing complex and elaborate dresses.

To give a noticeable example, when making the dress, pure white fabric was used while minimizing embellishments or decorations.

The fullness of the dress is loose enough to flutter, but without wearing a corset and a petticoat that shapes the skirt, the body's outline is starkly revealed.

Fastening the dress by tightening a belt or cord at the waistline located just below the chest.

There are things like short sleeves that reveal the arms or shoulders entirely.

Well... roughly speaking, you could call it a chemise.

If you consider that one of the clothes that influenced the Empire silhouette was Marie Antoinette's chemise, it is structurally difficult to distinguish.

The act of trying to distinguish the two is like contemplating the difference between swimwear and underwear.

Then how are the two distinguished?

The Empire silhouette dress is worn over a chemise.

Like a tank top worn over underwear.

Therefore, unlike a chemise, wearing it outside is not forbidden, and showing it to others is not a humiliating act.

It's a comfortable outfit, so you can't wear it in formal settings, but observing just that means it's an "ok" kind of clothing.

So, it's clothing with no problems if you just talk well about it.

Conveniently, there is also something here that could be called an ancient empire, and even in that empire, there was romantic clothing similar to the chiton, covering the body with a single piece of fabric.

The reason for wearing clothes that are loose in the body without wearing a corset and petticoat is sufficient with just 'pregnant woman'.

You can say the reason for using pure white fabric is to bless the health and purity of the pregnant woman and the child.

For parts like the body shape or arms that become revealed due to the characteristics of the Empire silhouette, use thick fabric and prepare a set jacket to cover the upper body to create excuses.

A fantastic plan.

The result of confidently confiding in Emily, thinking it would be okay if things went just like this.

"I'm planning to make it like that, what do you think?"

"Hmm... Can't we change the color, even to a different color?"

"White looks pretty because it looks innocent and fresh..."

"Doesn't it look too much like a chemise?"

It wasn't very successful.

Emily's reaction upon hearing my grand plan was simply underwear.

Thinking she must have pictured a chemise in her head, I quickly drew a picture to show her.

"It's this kind of dress, does it really look like a chemise? Doesn't it look a bit different when you see it like this?"

"How is it different? If that's not a chemise, what is a chemise?"

"Even if I layer a jacket like this?"

"That looks like a shawl draped over a chemise."

"Damn..."

It only made the impression of it being a chemise stronger.

"Ugh..."

It's despairing.
He slightly gripped his hair while groaning.

"How can I make it not look like underwear?"

"I keep telling you, at least change the color. There are many bright and fresh colors in pastel tones, aren't there? Like sky blue, pink, or yellow."

"But white is..."

"Young Master, this isn't clothes you're giving to your fiancée. You shouldn't be stubborn. Remember this is a gift for Viscountess Hume."

"......"

Stung by Emily's blunt truth, I shut my mouth tightly and avoided her gaze.

"Tsk..."

He smacked his lips and looked at the drawing.

If it's light sky blue... well... it's fresh and light... it seems like it would suit my sister-in-law who just turned twenty...

"Okay... I'll change it to sky blue, and adding some frills should make it okay, right?"

I drew two lines through '하얀색' and wrote '하늘색' above it.

Then, roughly drawing some frills on the neck and shoulder parts and the hem of the skirt, he glanced at Emily.

"Hmm... Wouldn't it be better to cover the chest area too? The cold is dangerous for pregnant women."

"Okay."

While adding fabric to the chest area, he checked the overall look again.

Although it's closer to the later period with slightly more added embellishments than the initial simple design. It was still at a level that could be called an Empire silhouette.

"Does it look okay at this level?"

"The sexy feeling has been reduced a lot. Although it looks a bit like a young child's clothes now."

"Well... that level is fine."

The direction was roughly set.

I turned my head, watching Emily's reaction, and cautiously opened my mouth.

"Um... Emily."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, but we have to get new fabric..."

"......"

Emily's gaze turned towards the basket full of pure white fabric placed next to the desk.

"To sky blue..."

"Ugh..."

Emily wrinkled her nose and sighed.

Because it was following Emily's opinion, not my capriciousness, Emily sat down, looking tearful, and hugged the basket filled with fabric.

_

About six days later.

Finished the dress with 3 days remaining until my sister-in-law arrived.

Now, just need to check if it's loose enough and adjust the size slightly, then it's done.

I looked at Emily and lifted the dress with the sewing lines trimmed.

"Emily, try it on once."

"Me? Me again? Isn't this for Viscountess Hume? Then why am I wearing it?"

"This is clothing meant to be worn loosely, so if you don't feel constricted, anyone can wear it."

I've never seen anyone bigger than Emily in my life.

The same applies even including corset correction.

So, if it's made based on Emily, it will definitely not be small.

My sister-in-law also has some volume, so she will feel it's loose enough at this size.

"Haa~"

Emily let out a big sigh and pressed her forehead with her left hand.

Emily, who had been looking at me with a half-resigned expression, held out her hand towards me and opened her mouth.

"How do I put it on?"

"You just wear it over your underwear as is, and then tighten the cord here just below the chest."

"It's simple. I just need to try it on and tell you how it feels, right?"

"It would be good if you showed me, but it's okay if you just tell me how it feels."

"Haa~ Understood."

Sighing heavily, Emily took the dress, turned around, and walked towards the dressing room.

_

"Young Master."

After Emily went into the dressing room, a little time passed, then the door opened and Emily's voice calling me was heard.

"Uh, how was... Oh..."

I expected her to come out in her maid uniform.

The emerging Emily was wearing the sky blue dress and walked out of the dressing room shyly.

"How is it? Is it well made?"

Emily, holding the hem of the skirt with her fingertips and lifting it slightly, smiled shyly and walked over gracefully.

The sky blue fabric felt fresh, and because thick fabric was used, it wasn't see-through.

The waistline drawn just below the chest gave the feeling of having long legs while also accentuating the chest.

Every time she walked, her slender arms swayed, and the hem of the skirt fluttered, feeling fresh as if a butterfly was fluttering its wings.

The regret about not being able to make it white had lingered, but seeing this appearance, it was good I went with sky blue, as Emily said.

"Ha-"

I let out a breath mixed with admiration and looked at Emily with sparkling eyes.

"You're really pretty, like a fairy."

To exaggerate a little, a fairy.

To reduce the exaggeration a little, a fresh flower in a cluster.

Because what I had earnestly wished for every time I saw other women's dresses was right before my eyes, my heart pounded so much.

"Young Master, you're exaggerating too much. No matter what, like a fairy... Puhuhu~"

Perhaps my sincere compliment sounded like a joke to Emily, as she giggled and covered her mouth with her hand.

Seeing her laugh like that gave her an elegant feeling, making the thought of her being like a fairy even clearer.

"Emily, should I make one for you too?"

"As I told you last time, I don't have a chance to wear it, do I?"

"Ah... This is really a shame..."

"Even if it's a shame, there's nothing we can do."

"Tsk..."

It's a shame.

It was so regrettable that I wondered if I should just ask her to wear only that when she's with me.

But then I wouldn't be able to see the maid uniform, so it was truly painful.

How great would it be if there were two Emilys.

Why is there no magic to create clones in this world?

If magic is difficult, I wish they would at least make automatons.

To call themselves the world's greatest geniuses and not even be able to grant such an easy and simple request, I wish wizards would work harder.

"Ha... it's really pretty... Tsk... Is there any uncomfortable spot while wearing that?"

A beauty that leaves lingering regret, even though I know I won't be able to make her wear it again after today.

But somehow overcoming that, I was finally able to get to the main point.

"Other than feeling unstable like the shoulder might slip down a bit, it's okay."

"Really?"

Since my sister-in-law and Emily had similar body shapes, my sister-in-law would probably also feel the shoulder is unstable.

Although that part barely hanging on the shoulder was an attractive point, I had no choice since it deviates from the original purpose if it's uncomfortable to wear.

I quickly jotted down the parts to be modified on paper and asked another question.

"Nothing else?"

"No, the chest area is comfortable, and the waist is very loose."

"I see, and comfortable to walk in too?"

"Yes, it fit me perfectly without any parts catching."

"Hmm, I see."

Since Emily is on the tall side, the hem of the skirt will need to be shortened a bit.

The parts to be modified were the shoulder and the hem of the skirt, parts that could be fixed in a day.

"Hmm! Thanks, now you can change back..."

The moment I was about to tell Emily it was okay to change back, the thought occurred to me: Isn't it okay to keep Emily wearing that until she leaves?

Because if she wore it for a long time, new problems might be discovered, or new ideas might arise.

"No, just wear it like that for today..."

"I'll go change."

Whine...