[Arcueid Cosplay] The Cold Dream of the Fate Series' Moonlight Princess

It took quite a bit of time from the initial styling to the actual shoot for this Archetype: Earth look, so I am taking this opportunity to share the final set and talk about the process of coordinating the costume and the scene.

Regarding the hair and makeup, this character has iconic long, straight golden hair and straight bangs. To restore the original curvature and lightness of the wig, I spent a lot of effort on trimming and styling. For eye makeup, I avoided using overly heavy colors, instead opting for light-colored contact lenses to enhance the transparency of the gaze, paired with cool-toned highlights to emphasize that cold, ethereal quality of the character. Because the indoor temperature was a bit high on the shooting day, the wig easily became frizzy, so I was constantly fixing the bangs and the hair strands on the sides between makeup touch-ups.

Although the costume itself presents an elegant and gorgeous state visually, the massive skirt hem and the wide lantern sleeves carried a significant weight when wearing and moving. The blue bow on the chest and the streamers on both sides were particularly demanding when it came to on-site positioning. To allow the skirt to present natural layers and folds in front of the lens, the staff was constantly helping me pull out the hem and carefully adjusting the position of the white tulle during the shoot. The direction of the streamers was adjusted over a dozen times; if the angle was off, the effect would look stiff and lose its agility, which is the most energy-consuming part of shooting such large-volume gowns.

For the setting, we chose a studio scene featuring a giant moon wheel prop and white Roman columns, where the arch structure served as a perfect focal point. The blue drapes at the top of the set and the overall cool-toned light and shadow fit the setting of Earth姬 as a Moonlight Princess perfectly. However, extra attention had to be paid to the lighting to avoid making the moon wheel prop look too harsh in the lens. During the actual shoot, a cool-white main light source was used to illuminate the character, making the texture of the white clothing appear even purer. I had specifically prepared a hundred blue and white lilies before the shoot, originally planning to have them spread along the steps to create a visual effect of being surrounded by a sea of flowers. However, when the skirt was fully spread and trailing on the steps, most of the lilies were indeed completely covered, with only a few buds visible from the edges, which is a small regret.

In terms of composition, I chose to face the moon wheel and archway directly, allowing the arch to frame the character and the moon to create a sense of symmetrical ritual. Although restricted by the skirt's shape and shooting angle, the character's legs were not fully displayed, the overall visual focus remained concentrated on the upper body and the giant moon behind, presenting a calm and solemn atmosphere. In post-processing, I focused on fine-tuning the light-to-dark transition of the moon wheel and strengthening the unity of the cool color tones, allowing the white architecture in the background to harmonize with the blue-and-white outfit of the character.

Although there were some minor incidents during this shoot where props were covered, the overall tone and direction still achieved the atmospheric feeling I desired. Every time I smoothed the bow on my chest or adjusted the cuffs, I felt closer to the character's elegant and dignified essence. I am very grateful to the on-site photography and logistics team for their coordination regarding the skirt folds and lighting angles; without their repeated assistance and adjustments, it would have been difficult to complete this set of looks so smoothly. Shooting with a large-hemmed dress in cool color tones is exhausting, but seeing the final result, I still feel that this gorgeous style is well worth the effort.