This Azur Lane Anchorage cosplay with the Qipao cosplay outfit was shot at the Firefly ACG Expo, and the overall black-and-gold design delivered an exceptionally premium texture.
The high collar features a golden ring, and the cutouts on the chest and waist—combined with lace and strap accents—contain plenty of intricate details, requiring quite some care to adjust when putting on and taking off. The blonde wig paired with a large bow and black-patterned hair accessories faithfully captured the character's look, while the red contact lenses combined with reddish eyeshadow brought out a lively, captivating gaze.
For the lower half, I chose lace-trimmed garter Black stockings and patent leather high heels. The high-slit design paired with the Black stockings and high heels made the silhouette stand out remarkably on the convention floor, beautifully elongating the leg lines.
On the day of the shoot, we borrowed a silver suitcase as a prop. Sitting on it with crossed legs made for striking photos with great visual impact. The pose sitting on the floor holding a blue notebook also suited Anchorage's graceful and obedient personality setting well. The photographer found a nicely lit spot in the corridor outside the main halls. Even though the expo was crowded and passersby occasionally entered the frame, blurring the background yielded great results.
The biggest challenge in portraying this character was properly showcasing body proportions; after all, pairing the dress with Black stockings requires careful angle control to avoid looking bulky. The convention floor was noisy, packed with lighting stands and prop rigs, but in fact, we were able to concentrate even better while shooting. The wig took a long time to style, especially the long braided pigtails on both sides, which were hard to keep properly curled. Standing in the exhibition hall all day in high heels was exhausting, so sitting on the floor or on the suitcase to pose served as a welcome rest.
The costume's detailing is very well done, particularly the chest cutout, which really tests one's figure—requiring an engaged core and upright posture to project the best aura. To match the overall delicacy, the makeup deliberately incorporated reddish tones to harmonize with the hair color, appearing gentle yet uniquely alluring against the outfit.