On the 1st, I spent the entire day playing World of Warships at the 360 booth at ChinaJoy, catching up with Naomi and Zimao along the way—the expo experience was peak enjoyment. Roaming the venue today in this Madam Herta cosplay was a bit exhausting, but the entire process was deeply delightful, and feeling everyone's love for this character was wonderful. To recreate her accurately, the wig was specially styled with a gradient from silver-white to violet; that touch of purple at the tips showed rich depth under the expo lighting, and the bangs required continuous layer adjustments to capture the mysterious aura of the original design. The deep-blue pointed witch hat was the most demanding piece of gear: the wide brim was adorned with silver-white geometric motifs, and several layers of stiff interfacing were added inside to keep it upright during movement, preventing it from losing shape or blocking my line of sight even when turning or bending down to interact.
In terms of wardrobe, the black corseted bodice accented with a heart-shaped silver metal emblem sculpted crisp, flattering silhouette lines. To prevent any wardrobe mishaps in crowded convention environments, I devoted substantial care to base layers and fastening points—especially the cross-lacing in the back and the side cutouts, which I double-checked for security before heading out. The white pleated skirt on the lower half, paired with black knee-high boots and sheer black Stockings, visually elongated overall proportions. The long-handled prop staff was self-crafted; with its blue shaft and intricate geometric crown, it carried notable heft. Holding it throughout the day definitely made my arms sore, but when executing spellcasting poses at the booth, the staff's tangible quality looked phenomenal, confirming that all prior efforts were well worth it.
This convention was genuinely exciting: the atmosphere at the 360 booth was incredible, and I hung around for a long time playing World of Warships. The gameplay ran smoothly, letting me pilot the ships I wanted while exchanging combat techniques with players nearby. Running into Naomi and Zimao amidst the crowd was great—we chatted about recent gear builds, shared insights on wig trimming and prop maintenance, and toured several other booths together. As an avid cosplayer, attending ChinaJoy always feels like a massive gathering of passionate kindred spirits, where everyone channels genuine dedication into portraying their favorite characters. Being stopped for photo collections by many photographers and having people recognize Madam Herta to ask for pictures brought immense fulfillment. Though walking in high heels and structured attire all day left my feet and shoulders aching, hearing everyone's compliments made every single moment worthwhile. Given the opportunity next time, I'll definitely return to the ChinaJoy floor to debut new works and meet everyone again.