[Daji cosplay] Honor of Kings Maid Cafe & My Melody: A Sweet Afternoon Tea

This set of photos for Daji's Maid Cafe look is finally retouched, though early preparation and the shoot itself proved a bit more intricate than anticipated. To fit the theme of this My Melody collaboration, I poured considerable thought into the costume coordination and scene dressing. Maid Cafe is already a quintessential classic skin in Honor of Kings—its pink and blue palette naturally radiates sweetness, and weaving in My Melody elements pushed the cuteness factor to the absolute maximum.

In terms of the outfit, the dress is packed with fine details. The off-the-shoulder design spliced in mint green and pastel pink is trimmed with layered white lace and ruffles; while visually stunning, wearing it is hardly effortless. The skirt and waist apron in particular required several petticoats stacked underneath to ensure full volume in the photographs. The headwear and ears received custom care as well: the pink plush animal ears paired with a white headband featuring My Melody charms felt a bit heavy after extended wear, yet for the camera results, this tedious dressing process was entirely worthwhile. The wig was chosen as a pink short curly style, taking over an hour to trim and shape just to make the curls fall naturally rather than looking stiff.

The location was set in a European retro-styled interior, framed by a white fireplace, angel statues, and gilded candelabras in the background. The white tabletop was laden with an array of confectioneries—tiered whipped cream cakes, strawberry tarts, macarons, as well as goblets and silver candleholders—conjuring a decadent afternoon tea atmosphere. The prop cakes served not merely as decor, but also as wonderful interactive props. During the shoot, I explored varied Cosplay photo poses including holding trays, slicing cake, and resting my chin in hand. To highlight the unique traits of the costume, the photographer utilized bright, gentle high-key illumination to bring out the crisp textures of pink, blue, and white.

For pose design, I strove to channel Daji's signature playful wit touched with subtle allure. Sitting beside the table, I turned slightly profile to showcase the tiered skirt while using the plush waist pouch and the oversized tail behind me as visual extensions. Because the tail is crafted from translucent tulle, sitting and standing both demanded care to avoid squishing it out of shape, requiring continual repositioning between takes. Holding a cake plate in hand looks simple, but keeping flattering arm lines while maintaining an effortless expression took multiple takes to achieve the ideal frame.

Overall, this shoot was a thoroughly enjoyable creative journey. Grounding a virtual character from the game into reality through wardrobe, props, and set design requires balancing materials, lighting, and movement harmony. Seeing the interweaving pink and blue tones alongside a full table of sweets in the final frames made all the prior exertion melt away.