[Yazawa Nico cosplay] Recreating My Favorite Middle School Outfit

This Christmas theme cosplay of Yazawa Nico was completed at Xiamen's Dimension Wall Studio, bringing to life an outfit I loved most back in middle school.

Watching the anime back then, I thought this design was so distinctive—the dark skirt paired with star motifs created a visual balance that felt both adorable and tsundere. Being able to actually wear it and recreate it before the lens felt like waving hello to my younger self.

To achieve higher fidelity, careful thought went into costume selection and coordination. The skirt has lovely dimensional layers, with abundant decorative accents on the bow tie and cuffs. The striped stockings were a major highlight of this look, flattering my leg contours nicely and showing wonderful texture under pure white studio lighting. The red-and-green palette of the hat matched the Christmas motif seamlessly; though it felt slightly oversized when first put on, it became a playful bonus during shooting.

The studio shooting set was decorated with rich holiday cheer, using a red velvet backdrop alongside a massive transparent crystal ball prop. This was my first time posing inside a clear glass-like sphere, and sitting inside created a wonderfully enclosed, whimsical sensation. Surrounded by Christmas trees, ornaments, snowmen, and gift boxes, the holiday spirit was palpable. Photographer Xiao Chi utilized warm-toned lighting to simulate Christmas warmth, producing gorgeous refractions and luminous flares as light passed through the crystal ball.

Because space inside the crystal ball was fairly confined, I had to move carefully to avoid brushing against the clear walls and breaking the illusion. For posing, we coordinated various seated postures—such as lifting a leg, steadying the hat, or reaching out as if handing over a gift—which highlighted the skirt hem and striped stockings while keeping compositions dynamic and lively.

For expressions, I strove to channel Nico's signature bubbly, confident energy laced with that subtle, charming pride. Looking back at the shots, I am thoroughly pleased with the overall completion, from the layered holiday accents to the cut of the outfit itself. Sitting amid the snowy decor and Christmas tree alongside a vintage red easel captured the character's classic holiday essence.

Though preparing the wardrobe and props was meticulous and putting the outfit on was more complex than expected, seeing the final retouched shots made every effort worthwhile. Documenting this cherished middle school favorite in photographs now as an adult was truly a special experience.