[Flandre Scarlet Cosplay] Touhou Project — Red Dress with Crystals in a Head-Holding Squat

From fabric cutting to pattern making and adjusting the proportions of the ruffles on the chest and skirt hem, this red-and-white dress took nearly two weeks to craft. To add visual layering, the red section of the skirt was made from a matte-textured fabric, while the white lace used a stiffer material, allowing the skirt to spread out puffily into that classic silhouette even during a head-holding squat pose. The heart-shaped decorative patch on the front and the white pumpkin shorts underneath required fine detailing to ensure no snagging or unspooling during big movements at the convention.

This shoot took place at the Qingkong School Festival Anime & Game Carnival, a bustling venue. As seen in the background, staggered softboxes, overhead lights, and tripods were set up to achieve uniform, three-dimensional lighting in an indoor studio setup. In particular, to capture the clarity of the colorful geometric crystals suspended from the metal frame surrounding my body, the lighting technician adjusted the color temperature of the rim lights on both sides. Since the frame cast shadows behind me, we elevated the venue's plush floor mat and angled the bottom reflector to around 60 degrees to brighten up the lower shadows.

Beyond the outfit, props formed a huge core of the overall styling. The teddy bear in my hand was custom-made, with polka dots on its paws and the orientation of its eye sequins meticulously chosen. The red apple served as a scene accent, visually echoing the red of the dress for a unified color palette.

In terms of posing concepts, the head-holding squat looks simple, but creating that majestic yet charismatic contrast places high demands on neck and shoulder lines. Squatting down requires arms to cross naturally suspended above the head without obstructing too much of the face, while coordinating leg positions to reveal white sock ruffles and red round-toe leather shoes. Holding this pose for over ten seconds left my leg muscles trembling slightly, though the final shots turned out great.

Many onlookers and photographers gathered around, but because our crystal frame occupied considerable space and we had extensive lighting gear, we designated a quiet shooting area. Photographer WiFi expertly managed the light and shadow, using studio lights on-site along with several continuous lights he brought to capture my candid interactions with the teddy bear while seated on the plush mat. I particularly love the second side-profile seated shot—resting my right leg slightly bent, left hand placed naturally on my knee, and holding the teddy bear with my right hand showcased the dress's red-and-white layering alongside leg lines. Paired with the apple and teddy bear, the composition felt balanced and full without empty space, centering visual focus on the character.

The floor at the convention consisted of gray reflective tiles, so we spread a thick white plush blanket underneath to block floor dust while keeping skin tones and white garments looking clean. Post-processing was kept minimal to preserve the raw lighting texture on the face; natural lighting was already excellent, and excessive filters would ruin the crystal refractions and original fabric textures.

Preparing this cosplay costume involved a few challenges. For instance, the heavy metal skeleton of the crystal frame clipped behind my waist made a crisp clinking sound when walking, which added great ambience, though I had to keep the frame strictly vertical when squatting or bowing to avoid going out of frame. Additionally, while the white ruffled headpiece looked fluffy and cute, its large volume made navigating crowded areas or narrow booth aisles tricky—fortunately, the Qingkong School Festival venue offered spacious room to move around freely.

The wig was styled in a striking light golden hue. To prevent it from looking artificially plastic, I added soft curls to the tips; under convention lights, the hair strands transitioned softly and naturally, complemented by red ribbons to form a vivid accent against the white headpiece. Makeup was kept light, omitting dark eyeshadows in favor of bright eyes and rosy cheeks to keep the persona vibrant, as this character from Scarlet Devil Mansion isn't meant to look gloomy.

Regarding the convention experience at Qingkong School Festival, beyond the dress and props, the atmosphere was wonderful. Although I'm not overly fond of loud environments, finding a professional photography crew willing to refine details together was truly fortunate. During studio photography, I often ponder how to make body language feel natural in front of the lens rather than stiff posing—such as tilting the head slightly or tucking the chin while catching lower angles with side glances for more natural shots.

Despite the hectic process, heavy props, and long shoot, seeing the interwoven red, white, and crystal visuals on screen made all the effort feel well recorded. Stepping into this dress, holding the teddy bear, and sitting on the plush mat made me feel genuinely immersed in the character's aura. I'll continue investing time in makeup, outfit maintenance, and posing nuances—after all, only when every detail falls into place does Anime cosplay truly gain a soul.