Looking back at this Xiao Qiao In Tune with You set from last October still stirs up so many emotions. When I decided to shoot this skin, my head was completely filled with stage lights, spotlights, and that delightfully cool-yet-sweet energy. Although I personally felt the final photos weren't quite ideal due to hasty preparations that left many details improvised on set, since these throwback shots are sitting in my archives, I still wanted to share this imperfect yet meaningful experiment with everyone.
Let's dive into the styling first. Xiao Qiao's In Tune with You skin inherently leans into a band and live-stage aesthetic, so I poured tons of effort into the wardrobe. The purple bob wig paired with that black leather military cap—detailed with red decorative straps and metallic eyelets—served as the soul of the entire look. To stay true to the character, I wore yellowish-green colored contacts and accented my right cheek with a black X-shaped hair clip. The outfit is dominated by bold red-and-black color-blocking: the leather vest spliced with red-and-black plaid creates rich visual layers, while hanging metal chains and leather buckles at the waist inject a rebellious rock-and-roll edge. The white ruffled arm sleeves and red-and-black fingerless gloves were also key highlights, softening the rigid leather with Xiao Qiao's signature sweetness. On my legs, I styled mid-calf Black and white striped socks with black-and-red laced combat boots, maintaining a cohesive palette with strong visual punch.
My biggest love-hate relationship was with that massive red guitar prop. To faithfully recreate this iconic weapon, the prop was built solid and carried substantial weight. Having to sling it over my shoulder or hoist it up throughout the shoot was physically grueling. Yet looking at the photos now—holding the cap brim with one hand while gripping the guitar with the other, or extending a welcoming hand toward the viewer as if inviting the audience—the feeling is genuinely magical. While choreographing movements, I immersed myself in the persona of a rock band frontwoman about to take the stage. For instance, the shot standing on one leg with the other slightly raised aimed to capture that peak-performance tension and swagger. Poses kneeling down or leaning forward with an outstretched hand echoed the theme of 'confessing right after the show,' using gaze and body language to convey that flutter of hopeful anticipation mixed with nervous excitement.
Truth be told, because things were rushed, the wig developed slight frizz late into the shoot, the studio lights washed out some makeup, and unfamiliarity with handling the bulky prop made certain stances look a bit rigid. While the framing and lighting captured a concert mood, it still felt one step shy of the flawless Xiao Qiao in my heart.
Nonetheless, every shoot is a stepping stone. Spotting my shortcomings in pose design and expression management gave me clearer directions for next time. Xiao Qiao holds a special fascination for me—she possesses both an adorable charm and an electric, radiant presence on stage. I'll definitely cosplay her again when the chance arises to make up for every regret. Next time, I'll make the prop lighter and polish the styling nuances to perfection, capturing her effortless, sweet, and commanding rockstar aura even better.