The venue lighting at this Firefly ACG Expo was exceptionally great for taking photos, so I chose an outfit combining school uniform and punk elements. The collar of the white shirt is tied with a blue-and-black striped tie, layered outside with a black sleeveless knit vest, and the lower body features a blue-and-black plaid pleated skirt paired with black over-the-knee stockings, stepping on a pair of platform leather shoes with metal buckles. To increase the layering of the overall styling, I carried a black backpack covered in silver studs and brought a can of energy drink with silver packaging as a photography prop.
I put some thought into my makeup, applying a large area of red smudging around the eyes and cheeks, paired with long straight hair and blunt bangs, along with metal cartilage studs and earrings on my ears, presenting an overall cool yet slightly lazy temperament. This subculture-leaning outfit is highly recognizable at anime conventions, and walking through the venue often gets me stopped by photographers asking if they can take pictures.
The background of the venue is a huge white-grid floor-to-ceiling window, through which high-rise buildings outside can be vaguely seen. The indoor light source leans towards cool white, which happens to form a strong contrast with the white shirt, black vest, and over-the-knee stockings. I tried several different shooting poses; when squatting on the ground holding the drink can, the bending angle of the knees perfectly showcased the leg lines and the texture of the stockings. When standing, I placed my center of gravity on one leg with the other leg slightly leaning forward, which visually elongates the lower body proportions. When holding up my phone to take a selfie, the purple anime convention wristband on my wrist happened to be captured in the frame, adding a bit of live documentary detail to the convention photos.
Actually, what satisfies me most about this outfit is its versatility. The cut of the black vest and plaid skirt is quite crisp and structured, so even after walking around the anime convention for a long time, it doesn't look bulky. Although the platform shoes can get a bit tiring after a long walk, they truly prop up the overall aura in full-body shots. While shooting this set of photos, the photographer and I communicated many ideas about light and shadow, such as how to use the diffused light outside the window to highlight facial makeup, and how to create more depth in the background architecture by adjusting camera angles. The use of props is also crucial, like that can of drink; whether held in hand or placed by the feet, it breaks the monotony of the frame and adds a sense of story to the whole thing.
The anime convention vibe always makes people feel very relaxed, with everyone expressing their love for 2D culture in their own ways. Being able to document my carefully prepared outfit in such a vibrant environment is a very fulfilling achievement. This attempt at a cool-toned punk uniform style can be considered a successful styling breakthrough, and perhaps I will try more different style combinations in the future.