This Rice Shower cosplay styling from Umamusume: Pretty Derby went through over half a month of detail refinement from costume selection to the final photos. In the original design, Rice Shower's blue gown is rich with dimensional layers, possessing both youthful lightness and classical gravitas. To faithfully recreate this texture in real life, the inner layer uses a light-blue satin with a subtle pearlescent sheen, while the outer layer is generously overlaid with white jacquard lace, forming a stunning Lace long skirt. To ensure the dynamic billow of the skirt hem when walking and twirling, the curvature of the crinoline petticoat was recalibrated to prevent any unnatural stiffness.
The wig and headpiece styling posed a major challenge this time. Because the character features dark brown Animal ears, the crown of the wig couldn't be too bulky, which would otherwise prop up the ears and expose seams. I braided the long hair into a thick side braid fastened with a blue hairband, retaining face-framing bangs while pulling out a loose strand to fall naturally for an effortless touch. The blue-and-white roses paired with tulle hair accessories were hand-tied; the blue roses were deliberately chosen in a vibrant, highly saturated azure to echo the gown in this Dreamy court style ensemble.
For makeup, purple contact lenses were the core to recreating Rice Shower's emotive gaze. The eye makeup used a cool-toned earthy base layered with subtle pale violet at the outer corners; the eyeliner winged upward softly following the eye shape, delicately blended at the edges to preserve her innate gentleness without appearing overly sharp. The base makeup emphasized a dewy, translucent finish, and lips were painted in a natural, lively peach-coral to keep the overall makeup clean and accentuate translucent lighting.
The location was set in a pure-white European palace interior, where deep navy drapes and white pillars dramatically enriched the color palette. Natural light that day was magnificent: sunlight streamed diagonally through the grand archways, casting delicate transitions between highlight and shadow across the blue satin and white lace. To maximize this high-key, luminous ambiance, the photographer avoided harsh direct lighting, utilizing reflectors to bounce fill light and produce a dreamy, sacred glow.
In terms of pose design, beyond standard skirt-lifting and three-quarter standing stances, we deliberately incorporated first-person POV interactions—such as reaching out toward the lens or offering a bouquet of blue and white roses. This visual language immerses viewers, allowing an intimate look at the lace, choker, and glove details. The billowing skirt in the full-body shot of Photo 4 was captured by gently spinning in place; at the instant the shutter clicked, the drape of the satin and the swirling tiers of lace were fully displayed.
During this on-location shoot, the tiled floor was freezing cold, and standing in high heels bare-legged for hours was certainly tiring. Yet to maintain an upright, elegant posture across every frame, I engaged my core continuously. Putting on the gloves and neck choker also tested patience, as the edges needed to be perfectly smoothed without wrinkles—subtle details that often define the luxurious quality of the final images.
In post-processing, the concept was to highlight the blue-and-white contrast while minimizing distracting background clutter. Skin retained its authentic texture without excessive airbrushing, ensuring that genuine tactile richness shone through even within this Dreamy court style setting. While the process was demanding, the visual impact achieved in the end made every effort worthwhile.