[Ruan Mei cosplay] The aloof traditional Chinese style beauty in Honkai: Star Rail

This photoshoot mainly aims to showcase Ruan Mei's detached yet elegant temperament. When I first got the costume, what surprised me the most was the overall texture and details. The dark blue main fabric has a velvet-like gloss, showing subtle light and shadow changes under the lights. The gold borders and white three-dimensional floral embroidery on both sides of the skirt are made very meticulously with tight stitches, avoiding any cheap look. The pink petal cuffs and the bow at the neckline of the top match together, neutralizing the dullness of the dark blue and adding a bit of girlish softness.

For the wig, to restore the character's unique hair color, I added cyan-blue highlights on top of the black hair. The updo on both sides of the head was fixed with hairspray for a long time to ensure it wouldn't scatter in windy spots or during large movements. For accessories, I chose long dark blue gloves with a slight elasticity that fit the arm lines. On the right hand, I layered short white gloves with a pearl bracelet. Pearl chain thigh rings were worn on the legs to break the sense of emptiness from a large area of exposed skin and add visual layers.

Regarding props, there is a half-open folding fan and a craft umbrella with bamboo leaf patterns. The ribs of the umbrella are made of bamboo and have some weight in hand, so extra attention was needed on the wrist's exertion angle when posing, ensuring both support for the umbrella's weight and a light, graceful motion. The fan face is light green, echoing the highlights at the hair ends in color.

The shooting venue has a very high ceiling, and the circular light array at the top provided very uniform cool-toned light sources. The background is very clean, making it ideal for highlighting the subject. To showcase the high slit design of the costume and the drape of the skirt, I tried sitting on a black folding ladder. The crossed legs posture can well lengthen the visual proportions while allowing the dark blue skirt hem to drop naturally, revealing the leg lines and thigh ring details. The standing shot mainly showcased the overall silhouette of the costume, and the arc of the side skirt blown by the wind while walking felt very flowy.

The makeup emphasized the contour of the eye shape, and cyan-blue contact lenses were worn to match the character's eye color. The base makeup leans matte, matching the overall aloof atmosphere. During the shoot, I kept adjusting the focal point of my gaze, hoping to present that casual yet completely in-control feeling. There are quite a few accessories in this styling, and wearing them took a considerable amount of time, but seeing the three-dimensional feel of the embroidery under light and shadow in the final photos and the cut of the clothes made all the preliminary preparations worthwhile. This shoot took about three hours; the venue was a bit stuffy, but after stretching my movements, the state improved a lot. The slit position of the skirt needed constant adjustment to prevent accidental exposure while ensuring the aesthetics of the frame, which placed a relatively high demand on body control. I also tried several angles for holding the folding fan, finally selecting a position slightly to the side in front of the chest for better visual balance.