[Ruan Mei cosplay] Honkai: Star Rail Traditional Chinese style cosplay Onee-san / Mature woman: The Collision of Cyan-Blue Qipao and Folding Fan

This time's styling features Ruan Mei from Honkai: Star Rail, a highly representative cyan-blue Traditional Chinese style modified Qipao. Preparations for this shoot took a long time, with immense thought put into everything from costume pattern-making to prop selection. The wig was chosen with cyan-blue gradient highlights, topped with pink flower and lace mesh hair ornaments, striving to restore that icy yet classically charming 2D atmosphere. In terms of makeup, light blue contact lenses and pink eyeshadow blended over a large area around the eyes form the core of the entire face, paired with a natural lip color that holds up under close-up lens scrutiny.

The costume's details are exceptionally rich. The upper body features a white off-the-shoulder design, with layered ruffles and 3D petals around the neckline and cuffs. The central cyan-blue skirt hem adopts a high-slit design, adorned with golden edgings and floral embroidery on the sides. To match this outfit, I specially selected a pair of high heels in the same color scheme, decorated with pearls and lace at the ankles. During the shoot, the high slit truly tested mobility; to find an angle that showcased the leg lines without losing elegance, I repeatedly adjusted my sitting posture. The photographer suggested crossing my legs, leaning my body slightly forward, and holding a folding fan in one hand, which not only displayed the costume's tailoring but also highlighted the details of the high heels. Once the final products came out, the leg lines indeed looked extremely smooth.

Regarding props, I prepared a folding fan with ink-wash bamboo branches and a ruan lute. Don't let the ruan lute's gorgeous appearance fool you; it's actually quite heavy. Holding it while lying on a long couch and maintaining a calm smile tested core strength immensely. The shooting set that day was arranged with great care, featuring a glowing moon gate with ink-wash paintings in the background, accompanied by green pine bonsai, white porcelain tea sets, and yellow scrolls. The floor was covered with a white plush blanket, accented with a bit of artificial smoke. I tried a few different poses: standing while partially hiding my face with the folding fan, and lying down while cradling the ruan lute. Although the physical toll during the entire shooting process was quite heavy, seeing how the finished photos captured that calculated yet slightly aloof feeling just right made everything completely worthwhile. During shoot breaks, I also experimented with blocking half my face with the fan, discovering that this composition exceptionally highlights the gaze. All in all, I am personally quite satisfied with this Traditional Chinese style cosplay attempt.