Sharing this first cosplay set of the New Year, shot right before the Spring Festival featuring the Ru Meng Ling skin for Chang'e in Honor of Kings. In this set of photos, I imagined myself as a host of the Spring Festival, bringing a bit of New Year atmosphere to everyone with a lantern and a round fan.
Let's talk about the texture of this costume first. The Ru Meng Ling skin design itself carries a very strong Ancient style cosplay and xianxia charm, with a large amount of water-blue, white, and peach-pink light gauze interwoven together, looking visually very refreshing. To recreate this lightweight feel, we paid special attention to fabric selection during costume tailoring: the outer white gauze needed good light permeability, while the inner water-blue and cyan fabrics required a subtle drape, so that a distinct, layered skirt could form when standing. The hollow metal-textured accessory on the chest is the visual focal point of the entire outfit; exquisitely crafted and polished smooth, it exhibits great luster when worn and reflects a cool, ethereal light under studio lamps.
The head styling is also an indispensable part of this character. The black short straight wig needed neat straight bangs and tailored sideburn lengths, combined with a high updo and falling strands of hair to frame a gentle yet ethereal facial contour. Meanwhile, the silver wing-shaped metal headpiece on top, alongside two fluffy white pom-poms and orange-red accents, brings depth to the entire head styling so it doesn't look thin. Of course, to keep the headpiece from feeling too heavy, I adjusted its center of gravity multiple times while wearing it to ensure stability throughout the shoot.
The matching round fan and natural wood-colored lantern are also key elements of the vintage atmosphere. The pale pink round fan blends seamlessly with my makeup and skin tone; holding it in hand serves as an extension of the styling while helping to obscure or guide the sightline in composition. The wooden lantern was actually meant to add a taste of New Year to the frame—though it couldn't hold real candles, holding it as a prop alongside the flowing gauze outfit created a storytelling feel of holding a lamp to seek spring.
In terms of photo selection, light and environment were particularly crucial in this set. To fit the cool aesthetic of the Ru Meng Ling skin, the lighting in early shooting leaned toward high-key and soft illumination. In particular, the wide-sweeping ribbon dance effect in photo 5 relied on a blower fan on site combined with snapshot timing, where the dynamic lines formed by the gauze dress and ribbons under airflow instantly injected vibrant vitality into static images. Especially in the full-body shot of photo 2, to showcase the complete outfit, I wore transparent wedge high heels while standing on a pedestal—partly to visually elongate my leg proportions and make the skirt drape more naturally, and partly to exhibit the commanding aura of the standing pose. The combination of white stockings and semi-sheer gauze skirt produced a gradient sheen under the lights; selecting this full-body photo effectively displays the costume's complete proportions and flowing elegance.
The photography team also put immense thought into composition this time. For instance, the dramatic low-angle shot in photo 1 placed the lens at a very low position to capture my hand reaching out, which was particularly suited for demonstrating the tension of ribbons, creating a sense of depth like looking down or a deity descending to the mortal world. Photo 6 adopted a completely different low-key lighting approach, holding a giant warm-yellow glowing sphere in hand as the primary light source with darkened surroundings, revealing a touch of mysterious and cozy New Year vibe beyond the cool and exquisite xianxia style. I feel the charm of cosplay lies in taking the 2D beauty of the original work and materializing it in 3D through the collective efforts of costumes, props, makeup, and photographers.
From initial wig styling to producing this final set of finished shots, the process in between was much more intricate than what meets the eye. For example, restoring the metal headpiece's texture and layering the gauze dress required repeated confirmations with the tailor and makeup artist. I hope that through dedication to details, I can restore Chang'e's dreamlike qualities in front of the lens while bringing a sense of festive blessing to this set for the Lunar New Year. Finally, thanks again to all partners involved in production and photography for bringing this wonderful visual presentation to life.