When doing this Hanfu self-styling for Sangonomiya Kokomi, I envisioned that the night lighting atmosphere would be fantastic. For this cosplay, I didn't strictly aim for a high-fidelity recreation of her in-game battle outfit; instead, I broke down Kokomi's key elements and integrated them into a modified Hanfu design. Great care went into selecting the costume: the outer layer featured a translucent light purple embroidered large-sleeve robe that exuded an ethereal feel, worn over a white inner top paired with blue decorative ribbons that shimmered like starry skies. For the lower body, I picked a blue-and-purple gradient pleated skirt with a pearlescent sheen. Under the light and shadow reflections at night, this outfit naturally carried a soft glow, making my overall aura much gentler.
The wig and hairstyle were the centerpiece of this look. Featuring a pinkish-white to ice-blue gradient hair color, topped with double buns, pink flowers, and dangling tassel hairpins, it retained Kokomi's gentle yet slightly mysterious aura while flattering facial contours to make features look delicate. For makeup, I selected light blue-purple colored contacts paired with matching eyeshadow, rendering a clean, translucent base that popped beautifully through the camera lens.
The photoshoot was conducted entirely at night, utilizing shallow depth of field with a wide aperture to turn background light sources into warm, soft golden bokeh light spots. This warm-toned blurred background contrasted with the cool-toned outfit I wore, easily bringing the subject into focus as a Night portrait. Holding a traditional round fan painted with ancient court ladies served as both an interactive prop and a seamless element blending into this Ancient style cosplay concept. Coordinating hand gestures with the fan's tassels resulted in stunning shots, whether offering a subtle smile or gazing quietly at the camera.
In fact, Hanfu self-styling is a very fascinating practice in the cosplay community. It doesn't require 100% adherence to original character art; instead, it extracts core character elements—such as Kokomi's color palette and gentle disposition—and sews them into real-world Hanfu fabrics, presenting a cosplayer's aesthetic infused with personal interpretation. To keep the overall look from feeling plain in night scenes, I deliberately avoided cluttered jewelry, focusing instead on light, translucent fabrics and gradient hair coloration.
Regarding pose suggestions, when doing this type of ethereal Ancient style cosplay, you can make frequent use of props in your hands—such as holding the round fan in front of your chest as I did, or partially veiling your face with it, both fitting the character's demeanor well. Since the backdrop for this shoot was by the water, the photographer captured excellent positions and light reflection angles, keeping the texture of the skirt and sleeves crystal clear. Though this photo set lacks lavish grand scenery, it excels in atmospheric mood and prop details, closely aligning with Kokomi's character in Genshin Impact—soft on the outside yet resilient within. As a crossover experiment between Hanfu elements and anime characters, this Hanfu self-styling successfully realized my vision, offering a deeply pleasing visual experience.