Cosplaying Dorothy together with Yuyu at the convention today made me truly understand what Double Doro and double happiness feel like. Skipping the chatter, let's jump straight into the hair, makeup, and styling. Dorothy is a character with a distinct personality in Goddess of Victory: Nikke, and her signature pink hair and purple-blue eyes are the utmost priority of this look.
We crawled out of bed at 5:00 AM to start applying makeup. We put a lot of thought into keeping our looks unified yet individually distinctive. On my side, I styled double buns adorned with a headband of pearls and pavé rhinestones, along with crystal floral hair clips and an infinity symbol hairpin. The wig is pale pink, requiring styling in advance by pinching sections with hairspray and wax to create volume and hair texture, preventing it from collapsing while walking around the venue. Handling two wigs was time-consuming, especially at the ends, which had to be gently curled with an iron so they wouldn't look stiff. The circle lenses chosen were purple-blue with a dark outer ring, giving the eyes a sheer 2D pop culture vibrancy. For eye makeup, instead of heavy eyeshadow, we elongated the eyes with dark brown eyeliner, added false lashes to build dimensional depth, defined aegyo-sal with light tones along the lower eyelids, and applied generous blush to accentuate her cunning yet adorable charm. Yuyu, on the other hand, went with loose flowing hair topped with a simple white bow; her makeup shared the same color scheme as mine, though her eye shape was tuned slightly rounder, so standing side by side showed Dorothy in different states.
For costumes, we both wore white dresses accented with ruffles and lace, featuring a high collar, pearl buttons, and pink floral accents that created rich layers. To enhance the character's presence, I pinned a small floral brooch to the neckline. Even though the temperature was fairly warm on the day of the convention, the outfit's breathability remained manageable outdoors. Paired with pink lenses and the cohesive makeup, it had unmistakable recognition in the sunlight.
The venue was crowded today, and fellow Nikke fans were super welcoming. As we walked through the halls, photographers frequently stopped us to ask for shots. We found a spot backdropped by tall buildings and trees, taking quick advantage of the great sunlight to snap some candid frames. Cosplaying different variations of the same character together tests coordination: in dual shots, our poses had to complement each other without being identical—I took a livelier posture while Yuyu played dignified or mildly exasperated, giving the pictures a narrative vibe. Midway through, the wind picked up and our bangs kept blowing into our eyes, so we constantly had to smooth them aside and check if each other's makeup had smudged. Later on, several fans came over for photos, excitedly remarking on seeing Double Doro; hearing that feedback felt wonderful, making the early morning wake-up entirely worth it.
To me, cosplaying is far more than wearing clothes for pretty photos; it's about bringing the character's vitality into reality. Dorothy's character design has great depth—she might look like a little devil on the surface, but she possesses her own convictions and cuteness. At an event, maintaining tidy wigs, wrinkle-free outfits, and the character's persona demands a lot of stamina. At lunchtime, we huddled in a quiet corner guarding our costumes and makeup, quickly nibbling on bread before rushing to touch up our makeup for the afternoon. Touch-ups focused on repowdering under the eyes and around the nose, then reapplying lipstick to keep our camera readiness on point.
Collaborating with Yuyu went smoothly with effortless chemistry. While going from makeup to final shots was tiring, seeing the pictures on camera proved everything turned out just as envisioned. By the time the event ended, I was too exhausted to speak, yet my head was replaying all the fun people and moments from the day. Taking off my makeup at home and watching it fade in the mirror brought a sense of calm. This is the everyday joy cosplay brings me—nothing overly grand, just fans of the same work using their own ways to recreate, express, and cherish their passion. Looking forward to the next convention to try something new together with Yuyu again.