When I received this costume, my first reaction was that it needed a major overhaul for Costume restoration. Hanging it on the rack, problems were visible everywhere. Upon closer inspection, threads were pulled on the hem's tulle, the raised golden pipings across the chest were sewn loosely, and the fish-scale golden trims around the waist were coming unstitched—truly a completely ruined state by standard definition.
But since I had it in hand, returning it wasn't really an option, so I had to bite the bullet and begin mending. I first propped the skirt up and turned it inside out. The petticoat's fastening structure was quite intricate; with multiple layers of fabric stacked together, realigning the stitches was no easy feat. Just sorting out the inner lining and the outer pink skirt with fine shimmers took nearly two hours. The biggest headache was the junction between the neckline and the gold-thread motifs, where the streamlined embroidered contours had to be pinned down stitch by stitch along the fabric grain—pulling it even slightly off-grain would ruin the overall look.
That was only the first hurdle; accessories like the headdresses and armlets were still completely unfinished. Looking at the metal filigree and beads scattered across the desk, and then at my fingers aching from gripping the needle, exhaustion truly set in. As someone who has been doing cosplay for years, although I was mentally prepared, tackling the repair of such an intricate Traditional style outfit was still quite a test of patience. The sleeves are airy, fluttering chiffon cuffs that rest softly over the shoulders when worn, but precisely because the fabric is so thin, extra care had to be taken during hemming and stitching to avoid snags and pulling.
Once finished, I quickly put it on for a fitting and twirled on the spot. The layered depth of the skirt emerged immediately: the outermost layer of pale pink sheer overlay draped gracefully with motion, while the inner shimmering pink pleated skirt with bottom lace trim provided great drape. Although the accessories aren't fully in place yet—wearing only the bracers and small props looks slightly incomplete—standing in the room wearing it and seeing the dress finally regain its three-dimensional silhouette brought a real sense of accomplishment.
While the restoration process was arduous, it allowed me to appreciate the garment's underlying tailoring. Its high mandarin collar hugs the neckline neatly, while the sheer shoulder capelet visually broadens the shoulder line, making the posture appear upright and poised. The skirt uses ample yardage, easily holding an expansive A-line silhouette without an exaggerated hoop skirt. This mending and needlework is perhaps another way of connecting with the character's core. The gold-thread scale trims at the waist pay homage to the in-game sect elements from JX3 Online, serving as a crucial finishing touch, so despite the painstaking sewing, they had to be preserved.
With the main dress now restored, I plan to finish assembling the remaining small accessories in one go tonight. Although I inevitably grumbled along the way about how tedious and tiring it was, seeing the garment whole again made every bit of effort feel worthwhile. Next, I look forward to taking this meticulously restored Seven Blossoms cosplay outfit out for a proper photoshoot, capturing the finest form of this Traditional style outfit gauze dress through authentic photography.