[Xishi cosplay] Honor of Kings Flash Project: The Maiden's Shining Treasure

Taking advantage of the nice weather today, I finally brought this Xishi Flash Project cosplay outfit out to shoot on an outdoor rooftop terrace. The design of this costume is quite special, featuring an overall light grayish-blue blazer paired with a matching plaid pleated skirt, while the blue tie at the collar and the dark blue color-blocking at the cuffs harmonize beautifully. To match the character's hairstyle, I specifically wore a long black straight wig with blunt bangs, paired the blue plaid headband on top with a white flower accessory, and prepared a transparent umbrella that looked exceptionally translucent under the sunlight. To complement the skirt and overall style, I wore white crew socks featuring black bows at the cuffs, paired with black chunky-heeled Mary Jane shoes, making the overall look quite coordinated. The biggest headaches when shooting on location are the wig and makeup; the blunt bangs are easily blown messy by the wind and require constant tending with a small comb, and the base makeup must be properly set, otherwise it easily smudges under the outdoor sun with any sweat.

The shooting location was chosen on a white spiral staircase; against a backdrop of blue skies and white clouds, the white railings and light-colored attire appeared wonderfully clean. In truth, the outdoor sunlight was quite glaring during the shoot, especially when sitting on the steps. While the transparent umbrella looked gorgeous, the combination of glare and direct sunlight made it hard to keep my eyes fully open, requiring constant angle adjustments to capture photos with appropriate expressions and gazes. The skirt has a crisp tailored silhouette with a double-layered pleated hem, requiring minor adjustments to the skirt's arc when sitting down to keep the composition looking natural and fluid. The combination of White stockings and Mary Jane shoes effectively elongated my leg lines when walking on the steps or leaning against the railings. When shooting profile and seated poses, I deliberately sought out angles that naturally showcased leg curves, such as sitting on the steps with one leg slightly bent or leaning back slightly against the railing.

The entire shooting process was actually quite tiring, as it required repeatedly going up and down the stairs while holding the umbrella and adjusting angles, and the transparent umbrella was prone to flipping inside out in strong winds, demanding wrist strength to keep it steady. However, the resulting light and shadow effects turned out quite satisfactory. Passersby occasionally glanced over, but you get used to it. The overall makeup and styling this time aimed to convey a vibe that is both bright yet tinged with a cool detachment, so in the posing design, I avoided overly exaggerated expressions, relying instead on gaze direction and hand movements for coordination. Cosplaying is often about hunting for the right feel within the details—such as how to grip the umbrella handle, how the hair falls, and maintaining an upright posture even after standing in high heels for a long time. Although these Mary Jane shoes have chunky heels, the soles still ache after prolonged walking, so I simply had to bite the bullet and push through for the sake of the visual results. This shoot also taught me a lot of practical experience in handling outdoor light and shadows, and next time I might try different angles. Overall, this photo set successfully captured the colors and atmosphere of the original design, especially with the blue sky background creating a wonderfully comfortable chromatic contrast. For the next shoot, I plan to experiment with different lighting time slots, which might yield a totally different texture.