The photoshoot for this self-styled JK uniform look of Mai Sakurajima was set at Fuwafuwa Cream Cafe in Changsha. Although it's a maid cafe, the overall environment is exceptionally clean and translucent. The pure white space, well-arranged white artificial flower walls, and soft gauze drapes provided a fantastic shooting atmosphere through the set alone. On top of that, the staff's service attitude was super welcoming, taking great care of our shoot throughout and bringing the positive vibe to maximum. That's one of the main reasons I highly recommend taking photos here.
For makeup and styling, the stylist put a lot of care into it. To stay close to the character's disposition from Rascal Does Not Dream, we chose long hair with a silver-gray texture for the hair color, accessorizing the bangs and side hair with light pink hair clips. This gave the character her signature cool elegance while retaining a playful, youthful girliness. As for makeup, we intentionally took a minimalist approach—avoiding heavy smoky eyes or thick eyeshadows, opting instead for a soft pinkish eye makeup paired with natural lip colors. It created a very everyday campus atmosphere that coordinated seamlessly with this dark-toned JK uniform.
Regarding this self-styled outfit, I picked a structured black blazer paired with a white shirt and a gray-black plaid bow tie, complemented by a classic gray-black-white plaid pleated mini skirt on the bottom. The overall colors aren't overly flashy, but it's precisely this deep black-and-gray tone that fits the character's setting so well. For the inner legwear, I specifically chose sheer black tights; this sheer thickness creates a smooth visual transition between my leg lines, glossy brown loafers, and white socks.
On the day of the shoot, photographer Huajiu SAMA captured a wealth of expressions and poses for us. Whether I was sitting on a pure white bench with both hands balled into fists, walking with a black leather briefcase, or standing on one leg making a V-sign in front of the flower wall, the photographer held very high standards for capturing light and the motion of the garment hems. To highlight the texture of the uniform and tights, we spent a long time discussing reflector usage and light refraction angles.
In terms of post-processing, DEVIJ's work added immense value. Instead of simply blowing up the brightness, he preserved the drapes and texture of the black suit as well as the natural skin reflection on the tights under the light. This gave the entire photoshoot a tone that was bright yet finished with a sophisticated matte feel, softening the facial contours and giving the entire set the look of a Japanese academy-style portraiture.
This kind of Anime-style fashion that blends into everyday life while retaining the character's core spirit really tests styling details and overall ambiance. Even in a modern indoor space, interpreting poses and expressions with an understanding of the character can convey her unique youthful vibe. This shooting experience in Changsha allowed me to re-examine another side of the character—rather than recreating a specific illustration scene, this relatable campus feel might allow everyone to appreciate her charm even better.