[Eriri Cosplay] The Background Heroine on the Overpass: Bringing a Casual Vibe to Blonde Twin-Tails and a Sailor Suit Outfit

This outdoor shoot location was chosen on a city overpass, perfectly matching the character's casual yet slightly tsundere temperament. The blonde hair features custom-smoothed bangs, with both sides tied into low twin-tails using black satin ribbons. To recreate the iconic hairstyle, I specially adjusted the volume at the roots so it wouldn't look too stiff when the wind blows. The costume is a classic deep blue sailor suit featuring a white collar flap with a red bowknot; the white stripes on the pleated skirt are the crowning touch. The waistline was slightly adjusted so the skirt hem lands just above the knee. Paired with black over-the-knee stockings and brown chunky-heeled loafers, it visually elongates the proportions of the lower legs. It happened to be an overcast day during the shoot, making the natural light exceptionally soft without any harsh shadows, which perfectly suits the clean, refreshing color palette of the sailor suit. For props, I prepared a black leather commuter bag that served as a prop while holding miscellaneous items. By chance, there were two old lifebuoys—one yellow and one red—next to the overpass railing; casually including them in the frame actually enhanced the color layering of the image. The first set of looking-back movements involved holding the railing with one hand while leaning the center of gravity slightly backward. When turning the head, care must be taken to control the jawline, as this angle can easily make the neck look thick. For the second set of sitting poses, we shot two variations: one hugging the knees while extending the legs forward to showcase the details of the shoe soles and socks, and the other making a viewfinder gesture with both hands, where the key lies in naturally opening the arms without stiffness. The post-processing did not over-smooth the skin, preserving the skin texture; we primarily dimmed the street view highlights in the background slightly to make the brightness of the white shirt stand out more. For this type of school-style look, the expressions don't need to be exaggerated; maintaining a tiny pursed-lip smile is enough. Being too sweet would instead ruin the character's original, slightly awkward reserve. During the shooting process, one must constantly tidy up the skirt hem, as pleated skirts tend to spread out upon sitting down. To ensure the stripes aligned correctly, the fabric had to be rearranged with every change of pose. The black stockings didn't reflect much light under the overcast sky, rendering a texture closer to matte, which beautifully matches a student's daily vibe. The chunky heels of the shoes provided sufficient height so standing for long periods wasn't too tiring. The entire shoot lasted about an hour and a half; the wind on the overpass was strong, but the lighting remained highly stable. It wasn't until wrapping up that I noticed the bottom side of the backpack had caught a bit of gray dust, which unexpectedly added an authentic flavor of street photography. If choosing a similar scene next time, I might consider bringing a transparent umbrella or a notebook and other school items to give the frame more narrative depth.