[March 7th Cosplay] Honkai: Star Rail's New Year Edge, A Red and Black Battle Outfit on New Year's Eve

The warm light of New Year's Eve spilled through the paper umbrella and beaded curtain. Holding a longsword in front of a Chinese-style screen, this captured moment is a shoot I specifically prepared for the New Year festival. From selecting fabrics and tailoring the outfit to styling the wig and repainting props, this look took nearly two weeks of preparation from start to finish, and today I can finally share the complete final photos with everyone.

Let's start with the thought put into the costume. The main color of the upper body uses a slightly firm black composite fabric, paired with a dark red outer robe cape that beautifully outlines the lines of the shoulders and arms while maintaining a flowing feel. The white inner shirt's collar and cuffs have fine piping, creating a classic three-tier contrast with black and red. The blue sash at the waist is a gradient ribbon I specially customized; under warm lighting, it emits a subtle pearlescent sheen, which brightens the overall color palette without stealing the spotlight. The lower skirt features a high-low asymmetrical cut, making it easy to execute large dynamic actions like swinging a sword, and the hem is sewn with light gold piping to recreate the combat feel of the design as closely as possible in the details.

As for the wig, the short pink hair was trimmed and styled a second time. The animal-ear-shaped hair buns on top have bendable thin wire supports built inside, which, combined with red hair cords and metal ornaments, make the entire head style look energetic without appearing messy. For makeup, I used a smudge of reddish-purple and deep brown eyeshadows, elongating and darkening the outer corners of the eyes. Paired with purple-blue colored contacts, this keeps the gaze sharp even in a warm lighting environment. The blush was a peach shade with subtle shimmer, keeping the overall makeup clean so it wouldn't feel dull against the heavy outfit.

The props were naturally the highlight of this shoot. The blade of the longsword in my hand is actually made of transparent acrylic with built-in LED light strips. When powered on, it emits an orange-yellow glow, creating a beautiful gradient aura in actual shots. The pink cherry blossom pattern on the sword guard was handcrafted with gold outlining, and the handle wrap used a mixed weave of red and gold cords, echoing the color scheme of the costume. The red sheath on my back can actually be drawn, but to make the composition richer, I chose to slant it across my back; the white tassels on the scabbard naturally sway during movement, adding dynamic energy to the frame.

Lighting on the shooting day took quite a bit of effort. Instead of using large softboxes, we used two warm spotlights fitted with color gels—one from the left to illuminate my face and the blade, and the other from the rear right to rim-light my hair and shoulders, while casting mottled shadows on the wooden screen and beaded curtain in the background. The photographer positioned the camera very low and tilted it at a sharp angle, which stretched the leg lines and allowed the longsword's luminous track to occupy the diagonal of the frame, creating a visual leading line. A few bamboo branches in the foreground were placed on the fly, using depth-of-field contrast to give the picture spatial depth.

To be honest, combining the movements required for this outfit with the weight of the glowing prop made the shoot physically draining, especially having to hold the longsword horizontally with one hand while keeping a focused gaze. It took twenty to thirty shutter clicks to pick out the most natural shot. But seeing the warm yellow halo in the final photo blending delightfully with the glowing blade, all the hard work was worth it. New Year's Eve is inherently a time to usher in the new and bid farewell to the old; marking it with a look filled with combat energy and traditional oriental elements felt very meaningful to me. Without deliberately piling up flashy words, I just hope this photo conveys the dedication and focus I poured into the shoot.

If you also enjoy this kind of styling that blends a glowing prop with traditional elements, or if you have your own tips on lighting and wig maintenance for cosplay sharing, feel free to connect anytime. Every photoshoot is a process of accumulating experience.