[Ardelia cosplay] Selfie record before heading out for Arknights: Endfield

Heading out today, so while my hair and makeup were fully on point, I snapped a few quick photos in my room. I've been prepping this Ardelia cosplay outfit for quite some time, and today I finally had the chance to wear it and show off the complete look. The outfit has a very tailored fit: a purple sleeveless shirt paired with a white ribbon tie, where the lettering and red heart ornament on the tie faithfully recreate the original design details. The pink-and-white gradient horn props on top of my head are the main highlight; wearing them requires adjusting the angles carefully to prevent asymmetry, and having some weight on my head means taking them off quickly to rest after shooting.

The wig features a light brown base with pink gradient tips, braided into plaits. To prevent the bangs from blocking my eyes, I carefully styled the loose strands. For the makeup, pink colored contacts were paired with defined eye makeup—the dropped lower lashline and eyeliner were drawn prominently, complemented by blush on the nose bridge and cheeks, giving off a lively, rosy complexion. The lighting during shooting consisted of natural room light and ambient indoor fixtures without extra fill lights, producing a soft, lived-in warmth rather than ultra-HD studio crispness. Although these shots share similar angles, subtle differences exist in expressions and postures: looking down at the lens, raising a hand to adjust my hair, or closing my eyes with my head slightly tilted—the last was just a lighting test, but the mood was so nice that I kept it. The jacket and detachable sleeves held in hand were coordinated as well; the white ruffled sleeves create a striking contrast against the purple top.

Because time was tight, there was no studio setup or elaborate background staging, and everyday clutter in the room is even visible in the background. Yet this authenticity nicely documents the process of getting ready before heading out. Without deliberately striking complex poses, the goal was simply to capture the nuances of the outfit, props, and makeup. After all, certain details aren't clearly visible in the mirror, and freezing them in photos helps identify areas for improvement—like adjusting the horn placement next time or smoothing down the wig tips further. Overall, I'm quite satisfied with this look; both makeup cohesion and garment fit met expectations. Now it's time to pack up and head out.

Speaking of makeup, the eye area was the most time-consuming part. To complement the pink colored contacts, earthy tones were applied as a base, followed by layered pink-purple glitter, slightly extending the outer corners to add a touch of innocence. The false lashes were natural individual clusters applied in sections, ensuring no heavy burden when blinking. Blush was applied fairly high, swept under the eyes across the bridge of the nose to forge a slightly frostbitten or shy ambiance, creating a subtle visual contrast with the cool-toned purple garments. The lips were finished with a glossy mirror lip tint in an orange hue, distinct from the pink eyes to avoid a monochromatic face. The pink gradient at the tips of the wig is very soft and seamless rather than harsh highlights, giving the braid texture beautiful depth when worn.

In terms of props, beyond the horns atop my head, the red and blue hair clips flanking the forehead are the soul of the look. The white patterns on the clips were hand-painted with pigments; the contrasting red and blue pop prominently against the light brown hair and show up clearly with a slight head tilt. The horn props seem filled with lightweight material, coated with pearlescent paint that reflects under lights, but being anchored to the wig means head turns require moderate control to avoid pulling the wig. The white ribbon tie is nicely structured, with the central red heart serving as the finishing touch—taking up considerable space yet never feeling out of place against the purple fabric. The ruffled design of the arm sleeves makes up for the simplicity of the sleeveless top, making the overall look much more complete.

The shooting environment was quite modest—just a relatively tidy corner found in my room. A phone mounted on a tripod with a timer took over a dozen shots, from which these were selected. Even though everyday household clutter is unavoidably present, I didn't bother erasing it, as this reflects the genuine preparation state. The photos underwent minimal post-processing, mainly tweaking brightness and softening edges while preserving the natural textures of skin and fabric. Through this documentation, I reviewed my styling to see what could be refined next time and which accessories could be repositioned. All in all, today's selfies fulfilled their purpose, and I'm ready to step out the door.