A quick style guide to shine (⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

You may have already noticed this but we rarely use the canon outfits seen in the shows or games we cosplay from but rather our very own interpretation of what these characters would wear either on an everyday basis or just to change things up. I mean... Let's be honest: who wears the exact same outfit every single day? Wearing their signature looks can be quite fun but we prefer the process of styling a bit more hehe ( ´ ▽ ` )

The first thing we like to do is to create a sort of mood board in our heads or even as a quick picture collection of the character themselves or of things we associate with them. Are they more on the cute and playful side, do they enjoy elegant high fashion meets, which colors do the like and how are their surroundings influencing their choice of fashion? This is relatively simple, just like when you went shopping with a friend to give them a new wardrobe way back as a teenager (っ˘ω˘ς )

Then we dive into the dark and mysterious depths of our storage room (I swear, this room is just like Mary Poppins' magic bag!) and search for items that vaguely match the vibe for this set. It can be anything, from basic bodysuits and normal clothes to accessories like stockings, belts, ears, tails, necklaces, shoes and pins; you name it, we have it somewhere in some sort (*￣▽￣)

This usually leaves us with a big pile of possible items to use which we can look through for harmonic combinations. If an item doesn't spark joy (thanks Marie Kondo for this great sentece ⌒▽⌒) it goes straight back into the box, the remaining pieces are now better visible and sometimes when we're extra lucky we are left with a complete outfit. Most of the time we get something that can be worn but is not necessarily interesting to look at or simply looks incomplete. Here comes the tricky part...

Think outside the box! You can always choose to put something on or STYLE something. Can I wear this shirt backwards? What happens when I tie the belt in a different way? Or what we personally love to do: layer! Wearing a bodystocking, using two pairs of stockings to achieve a different color or opacity, tucking the apron into the suit or wearing it on top of it can all make an outfit look so much different. A skimpy pair of simple shiny shorts, revealing and boring on their own, now become a cute add-on giving the look another interesting texture and making it a tad more seiso for example. \(^ヮ^)/

The dress that came a bit too large can be saved with a nice belt, apron or a simple rearranging of its straps; it's all about the right use of possibilities and accessories (¬‿¬ ) All of this also helps us to be more mindful of our resources, we can use a few basics to create a lot of different outfits, fitting all kinds of vibes and occasions and gives us the chance to show just how creative cosplay and fashion can be.

So next time you look at our posts again keep an eye out for things you might've seen already and which were given a new life (⁀ᗢ⁀)