The quick answer
Open Appearance to change owned outfits and hairstyles. Use the face-editing options for facial changes and the hair slot’s Dye tab for colours. Preview the result and read the final item cost before saving: owning a hairstyle does not mean every colour or face edit is free.
On this page
Open Appearance with one change in mind
Open Appearance from the main menu. Decide whether you are changing clothing, hair, hair colour or the face before selecting an editor. Start with an owned item so you can learn the preview and apply controls without first navigating an acquisition offer.
| State shown by the interface | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Owned or unlocked | The item is available in your collection. |
| Previewed | You are inspecting a possible look. |
| Applied or equipped | The selection has been accepted for the relevant slot. |
| Acquisition or purchase option | The item still needs to be obtained. |
These states explain many apparent failures. A convincing preview does not mean the item has been bought, unlocked or applied.
Start with the change you actually want
| Change | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Different clothing without changing combat gear | Appearance wardrobe and owned outfit slots. |
| Another owned hairstyle | Hair appearance slot. |
| Different hair colour | Hair slot, then Dye. |
| Facial shape or makeup | Face editing within the appearance interface. |
Equipment and appearance are separate decisions. Choose a combat item for its attributes, then choose the visual outfit you want to display. This prevents a cosmetic experiment from accidentally becoming a weaker combat loadout.
Equip an owned outfit and inspect the preview
- Open Appearance and choose the relevant clothing or accessory slot.
- Filter or browse for appearances you own.
- Preview the item with the rest of your current outfit.
- Apply the selection, then close the menu and inspect your character in the world.
A catalogue preview is not proof that an item is unlocked. If the interface instead offers an acquisition route, decide whether you want that item before following it. Avoid buying a whole set solely because one preview slot was selected.
Use the dye tab for hair colour
Select the hairstyle first, then open its Dye tab. Inkshade Hairdye is associated with natural dark shades; Timeless Hairdye supports more vivid colours. Check which dye the selected colour requires and how many you already own before confirming.
Judge the result against your actual outfit, especially headwear that hides or frames the hair. If several colour channels are available, change one at a time. A shade that looks balanced in the editor can look different in bright outdoor light.
Do not rely on an old shop price when planning a purchase. The confirmation’s required item and amount are the relevant cost for the change you are about to save.
Check the scope and cost of a face edit
Reopening the editor does not necessarily mean every setting is free to save. Makeup and colour options can have different conditions from changes to facial structure. Make the desired edits in preview, then inspect the save confirmation for a required editing item or charge.
If you only wanted a new hairstyle, return to the hair slot rather than accepting an unnecessary facial edit. If you dislike a preview, cancel it before confirming. Save a reference image of your current look if you want a reliable comparison while experimenting.
If your appearance looks wrong after saving
- Check that the selected item was owned and applied, rather than only previewed.
- Check other equipped appearance slots for headwear or accessories covering the change.
- Compare the editor result with an outdoor view under neutral lighting.
- If an outfit changes between modes, inspect any saved or automatic appearance selections for those modes.
The January update added richer appearance previews, including open-world and cutscene views. Use those views when available before committing an item-consuming change.
Make and verify one small appearance change
- Take a reference image of the current look if you want to compare it later.
- Choose one owned item in the relevant appearance slot.
- Inspect the front, side and back of the preview.
- Check whether the apply or save action asks for an item or currency.
- Confirm the change you intended, then close the menu.
- Inspect the character in ordinary lighting and reopen Appearance to verify the selected slot.
Once that works, change another slot. Altering the outfit, hair, dye and face together makes it harder to identify which setting produced an unexpected result.
Read the confirmation before spending on the look
| Action | What to check |
|---|---|
| Equip an owned appearance | That the intended slot and item are selected. |
| Obtain a new appearance | Its acquisition route and the exact item or currency cost. |
| Save a dye choice | Required dye type, quantity and the colour being saved. |
| Save a face edit | Which changes are included and whether an editing item is required. |
A shop price for an outfit does not explain a dye cost, and an editing item does not unlock every catalogue appearance. Work from the confirmation for the action you are about to take.
A worked example: new hair colour is invisible
Suppose you save a hair colour but the character looks unchanged. First reopen the hair slot and confirm that the intended hairstyle and colour are applied. Then inspect headwear that may cover the hair and compare the result under ordinary outdoor lighting.
This separates an unapplied preview, a covered change and a lighting difference. Buying another dye before making those checks would not tell you which one caused the problem.
What to read next
Common questions
Does changing an outfit replace my combat equipment?
Cosmetic appearance and combat equipment are separate systems. Check the gear screen if you also intended to change attributes.
Is every appearance change free?
No. Owned outfit selection, dye use and structural face edits can have different costs. Read the save confirmation before spending an item.
Sources & verification
Source research is separate from in-game testing. Recommendations are identified as editorial advice.
- Official update: JAN8
Appearance preview improvements.