Let's talk about SPINN's ”Neo Mori”

You may or may not have heard various J-fashion influencers discussing a supposed up and coming fashion style, a remade version of mori known as "Neo Mori." I personally refuse to get a TikTok for many, many reasons (lol), so I was only recently alerted to the term by someone on the mori discord.

Looking at the information provided, I had a lot of thoughts. And knowing how the western J-fashion community likes to jump on new trends quicker than you can blink, this is likely to get a lot of coverage. So, let's get ahead of the curve and talk about it from the point of view of a mori girl who has been around in the fashion community for a long time now.

What is neo mori?

Let's start with the basics. Neo mori, also known as neo mori girl, is a term coined by the company SPINNS to describe a "modernized" version of mori fashion. According to SPINNS, and some other Japanese commentators/bloggers, the style incorporates the old feel of mori with more urban sensibilities. (What does that mean exactly? I'm honestly not sure. They haven't elaborated.) In short, it's meant to be a fresh new take on mori fashion. Hence "neo" in the name.

Images provided by SPINNS of Neo Mori Examples

As far as I can tell, it has no new rules, guidelines or anything of the sort. Similar to other modern "core" fashion trends, it seems to run on vibes alone. Definitely not an issue in and of itself, but it does make it difficult to pin down what exactly makes this style distinct from "old" mori.

The style also seems to have no central community hub. No groups, discords, forums, etc. Which isn't odd given the current state of the internet where such things have sadly fallen out of popularity. But it also does not seem to populate any particular hashtags either, on Instagram or TikTok, nor have much presence outside of brand posts. (And I am only talking about the Japanese side of things here. I have no idea what the state of this term is in the west, but since the term is supposed to be coming organically out of Japan, I don't think it is super relevant at this moment.)

To be honest, as I attempted to research this style, I don't really see a major difference between this style and "old" mori. There are of course some new modern influences I am seeing, like shorter skirts, modern cuts, etc., but many of these outfits would not look out of place in an old mori magazine or street snap. 

Classic mori outfit shots from 2009, the middle one wouldn't look out of place in Neo Mori articles

It is also important to add that mori has always been evolving with the times, so seeing "new" versions of the style do not automatically cause me to look for a new term or descriptor. Mori has always used "trendy" items, for example creepers or rocking horse shoes were often used in street snaps back in the 2010s when those things were super popular. 

A mori coordinate from 2018 using novelty socks, a huge trend for a moment in Harajuku

Mori inspired coordinates from 2012 with rocking horse shoes, and a more casual, modern feel

Who is wearing neo mori?

As I already mentioned, there does not seem to be a big community for this style online. Looking for organic content creators, populated hashtags, or informative posts not by brands or general fashion bloggers, turns up hardly anything at all. From what I can tell, this term is either so new that only 2 or 3 people have worn it and SPINNS was just really on top of reporting about new trends, or it is being pushed by brands solely.

I moved back from Japan earlier this year, so I admit am a little out of date on the current trends, but in my experience I never saw nor heard of this trend at all while there. In contrast, when the girly, pink and black fashion trend with the controversial name was popular, I saw it almost immediately, even in my tiny mountainside town in Okayama prefecture. So not seeing anything either in person or online about it does give me pause to its legitimacy as a grassroots movement.

I saw soooo many girls wearing this exact outfit in my tiny town

Of course, it could be that it really is a micro trend. Perhaps its only a small group in Harajuku or something that I don't know about. But, online at least, there isn't really any information I could find to support that.

So, where does it come from then, if there is no grassroots movement of people wearing it?

The term, as I've already said, was coined by SPINNS. I think its important to note that SPINNS is not a mori fashion community, or a group of fashion influencers, or anything like that. Instead, they are a regular fashion brand who have long sold various pieces catering to whatever j-fashion trend was in at the time. 

SPINNS storefront circa 2025

SPINNS 2020 collection

Even back in mori's heyday, SPINNS were selling various pieces out of their Harajuku shops to fashion communities. They're a well known name because of this, but again, they are not actually catered to, or informed by, the communities they sell to. They are simply a brand capitalizing on trends. In their own heyday, SPINNS was known in particular for pushing the very general "harajuku" style, that could apply to many styles and trends.

SPINNS 2013 Storefront

SPINNS 2012 Fashion Show

A store like Hot Topic, if you're from the USA, is a good example of this kind of shop. They might sell gothic pieces that absolutely fit your style! But the company making them are certainly not goths themselves and the items they sell may change rapidly reflecting the current trends. In short, they have goth items, but they are not a goth shop.

Hot Topic storefronts in various years

All this to say, this isn't necessarily a problem. After all, to some extent, any brand is going to be more focused on selling items than they are engaging in the subcultures they are trying to attract! And I would be lying if I said SPINNS pulled this style out of nowhere. They are pulling inspiration from existing trends. But again, when browsing Instagram tags, it is immediately apparent that this style is mainly brand driven. Any tags that show almost 80% brand images and only a few outfit shots here and there seems very much commercialized to me.

So, where does neo mori fashion actually come from?

The term neo mori is undoubtedly new, and the credit for it of course belongs to SPINNS. But the style they are claiming, whether we consider it different from mori or not, is actually a style that has been around for years. It is not new, and I can remember seeing a similar style as far back as 2019, if not farther back in street snaps.

One notable example is the account 0.25__h. I believe they are a Korean fashion influencer living in Japan, and I had been following them for quite a while back when I was still on Instagram. Their coordinates, in the exact style SPINNS coins neo mori, date back as far as 2023. However, they have long been using the usual mori tags and did not define their style as neo mori or any other new terms. As of 6 weeks ago, they account is still using the term mori girl, and does not use the neo mori label.

Post circa 2023

Post circa 2023

I have seen others wearing the style as well, but to be honest, I saw no need to save these images. They aren't my personal style of mori, but I did not register them as being anything except standard mori coordinates.

Do we need the term Neo Mori?

So the big question. Do we even need a new term like Neo Mori?

First, I know I have been somewhat harsh and analytical of this trend here. But I do want to say that if you like the term and feel like it perfectly defines you, then go for it. It does not hurt anyone to have a new term out there, and if it makes you happy, great! Don't let anyone stop you from using what fits you best!

But I do think that it is important to acknowledge that mori is still a fashion that exists, and "neo mori" isn't really anything new or groundbreaking. In fact, every neo mori coordinate I have seen fits easily under the umbrella of mori fashion without any glaring conflicts. And it fits perfectly with how mori has already been naturally evolving on its own without the influence of brands.

To me, neo mori feels similar to other micro styles that pop up and fade quickly on TikTok or elsewhere. These trends are often highly commercialized, made by capitalizing on an already existing fashion style and being used to aggressively sell you products and coerce you into buying from fast fashion brands. SPINNS may not be as fast fashion-y as some other brands, but this push of the term feels very, very similar to those tactics. It seems calculated and purposeful.

I think we should be careful not to engage in tactics like that. The hyper consumeristic, overconsumption mindset is very against the slow, purposeful mindset that is the spirit of mori. If you choose to embrace the term neo mori, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Make sure it represents you and your lifestyle. Don't buy into something just because it is trendy. And avoid overconsumption and buying new brand items just because it's the new thing or a random influencer tells you that you need it.

So to sum it all up, if you really resonate with the neo mori term and want to use it, go for it! But also know that mori is a large umbrella that fits many different variations of styles, and can grow and change with the times. It doesn't have to be "stagnant" or "old". As long as there are people around wearing and enjoying the style, it will stay fresh and relevant.

Until next time my deers!

Mori Challenge Day 1: Comfort Food

A while back I revamped the old Mori Challenge prompts! I wanted to wait to start them until I had finish art fight and the cringe prompts I was working on. Now that I've finished those, I'm ready to begin.

I will be completing Draw and Write this time around and compiling them into a single post for each prompt. I'll also be going at my own pace, finishing them as fast or as slow as I feel like! Follow along or join in if you like!

WRITE

Write about eating or preparing your favorite/a meaningful meal.

Cooking and baking have been really important to me since I was a child. Some of my earliest memories are helping my grandma prepare lunch in her kitchen, or baking Christmas sweets with my mom, or learning cooking skills with my dad. Almost everyone in my family bakes or cooks, at least in some capacity. 

Making food together with someone is a special way to build a relationship. You learn a lot about that person, their family, their culture, and more, from what kind of food they make.

I think one of my favorite memories is sharing a bit of American culture with my closest Japanese friend. I invited her over one Christmas to make gingerbread cookies together. It was so fun to prepare the dough together, watching Christmas movies while we worked. And later we spent hours cutting out the gingerbread cookies, baking them in tiny batches in my little Japanese toaster oven, and enjoying them freshly out of the oven. Not to mention the amazing smells gingerbread cookies fill your home with! Yum!

My mom always used a recipe similar to this one for Gingerbread Cutouts from Better Home and Gardens. Making them always makes me so nostalgic. 

If you've never tried Gingerbread before, I highly recommend it! It's one of my favorite childhood sweets.

DRAW

Draw a picture of/including your favorite foods and snacks.

Not mori at all, but my favorite snack is Jagariko's plum flavor. It's so good. 10/10. I miss it so much.

  

The Prompts

More Mori Challenge Posts! (Coming Soon)

Biblioethica Sept/Oct Prompt: Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

This month's prompt was a bit of a tricky one for me. The phrase "sugar, spice and everything nice" is something I know from my childhood, but upon looking it up I realized I actually know nothing about it.

Here's a brief history lesson on this old saying:

It comes from an old poem. "What Little Boys Are Made Of", likely first published in the 1800s. The exact meaning of it is uncertain, but historically over the years it was used to contrast what boys and girls are like, ie. boys are rambunctious and ambitious, and girls are soft and feminine. It's also used as an idiom to mean anything pleasant. It wasn't a phrase that was used much when I was growing up, at least not by my parents, but I can remember my grandmother using it once to say I should be more ladylike. (And there is a good argument to be made that this phrase and others like it echo similar sentiments to "boys will be boys", but perhaps that's a bit off topic.)

So how do we interpret the phrase when it comes to fashion? To be honest, I have no clue.

You could of course use it as a placeholder phrase for Halloween or fall fashion, since it kind of fits the theme. But I'm choosing instead to take a look at it in a bit of a different way. Instead, let's look at the sugar vs. spice versions of mori fashion.

Sugar: "Traditional Mori"

The "sugar" version of mori, or its traditional form, is still my personal favorite. Think early magazines and street snaps, with the white flowing dresses, asymmetrical layers, knit accessories, and more. The classic mori look is what is most recognizable, and the most common photos you find when you google the style.

Classic mori features more beige, creme, and brown colors. Although pops of natural colors have existed since its early creation. It also features a lot of layers, knit and other natural fabrics, sweaters, scarves, and shawls. Common shoes are practical, leather looking shoes.

 

"Sugar" mori, to me, is the "mainstream" version of mori fashion. It's the kind of outfit you first make when you get into mori. It's the first images you might see online. It's the most plentiful version for sure. And there is nothing wrong with that! It's classic for a reason. But sometimes, it can be a little fun to spice things up!

Spice: Trying something new!

Variations

One easy version of adding "spice" to your mori outfits is to try out mori variations and sister styles! I've talked about all of these in depth on this blog, but there is no shortage of options here, like:

Yama Kei

Hama Kei

Dark Mori

Mori Boy

And more! There are so many options for spicing up your wardrobe that have a lot of images out there already to use for variation. 

Adding Extra Spice

But what about those of us who really want to spice it up even more? What are some new, or less used ideas we can try? 

The possibilities here truly are endless, but here are a few I wish we would see around more!

OTT Mori

(Source: Deer-Lightful Forest)

This term comes from the EGL community, and means "over the top". It's often used to describe outfits that include aspects you wouldn't see in daily life. 

For mori, this might mean using bold makeup styles, wearing loud accessories like dear antlers or faun hoove shoes, or adding an extreme number of layers. Anything bold and over the top will do! Experiment and have fun trying something new that you might see at a convention or on a runway!

Short Skirts

Generally, mori is a conservative style. But it doesn't always have to be! Swap out that long skirt for a short one, or even shorts, and try a new look! Mori gyaru coordinates can be a great inspiration for this kind of look as well.

New colors

I don't have any good pictures for this one, but a fun addition could be adding some bright colors to your outfit. Try a new color to you that you don't usually wear, or add in a color you might never see in mori to create an entirely new look! 

New crossover styles 

Create a new version of mori! Cross over the style with another J-fashion style you enjoy. Make mori decora, or girly mori! You could also combine a western fashion style with mori kei, or traditional fashion from your culture with it, or more! Make something entirely new and unique to you.

Old crossover suggestions

Another fun suggestion is making some of the "almost fashion" mori variations come true! Try out desert mori, or numa girl! Or even make a new version of mori inspired by another aspect of nature.

Mori is a broad umbrella term for a wonderful community with so much variety and potential for creativity. Whether you wear sugar or spice mori, I hope everyone can find a version of mori that they enjoy and create outfits that bring you happiness! 

Until next time, my deers!

My Mori Origins: How I First Discovered Mori Kei

Something I always find fascinating is hearing how members of the mori community first found the fashion. What made them fall in love with it for the first time? How did they discover it in the first place? What was the first photo they saw? Or the first one that really made them want to try mori out for themselves?

I've talked a few times on this blog about my own mori origins, but in bits and pieces here and there. So, today, I thought it would be fun to tell the story from its beginning. So, here is how I first discovered mori!

It began with Japan...

If we truly want to start from the beginning, I think it's important to know about my love for Japan. To be honest, despite the fact that people ask me this constantly, I can't really tell you how this interest started. It was something I always felt, this deep interest in Japanese language and culture. Maybe it was that first time I saw Sailor Moon or Hamtaro on the TV as a kid, or perhaps it was my first Japanese friend who was so kind and sweet that I will never forget her. Who truly knows. But regardless, I have loved Japanese things for many, many years. (For those who don't know, I even ended up living there for a time! But that is another story.)

Like many people who love Japan, I stumbled across lolita/EGL fashion by chance. At the time, I fell in love with the frilly dresses and the cute silhouette. I was enraptured. I reblogged and saved pictures of EGL dresses anytime I could, and cried inside every time I looked at the price tag on my dream dresses.

It was that knowledge, that a broke middle schooler could never afford an EGL dress, that drove me to my first interaction with mori.

The Google Search

One late summer day in high school, I was doing the usual browse of EGL dresses and my daily regret that I would never own them, when it suddenly hit me. EGL fashion was always referred to with the label "J-fashion". Did that mean there were other styles out there? 

I got so excited at the prospect of another fashion style that I could more easily replicate. I googled J-fashion immediately and came across a list of names. Slowly, I googled each one. Decora, too over the top for my tastes. Visual Kei, too many dark colors for me personally. Gyaru, no way I was ever going to be comfortable wearing skirts that short. 

I got a bit discouraged for a bit. All of these were cute on the models but they didn't feel like me. I googled the next name, mori girl, and it was instant love.

I can still remember the feeling as I took in the very first mori image I had ever seen. It was this one right here. Not exactly the best representation of mori, but very representative of mori in the 2010s. I was hooked.

The silhouette, the color palettes, the imagery of nature which had been a huge part of my life since childhood, all of it was so very, very me.

I remember having this deep, visceral reaction. In a matter of seconds, it was like my soul had re-aligned itself. At the risk of sounding overdramatic, it was almost like a spiritual connection. I was a mori girl. And that was the style I wanted to wear for the rest of my life.

At this point in my life, I didn't have any friends who wore alt fashion. The only person I knew interested in fashion at all was my mom. 

My mom is awesome, by the way. She's always been my cheerleader in everything, but especially expressing myself through clothes and hair. She was a model and fashionista growing up, so she was the reason I had a pink streak in my hair as a child. She helped me dye it herself and shooed off my poor confused dad who couldn't understand why on earth I would want to do that to my head. She never laughed or teased when I tried weird clothes to be fashionable as a middle schooler. Granted, I failed, as knee high converse with Bermuda shorts or lace up elbow length gloves with t-shirts isn't really the vibe. But she always praised me for expressing myself.

Anyways, back to the story at hand. Immediately after deciding mori was for me, I ran and told my mom about it. After showing her a few pictures, she was just as all in as I was, and we made plans for how to start building my mori wardrobe.

The Thrift Trip

My mom is a passionate thrifter. She didn't grow up with much, so she learned the art of finding great deals for anything and everything. As a child I regularly visited thrift stores with her instead of mainstream stores for my clothes. So I'm also a regular thrifter.

The two of us hit up the local thrift store with a passion. We browsed every aisle, threw so many things into the cart, and frankly made some strange thrift choices, but left with a small but cute mori wardrobe.

I took everything home and laid it out excitedly, only to realize my first problem: I had no idea how to put together a coordinate. Thankfully, my mom came to the rescue, coaching me through it and suggesting different combination. By the end of our little session I had my first coordinate planned. Now I just needed somewhere to wear it.

The First Coord

My first coord was, honestly, not so bad. I only realized now as I was putting this post together that it actually matched the vibes of the first mori coordinate I ever saw very well.

I've posted about it before in detail on this blog, but it consisted of a sleeveless denim dress, a brown undershirt, white underskirt, brown tights and shoes, a creme shawl, a basket I decorated with lace myself from the thrift store, and a few random accessories.

It looks pretty good for a first coordinate, but it wasn't without its issues. The skirt and dress hems didn't match so I rolled up the skirt to shorten it, causing the hem to be uneven. The dress pockets needed ironing and turned up at the edges. The shawl was actually a crochet lace tablecloth that was not big enough to be a shawl and kept falling off my shoulders. The basket was a bit rough and kept snagging on my clothes.

All of those things are true, but at the time, I didn't care about any of it. I felt so cute, at home in my clothes for the first time, and nothing could bring down my mood!

Old instagram photos of my first coordinate and the DIY basket!

I wore the coord out for a family function. My extended family was visiting from out of town, and we were going out to dinner as a group. A perfect time for a high schooler like me to wear out a nice outfit.

My uncle's wife at the time was a very modern, fashionable lady. She was nice enough about it but questioned what exactly I was wearing, and gave me some weird looks. My grandma, who always loved vintage fashion, gave me lots of compliments. And everyone else just kind of ignored it (fair enough). But I didn't care. I was far too happy to be bothered by what anyone thought. 

I guess that brings me back to something I hear a lot of mori folk say. Many of us talk about how wearing or seeing mori for the first time feels natural. It feels like coming home. It feels like something we always felt, or maybe even wore, before we knew it had a name. The same is true for me. Embracing mori fully was easy, because it matched the things I had always felt. It gave me a way to express a bit of myself that I never could before.

Today, I wear mori less due to a number of factors, but the original mori look I was drawn to is still what I love. I still feel that thrill of happiness when I throw on an outfit. It still feels like coming home.

So how about you? What was your first coordinate like? When did you first find mori fashion? I would love to read all about how you fell in love with mori for the first time. Until next time, my deers!

Japanese Mori Musicians: A Newbie's Guide

Today I want to talk about my favorite thing: music!

Like every subculture, people who enjoy mori fashion have always looked for music and musicians that fit the unique feel that mori fashion gives. There are many individual artists, songs, and albums from around the world that fit (and many amazing playlists to listen to!), but a few mori musicians are particularly notable. Here are a few of my personal favorites!

Actual Mori/Natural Kei Musicians

Popoyans

Popoyans is perhaps the most popular mori music group. The duo, cheru and non, wore mori style and even appeared in mori magazines. Their music is a soft folk style, using guitar, harmonizing natural vocals, and glockenspiel to create a unique sound. The duo created two albums together, Zoo and 祝日 (Shukujitsu), and performed until the early 2010s, Their last concert on their archived website appears to be from around 2014 and their website went down in around 2020. I've not been able to find much info on what they went on to do after this, sadly.

You can't find their music on streaming services, but a lot of it is still up on youtube to browse.

• Archived Website
• My Recommended Songs: おとしもの (Otoshimono), 湖 (Mizuumi), 星になりたい (Hoshi ni naritai), Little Little Little Pixie

Ichiko Aoba

Ichiko Aoba is a solo musician. She has worn mori adjacent styles, and still does even to this day, focusing a lot of her music and visuals on a forest-y feel. Her soft and folksy music focuses mainly around her fantastic guitar skills. She is still active and continues to release amazing music, and is growing in popularity even now.

• Official English Website
• My Recommended Songs: レースのむこう (Re-su no mukou), bouquet, いきのくり・ぼくら (Ikinokuri bokura), ひかりのふるさと (Hikari no furusato)

YeYe

YeYe is an amazing musician who originally self produced her own album! She has often worn mori adjacent fashion throughout her musical career. Her upbeat folk style never fails to bring a smile to my face!

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Take us to Lithuania (live version), ゆらゆら (Yura yura), 暮らし (Kurashi), morning

Sachie Hiraga

Sachie Hiraga is a musician who wore natural-esque fashion. She wasn't a mori girl per-say, but her overall vibe fits very well into mori kei. She not as active these days, but is still around making music. Her style is very charming and has a homegrown, stripped down vibe.

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: 江の島 (Enoshima), 青い車 (Aoi Kuruma), 雨の日 (Ame no hi)

Kokia

Kokia (sometimes styled as all caps KOKIA) is an absolute gem. Her music is not only beautiful, but her performing style is so amazing. She was pretty well known for a while even outside of mori circles. Her style is also very mori-like. Her musical style is less folk than most mori musicians, with a more orchestral, natural, and fantasy vibe. She is still actively making music, and unlike other artists her music and style have retained the same feel throughout the years.

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: The entire album "Fairy Dance ~KOKIA meets Ireland~", Chouwa Oto ~with reflection~, ありがとう (Arigatou), For Little Tail

Bonus!

A few extras I like! These singers didn't necessarily wear mori, but their music gives major mori vibes!

Mori Sound

Kotoringo

Kotoringo is, in my opinion, the quintessential mori sound! Soft, folksy, cute, they have it all! I can never recommend their music enough.

• Official Website (Not Https so you will get a warning), Archived Link
• My Recommended Songs: 悲しくてやりきれない (Kanashikute yarikirenai), おいでよ (Oide yo), 漂う感情 (Tadayou Kanjou)

Gutevolk

Gutevolk is another folk singer that got a little recognition for her fun vibes, but not enough in my opinion. She does a great job of pairing a folk vibe with more experimental ideas and sounds that really keep things interesting.

• Official English Website
• My Recommended Songs: Picnic, Horizonto, sora

Tenniscoats

An absolute hidden gem of a duo. The fact that they never got more popular makes me so sad. I love their unique sound and the way they play off of each other when performing live. It makes me feel like I just stepped into a forest and the sunlight is shining through the leaves! Such a peaceful vibe. They are still active to this day so I highly recommend checking them out!

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Baibaba Bimba (live), Iso Phase (live), 光光ランド (Kou-kou land)
• Bonus! Ichiko Aoba actually covered one of their songs once!

Tricolor

Tricolor has long been one of my all time favorite groups. They are a mostly instrumental trio, playing original songs and Irish folk tunes. They play so many instruments, and do so fabulously. I was so lucky to have the chance to see them live before I left Japan, and it is one of my most treasured memories.

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Anniversary, Sing Bird, Darjeeling, Letter from Barcelona, 気分（ひとりで）Kibun (Hitori de)

Mori Girls

MEG

Do you know MEG? She was a popular model who appeared in a lot of mori photoshoots and magazines! But did you know she had a music career? Her music isn't very mori, more traditional Japanese pop, but it's still fun to listen to!

• My Recommended Songs: Precious, Heart

Mori Ocarina Girl

This isn't really an established musician, but I feel like every mori person should see this mori girl in Shinjuku rocking out on the ocarina at least once their life. She's mori goals, honestly.

• Find the video on youtube here

Popular with Mori Folk

Cecile Corbel

Cecile Corbel is not Japanese, she's French. But she was incredibly popular for a time in Japan. Her music was even featured in Ghibli movies! Her musical style is a mix of traditional folk songs and fantasy vibes. Definitely a must listen for mori folk!

• Official Website
• My Recommended Songs: Arietty's Song, Sweet Song, Brian Boru, Three Ravens

Who is your favorite mori musician? Have you heard of any of these musicians before? I'd love to hear your mori music recommendations in the comments. Until next time, my deers!