Thursday, August 31, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 14

Day 14: Do you like to coordinate the colors in your outfits to match the seasons? What colors do you think are most appropriate for each season, and why, if you'd like to explain?

I used to try and incorporate seasonal colors, but now I just wear what makes me happy. I used to be one of those super coordinated people who was all about planning my outfits in advance and putting meaning into every bit of it. Nowadays I just get up for classes, and I'm usually so tired that all I can think about is 1) what piece makes me happy today, 2) is it practical for what I'm doing today, and 3) is it comfy. If it doesn't fit in those three categories, then I'm not gonna wear it. And if it does, color or "seasonal appropriate-ness" doesn't matter to me.

Obviously, seasonal colors are a thing for some people, and that's perfectly fine with me. But personally, I don't buy into different colors and patterns being only appropriate for some seasons. For instance, I wear white all year round, so the "no white after labor day" rule is kind of dumb to me. But it's all about what you like personally. So really, whatever makes you happy, you should wear that!


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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 13

Day 13: What films, if any, inspire your Mori look and life?

I'm not a big fan of movies in general, so I don't know of many mori-esque movies. However, there are a few films that inspire me.

1) Miss Potter

I absolutely adore this movie. I almost didn't watch it because I thought it looked boring, but it turned out to be an absolutely charming portrait of the amazing life of Beatrix Potter, who was herself very mori. It's filmed in the countryside where Miss Potter made her home, and has some amazing scenery, along with the beautiful visuals of her art.



2) Sense and Sensibility (the 1995 version)

I'm not a huge fan of Austin's novels, nor the movie adaptations of them, but Sense and Sensibility is one exception to this. I find the characters in the movie adaptation to be extra charming, funny, and lovable. The story is sweet and the visuals are breathtaking. The English countryside is gorgeous, and to boot, their outfits are stunning. (I especially love all of their straw hats.)



3) Secret Garden (the Hallmark version)

There are a lot of adaptations of the novel The Secret Garden, but none have held a candle to the charming Hallmark adaptation. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I've always loved the visuals and the way the characters came alive in this version. Their version of Dicken was always my favorite as well. He's a true mori boy! Although the ending deviates quite a bit from the original novel, which is quite a shame, it still remains one of my favorite films to this day.


4) Pollyanna

I'm a big fan of old Hailey Mills movies and Pollyanna is no exception. The story is sweet and inspiring, the visuals are charming (especially Pollyanna's gorgeous dresses), and I never fail to finish this movie without a smile on my face. It's a must see in my opinion. I'd also recommend Summer Magic and Moonspinners for more good mori-esque Hailey Mills films.


What are some of your favorite mori movies? I'd love to hear your recommendations!


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Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Outfit Catch Up!



A few more outfits for you all again! I'm trying to get them together quickly so that they're less massive posts. But anyways, have some summer outfits! I hope you enjoy!



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A post shared by Kathryn Elaine (@forestsandtea) on


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Mori Girl Challenge: Day 12

Day 12: Name 5 Mori style hobbies!

 I already mentioned a few mori hobbies for this challenge already, but I'll go ahead and try to mention a few more.

1) Photography


2) Sewing or Embroidery


3) Mushroom Hunting


4) Exploring small shops (antique shops, book stores, cafes, etc.)


5) Reading


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Monday, August 28, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 11

Day 11: Name 5 of your favorite Mori style songs or musicians, even if they're not explicitly "Mori".

1) My all-time favorite mori musicians are Popoyans. Their music is just so soft, and magical. It never gets old. I recommend either of their two albums.


(This song is entitled Hoshininaritai.)


2) Another one of my favorite mori musicians is Ichiko Aoba. Her sound is so relaxing and almost ethereal. My favorite of her songs is Hikari no Furusato.


3) One of my favorite mori-esque songs is Honey Jars by Bryan John Appleby. I have never heard any of his other music, and the song's lyrics are a bit sad, but musically it's wonderful. I just can't ever seem to hear it enough, and it never fails to relax me.



4) Another one of my favorite musicians is Jean Ritchie. Her music isn't strictly mori, but she is a folk musician who sings very mori like music. I absolutely love her album Mountain Hearth and Home, and I'd recommend listening to this album to get a good overview of her music.


(This song is entitled Black Waters, and is an original piece about mountaintop removal in the Smoky Mountains.)

5) Last but not least, another one of my favorite musicians is Gungor. They're newer albums are not very mori (although I love them as well), but their first two albums, Beautiful Things and Ghosts Upon the Earth, both have a very mori feel. A few of their newer songs, such as I Am Mountain and Light, also have a mori feel to them, so I'd recommend checking them out too if you like their sound.


(This song is entitled The Earth is Yours.)


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Sunday, August 27, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 10

Day 10: What are your favorite books? Do you think they are Mori or not?

 I'm an avid reader, so I have a lot of favorite books and book series. For the sake of time, I'll just talk about three here.

1) The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien

This series is somewhat mori-esque, as it focuses on a lot of natural themes. But I really just like it for the extensive world building, adventure, and the fantasy elements. The fact that some of its themes are mori is kind of just a nice side element.

2) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

This book isn't very mori at all. It's a bit of thriller/mystery novel, and the only thing mori about it would probably be a few scenes where they describe the local foliage. All the same, it's an amazing book, and one of my all time favorites.

3) The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

This series is definitely mori-esque. The themes are very nature focused, quaint, and homey. The fantasy elements are great too, and also often focus on natural elements as well. I'd definitely recommend them as a good mori read.


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Saturday, August 26, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 9

Day 9: List 10 words that remind you of Mori or inspire your Mori life.

1) Forests

2) Cozy

3) Lace

4) Deer

5) Wanderer

6) Tea

7) Confidence

8) Soft

9) Sweaters

10) Home

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Friday, August 25, 2017

Instagram Spotlight: fenyomag + nightinrosette + rairai_ws

Today I have another instagram spotlight for you my deers! The accounts I want to mention today are fenyomag, nightinrosette, and rairai_ws.

The largest account I want to highlight today is fenyomag. She is a lovely illustrator and designer, and her feed is filled with lovely nature images. Her illustrations are also so lovely, and feel super cozy. Her account is one of my all time favorites!







The second account for today is nighinrosette. This lovely deer is a fellow mori girl, who also dresses in other cute Japanese fashions. Her feed is filled with lovely, pastel themed photos of letters, tea cups, flowers, and other lovely things. Plus she's an absolute sweetheart, and her coordinates are always perfect!

[2月 14日] - Hello everyone! Long time no see! Today I finally had enough time to take new outfit photos which makes me feel that I’ve really moved forward and wake up form the long sleep. I sucessfully passed mid-term exam session and finally regained enough strength to fullfil myself in hobbies. (*´▽｀*) I also noticed that my mori and natural kei style have changed a bit. It’s much more elegant and mature now but also simple and girly. Nowadays I don’t like wearing much layers and miss colours and prints so I’m happy that I finally coordinated my Miss Point skirt with rosy print. Maybe this outfit is much closer to otome kei than natural or mori kei but I like how both of the styles get along with themselves. I tried to get ispiration from Valentines Day and make outfit in matching aesthetic so I hope you like it! ♡ { #morigirl #morikei #otomekei #lolitafashion #lolita #countrylolita #森女 #森ガール #大人かわいい #naturalkei #sm2 #samansamos2 #japanesefashion #jfashion #japanesestreetfashion #pastel #shabbychic #kawaii #pale #vintage #lace #dolly #angelic #hazy #dreamy }
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The last account for today is rairai_ws. This account belongs to a lovely Japanese lady, who makes some absolutely amazing embroidary pieces. In addition, she often posts some lovely natural themed photos.


『装う刺繍 身につける刺繍』展 終了しました。 初めての東京での展示に不安もありましたが とても沢山の方が足を運んでくださり、温かいお言葉をいっぱいかけていただいて、すごく幸せな一週間でした。 また、お世話になったギャラリー・ドゥ・ディマンシュの皆さんもとても親切にしてくださり、 憧れていた場所で開催出来てとても良かったです。 本当にありがとうございました。 ・ ゆっくりお話できなかった方もおられましたが、お会いできた方お一人お一人からいただいた感想が、私にとってかけがえのない宝物のように感じています。 迷いながらも自分が良いと信じて進んできた道が間違ってなかったのかなって、 これからもその道を進んでいく勇気と自信をいただいた気持ちです。 ・ 期間中、たくさんインスタグラムやメールなどを通してコメントやメッセージをいただいています。また、#装う刺繍身につける刺繍展 などでご紹介下さった投稿もとても嬉しく拝見しています。 少しずつお返事させてください。 よろしくお願いします。 ・ ・ 写真は初日オープン前に撮った会場の様子です。かなり自分で撮っていた方向に偏りがあることに気づきました。。もっと掲載作品の展示のほうとか、全体的に写真を残しておけば良かったなぁ。
A post shared by Rairai (@rairai_ws) on

A post shared by Rairai (@rairai_ws) on




I hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures I've shared here from these lovely accounts, and I hope you've found someone new here to fill your feed with lovely mori things!



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Mori Girl Challenge: Day 8

Day 8: What is your favorite type of plant life? Whether it be tree, bush, flower, fruit or vegetable, why is it so special to you?

I have two favorite types of plants, although I love all natural things. My first favorite plant is daisies. I love them because in my childhood they were everywhere at my house. My mom planted a ton of them in our flower beds, and the sight of them always make me nostalgic. Also, one of my favorite movies as a child was Alice and Wonderland, the Disney version, and the scene where Alice lied down in the daisies was always my favorite.


My other favorite plant is lavender. I love it because it's my favorite color and it has a lovely smell.



These two flowers have been my favorite since I was very young, and I think they'll probably always be my favorite. They have a special place in my heart.


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Thursday, August 24, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 7

Day 7: Are you also into Lolita? I find a lot of Mori Girls do Lolita as well! Whether you are or aren't a Lolita, why do you think this is?

I'm not into lolita at the moment, but I used to really like it. I used to be more into the overly cute aesthetic, which fit lolita very well. I even bought two dresses, thinking I wanted to become a lolita. Nowadays it doesn't really appeal to me because my tastes have changed. In addition, I found that I didn't really like the community. Even though there are some really nice lolitas out there, there's just too much negativity and drama for me. Also, lolita just costs too much money for me to afford, and it doesn't really work as a daily fashion for me personally. I couldn't justify paying for expensive dresses that I'd probably only wear twice a year.

I think other mori folk also wear lolita because of some of the similarities in aesthetic. Variations of lolita, like classic, can have natural colors and lace like mori kei, but mori is much cheaper than lolita and can be much more practical for day-to-day situations. I think that appeals to those who are into lolita, and I think some of them use it as their daily style for those reasons.


Do you wear, or used to wear, lolita in addition to mori kei? Why did it appeal to you personally? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 6

Day 6: What sort of things, outside of fashion, do you consider to be a part of a Mori lifestyle?

I've made two posts over the years about mori lifestyle. In the beginning, I truly believed that there was a mori lifestyle, and I was one of those people that thought you had to live the lifestyle to truly be Mori. Granted, my ideas on the lifestyle were pretty minimal (meaning I didn't have many requirements), but the older I've grown, and the longer I've been in the community, the more I've come to believe there isn't really a mori lifestyle. That being said, I do think there are some hobbies that go along well with the aesthetic and the style. So I'll mention some of those.

  • Hiking or nature walks: Mori folk usually love nature and natural things, so I've found most enjoy either hiking or just taking walks outside and enjoying the natural scenery.
  • Flower picking: Similar to nature walks, a lot of mori folk seem to enjoy picking flowers, either to wear in their hair, display in their room, or just to smell and enjoy.
  • Gardening: Another nature related hobby, similar to the first two. I've met a lot of mori folk who enjoy working in the earth with their own hands.
  • Knitting or crocheting: It makes sense that with all of the knit and crochet items that mori folk wear, that many would be interested in learning to make their clothing themselves. I've noticed quite a few mori folk seem to dabble in this hobby.

What other hobbies have you noticed mori folk participating in? I'd love to hear your thoughts.


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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Mori Girl Challenge: Day 5

Day 5: Name 5 things you dislike about Mori.

1) The negativity that surrounds the fur debate. It's ridiculous how passionate people used to get about this on both sides of the equation, and how nasty they would be to those who didn't agree with them a hundred percent. It's cooled down in recent years, but I saw so many people that were deeply hurt by other Mori folk over this debate.


2) This one is hard to define, but those people who will call themselves Mori but are definitely not. And by this, I don't mean people who feel they can't wear the style but still want to be a part of the community. Those people are cool. They know what Mori is, and they've done their research so they can contribute to the community even if they don't wear it personally. I mean the people who tag unrelated content as Mori Kei and don't ever engage in the aesthetic or fashion. Like, you're not Mori, and you obviously don't know anything about it or you wouldn't tag your content with Mori Kei. I think they just see it and think it has to do with trees or dresses or something. It's way more than that. Please do research before you start claiming you are something.


3) Elitists in the community who think they and they alone know what Mori is. There are those who focus on the fashion aspect and those who focus on the lifestyle aspect, but they all are just super nasty and tend to harass those who don't agree with them. Fortunately, in my experience, they've been few and far between. They're still the worst though. I may have ranted a bit about one of these people in the past... I got a little salty. ;)


4) The shrinking community. There was already only a very small amount of Mori folk when I joined the community, and that was toward the end of its popularity in Japan. However, nowadays, it seems like even that small number is shrinking, which is sad. I wish there was some way to grow the community again. There is still a handful of us active in the style, so at least we can keep it alive.


5) I can't think of anything else. I just really love Mori Kei ^^


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Monday, August 21, 2017

Mori Kei things I Don't (And Probably Won't) Talk About

I get a lot of requests for advice and information on different Mori Kei topics, and I love that. I enjoy helping out other Mori folk whenever I can! However, there are a few Mori topics that I choose not to talk about. Some are good topics that I just don't feel like I can contribute to, and others are negative topics I refuse to feed into. So I want to put all in one place Mori things I have no plans on talking about, just so I can address them for those who have been asking.

1) Mori Boy fashion.

I am a girl, and I wear girly fashion, so I have absolutely no experience in this area. So for me to talk about this, I would literally just be pulling the information out of nowhere. I know there are not many resources for Mori Boys out there, and I don't know of any that I can share. The only advice I can give is the same I give all types of Mori folk. Look up pictures of outfits (pinterest is a great resource), study how the coordinates work for yourself, look for clothes at thrift shops, and don't let the lack of coordinates and information scare you! If you don't start wearing the fashion and creating it yourself, then there never will be any resources.

 2) Mori for different body types.

The reasons I don't talk about this are similar to Mori Boy. I have a fairly average body type, so I don't really have to deal with any issues I hear other people talk about. I just don't have any experiences to weigh in on, nor any advice to give. Again, it will just take you figuring it out for yourself, seeing what works for your specific body type, and what you feel the best in.

3) Mori for different ethnicities, or skin tones.

This one is pretty simple to explain. I only have one skin tone and ethnicity, so I can't really share about anything else. But I should go on record saying that anyone, of any ethnicity or skin tone, can wear Mori in every capacity. Don't let the ridiculous amounts of Japanese models throw you off! Anyone can wear the style and look great!

4) Where to buy Mori clothes online.

I thrift 80% of my wardrobe, and everything I don't thrift is found either at regular clothing stores, Cracker Barrel (great place for Mori Girl clothing by the way), or aliexpress. Aliexpress may be online, but all I do in that case is just search the words 'Mori Kei', and see what comes up. I have no experience of buying from taobao, or other online mori stores, and I have no idea what store you should visit or where the best places to buy clothes are. I made a post a long time ago about some online stores that you can check out if you want (again I have no experiences personally with any of them), but I don't have any plans to talk about anything similar anytime soon.

5) Mori Lifestyle ideas.

This is a more neutral topic. I've made multiple posts over the years about my changing viewpoints on the Mori Lifestyle, but at this point I don't really think there is one. I have no problem with people who do, I just personally don't.

6) Bashing any person's interpretation of Mori Kei (even if I don't like it or don't agree with it).

This should be self explanatory, and I will never touch on this topic. I want to be a positive, kind place for all Mori Folk. I love how different everyone in the community is, and I love seeing how each person interprets the style for themselves. I'd hate it if everyone thought exactly like me when it comes to Mori. I much prefer the diversity. I may make critical analysis if I ever find something I vehemently disagree with (although I don't find that very likely to happen), but I will never be nasty or cruel or put someone down.

For all of these topics, except the last one of course, I suggest that if you want to see more content related to them, you should create them yourself! :) I'd personally love to see more people talking about some of these things more, but as long as people sit there waiting for someone else to do it, it will never get done. If you have ideas or experience, share it with the community! If you don't, maybe you can be the first to make it happen! I hope to see more Mori folk sharing what they know with others, and trying new things. If you do ever share about these topics, let me know! I'd love to be able to use my little corner of the internet to help share your ideas!


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Mori Girl Challenge: Day 4

Day 4: Name 5 things you love about Mori.

1) The cozy feeling I get whenever I put on an outfit. It feels like coming home.



2) The emphasis on nature. From fabrics, to silhouette, to aesthetic. I just love how nature is so ingrained in the style.


3) The fact that I can wear yards and yards of lace, and that's okay. Like, nobody questions it, because it's just how Mori Kei is.


4) The versatility of the style. There are coordinates I've worn that are so over-the-top that I felt like a literal forest fairy who just jumped out of a fairy tale, and then there are practical coordinates that I've worn hiking or working. And both of these coordinates, and anything in between, are still considered Mori Kei.


5) The community. It's grown smaller and smaller over the years, and many people have come and gone, but I've met some truly amazing people through Mori Kei, and I'm so very grateful for it. Know that any of you, from those I've had extensive conversations with, to those who have only commented once or twice, have made a major impact on me. I'm glad I've met every single one of you, my deers.



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