I don't know much, but I'm learning.

In all of my years writing a Mori focused blog, I have yet to make an introductory post to Mori kei. This is because until recently I just didn't feel the need to. There were already hundreds of blog posts about the subject, and they covered it pretty extensively. However, most Mori blogs are starting to shut down or become inactive, so I think now is a good time for me to compile everything in one place so that none of it is lost. So, without further ado, here is an introduction to Mori kei. History: Mori kei, first known as Mori Girl, was created around 2006 when a Japanese woman named Choco made a Mori girl community on Mixi (Mixi is similar to Facebook). There had been a few girls who had been wearing the style in Harajuku (the Japanese fashion district) before this, but Choco gave it an official name and created a  list  of rules for the style. These rules were a loose guideline, and not even the original Mori Girls followed them completely, but regardles...

Day 30: Describe your ideal ‘mori day.’ Morning: Wake up naturally to the sunlight filtering in through the curtains Have a homemade breakfast, and a cup of tea Read a chapter of a mori-esque book Go on a short morning walk and enjoy the natural scenery Afternoon: Ride a bike into town Visit some small shops and window shop (antique shops, thrift stores, bookstores, etc.) Eat lunch at a small, local cafe Sketch at a local park Evening: Return home for a homemade meal Sit by the fire and play an instrument Fall asleep with the window open to the sound of a light rain shower outside

Day 29: What other fashions are you interested in if any? I like a lot of alternative fashions, but I don't wear any others than Mori Kei. Dolly Kei is probably my second favorite alternative fashion. I really enjoy the aesthetic. I also like Cult Party Kei and Lagenlook. Those are all fashions that I might consider wearing in the future, but I just don't right now. I also have some alternative fashions that I appreciate, but I that I probably would never wear. Things like Lolita, and Gyaru. They're cute, they just aren't really my aesthetic.

Day 28: Has getting into mori girl changed your perspective on life or how you live at all? how so? Overall, I would say mori hasn't changed my life that much. It's obviously affected how I dress, and what types of clothing I enjoy and purchase. It has also somewhat influenced my decor choices, as I am now more drawn to natural decor than I was before. But other than that it hasn't changed much. Most of my interests have stayed the same, although some of them have expanded to include different, mori-esque version of themselves. For instance, I've always loved all kinds of music, but after getting into mori I started listening to mori music more. But none of my interests have completely changed since wearing mori. Before mori, I already lived a life that fits in pretty well with the mori aesthetic. I already loved nature, liked living simply, and enjoyed mori-esque crafts. I think this is the case for a lot of mori folk. We already liked mori things, we just didn...

Day 27: What’s your favorite fairy tale or myth? My favorite fairy tale is the 12 months. It was collected by the Brothers Grimm but was not created by them. It's been around for a long time, and its creation has been attributed to a lot of different cultures. The most commonly credited countries are Greece, Chezch Republic, Russia, and other Slavic countries. You can read one version of the story  here  if you'd like. It;s my favorite tale because it ends more realistically than most fairy tales. I won't spoil the ending, but just suffice it to say that the end doesn't see the heroine become a princess for no other reason then she was in the right place at the right time. The happy ending comes about because the heroine had to work for it. (Picture  Source ) Side note, as I was looking up information on this fairy tale, I found a trailer of a foreign film inspired by the 12 Months. It looks a bit cheesy, but also kind of cute. Unfortunately, I can't fi...

Day 26: When you’re out in nature, where do you often find yourself? (in the woods, a lake, river, etc. what’s your favorite spot? describe it for us!) I love all aspects of nature, but my favorite places to be are near rivers and in forests. My favorite spot in nature is a place at a natural park. It's near a river, in the middle of a nature preserve on a rugged trail. The spot is up above the river, about 100 feet in the air, and it's a large rock that you can climb. At the very top, there is a spot that is flat and overlooks both the forest and the river. My favorite time to visit the spot is in the fall when I can look out and see all of the beautiful colors there. Here are some pictures of that area, both my favorite spot and the trail leading up to it. This is probably my favorite picture I took. The river was lovely ❤️ A post shared by Kathryn Elaine (@forestsandtea) on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:48pm PDT #latergram A post shared by Kathryn Elaine (...

Day 25: What’s your favorite animal and why? It's not possible for me to pick only one animal, so I'm going to tell you about all of my favorite animals! 1) Western Hognose Snake They're derpy danger noodles with button noses. If that isn't reason enough to like them, they throw temper tantrums where they pretend to be dead , and it's hilarious. 2) Quokka These precious fur babies smile all the time, and just look so cuddly and precious. They're only in Australia though, so chances are I'll never get to see one. 3) Foxes They just have such precious personalities, and they're such beautiful creatures. I've always loved them, and, by the way, their noises are adorable.  4) Deer We see deer a lot in my area, and they've always been one of my favorites. They look so majestic, especially when I'm driving to school and I see them standing in the foggy fields. 5) Horses I love riding horses (although I'm n...

Day 24: Give us a mori girl inspired vignette! (a short, impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a particular insight into a character, idea, or setting) Don’t fret too hard over it, we’re not all writers by trade, haha. (I quite like the vignette I wrote last time around for this challenge, so I thought I'd repost it with some slight edits to improve it. I am by no means a fantastic writer, so please cut me some slack. I'm trying my best!) The forest had always been her solitude and her home. From a young age, it had called to her, beckoning her to join in its splendor. The tall, ancient trees always felt as if they were reaching their leafy hands out to her, wanting to entwine their twisted fingers with hers. The vast grounds, covered in absolute diversity, enchanted her. From soft grasses and beautiful wild flowers to tall weeds and rich green mosses, no bit of it was alike, but all of it was precious to her. It made her feel as if she, with her own ...

Day 23: Is your hair long or short? What’s your favorite hairstyle? My hair is currently long with shaved peekaboo in the back. I've been growing it out for around three years now, as I used to keep it very short. I like all kinds of hairstyles, but my favorite types of hairstyles are long wavy or curly hairstyles. I also like the natural looking bobs, but I don't think they look good on me personally. (Here's what my hair looks like up, when you can see the shaved part.) (Here's what my hair looks like down. It completely covers the shaved part and you can't even tell I have it.) Look at that. An unplanned photo of me that doesn't look horrendous. I'll be darned. (Photo courtesy of @abby_lefler ) A post shared by Kathryn Elaine (@forestsandtea) on Jul 2, 2017 at 12:58pm PDT

Day 22: What trends do you see taking the mori girl community by storm soon? There haven't been any mori trends in a long time, but there has been some discussion within the mori community lately about some things that people would like to see more often in mori, so I think that these types of things may catch on soon. 1) Cinched waists I've found that a lot of mori folk have been complaining that due to their body types they feel mori is unflattering on them. Some have begun to use belts and clothing with cinched waists to try and combat this. I think it's a cute look, so I'm excited to see what people will do with it. 2) Lighter layers This is mostly in the case of mori folk who live in warmer climates. They've found that it's almost impossible to wear the classic idea of mori, so they've had to somewhat modify mori to fit their daily lives. It still looks mori, but it's fewer layers, and sometimes uses lighter fabrics than normal. 3) Brigh...

Day 21: Where do you get most of your Mori clothes? I always tell people that 90% of my wardrobe is thrifted. And that's pretty close to the truth. I really enjoy thrifting because it's affordable and you can find some really unique pieces. However, if you want those truly classic mori pieces, then it's worth it to buy something from a brand of some sort. So when I want something like that, I purchase things from Aliexpress. I only have a handful of pieces from there though, as the majority of mori pieces made in Asia don't fit my body type, but the few I do have I really like. I also occasionally find good pieces here and there at regular stores. Places like the average department store, or Cracker Barrel, or other places like that. But again, that's only a few pieces here and there. The majority of my clothing still comes from thrift shops.

Day 20: How do you feel about the fairly prevalent use of fur in Mori Kei? I've already mentioned before that I hate the negativity that surrounds the fur debate, so please, let's not fight over this. Whether you agree or disagree with me here, that's fine. I'd love to hear your personal opinions on this, I've heard a lot of interesting viewpoints from people over the years, but I won't tolerate any nastiness towards one another. Just be nice, and be civil! My own personal feelings about the fur debate are that using fur is almost always not okay. I am okay with thrifted fur though. I know that some people feel wearing any kind of fur, thrift, new, or even fake, is supporting the negativity of the fur industry. However, I feel like if you find an old fur piece at the thrift store, then you are not actively supporting the negative practices of the fur industry, so it's fine for you to wear it. You are not promoting their brand, and they will get no mo...

Day 19: Are you inspired by your own culture? If so, how do you incorporate it? I'm not inspired by the current culture in my country, but I am most definitely inspired by women's fashion from the past. (I'm from the United States, just incase you weren't aware.) One period of history where the clothing really speaks to me is around the Revolutionary War/French and Indian War period, in the 1700s. I love the layers of skirts and the charming silhouettes. I re-enacted at a local event that was around this period for a little while, and I always felt extra feminine and beautiful when wearing the costumes. I'm also inspired by the traditional Cherokee Tear Dresses. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I have some Cherokee heritage, so I've always been interested in, and inspired by, their culture. The fashion of Pioneer Women also inspires me. Maybe it's because I grew up with Little House on the Prairie, but I just love t...