Day 4: How does where you live influence your expression of mori kei?
I'm from the United States originally, so when I've responded to this kind of comment in the past it's always been about my home country. But these days I'm living and working in Japan. Not forever, but for the time being. So the influences look a little different now.
Overall, Japan has a very distinct aesthetic that extends to all areas of life. There's no better way to explain it than "put together" I suppose. Japanese people always try to look nice, no matter what they wear or where they go. This has influenced me to often be more put together as well.
Other influences that I've picked up are wearing more neutrals and fewer prints, something that is super common here. I've also picked up the silhouette of feminine styles here, which tends to be longer skirts and more shapeless clothing.
It helps to be a foreigner here who fits in fashion-wise. I find that when I wear more standard Japanese-type clothing, I get stared at less, have better interactions with people, and fewer people walk the other way when they see me in the grocery store. I'm sure this is different for people who live in Tokyo, but in the countryside "othering" of foreigners is still a major thing that happens. I don't think it's necessarily on purpose or malicious, a lot of people just never interact with or see foreigners. But it helps to fit in a bit whenever I can.
The sad side of this means I've worn mori less since I moved here. It's easier to wear more toned-down mori outfits or simple outfits that make me not stand out. I'm trying to push myself more and wear the things that make me happy more often. Hopefully, I will have more chances to wear it this year.
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