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

Day 22: Are you inspired by your own culture or other countries/cultures than Japan? If so, how do you incorporate them into your mori style? I'm a history teacher by trade, and I have a soft spot for historical American fashion. As awful as American history can be, there are some wonderful fashion styles from the past. Here are a few of my favorite styles. Mid 1700s Fashion: I love the aprons, the neck scarves the layers. So charming. (1) (2) Victorian Era Children's Pinafores: There's something so charming about the look of a pinafore. I love the silhouette.  (1) (2) Historical Praire Dresses: I love the simple silhouette. And the often small floral prints people use, especially in recreation/reimagined styles, is also charming. (1) (2) How about you? Are you influenced by any historical fashion?

Day 21: Are you interested in Japanese culture? If so, how has it impacted mori kei for you? I'm pretty sure everyone knows I am interested in Japanese culture, seeing as I live in Japan! But I don't think it has particularly impacted how I view or wear mori. I do tend to enjoy styles that are somewhat more Japanese, but that has more to do with personal fashion tastes than anything. If I had to say something it has impacted, it might be the type of mori I prefer, which tends to be classic styles from magazines and street snaps? But overall, I don't think it has had much of an impact on my fashion choices. How about you? Are you interested in Japan and Japanese culture?

Day 20: Make a mood board or photo collage of images that inspire your mori style and life! You can include fashion, lifestyle, or anything else you like. Photo Sources (1)   (2)   (3)   (4)   (5)   (6)   (7)   (8) (9)

Day 19: Post a photo of your favorite personal Mori coordinate. What do you like about it? I don't post many photos of myself recently, but I have a few favorite photos of all time I'd like to share! This one is actually my high school senior photo, so it's rather old. But I love the nature scenery, and that scarf is a favorite of mine. It was given to my by my grandma. This one is also old, from when I was at University. The dress is one of the few brand pieces I ever owned. I really miss that shawl too! I left it behind in the states.  This one is a more recent one, from after I moved to Japan. I was super cozy in this one, and I wore it out to see Christmas lights! How about you? What is your personal favorite coordinate? I'd love to see all of your outfits!

Day 18: Where do you get most of your Mori clothes? Have you ever purchased a mori brand piece? My answer to this is always short and uninteresting. I've been thrifting or buying my pieces from mainstream stores since I began wearing mori kei. I had a few brand pieces from AliExpress when I first started, but that is few and far between. As a curvy girl, and someone who is on the smaller end of being plus-sized, Asian brands don't really work for me. That being said, I have always wanted a piece from a mori brand. Wonder Rocket pieces were always my favorite, but I have a soft spot for Dear Li as well.  Dear Li   Wonder Rocket How about you? Where do you find your mori clothes?

Day 17: Do you play any video games, board games, etc.? If so, recommend us your favorite mori-like game! I play a lot of games, but here are my top 5 mori game recommendations! 1) Stardew Content Warnings: None really, although a few of the characters have heavy themes in their life stories. Nothing graphic though! The tone of this game is very light-hearted. Category: Adventure, Farming, and Simulation RPG Good for: People who enjoy cozy games, people who like connecting with characters, people who enjoy farming sims BONUS! Recommended mod: After your first playthrough on vanilla (of course) I recommend checking out Stardew Valley Expanded! It's a ton of fun and there is a reason it is so popular. (I use a ton of mods, both content and appearance wise, but this one adds the most amount of things to do.) In this game you play as the new farmer in town, cleaning up your Grandpa's farm, planting crops, bettering the town, making friends, and discovering the valley's secret...

Day 16: Name 5 of your favorite mori-style songs or musicians! (They can be explicitly mori, or just feel mori-inspired.) 1) Popoyans: A classic mori musician duo. Their music is becoming harder to find on the internet these days sadly, but they both wore mori and made mori-themed music. If you can find their songs on youtube, I highly recommend a listen. Their sound is relaxing, soft, and magical.  One of my favorite songs is Hoshininaritai. Such a lovely tune! 2) Ichiko Aoba: Another classic mori musician. Her personal style is adorable and mysterious, and her music is soft, airy, and just as mysterious. I really enjoy her unique style and her guitar playing is beautiful. My all-time favorite performance by her is this live recording of the song Hikari no Furusato. So hauntingly beautiful!  3) The Oh Hellos: This group has become fairly well known due to a few of their songs that became popular on tik-tok. But I've loved their music for a long time. Their unique use of instr...

Day 15: What are your favorite books, movies, or TV shows? Do they have any mori themes? Although I enjoy a lot of mori-esque media, my all-time favorite media is not so mori-themed. But, I'll share them with you anyways! Favorite books:   1) Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier: This book is slow to start, but there is a reason it's a classic. I really enjoy its twists and turns, and it keeps you held captive the entire way. 2) Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien: What can I say, it's a classic. I love the details, the world-building, the memorable characters, all of it really! It's a magical experience. 3) The Loop and The Vault by Jon Ingold: These ones are odd to recommend, they are tie-in novels for one of my favorite games "Heaven's Vault". But they stand well enough on their own. They are thrilling and moving adventures with memorable characters and settings. If you liked the game, I absolutely recommend it. And if you've never played them but...

For October, the chosen prompt for the Bibliotheca Blog Circle is magic! I'm not a huge fan of Halloween or similar themes, so I'm choosing to take the prompt to explain what I find "magical" about mori kei fashion. I could talk about this topic for ages if you gave me a chance, but I'll try to summarize it here. 1) Whimiscal touches: From lace details and trim, to patchwork fabrics, to even unique embroidery touches and fairytale elements, mori is a simply magical style. So many small, whimsical elements come together in each outfit to make something that honestly feels like you stepped out of a fantasy story. There's nothing like the feeling of wearing your favorite coordinate out in public and feeling like a fairytale character. 2) Focus on natural themes:  The stereotype of Choco's "Forest Fairy" is absolutely true! Mori looks at home in the forest, and I love it! Either as a whimsical fairy, or a mysterious wood elf, mori's magical them...