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

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...

Day 18: Are you inspired by any foreign cultures other than Japan? What about them inspires you? I'm very much inspired by Ireland, mainly because I have a lot of family ties to that country. On one side of my family, they're pretty much full-blooded Irish, and they follow a lot of Irish traditions. So I've always loved Ireland because of my heritage. I love the beautiful scenery there, and I think the nature there is just breathtaking. I also grew up eating Irish food, so I love that too. And of course, I adore all types of folk music, and Irish folk music is no exception to that rule. If you want to know how much I adore Irish folk tunes, then look no further than the fact that I went to a Celtic Women concert (where the audience was primarily over 50) and smiled so much while I was there that my face literally ached. However, I'm not really inspired by Ireland fashion wise, nor any other foreign cultures really. But I do feel inspired by Ireland in other aspects ...