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

Something I always find fascinating is hearing how members of the mori community first found the fashion. What made them fall in love with it for the first time? How did they discover it in the first place? What was the first photo they saw? Or the first one that really made them want to try mori out for themselves? I've talked a few times on this blog about my own mori origins, but in bits and pieces here and there. So, today, I thought it would be fun to tell the story from its beginning. So, here is how I first discovered mori! It began with Japan... If we truly want to start from the beginning, I think it's important to know about my love for Japan. To be honest, despite the fact that people ask me this constantly, I can't really tell you how this interest started. It was something I always felt, this deep interest in Japanese language and culture. Maybe it was that first time I saw Sailor Moon or Hamtaro on the TV as a kid, or perhaps it was my first Japanese friend wh...

Today I want to talk about my favorite thing: music! Like every subculture, people who enjoy mori fashion have always looked for music and musicians that fit the unique feel that mori fashion gives. There are many individual artists, songs, and albums from around the world that fit (and many amazing playlists to listen to!), but a few mori musicians are particularly notable. Here are a few of my personal favorites! Actual Mori/Natural Kei Musicians Popoyans Popoyans is perhaps the most popular mori music group. The duo, cheru and non, wore mori style and even appeared in mori magazines. Their music is a soft folk style, using guitar, harmonizing natural vocals, and glockenspiel to create a unique sound. The duo created two albums together, Zoo and 祝日 (Shukujitsu), and performed until the early 2010s, Their last concert on their archived website appears to be from around 2014 and their website went down in around 2020. I've not been able to find much info on what they went on to do ...

Choco's List. It's a classic, a staple even, in the mori community. But it also is undoubtedly dated. It's a bit of a relic of a specific time in Japanese cultural history. So although it still holds a lot of weight and significance in the mori community, it's also a product of its time. So today, I want to look back on Choco's List. Let's examine how relevant it was, then and now, and what parts should we keep and what parts should be ignored. (I will be using my cleaned up version of the list from this post, if you want to read them first as they were intended by Choco.) But first, before I pick the list apart, it is important to remember that this list has always been more guidelines than rules. It was never meant to be followed point by point, and is just a summary of what larger trends Choco saw in the already thriving community. No Brainers First are the easiest points to categorize. These are the points of the list that, I think, are clearly mori. They d...

This month's prompt was defiance. Defiance is such a strong word.  When I think of defiance I think of political activism and protests, which, although important, don't feel very mori. Or perhaps when you think of defiance, you may think of negative things, like a "defiant child" or something similar. Also not very mori. So how does defiance fit into mori? Well, there are a few ways one might take it, and I think that the word can, in some ways, really resonate with the core of what mori is, and the mori community. What does defiance mean to mori folk? Defying Gender and Fashion Norms Really, at its core, every alternative fashion style is somewhat defiant. It defies expectations on what to wear, what to be, identity, and more.  In mori's case, the style defies very clearly Japanese definitions of femininity. You've probably heard people say over and over that dressing in mori is meant to be dressing for your own happiness, and not how society and men say wome...

It's been a long time since I spotlighted a mori clothing company! I'm not even sure my old posts are up anymore since many mori brands have closed their doors. However, I wanted to bring you a special spotlight today on a well established mori brand that has been around for quite a while now,  Forest Girl Clothing ! (This post is not sponsored.) Overview Forest Girl Clothing is a brand founded by the cosplayer Atelier Heidi, who was directly inspired by mori fashion. They create many natural, foresty pieces. Although the brand has grown to incorporate more styles, they still make many mori pieces.  Their clothing is handmade and often made of recycled materials. Each piece is unique and made with care. Prices Forest Girl Clothing is handmade, not fast fashion, so prices are going to be higher for most items than what you would find in stores. However, the prices also widely vary. Accessories : Reasonably priced, ranging anywhere from 6 USD to 60 USD, depending on quality and ...

Many years ago a lovely mori friend wrote a series of prompts for writing, sketching, photography, and cooking! These prompts were super cute and I completed them for sketching once. However, I wanted to edit a few and make some more focused mori specific prompts for 2025 that mori folk might be able to use.  You can check out the original prompts here , if you are interested! Some of the prompts are the same, and some are updated. There is also one new category, WEAR! WRITE ! Use these prompts for journaling or blogging. Comfort Food: Write about eating or preparing your favorite/a meaningful meal. Mind Garden: Describe your dream garden. Furry Friends: Write about your pets, animals you like, or other animal friends. Memento Mori: Write about dark or spooky topics, dark mori, or any combination of the two! Mushroom: Describe your favorite mushrooms, research and share about a new mushroom, or how you incorporate mushrooms into mori. Winter Mori: Write about wearing mori in the wi...

When I read the prompt for this month, I thought about being creative with it. But honestly, it's really more fun to approach it straightforward. So, let's go through a list of bag types seen throughout the years in mori fashion! There's honestly more types than you would think. 1) Baskets An absolute classic option, and perhaps the most well known. Baskets have been a staple in mori fashion since its creation. Their whimsical and vintage quality makes it well suited for the mori aesthetic! Baskets can be carried plain with no extra accessories, or might be customized with lace, trim, bows, straps, and more! They may also be stiff baskets like you might find at any thrift store, or more malleable raffia options. 2) Simple Side Bags Simple side bags, usually made of leather or other solid colors and fabrics, are also a popular choice in mori kei. With their simple natural look, practical size, plenty of space for carrying your daily items, and availability in any mainstream ...