Mori Kei Wardrobe: ESSENTIALS

While Mori seems to be one of the most flexible styles of Japanese fashion, there is a structure to the archetype mori ensemble that will help you with creating coords. If you want to refresh on what Mori Kei is and where to buy clothes, check out my post here. Let's look into it!

Firstly, I'll refer to four sub-genres of mori. These are not official sub-genres, only ones that I will use. Lolita x mori crossover, cult party x mori crossover, otome kei x mori crossover, and mori that emphasizes whimsy.
Lolita and whimsy, I think, is mostly self explanatory, but it'll become more obvious as I go on. Cult party is a Japanese style that's very hard to describe, though it's very similar to mori, almost like mori x fairy kei x lolita. Otome kei is also very hard to describe and I think the best way is that it's more grown up, pretty, and classic; kind of like a grown up version of hime kei. I consider Fairy Emily to be an otome mori and she is one of my style inspirations! These other lifestyles and styles of dress can be seen mixed in with mori quite often and I'll point out tips for each of these styles.

On a side note, there is only one "official" sub-genre of mori that I know of and that's dark mori. Dark mori is mostly the same as mori, though you should swap out most neutrals colors for black, gray, and dark brown. I won't be talking about it in this tutorial simply because all you need to do is change the colors.

EDIT: Natural kei is actually a very close cousin or sister of mori kei and a lot of the pieces in this post are natural kei. I think when I was saying otome kei, that's closest to natural kei. Here's a recent post about the difference between natural and mori.

TL;DR The most important thing to remember about mori is that the style is very customized, personal, and is centered around your preference. While there are many different ways to interpret mori kei's wide range of color schemes, patterns, and styles, there are basic types of pieces for the mori wardrobe.

⚘ Base dress ⚘

Buy

The base dress is a simple, minimalist piece; it will be the piece that makes up your main composition. Remember that mori is all about layering, so you'll be able to put some things beneath it and some things on top of it. Since it's the base for your coords and each coord will be different based on your other pieces, you will probably only need one or two of these dresses. Base dresses should be in muted colors.

To the left is a very basic, simple mori coord. You can see that her base dress is the dress on TOP (of course that's not always the case). It's been layered with a petticoat underneath and a mid-length sleeve shirt. I think that this ensemble is closer to the traditional foresty mori kei. For otome and lolita mori, try to find dresses that are more shapely. Dark What's great about base dresses is that they don't have to be long; petticoats and other skirts will give them more length.

Buy

Buy

Buy

⚘ Petticoat ⚘

If your background or interest is mostly in lolita, this concept may be a little different for you! Lolita petticoats are typically meant to give volume to dress skirts to make them poofy. Mori kei petticoats, however, are usually simply to add more layers or length. I think typically in Japanese street fashion, you might see more girls wearing a poofy petticoat instead, making the look more of a mori x cult party  or mori x lolita crossover. Petticoats are usually lacy and in shades of creams and whites.

Buy

Buy

Buy

⚘ Fancy Dress ⚘

Your fancy dress can be worn as a layer over the base dress, or under a cardigan, or over a blouse, or with a petticoat, or with leggings, or just by itself! This dress typically will have more color, patterns, or print, definitely with a sense of quirky whimsy. This is an opportunity to implement other styles and for your personal taste to shine through! If you want to do a lolita x mori crossover, try a JSK. If you want to stick with more natural mori, pick a dress that has more detail, lace, ruffles, or embroidery. You should have at least 2-5 depending on how much you integrate mori into your lifestyle. Sleeveless, short sleeve, or long sleeve; anything will work! Try to have several sleeve lengths to mix it up.

Buy

Buy

Buy

⚘ Skirt ⚘

Buy

Why are skirts important? Because they can replace petticoats (or be used with them for extra layers)! Skirts can be worn with blouses, under dresses, and under long shirts. There are three different types of skirts I recommend owning!

You should have probably two skirts similar to a petticoat; lacy, neutral colors, and long. This will be ideal for layering beneath other pieces. 

Second kind of skirt is one that you can tuck a shirt into. If you want to implement lolita or otome kei, I recommend getting a high waisted skirt. This should be in colors other than tan/beige/off-white/white/neutrals. 

The third kind of skirt should be something quirky- usually this is a quilt pattern skirt, or a long jean skirt with embroidery, also in colors other than neutral.

Buy

Buy

Buy

⚘ Oversized  shirt ⚘

Long shirts can have a similar effect of dresses when paired with a petticoat or skirt. They can also be worn with pants, or shorts and tights. I recommend owning 2-3. Mostly this depends on how foresty you want your coords to be vs how otome kei you want.  If you want your coords to be more natural, go with 3 because heavy, loose layers will be your friend. If you want more otome mori kei, one or two is enough because you can stock up on blouses instead.

Buy

Buy

⚘ Blouse ⚘

You will definitely want to have at least one collared, white blouse that can be worn under a cardigan and at least one colored blouse. If you are going for otome mori, try to get two of each. Blouses will be more shapely to your body, be button up, have lace decoration, and chiffon, or anything you think that looks pretty! Lolitas, this is where the clothing you already own should work!

Buy

Buy

Buy

You should also get one, maybe two shirts to wear underneath your shorter sleeve dresses and oversized shorter sleeve shirts. This should be fitted. Linen or waffle knit make nice fabrics for undershirts! Typically they'll be solid colors or a very small pattern. Half or 3/4 sleeves are ideal. Undershirts can be in any mori color, but usually not pastels; beige/off-white or darker colors are best. I don't have links to where to buy this kind online because it's a simple piece that you should be able to get anywhere. I'm talking about your basic somewhat long sleeve plain shirt. 

 ⚘ Outerwear ⚘

I know you've been waiting for this one! Mori gals are pretty famous for their cardigans, sweaters, and coats. These are, in fact, the three main categories of our outerwear. 

Cardigans should be fitted and will look lovely with those fitted, collared blouses, something a mori girl would wear when she ventures into the city for shopping or for special occasions. Own at least two and for otome mori, probably 3 or 4.

Buy

Buy

Sweaters should be oversized and cozy; you can even knit or crochet them yourself! These are best worn lounging about in your cottage on a rainy day. You'll want to own 2-3!

Buy

Buy

Buy

Buy

Vests will also help complete your outfit. Many vests will be made of corduroy, lace, or fur.

The best thing about outerwear is that these pieces can be any foresty color! Button up, zip up, open, or pullover, anything goes. If you own a button up dress, you can also unbutton it and wear it over your ensemble if you're short on money. Cult party moris could use one of those long, sheer robe things that I don't know the name for. A shawl will also make your mori coord more lacy, cozy, and homey and it's something that you can knit or crochet by hand!

⚘ Socks & Tights ⚘

Buy

Yes, socks and tights are super important. They can really complete a mori outfit. For socks, you'll want a pair that go up to your calves that you can bunch down at your shoe to look baggy (beige and a colored pair). You'll also want a pair of knee or thigh highs, maybe with a thicker, knitted texture. A third type of socks to have are ones that have lace around the cuff and will peep above your shoe.

Buy

As for tights, you'll want something floral and light colored. Leggings can be darker because the material is usually thicker and warmer and better for colder weather. Leg warmers will also make an excellent addition to your wardrobe! Otome and cult party mori will probably just want light colored tights, but more whimsical, foresty ensembles should have colored, heavier leggings.

Buy

Buy

Buy

⚘ Shoes ⚘

The characteristic mori shoe: brown, round toe! This is a must to own, any kind of round toed shoe and I literally mean any kind of shoe with a round toe. Also a pair of oxfords and lace up boots will really help your mori shoe collection. Remember that comfort is priority and most mori shoes should feel like something you could spend a lot of time wearing and not feel uncomfortable. Otomi and lolita moris, however, might want a pair of cute heels. Unless you're going for dark mori, I'd stay away from black shoes.

Buy

Buy

⚘ Purse ⚘

I've seen mori girls toting all kinds of bags. Large bags, small bags, over the shoulder, across the body, usually something relatively flat, not fat, thick bags. If I had to pick one type of bag that's the most common and the most essential to your wardrobe, I'd say a small leather bag with a long strap (most small bags or clutches will come with a strap).

Buy

Buy

Buy

Here you might have to think about, again, what kind of mori you're going for. A girl straight out of the woods is more likely to have a quilted bag she made herself than an Angelic Pretty biscuit purse, right? Purses and bags can be a way to add whimsy and quirk to your ensemble or sweet charm for lolitas.

On a budget

How about if you're on a low budget? Or don't know what pieces to start with? Here's my list of the items in order of importance that you should purchase in order to start having a complete outfit as soon as you can afford it.

1. Base dress
2. Petticoat (pretty much you've got a coord now!)
3. Shoes & Socks
4. Skirt
5. Blouse
6. Purse (you've got at least 3 different outfit combinations now!)
7. Outerwear (cardigan or sweater; a jacket isn't as essential)
8. Oversized shirt
9. Fancy dress
10. Outerwear (vest or another cardigan or sweater)
11. Tights or leggings
12. Jacket

~❁~

I hope this tutorial was helpful to you! I'd love to hear your comments about things you'd like me to do a tutorial on and any feedback or questions you have. 

God bless!

Miss Kellie

Guide to Mori Kei {Forest girl style}

UPDATED 100414

So today I thought I'd do a little guide to the mori girl lifestyle and wardrobe! This is mostly for my lovely friends on the  Central Texas Mori Girl facebook group (Shout out ^o^), but I hope this will help educate the masses!

⚘MOR101: INTRODUCTION TO MORI KEI ⚘

You might have asked, "What does mori mean anyway?" I will tell you! It's Japanese for forest, so mori + kei (style) = forest style.

Firstly, once you start getting into the logistics of mori kei, you might hear the name, Choco, quite frequently. "Who is Choco?" She wrote the book (literally) on mori kei and is the founder of the official mori girl online community. Choco also created the official rules to qualify for being a mori girl (As a bonus, here's some unofficial rules for mori boys that I found!). While I don't agree that there should be rules to any fashion style, they are very helpful to understand mori lifestyle, fashion, and the mori archetype, which I will refer to frequently throughout my blog. I'll be referencing these rules throughout this tutorial.

At the time Choco's rules were written, mori and what I interpret as natural kei were still one and the same. Lately, they've begun to branch out their own ways and are slightly different now. This post will be more of a combination of the two to stay true to mori's original meaning, but I will distinguish some differences. If you want to learn more about the difference between natural and mori kei and my modern interpretation, check out this post. Let's get started!

Please keep in mind that I'm describing the typical, archetype mori girl and that there are no rules that you need to follow :)


❁ L i f e s t y l e
An archetype mori girl lives in a little cottage or cabin in an enchanted forest or perhaps a cozy little Scandinavian apartment (54). She can be found visiting cozy cafés (46); bookstores (50); furniture stores (51); vintage (20), variety (48), and oddities shops when out in town. In the forest, she'd most likely be frolicking or hobbying. Her hobbies include collecting things (49), taking pictures (47), gardening, reading, and crafting (52) (sewing, making flower crowns, crochet, painting).

Autumn and winter are the most ideal seasons for mori girls (53). It's something about the chill of the air and the crunch of colored leaves beneath her feet, or maybe it's the warmth of all the extra layers of clothes and scarves she gets to wear.

Mori girls also enjoy fairy tales (37), whether it's reading them in books, daydreaming, or becoming their own fairytale.

Natural kei is most commonly described as living on the edge of the forest and venturing into it, while mori girls live in the forest and can be seen as a forest spirit. Either way, I think the lifestyles are very similar. If we want to get more specific, for example, a natural girl might live in the cozy Scandinavian apartment while a mori girl might live in an overgrown cottage in the middle of the woods.

❁ P e r s o n a l i t y
A mori girl has a soft mood (57) and is uncomplicated (58) as well as laid-back (59). Of course, no one should change their personality to fit this archetype, but I find these qualities to be something that anyone should try taking on, just because of how healthy they are for the spirit. There is a simplicity and innocence to the mori girl persona that distracts from the worries and stresses of adulthood that I find very calming on the mind.

Without saying that mori girls are antisocial, they are so dream-like that they're in their own world and are happy to enjoy their own company. From the most popular photoshoots and most popular mori models, you'll rarely see multiple girls together; they're usually on their own in a forest, daydreaming or playing.

❁ F a s h i o n
The fashion is so specific that I'm gonna give in and do categorized bullets. I hope you aren't intimidated! Remember that these are only general ideas to help you find your mori style.

Pieces
⚘ Loose fitting and smock-like dresses and blouses (9)
⚘  Dresses and skirts are the most important pieces to wear (1, 2)
⚘  Ponchos, boleros, oversized sweaters, cardigans, shawls, to keep yourself warm and add layering. (16)

Fabric

⚘  Be particular about your fabrics and patterns. (5)

⚘  Linen, crotchet/knit, lace, and fur are ideal fabrics to have in your wardrobe. (14, 27)

⚘  Warm colors are the best. Typically, the base of your outfits should be cremes and beiges, then have other pieces in the colors of burgundy*, dark green*, navy*, and brown. I think the spring is a good time to pull out those pastels- lavender, mint, and peach (closer to cult party kei if you add pastels). There is a subcategory of mori called dark mori, in which case the cremes and beiges can be substituted for blacks and grays. (11, 12)

⚘  Designs featuring animals, sweets, plaid, polka dots, or vintage flowers are preferable (23-26).*
*I think these are closer to natural kei.

Style
⚘  Slightly quirky and whimsical but natural (even ethnic)- add your own style to your outfits. (2, 3, 6)
⚘ Comfort is a mori girl's main priority! Think girly, childish, and comfy. (8, 42)

⚘  Layer, layer, layer, layer . It seems to me that the street fashion of mori kei takes on even more, fluffier layers. (35) Not necessarily practical for forest adventuring, but this begins to show the distinction between street mori and more of a natural, "earth child" mori. Here is a helpful mini tutorial on layering.
⚘  Nothing flashy, too sweet, bright/neon colors, (3, 10)

Bertha Louse Designs

Accessories
⚘ Fluffy fur or knitted hats and earmuffs to keep your ears warm in the winter and fall! (14, 15)
⚘ I usually see large shoulder bags or small cross body purses on mori gals; try a small fur cross body bag (preferably faux, please)!
⚘ Gold accessories are preferred over silver. I'd even add that brass or copper is better; it adds to the antique, oddities look. (19)
⚘ This goes with lifestyle as well, but lots of antique accessories and even clothing are a must. Try finding a pocket watch or a long necklace with a large object on it, like a magnifying class. (20-22)
⚘ Shoes should be flat soled and closed toed, preferably round toe. (29-31) 
⚘ One great way to add to the layering effect is to add tights, leggings, or slouchy socks. (28)
⚘ Large, comfy scarves or shawls. (33)

Makeup and beauty
⚘ Short nails are the way to go- they're most comfortable and convenient. (13)
⚘ Complexion is pale skin with round, rosy cheeks from playing outside in the cold. Of course don't go dying your skin or anything! Just take care of your skin; wear sunscreen and drink lots of water for a healthy glow. (38, 55)
⚘ Loose perm or wavy hair. Choco recommends bob cut with straight bangs or straight bangs with a long, loose perm. Brown seems to be the most popular hair color for mori girls, followed by strawberry blonde and black. (39-41)
⚘ Perfume should be faint and not overpowering, preferably floral. (56)
⚘ Since mori is all about looking and being natural, I'd recommend not putting on heavy makeup and take the opportunity to embrace your natural, beautiful self. ♥ I'm thinking about doing a makeup tutorial, so let me know in the comments if you'd like to see it!

❁ S h o p s
From my own experience, the best thing you can do is go to your local thrift store and you should be able to find many items there. Most of my own mori clothes come from thrift stores, then Anthropologie, then Forever 21.

Update: For beginners, I recommend this taobao shop, Forest Girl Fans, because they have a lot of basic pieces for very cheap.

If you want to go ahead and purchase specifically mori kei online, here are some great shops! I will keep this updated as best I can.

English websites

Favorite One

Spring Days

Sechuna

Wonder Rocket

Onepi-c

Asian iCandy

Etsy shops

Bertha Louise Designs

Deadly Mori Girl

          Cutrag
     
          Baby Yaga Fashion

         Khe Green

         Mannia&Titta

         Resting Petals

         Milky Moon

        Flash and Trash

Japanese websites

Wonder Rocket

Carolina Glaser

Syrup

Fur Fur {official} {zozo} 

Franche Lippe {official} {zozo}

Cawaii

          Meno

          Q-Pot

Chinese taobao shops

Taobaoring shopping service  

Dearli

Forest girl fans

KnitCo

Lost Cat in The Forest

Shop34151877

Maggie Z

         Slxi

         O2Lady

Korean

Sechuna

Lazy Cat