How to Be a Mori Girl (Forest Girl)

Mori Girl kei, is a Japanese fashion style created in 2007. Mori means "forest" in Japanese, and "kei" means style or fashion. Just because the style often is called "mori girl," doesn't mean that it's a girl-only fashion. Many boys and even gender neutral people feel at home in this style. The concept of mori is to represent "a girl who looks like she is living in the forest," and the goal is to look natural and earthy, which is typically achieved by layering at least two or three items to get a soft and slightly billowy silhouette. Hagu from the 2006 movie Honey & Clover is said to be an influence to the style, and the real-life archetype of Mori kei is the actress Yu Aoi, who had the role of Hagu. Mori fashion has developed not only as a style but as a lifestyle as well! Although Mori kei is natural, it does not mean it is simple––it does have a little bit of complexity to it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Clothing

Dresses and skirts are the main pieces of the style, but blouses and sweaters are also incorporated. The texture is very important, as most Mori girls wear knits, lace, gossamer, and cotton. Don't forget to layer; some girls wear long skirts under short dresses, or scarves and shawls over layers of sweaters and skirts.
Earth tone colors such as antique white, white, off-white, beige, brown, mauve, gray and ivory are popular with Mori girls. In addition, you can wear colors such as mustard, dark blue, bordeaux and dark green. Mostly use colors that you could find in a forest - keep the colors natural and calm.
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Clothing of the Mori girl is not body conscious. This means nothing fitted or that hugs the body. Instead of a S-M, pick an L-XL. Don't forget to layer your clothing. This will create a natural volume as well.^{[1]XResearch source}
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Layer the clothing. Most Mori girl outfits have an element of layering to them. Layering can often be more difficult to pull off because it's easy to over-complicate it. Keep it simple. Start off by layering a dress with a skirt or layering two shirts. Layering does not mean you have to have many items on you. Remember that each layer should be partially visible and is adding to your outfit.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Mori girl is all about looking like you actually live in the forest, so you would probably want to keep cozy, right? To help achieve this cozy look, try layering tights, tall, scrunched wool socks, and granny boots or flats.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Makeup and hair

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Do your hair in Mori girl style. Mori girl hair can be airy, straight, wavy, braided or put up. Just keep it natural. You can use lace or string to put into your hair. Flowers and berries are popular hair accessories.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Hair can be any style, as long as it looks natural. Waves, braids, buns, or low pigtails accessorized with flowers or lace are popular but work with your hair's natural texture and color, as this whole style focuses on looking natural and healthy.
- No blow-dryer fried hair or white blonde dyes.
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Keep the makeup natural as possible - nothing heavy. Keep your eyeshadow in earthy tones. Perhaps don't wear any makeup at all. Keep your skin clean. Natural oil shampoos are great if you are into that.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Have rosy cheeks. Mori girls love nice round rosy cheeks. Use a red or pink blush for this look. A nice, muted pink color applied on the apples of your cheeks works best. Or, you can opt for a natural looking cheek.
- Try to keep the look fresh-faced and natural. Use a good liquid foundation or BB cream, then set it with powder to give your skin a natural glow.
- Do not wear circle lenses, unlike most Harajuku styles which idealize those big doe eyes. Just use a little mascara, or a white, brown, or pink eyeshadow if you have to wear any.
- Keep your nails short, clean, and glossy, or paint them a pale pink or pearl color.
- Try wearing a tinted lip balm instead of lipstick, as balm gives a more natural finish and stays on longer.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Accessories

Flowers are always good, in your hair, on your scarves or sweaters, or on your shoes! Lots of delicate and antique things like lace or cameo pendants, or jewelry featuring flowers are good. Necklaces, rings, and bracelets are primarily all you need and don't wear too much. A little goes a long way! Try going to a thrift store and looking through the jewelry for old-time finds.^{[5]XResearch source}

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Lifestyle

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Read the Mori girl checklist. Are you a Mori girl? The original Mori girl community on Mixi created a checklist of 60 rules to find out if you are a true follower of this style.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Mori girls stop and enjoy life, travel by bike, and read in cafes or the woods.
Enjoy drinking tea and exchanging clothes with friends, traveling by plane, bicycle, or just walking. Have an eye for European culture such as, Ireland, France, and Germany. Mori girls are fascinated by taking pictures. Although shy, they are sweet young ladies with proper manners and a lovely style.
Stop and take the time to sit on a bench by a fountain. Write a journal and press flowers in it. Go for walks in the city or forest. Spend two hours lying and staring at the sky, or re-reading the whole Wrinkle in Time series. Do whatever makes you happy, and don't think twice about what anybody says. Live life for yourself, and not for anybody else, at least until the bills come in.^{[7]XResearch source}
Have you ever seen a real forest girl? None of us have. Therefore, be creative and use your imagination to picture the perfect Mori girl and emulate it! Your interpretation of Mori girls can be completely different from someone else's, but each interpretation is correct!
Spoon is like the bible for Mori Girls! SPOON is a Japanese photo book/magazine showing the latest trends in Mori Girl fashion. Other important magazines include Fudge and Mori Girl Papier.
It can be beautiful all the time! If you take love and care for this little world that you live in, then you will find even just the tiniest thing enjoyable. That is what Mori girl is all about! So enjoy being a Mori girl and tune it into your own style, do not be afraid to be who your mother and father raise you to be. Just enjoy life to the fullest.
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Community Q&A

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Question
Is it somewhat synonymous with bohemian?
Community Answer
Many people who have never heard of mori before tend to think so, but mori is about following a few guidelines such as layering, forest-y tones, and a bit of a softer silhouette. On the other hand, bohemian style has little to no rules, and a much more free-spirited look. It's often very loose and flowy, with mostly dresses and long skirts.
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Do mori girls have to be vegan or vegetarian?
Hun Do Keizaal
Community Answer
No, mori girls do not need to be vegan or vegetarian. However, many mori girls tend to be.
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Question
Is light blue a Mori color?
HeyItsElena
Community Answer
Yes, it's the same color as the sky or a brook. Maybe a light blue blouse or skirt would be nice.
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Tips

Add some lace and flowers to decorate your straw bag or purse
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Helpful35 Not Helpful2
Make your own accessories.
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To achieve the right look, think of yourself living in the forest and creating your own garments. What would they look like?
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Warnings

Although Mori can incorporate current fashion trends, it should look and feel different from the hippie or bohemian look. A good way to avoid this mistake is to look at pictures and videos of Mori Girls
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Helpful47 Not Helpful3
Mori is natural and not simple. There are a lot of small details and layers that go into Mori girl.
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Please be safe and careful on your journey to the forest girls!
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If you are young, you may have to explain to your family and friends why you're changing your style, for they will not quite understand why.
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