How to make a Mori Girl: Lesson 2
My order at Kinokuniya arrived the other day- a Japan e-mook (a book/magazine that comes with a free 'present'/ gift which is normally a special brand bag, purse or jewellery) on Mori Girls: Lesson 2. Like Gothic, Lolita etc. Mori Girls is another Japan fashion subculture which I would describe as 'forest girls' who live amongst cedar pine trees (Mori means 'forest' in Japanese). Mori girls look could be described across between Little Red Riding hood, Alice in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables and any other pastoral fantasy characters you can think of! According to the Mori Girls blog, Mori Girls are; fairytale forest wanderers in loose dresses, vintage prints and quaint accessories. Mori girls choose to live their lives on their own terms, stopping to appreciate the little things that others overlook amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The Mori Girls: Lesson 2 e-mook teaches you all about the Mori Girl, how to be one and how a Mori girl dresses, where she shops and Mori Girl activities. This issue came with a cute Alpaca (love Alpacas!) Marble Sub bag that says "Quete Vaya Bien" in Spanish this means "hope all is well for you". In true Mori Girls enviro fashion, the pages look to be recyclable, layouts include Polaroids and quaint pictures of Mori Girls in forests, page boarders have Paisley patterns, dots and even Japan MT Tape! A Mori Girls pet...apart from the Alpaca would have to be Rabbits as they are included on most pages.
The How to make a Mori Girl lift out teaches you about Mori Girl beauty and style, giving you visual step by step lessons on how to plait and curl your hair, adding the right flower hair accessories, how to team boots/flats with long slouchy print socks and flower stockings, different ways to wear woolly scarfs (a Mori Girl key piece!).
Here are some more lessons I learned from reading visually observing the pages of the Mori Girl: lesson 2 e-mook;
- A Mori Girl wears loose dresses, skirts with vintage, flower, paisley etc. prints, blouses that look like smocks, favours natural colours like dark blue, brown or green, looks warm and comfy with over sized woolly scarfs, long ruffled socks, print stockings, knitwear, ear- muffs, fluffy or french inspired straw hats, ponchos, boleros a leather bag or pochette to carry her trinkets, likes gold or vintage jewellery with large motifs or animal/food/character inspired necklaces and rings, while flats, clogs, sandals or boots are the choice for footwear.
-Mori Girls shop at; Conocoto, Colkinikha, Mother Super Hakka for vintage and other fashion pieces, Ooso and Q-pot for accessories, Tabio for footwear/socks, On Travelling, Sunui, Hiroko Hayashi, Ponia-pon, Marble SUD for handmade things, eating and relaxing at Scai Bathhouse, Go Slow, Too-Ticki and buys her craft supplies from Pin-dot.
-A Mori Girl loves all things handmade and can be found doing many crafty things like candle making as seen on pg. 78-79, which includes a cupcake candle making lesson with Vida Feliz, loves to read Spoon, Jasmine Zine, Syrup and Murmur magazine, always carries a good camera to capture special moments, to later put in her scrapbook or journal.
Here's a Mori Girl inspired picture I found in an issue of Aussie Cosmo...I think, has one of my fave models Mariana in it!
In Japan I visited Nara, which is known for it's famous hall of the 'Great Buddha'- It's also the place to see deers! They roam around free through the town, you can even pat them, so well natured. I got a few pics that look like a scene out of the Disney movie Bambi. A true Mori Girl location!
I mentioned I loved Alpaca's earlier...so here are some pics I took at Hartley while on holiday up in the Blue Mountains. How cute are the ones romancing with their necks together!
