The growing popularity of Lolita fashion in neighbouring Asian countries and the West is only scratching the surface when it comes to Japanese fashion subcultures. Now, we're here to explore another one that's recently causing buzz among foreign fanatics of Japan's unique take on style: Mori Kei fashion.
Loosely translated as 'forest style' fashion, Mori Kei was started by internet user Choco (or Coco, in some iterations) in Japan around 2006 to 2007. She talked about the 'whimsy meets cosy' fashion style in social media platform Mixi, gaining 36,000 members during the trend's peak. This led to the phenomenon that we now know as the Mori Kei community. The original post contains more than 60 rules or guidelines on how to achieve not just the aesthetic but the style's corresponding lifestyle. And while the actual post cannot be accessed without creating a Mixi account, many Mori Kei patrons have reshared the full notes on various platforms. While the trend has quieted down in Japan in 2012, many patrons from other parts of the world still enjoy and practice both its aesthetic and philosophy to this day.
Now, unlike Lolita fashion, Mori Kei is easier to achieve. In fact, it fits into some aspects of bohemian and cosy chic fashion styles. You might already have the basics of this look down pat without even knowing. Curious to know more? While we won't be diving deep into the 60 notes Choco has listed, here are the most important rules of Mori Kei fashion.
