Mori Girl - How to start?

Hello my deers,

yes, pun intended. Today I will talk a little bit about Mori Girl (森ガール) and how to start your wardrobe.

First of all, what is a Mori Girl or what is Mori Girl fashion?

Mori Girl is a Japanese subculture which bases on Choco's checklist for Mori Girls.
'Mori (森)' means 'forest' in Japanese, so you can say it translates to forest girl, which is exactly the look a Mori Girl aims for. With their lose dresses, airy layers, covered in lace and quirky appearance, a Mori Girl looks like she's right from the (fairytale)forest.
They appreciate the small things like a good cup of tea or a simple walk through nature and live by their own pace.

Mori Girl explained it very well and more detailed in their blog, so give them a visit.

To start your Mori Girl wardrobe seems like a very difficult mission in the beginning. But I would like to give you some tips on how to create simple and yet interesting Mori Girl outfits with basic pieces, which you can find on Taobao.

One important thing: It's all about the layers.
It's always the easiest to start in one color scheme like white, beige, ivory, brown or black, but I will focus this post on lighter Mori Girl styles.
To keep it simple start with 3-4 layers, consisting at least of an underskirt/underdress, a dress and a top.

source: www.alicegrimoire.wordpress.com

The Underskirt/Underdress

You want to get a skirt which is versatile, one you can wear on your waist and on your hips, but there are also skirts which you can wear as a dress. This is important to create different looks and levels of layering later without buying additional pieces.

I recommend this skirt as a beginner basic:

With it's different fabrics and star-shaped hem it already creates the look of multi-layers, which is great in summer when you can't wear multiple layers. And as it's cream colored you can add it to any outfit.

If you're looking for something more playful take a look at this one:

Like the skirt above it can be also worn as a dress. And again, different fabrics and not a straight hem. This will make your outfit look more fairylike and airy. But because of it's color I would recommend this to a more advanced Mori Girl.


If you aren't that much into super girly-fairy-like clothing you may want to take a look into underdresses. They tend to be less poofy and more straight than most underskirts. Although you might find it difficult to find an underdress that's long enough and they aren't as versatile as a skirt.

The Dress

First of all, even I called this category "The Dress" it doesn't always have to be a dress, there are many many clothes you can wear on top, but for this guide I will talk about dresses.

You have your skirt and now it's time to cover your upper body.

Choose something that can be worn in different ways later.
To a cute sundress a blouse can be added underneath or a nice crop top as an overlayer.

Remember the most important rule - it's all about the layers - so this dress is perfect for beginners as it adds another layer with it's fake underskirt. On hot summer days it also works without an underskirt and still keeps its Mori Girl vibe.

You can also add something more lacey and flowing to emphasize your cute look.

The Top

To give your outfit the final touch we're going to add another layer.

You can see it already in the pictures. With a frilly cardigan or bolero you can complete your Mori Girl outfit without much effort.
Of yourse you can wear a shawl or cape instead of a cardigan it has the same effect.

Some tips for Mori Girl beginners:

• Start from the bottom and go to the top when layering. Start with the skirt/underdress and layer something that works with it. Then choose a top-layer. I had major problems with getting the trick how to layer right when I started and find this the easiest to build an outfit.
• Don't start too short. If you start over your knee you don't have enough space to layer enough for the Mori Girl look. I recommend to start right under your knee the shortest.
• Don't combinate more than 2 colors, it's difficult to balance the colors in the beginning. Choose a colored skirt or dress and balance with accessoires but stay in your maine color for everything else.
• While shopping ask yourself 'Will this work with the other pieces I want to buy?'. With this methode you make sure to buy pieces you can put together in different outfits.
• Don't be shy and ask the Mori Girl Community if you need help with your outfit.

Already a more advanced Mori Girl?

• Try to wear an short underdress over your skirt but under your main dress/tunic for some extra layers and an interesting look.

I hope you got a little idea of how to build a Mori Girl outfit.
Of course you can experiment and find your own way, but this is how I build my outfits and what would have helped me in the past.
If you like to read more about this topic, please visit also my friend's blog: I don't know much but I'm learning

I know that the beginnig is difficult, also because the borders to other substyles like Natural Kei are very blurry, which is even more confusing, but with confidence you can build beautiful outfits.

It would make me happy if this guide helped you at least a little bit.

See you next time

Blushing Rabbit