Magazines

Figaro april 2010
(click on pics to see them bigger)
With lots of beautiful interiors pictures, Figaro brings lots of inspiration once again.

Shows some western-like shops, like bars, restaurants and even "boulangeries" (pretty similar to the one next to my house!) where a baguette costs 300 yens (and I thought it was expensive here...!).

Also shows some nice accessories and interesting stuff to decorate your house/room. Always with that feeling of old and handmade. Also gives the links to some of the stores, pretty nice if you can't go to the actual shop.

In this issue they report some hight clothing brands like Chanel, original skull jewlery and designers from here and there as per usual.

I have to admit I download this magazine just for the pics, I'm not really interested in this mature side of the magazine, so I don't pay that much of attention to the rest (though I'm thankful for the boulangerie map of Tokio).

Mori style-book #2, spring edition
(again, click click click to see pics in bigger version)

Brings the guidelines for a mori girl to still be mori in spring (what will happen in summer? all that layering can't be fresh!). Nice coordinates and new ways of layering, just in time for the spring shopping!

Also shows some stores which sells/are centered in mori style and shows places mori girl likes (like public baths).
And brings the report from the opening party for "Made in Colkinikha", Kate Sakai's brand (she made a duo project with Mister Nakata called Colthemonika, producing two mini-albums, I highly recommend them!) with more random coordinates.
Interview with mori girl Kate Sakai, keyword report, hairstyles, room, ...
Coordinates from mori shops's staff, a couple of weeks's dress-ups, shops, DIY tutorials, ...

Also comes with what I like most when looking at a magazine, hair tutorials!

And above all that, lots of inspiration and pretty pictures!


Now, some of my thoughts on mori style (pictures also from the "rule-book")

Putting aside the fact that you have to be super thiny if you want mori style to look good on you (I mean, layers and layers of clothes will make you look fat unless your clothes are as thin as rolling paper, there's no arguing in here) I really like its organic side.
That doesn't mean you can't do mori if you're not thin. You can do anything you want as long as you think it looks good. And there are always other ways to mori besides layering.

This style uses a color chart (mainly white, beige, brown, green) that makes pale girls look super cute (just add some red blush to make everyone die).

Also lives off plain colors and when they add patterns, it's always a floral/animal one.
Frills are also a mori girl's best friend, and this is one of the parts I love the most.

This two aspects combined seem to be getting in trend right now. Has anyone taken a look at Zara, Blanco or H&M (just for example) lately? they're full of mori-like items. I've just tried on a pair of frill pants at Zara! It was super awesome, since I've never thought I could find something so Liz-lisa in a store like Zara.

So mori is planning to rule the world, just in a shy way, getting out of Japan little by little and conquering the masses.


Scarfs, long vests, even longer shirts, super baggy and denim pants or long skirts/onepieces combined with white/natural colors, leggins, frills, hair accessories, with flowers and animals everywhere make the mori girl (althought you could find more elements, this is just the essencial, or what one could notice the most).

Of course one always copies the aspescts they like the most from each trend and add them to their personal style. I think this is the most interesting part of fashion, see, combine, create (your own style). In a way, following a trend is the easiest thing to do. Finding yourself while getting inspiration from everywhere is the challenge.


Source for both magazines