mori kei

/ˌmɔɹi ˈkeɪ/

noun

A Japanese fashion aesthetic that celebrates forests, flowers, and other idyllic aspects of nature and rural living.

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Meanings

nounmori kei (uncountable)
  1. uncountableaestheticA Japanese fashion aesthetic that celebrates forests, flowers, and other idyllic aspects of nature and rural living.

    My favourite subculture, that I eventually aspire to be a part of (both in my designs and in the way I dress) is Mori Kei.

    2013 March 29, Mariam Armisen, quoting Stéphane Aurore Koné, “On Embracing Quirkiness”, in Q Zine, number 8, page 59
    2 more examples

    Mori Girl style, or Mori Kei, developed in the late 2000s, and is of particular interest to a forest-loving fairy-minded man or woman.

    2019, The Faerie Handbook, page 130

    Inspired by the enchanting beauty of nature, Mori Kei fashion embraces flowing layers, earthy tones, and delicate floral patterns.

    2023, Hermann Candahashi, Tokyo Tales: A Stranger in the Metropolis of 100 Villages, unnumbered page

Origin

From Japanese 森系(もりけい) (mori-kei, literally “forest style”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mori kei. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mori%20kei

MLA

“mori kei.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mori%20kei. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mori kei,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mori%20kei.

Source: mori kei on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.