Dark Mori Boi
Dark Mori Boi
Mori and strega are styles that I have admired from afar for years, but never really tried because I felt they looked to feminine. Weird, right? For some reason the draping and the fabric choices made me panic. “What if people saw me and thought I was a girl!?” Which to be honest, is stupid. Fabrics aren’t gendered. What a silly thing to think, eh?
However , that has always been one of my biggest fears when it comes to fashion, what if they think I’m a girl. It was the biggest hurdle for me to jump, the acceptance that a lot of people would think no matter how I dressed, and, actually, why should I care what they think? I’m not dressing for them, I’m dressing for me! It was so liberating.
After years of hiding behind baggy tshirts, hoodies and jeans, I finally felt able to really, truly express myself. Not that there is anything wrong with baggy tshirts, hoodies and jeans, I often still wear that, but for me that is a way of blending in, making sure no one sees me, and I felt like I wasn’t able to be myself.
Of course this didn’t happen overnight, but that is another story, for another time, we’re talking about this outfit and how you can create a look like this too, you know, if you fancy it.
Outfit breakdown:
Firstly, layers. I love layers, I think it looks great. Not only that but it confuses the eye and means that your overall body shape is blurred with all the different lines and shapes of the clothes. This is great for the andro look, especially if you are having a bad body day. Or at least that’s what I find. I mean, it’s also great for everyday, it’s warm and snuggly, but you look like you’re going a mythical quest or you’re going hex someone, which, let’s be honest, is what NB folk are doing all the time.
ANYWAY, the layers are what make mori/strega. Look for waterfall cardigans, which are really in at the moment and you can get in most high street shops, or online (ebay is a god send for this stuff).
I’ve gone for a long button down as my base layer, but you can also just throw on a long tee or vest, what’s important is the length. Again this is a way of distorting the frame, so you can be your ethereal, formless NB self.
On top of that I’ve got three different cardigans, because I was cold more than anything, but with the three different cuts, colours and fabrics (one long sleeve, light weight black waterfall cardy with leather trim, one navy blue, wool long line and over the top a sleeveless, charcoal grey waterfall cardy with hood) you get a nice blending of colours and styles, which again add to that uncertain shape, but also look really pretty.
I’ve gone for trousers, just because, no real reason, coz this look is great with skirts too and skirts layer even better. The socks and boots work with trousers or skirts. Makes you feel sturdy and grounded. I’ve always maintained that wearing the right pair of shoes can make you walk with more confidence. Personally I find wearing my DMs gives me the big, stompy feet of confidence and people move out of my way.
RIGHT, last bit, this is long, I know, scarfs and snoods. Oh they are warm, great for winter. As with the rest of the outfit, mix and match your fabrics and colours, let your inner witch out and go lace and wool together!
You don’t have to accessorize, I mean you already have a lot going on, but it’s nice to get a light bit of a shine from a necklace or pendant. I like it anyway.
You can go for a single colour outfit – all the black for example.
As seen here, look by the wonderful pixielar-noir, who you should all follow if you want to get into strega.
Or go the more mori route and layer up your colours to create depth to the outfit; lots of greens, greys, browns and creams does this well.
Actual stylespiration sailorren, who again you should all follow for the best mori looks.
If you want to start building up this sort of look for yourself then you can get some stuff on the high street.
All Saints is good for this look, but you will need all the money them, but H&M has a sort of cut price version as well, as do Miss Selfridge, Zara and New Look, though it can be seasonal.
If you want to look online Thirteen Clothing is a great, cheap place to go to, though a lot of stuff is shipped from China and Japan so give it time to get to you.
I’m going to be honest with you though, a lot of the best stuff is from charity shops (thrift stores), and ebay trawling. It is worth it though. I’m still building my wardrobe up with this cool stuff myself, and I am really enjoying coming across pieces and working out how to turn them into an outfit.
The other thing, of course, if handmade, if you feel you can do that. Hand making your own clothes, or hand modifying, can open up so many more doors to interesting styles and looks, but I will go into that in a post all of its own.
Mori/strega for me is a look that, I find, can blur all the lines of gender together with. It’s comfy and cosy and makes you feel like you’re floating on air, and can really help with dysphoric issues as you wrap yourself up in layers and mash up that body image into something brand new.
If you give it a try, let me know how it worked for you and if it helped with those niggly NB issues.
‘Olly out.
Lil Prince Says 
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