Dopamine Dressing: Wear Your Happiness

In an anxiety-driven world where everyday people are used to wearing the same neutral and minimalist color palette. What are the emotional consequences of never wearing something bold, colorful or different? According to Carolyn Mair, “Enclothed Cognition describes the effect that our clothes have on various psychological processes such as emotions and self-evaluations.” For those days when you just want to be the main character and feel good? Yeah, that is something called Dopamine Dressing. According to the author of The Psychology of Fashion Carolyn Mair, “Dopamine dressing refers to a person’s motivation to dress in a way that will result in a positive outcome, like feeling more confident, competent, or happy.” What is dopamine you ask? Think of it as your brain’s own happiness juice! It’s a natural chemical that makes you feel good, motivating you, and giving you those warm, fuzzy feelings when something awesome happens. Like when you achieve a goal, enjoy a delicious meal, or even just hear your favorite song. It’s all about pleasure, reward, and keeping you motivated to go after what you want in life.

So why should we be doing this? The clothes we enjoy wearing and love the most raise our dopamine levels and make us overall happier in our normal lives.

“Our clothes are the closest things to our bodies, they are our second skin.” – Carolyn Mair

Here’s the fun part: the only rule is that you, the consumer, feel truly happy and have fun with this; it is not a look, a trend, or a style, it’s a feeling. That is the only guideline for dopamine dressing. Many influencers (and fashion influences) are the go-to examples of Dopamine Dressing, the most notable being the late Iris Apfel who we famously quote “I say dress to please yourself. Listen to your inner muse and take a chance. Wear something that says ‘Here I am! Today.”

The most recognized today are Rhianna, Caroline Vazzana, and Jasmina.tv. These lovely women have cracked the code on their dopamine dress code and now we are here to help you get direction. There are many ways you could go about your “Dopamine Dressing,” so here are a few things to look out for:

Pay attention to what fabric color, texture, jewelry, shapes, and eras in fashion you love the most that make you happier.

Here is our guide for you to start wearing your happiness. Remember Fashion should always be fun!

Color/Texture/Silhouette

Not a fan of colorful clothing, add a burst of dopamine on your nails, face, or accessories!

Nails

Face

Accessories

Inspirational Icons/Designers

Iris Apfel (August 29, 1921 – March 1, 2024)

“You can’t try to be somebody you’re not; that’s not style. If someone says, ‘Buy this — you’ll be stylish,’ you won’t be stylish because you won’t be you. You have to learn who you are first, and that’s painful.” – Iris Apfel