Dopamine dressing is the new trend for wearing clothes and colours which make you feel good. Based on colour psychology, the look promotes the idea that bright colours have mood-lifting effects. However, with a whole colour spectrum and hundreds of colour combinations, where do we begin to start dressing happy?
In its simplest terms, dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in the brain which releases pleasure, excitement, and euphoria. There are lots of factors which trigger dopamine release such as plenty of sleep, a rich and healthy diet and, according to recent studies, colour. Dopamine dressing is all about finding clothes which help to stimulate these feel-good feelings. At its core, dopamine dressing is centred in the findings of colour psychology, which researches the mental and emotional affects that certain colours have on us.
Whilst you may not be that familiar with ‘dopamine dressing’, bright colourful clothes are not as new as they may feel. Both the runway and high street have been playing with colour saturated hues and bold patterns for a while. In fact, you probably already own more mood-boosting clothes than you think! The Spring Summer 2022 runways were overflowing with uplifting colours, with Valentino soaked in shocking hot pink and Versace was jaw-dropping in acid green; Zara has stocked the midi slip dress in various bright colours whilst other stores have reinvented the colourful summer cardigan.
The emotional effects of colour have been investigated – and used – for years. According to research conducted by Kendra Chelly, who wrote about the relationship between colours and our feelings, ‘Colour is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood, and even influence physiological reactions’. These findings have been used commercially and scientifically to subtly control our behaviour. In consumerism, marketing and brand design uses colour to impact our interpretation of something, whilst in science Art Therapy has long been using colour to assist and stimulate different behaviour. For example, cool colours are used for calming whilst warm tones are used for stimulating.
So, returning to fashion, ‘dopamine dressing’ is all about choosing to wear colours which make you feel good about yourself. But where do we begin? Primarily, clothes which makes us feel good are clothes which we feel makes us look good. When it comes to colour, as a rule of thumb, these are shades which suit our physical complexion. As a vague guide, people with cool undertones suit jewel tones, sea shades, greys and whites; those with warm undertones suit earth tones, oranges, yellows and creams; people with neutral undertones look good in a variety of tones. However, feeling good in clothes is not just about what may look the best. We all have our colour hero, that one shade that we just can’t get enough off and is currently populating our wardrobe in various jumpers and dresses. This will make you feel good, too.
The key to Dopamine Dressing is wearing what you like. With our social feeds and visual search engines full of this latest trend, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with what colours to buy and wear. Whilst there will be some shades which suit you better, and some which you vow to never buy again, Dopamine Dressing is all about finding your colour personality. Next time you shy away from that electric blue midi skirt or sunset gradient strappy heals, for fear of dressing beyond your style or age, remember colours are our new best friend! Start curating your own wardrobe rainbow and unleash your inner dopamine dresser.
