Dopamine Dressing: How to Get Dressed to Increase Your Happiness

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Dopamine dressing is a buzzword that’s making its mark in 2022, but what exactly does it mean? Well, dopamine dressing refers to the art of getting dressed with the intention of improving your mood and happiness—hence the name. You can do this by playing with styles, colors or textures that release dopamine and make you feel good.

There’s been plenty of research around this phenomenon and how our mood can be heavily influenced by what we wear, and vice versa. Research from the University of Hertfordshire shows that what we wear is heavily influenced by how we feel. In addition, participants in a study conducted by psychologist Karen Pine said they felt they could alter their mood by changing what they wore.

Dopamine dressing is all about dressing for you—to make you feel good inside and out. Still wondering how to approach it? Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Wear something meaningful

Psychologist Karen Pine explains that symbolic items have the power to improve our confidence, mood and self-esteem. When it comes to your clothing, try picking out items that reflect your values or that remind you of something or someone special. That could be as simple as wearing a women’s hoodie that reminds you of one your mother wore.

Or, if you’re passionate about sustainability, that could mean thrifting your clothing items to reduce your carbon footprint. Being intentional about what we choose and how we wear it is a quick way to release that dopamine and feel good when we get dressed.

2. Experiment with different styles

Fashion is all about having fun with what you wear and sometimes that means stepping out of your comfort zone. According to Psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo, stepping outside of your comfort zone can trigger a dopamine release. Try pulling patterns, prints and styles you wouldn’t normally gravitate toward to see how they make you feel. You never know what you’ll like until you try it on!

3. Mix materials and textures

On the same note, experimenting with different materials and textures could also be a new fashion route you try. Psychologist Jennifer Pfeuffer says that even the texture of our clothes can impact our mood and confidence. Try pairing fabrics like denim, leather, suede and cotton together to create a multi-dimensional look.

For more tips on how you can look stylish while increasing your happiness by dopamine dressing, check out the infographic guide below.