Dress Like This for an Instant Mood-Lift

We all know that what you wear can affect your mood. Whether on purpose or subconsciously, some clothes just make you feel great while others might translate a different message. All black for a pensive vibe, denim and a t-shirt for a chilled look, or glitter and glam fro a night out. However, there is one concept taking it to the next level: Dopamine dressing.

The trend has popped up before, but it seems to be resurfacing in 2021. With everything happening in the world right now, this feel-good fashion trend is once again taking the world by storm, serving as a timely reminder of one important thing: Luxury is all about how you feel.

Keep reading to get up to speed with dopamine dressing: What it is, the sartorial psychology behind it, and how you can start projecting your best self with your wardrobe.

What is Dopamine Dressing?

Dopamine dressing is all about consciously dressing to make you feel good. It’s a refreshingly simple and familiar premise, right? In a society completely saturated with advertising, taste-making and shifting trends, it’s also an easy first-principle to forget.

These days, we might typically associate feel-good fashion with bright, chirpy colours and whimsical prints. And if that’s the best way to get the positive vibes going for you, the fashion industry is certainly not short on those options. Ultimately though, dopamine dressing is about the positivity that you attach to a specific colour, cut or concept.

Can Clothes Really Lift Your Mood?

While this question might seem tricky to answer scientifically, there is a surprising amount of research that backs up dopamine dressing as a potential mood-enhancer. In 2012, a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that its research subjects’ confidence in carrying out certain tasks could be improved, based on the symbolism of a piece of clothing the subject was given to wear. Naturally, the actual performance of these individuals also improved along with their confidence.

Other research has shown that clothing choices can have an impact on an individual’s attitude that other people can pick up on in surprising ways. A study designed to test the correlation between red clothing and attractiveness found that research subjects rated red-wearers as more attractive—even when they couldn’t see that the person they were rating was wearing red. Psychologist Carolyn Mair explained to The Guardian that “when people [wear] red they feel more attractive”, an attitude that was reflected by the subjects of the study.

While this research doesn’t exactly conclude that canary yellow imbues you with a sunny disposition, it certainly does suggest that our internal attitude can be both signified and affected by the clothes we wear.

Here’s How You Can Dopamine Dress to Impress

If you want to start dopamine dressing today there are a few key ideas to focus on. Dawnn Karen, founder of the Fashion Psychology Institute and author of Dress Your Best Life spoke with Vogue Australia to impart her advice. She suggests that people start with how they want to feel, and project this with the clothes that they choose to wear. “Mood enhancement dressing,” Karen says, “is… creating an alignment between internal and external, attitude and attire.”

Another important factor in dopamine dressing is feeling comfortable in the clothes you wear. Comfort can make or break confidence and should be a high-priority item in dressing to express your best self.

Check out these luxury items below for some inspiration on how to dopamine dress in style.

Ready to start dopamine dressing today? Keep scrolling to see our picks