The state of the world that we live in currently is exhausting. With the constant barrage of bad news everywhere, it is hard to find positivity. While searching to find new ways to incorporate joy into monotony, something called dopamine dressing kept coming up. Dopamine dressing provides a boost of happiness using things you already have. While not a new concept, made popular in 2016, dopamine dressing has begun to see a resurgence. Dopamine dressing is wearing clothing of various colors, textures, and silhouettes to boost the wearer’s mood. The idea behind it is that by wearing things you truly enjoy, void of trends, will cause improvements to mental health. A common misconception is that it has to involve bright colors. Even people that are goth or alternative can incorporate dopamine dressing into their style.
Beginner
New to dopamine dressing? No problem. Just find one statement piece in your closet that you enjoy. The easiest place to start is accessories. Edgy shoes that you never wear because you don’t have anywhere to wear it to? Throw it on but dress it down. Wear it under a flare jean so they’re not the focus of the outfit. You can look down throughout the day and get that dopamine boost. Same with a bag or a piece of jewelry. Start with one thing and work your way up. Wear a lot of black? Switch up the texture of the statement piece so the outfit doesn’t look flat.
Examples: Megan thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, Solange Knowles.
Intermediate
Beginner is old news for you. An intermediate mixes a few statement pieces at the same time. Another way to step into the intermediate version of dopamine dressing is playing with silhouettes. Making baggy jeans extra oversized or pairing it with an even bigger jacket plays with the eye creating excitement. Play with volume in a way that creates excitement. The best part about dopamine dressing is it doesn’t have to follow a trend. If you hate it, try something else. A unique silhouette in addition to a statement piece is a fun switch up from normal styling rules.
Examples: Lupita Nyongo, Teyana Taylor, Cookie Lyon. (Taraji P. Henson’s recent style incorporates more dopamine dressing!)
Expert
An expert dopamine dresser is the most fun. They are the true definition of throwing caution to the wind. Multiple statement pieces, colors, and textures appear throughout each look. Color blocking and various volumes come easy to an expert. Confidence is key when moving to expert status. Especially since so much of dopamine dressing falls outside of the usual trends. This person unapologetically wears what they want, how they want. However it’s put together gives plenty of opportunity to enjoy different aspects of the same outfit throughout the day.
Examples: Iris Apfel, Tracee Ellis Ross, Moira Rose.
Don’t be afraid to get started. The best part of dopamine dressing is the only wrong answer is anything that doesn’t bring joy. My personal rule of thumb is that my outfit needs “a little bit of tack” to it. This means adding something traditionally seen as tacky to bring some whimsy. I realized I’ve been dopamine dressing for years but I left so much untapped potential in my closet. Release the pressure to look perfect and just have fun. The results could surprise you.
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Featured image/photo by Michael Kyule on Unsplash.