Looking to your closet and jewel box for feelings of power, pleasure and self-expression? Try dopamine dressing, the biggest feel-good trend of 2024.
When life feels heavy, we need to find joy where we can; whether it’s getting a little treat with our morning coffee, starting a new Netflix series or wearing outfits and accessories that make us feel like we’re on top of the world.
Enter: Dopamine dressing.
What’s Dopamine Dressing and Should We All Be Doing It?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that our brain releases on receiving pleasure. It is one of our ‘happiness hormones’ and has a significant impact on our mood and emotions. A low dopamine level can make you feel gloomy, but if high levels of dopamine are flitting between your neurons, you’ll feel dazzling.
Now, you don’t need to do anything too crazy to increase your dopamine levels. Simple things that might make you feel good, like watching a beautiful sunset, eating your favourite food, exercising or simply spending time with your loved ones, are enough for it. And that *happy feeling* you get when you buy a new item of clothing or a piece of jewellery, YEP, that is an effect of dopamine too!
Therefore, wearing clothes or accessories you love can give your mood a boost, and that is exactly what we mean by dopamine dressing. The term was coined by fashion psychologist, Dawnn Karen. In her book, Dress Your Best Life, she says that brighter colours can elicit positive emotions. “By making a few adjustments to your wardrobe and learning to style from the inside out, you’ll not only elevate your look but level up your entire life,” explains Karen.
Where Did Dopamine Dressing Come From?
Well, this mood-boosting fashion trend sprouted after two dull years of endless COVID-19 lockdowns. Comfort dressing suddenly shifted to a mood-boosting sartorial trend where everything was vibrant and jaunty.
But did you know that this concept is older than a decade? A 2012 study found a strong link between clothing and mood. It suggests that people wearing brightly-coloured or symbolic accessories may experience an elevation in their mood or perceived confidence.
In fact, colour is so closely associated with emotions that certain colour-related phrases have been embedded in our minds since ancient cultures. We bet you’ll read the following (familiar) phrases like you’ve never read them before: ‘beet red’, ‘green with envy,’ ‘in the pink of health’ and ‘golden opportunity.’ Now, do you or do you not think that it’s got something to do with how the colours make us feel?
It’s 2024 and we have been seeing celebrities inspiring us with some of the best dopamine looks. Take Anne Hathaway glowing with happiness in this colourful jumpsuit and a blazer for example.
Dopamine Dressing for Happiness
It’s part fashion, part mindfulness.
It could be your favourite jumper, your “lucky dress” or a jewellery piece your S.O. gifted you; anything that makes you feel positive and happy could work as a dopamine dress for you. The theory is simple: if you associate a yellow dress with cheerfulness, then you will embody that cheery feeling when you wear it.
Colour is one of the best and easiest ways to lift our spirits instantly. Our confidence can be boosted when we wear colours that we love and feel good in. The coloured gemstone jewellery trend, for example, has provided us with a fun outlet for self-expression while boosting our mental well-being.
And those who are quirkier can even go for fun shapes and motifs in their jewellery the way Gigi Hadid was seen sporting in one of her recent Instagram posts.
Are There Any Dopamine Colours?
We all have psychological connections to colours. For instance, blue can make us feel peaceful, green can make us feel energetic and yellow can make us feel optimistic and happy. However, it is important to understand that while some colours may remind some people of a depressing time in their lives, for others, the same colour may be a source of feeling powerful. A good example here would be black.
So, remember that it’s all about your personal association with colours and what makes YOU happy.
Speaking of colours, is your wardrobe ready for winter? Cheque out these 5 winter wardrobe colours that will help you slay that cold-weather fashion.
How To Pull Off Dopamine Dressing With Jewellery?
From rainbow jewellery to electric blue outfits, 2024 fashion is all about feel-good pairings with an electric kick. And if you thought this trend is made only for youngsters, think again, because all genders and age groups are driving the dopamine dressing trend IRL!
After years of gold and silver dominating the jewellery world, bauble enthusiasts are thrilled to get a little playful with colourful jewellery. Coloured gemstones with mood-boosting benefits are surely a match made in jewellery heaven! But there are other ways to try dopamine dressing with jewellery – you can choose to celebrate your own love for motifs, textures and shapes through the jewellery you wear. We’re talking eye-catching statement pieces to brave mixing and matching and playful charms on everything from bracelets to anklets! As with most things, the key is to start small and work your way up.
Here are our top 5 approaches you can take to dress for happiness.
Heads up: Bright green, cool blue, bubblegum pink, hot magenta, royal purple and tangerine are the colours taking the lead in 2024! So, if you’re planning on incorporating the dopamine dressing trend in your jewellery box, you want to include coloured gems like peridot, emerald, blue, orange and pink sapphire and amethyst.
1. Inject A (Subtle) Pop Of Colour
Colours can make you happy, and colourful accessories can make you twice as happy. But if you’re not ready to take a big colourful leap of faith just yet, why not make your dopamine-dressing debut with minimalistic gemstone jewellery pieces? It’ll add a subtle pop of colour, especially to your neutral-hued attires like black, white and beige, while still keeping your look a bit adventurous. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a dopamine kick, doesn’t it?
2. Go Monotone
Monotone dressing is all the rage these days, and if you’re planning on dressing head-to-toe in a single hue, like purple or pink, you can make it even more iconic with matching or contrasting accessories. You can also play with a variety of tones to create depth and layers in your single-hued OOTD. There is no rule book here, so just go ahead and have fun.
3. Feel Good In Rainbow Colours
Wearing a rainbow can easily give you a double boost of dopamine. And haven’t you heard? Dressing loud is the new dressing down.
When you see the vibrant and cheerful hues of a rainbow, it’s impossible not to smile and feel happy. Plus, rainbow jewellery pairs well with everything! Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Lucky for you, we have not one, not two but an entire range dedicated to rainbow-hued multi-sapphire jewellery. Just choose what you like the most and brighten your dresses, blouses and even denim with gemstone jewellery!
4. Work It With Complementary Colours
Are you someone who wants to make that daring choice but may feel a little nervous to try out a completely new style? Well, you can still strike a good balance between taking that fashion risk and sticking to what you’re most comfortable with. Just work with outfits and accessories of complementary colours. Complementary colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel, when combined, often create flattering clashes of colours. For ex., yellow and purple, green and red, pink and magenta, etc. They’ll not just make you look good but feel good too!
5. Choose A Symbolic Piece Of Jewellery
FYI: Dopamine dressing isn’t only about colours. Symbolic jewellery or a bauble with a heartwarming backstory that boosts your happy hormones counts too!
You know that good luck charm jewellery that gives you a sweet nostalgic rush along with a sense that you’ve got this every time you wear it? Yeah, that’s the one. But if you want to perk up your mood with something new (we know you do), consider charm bracelets, certified jewellery with nature-inspired motifs and birthstone and zodiac jewellery.
They feel personal and meaningful and yet evoke a sense of playfulness. Symbolic jewellery pieces like these will uplift your mood, boost your confidence and get your dopamine pulsing in no time.
Also read: Angara Anniversary Special: Top 16 Gemstone Jewellery Pieces to #DreamInColour
Why Dopamine Dressing Is The Jaunty New Trend We Need RN FAQs
- What is the dopamine dressing trend?Dopamine dressing refers to the fashion trend of dressing up in vibrant hues, prints and textures that perk up your mood and confidence.
- Does dopamine dressing work?Scientific studies show that when you wear bright colors and symbolic pieces, you feel happier and release dopamine (the happy hormone) in your brain.
- What are dopamine gemstone colors?Some gemstones that can help with dopamine dressing are pink sapphire, peridot (bright green), London Blue topaz (vivid blue), yellow sapphire, orange sapphire and tanzanite (violet-blue).
