Dopamine Dressing Makes Me Happy!

I discovered a concept today that I had never heard of before! I always just naturally wore things that make me happy. I mean, sometimes I wear a bit more toned down clothes. In those times it is usually either because I want people to accept me and not be judgy…like when I go to appointments or am around my family. Other times I will dress in a more neutral way when I’m down or not feeling my best.

For me, it takes a huge dose of courage to do dopamine dressing! Dopamine dressing is when you like the outfit you are wearing so much that it gives you a literal dose of dopamine. I remember some of my first escapades with dopamine dressing. One time in high school, I met a family that lived in an old painted lady victorian house. This guy’s mom had a bunch of vintage clothing! She loaned my sister and I these vintage handmade 50’s dresses! I remember wearing it to school, hoping people would notice or that it would spark conversation. I didn’t have friends at school. Honestly nobody said a thing about it. But I felt that dopamine hit, deep within. I radiated because for once I stood out and wasn’t afraid.

To do dopamine dressing, you don’t need to do anything particularly clownish or outlandish. The clothes just have to make you feel giddy inside! Like maybe try to dress in styles from your favorite era, or try to make some things in your favorite color! Right now my favorite color to wear is purple. It has been all summer! My entire life, purple was off limits to me. I’m a twin, and when I was little I was assigned pink and my twin was assigned purple…to tell us apart. Then my mom started wearing a lot of royal purple. And I thought…I will never ever wear purple because it is their color….not mine. This past summer I started wearing purple, lilac, lavender and blue! And I feel incredible in those colors!

Examples of dopamine dressing are wearing bold colors and prints. Like try mix matching prints…so do stripes on the bottom and plaid or print on top. Or go thrifting and buy a vintage wedding dress or prom dress. Alter it for every day wear, and wear that shit! Or do an accessory or accent. Like try a bold purse and fun hat. I experiment with hats a lot, and I love how they shift my mood and elevate my wardrobe. Vintage styles and thrifted pieces, layered looks, anything that is a bit gawdy or outlandish. The key thing is you have to feel absolutely rainbows and unicorns when you wear it!

Go through your wardrobe and set aside a few looks that make you happy! Maybe it will take courage to wear them. Experiment with wearing them when you need a confidence or happiness booster, and see what happens! Do you crave attention from others, or are you more looking for that inner glow that comes from being true to yourself? Give dopamine dressing a try! Let me know how it goes, on Instagram!