Dopamine Dressing

Introduction

In her book, ‘Dress Your Best Life’, Dr.Dawnn Karen first coined the term, ‘Dopamine Dressing’; For the uninitiated, Dr.Karen was dubbed the ‘Dress Doctor’ by The New York Times. Dr. Karen, a fashion psychologist, categorized clothes into two segments- Mood Illustration Dress (Serotonin Dressing) & Mood Enhancement Dress (a.k.a Dopamine Dressing).??

Dopamine is a big part of our unique human ability to think and plan. It helps us strive, focus, and find things interesting.

Dopamine dressing is a way of dressing which would uplift one’s mood. The most common form of dopamine dressing is witnessed in usage of bright colors, neons and color blocking methods. However, it should not only be confined to using bright, vibrant colors and must be associated with any article of clothing which has an emotional effect on the wearer such that it makes them feel good, or comforted (especially when it's a hand-me-down from a loved one) or even makes them more confident.

Psychology of Dopamine Dressing

A 2012 study published by University of Hertfordshire Press found a strong link between clothing and mood.

This finding shows that clothing doesn’t just influence others, it reflects and influences the wearer’s mood too. Many of the women in this study felt they could alter their mood by changing what they wore. This demonstrates the psychological power of clothing and how the right choices could influence a person’s happiness.”

It suggested that people should wear certain clothes — brightly- colored accessories or pieces with heartwarming backstories to lift their mood.

While it should not be considered as a one-size-fits-all approach, the pandemic and the advent of documenting one’s life on social media has highlighted the need for humans to be SEEN and to be validated.?

Dopamine dressing can also be linked to the psychology of Enclothed Cognition- the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes. Social Psychologists, Hajo Adam & Adam Galinsky conducted the Lab coat experiment and found that in a participant pool of 58 undergraduates (male & female), the set of participants who wore a lab coat made half as many errors as the people without the lab coat, signifying that merely wearing a ‘lab coat or doctor’s coat’ made people more attentive.

“Color therapy and chromotherapy have long been of interest to cultures dating back to ancient Egypt and have been integrated into interior and environmental design,” Maria Costantino, a lecturer in cultural and historical studies at the London College of Fashion says. “For example, cool hues are used to enhance concentration, or pale green to enhance quietness. Colour is closely associated with emotions; it colors our language – we say we are ‘feeling blue’, ‘seeing red’, ‘green with envy’ or ‘in the pink’.”

Dopamine Dressing in Popular Culture

Fashion house Valentino’s Pink PP Collection 2022-23 termed ‘Pink out’ was created in collaboration with Pantone to release a trademark intense hue called Valentino Pink PP.?

Brad Pitt, was also seen imbibing dopamine dressing on the press tour of his latest film, 'Bullet Train.' He was often seen in sunshine yellow trainers and so much so as green, pink and even peach suits.

Iris Apfel , made famous in popular culture by the Netflix documentary, ‘Iris’, is a 101 year old style icon, businesswoman and an interior designer who may be considered the face of ‘Dopamine Dressing’. The fact that she thrives and radiates energy everyday in early 100s’ should be considered evidence enough for anyone to try it for themselves!