What is Dopamine Dressing? – What It Means & How To Do It From The Experts

Dressing for Dopamine has become a booming trend in 2022, taking the catwalks and social media timelines by storm. Top designers have been flooding the runway with fluorescence in their Autumn/Winter 22 showcases, and #dopaminedressing has garnered over 180k tagged posts on Instagram and a staggering 148% lift in searches for “dopamine dressing” on Pinterest since last year.

But what does ‘dopamine dressing’ actually mean?

As searches for fuschia pink dresses and rainbow dresses soar, it’s set to become one of the most popular fashion trends of AW22; we’ve done a deep dive into the world of dopamine dressing, enlisting the help of experts and revealing what it means, how it works and how you can introduce it into your ways of dressing. 

What Does ‘Dopamine Dressing’ Mean?

By basic “dictionary” definition, dressing for dopamine is wearing clothes which make you feel joy and happiness; it’s the Marie Kondo of dress codes. However, this swiftly emerging trend isn’t quite that black and white in its statement of meaning, holding different connotations for each person who employs it as their day-to-day dress code.

For some, it’s about finding comfort and confidence in their clothes. Wearing what they love and what makes them feel most like themselves instead of following media and designer-led fashion trends. At the same time, others find their mood to be directly influenced by the colours they wear. 

Scientifically, colour psychology is said to hold a huge influence in both marketing and interior design, with certain colours used in advertising or different rooms influencing the mood of those consuming it – and the same can be said for fashion too.

Many have attributed wearing specific colours as a mood influencer;  colour psychologist June McLeod writes in her book Colour Psychology Today, “We know for certain that colour affects our mood, the way we feel, our self-esteem, confidence, the way others respond to us and physiological responses” –  suggesting there is a direct correlation between mood and wearing specific coloured clothing. She continues, “wearing red to business meetings will ensure you are seen, heard and not talked over. Red will enhance your presence. It is all-powerful, dramatic and demands attention.” Further elaborating on the specific feelings and perceptions of particular colours and how they can directly influence our own frame of mind and that of others. 

Does Wearing Bright Colours Make You Feel Happier?

Whilst the science, as mentioned earlier, suggests yes. However, we didn’t think that was enough to go off. So, we enlisted the help of two experts in the “dopamine dressing” world to discover their thoughts and experiences.

Professional fashion stylist & colour expert  Emma Lightbown told Yumi that “fashion has often been overlooked for its huge impact on our feelings, but it’s an instant mood changer.”  she continued to say that “colour plays a huge part in dopamine dressing, but there are no right or wrong answers.” going on to suggest that it’s not just bright, neon colours which play a part in dopamine dressing; “traditionally cold colours such as values and greens are seen to represent calmness and creativity, whilst warm colours such as orange and yellow reflect excitement and happiness… it’s all about choosing the colours that make you feel great. For some people, even black and navy have their place in dopamine dressing – think of the confident, authoritative nature of a well-tailored black suit.”

So whilst bright colours have been ruling the runways and taking over many a Pinterest board, with searches for “Electric Blue Outfits” rising 148% year on year and the hunt for “Vibrant Outfits” seeing a surge by receiving 16x as many searches as last year, some experts suggest that it’s not just the bright and bold colours you should be looking towards when it comes to enlisting “dopamine dressing” as part of your style. However, there is a glaringly obvious connection between donning party dresses and floral jumpsuits full of bright colours and finding your mood uplifted. 

Why Are So Many People “Dopamine Dressing”?

Aside from the clear motive given by the name of the trend, there are other reasons people opt for “dopamine dressing.” For example, organising and streamlining their clothing collections so that it only includes pieces which make them feel comfortable and confident and maintaining a more colourful clothing pallet in the winter months to help keep spirits raised.

We spoke to Life Coach and Decluttering Consultant Julie Leonard, who adopts “dopamine dressing” in her style, about her thoughts on this style and how it helps keep her closet in order and her confidence high when the weather turns dull. “I know the importance of regularly going through my wardrobe and keeping it organised with the clothing I love that makes me feel great when I wear them. Last autumn, as I changed from my summer to winter clothing, it struck me how much more colourful my summer wardrobe was. Lots of shades of blue, reds, greens and pink. On the other hand, my winter wardrobe was very monochrome.”

Noticing her winter wardrobe was much less impactful on her mood and confidence than her summer sartorial selection, Julie explained why she chose to become a full-time dopamine dresser. “It has always been important to me to wear clothes that I feel good in, and I found that wearing bright colours throughout the year but especially in autumn/winter, impacted my mood. When I wear bright colours and clothes that I feel good in, I hold myself more confidently and smile more. People respond to that.” 

Search trends and runways for Autumn and Winter 2022 show that many seem to agree with Julie’s sentiments, endeavouring to brighten up the duller months with their wardrobe and bring their “hot girl summer” confidence into the winter.

What Are Dopamine Colours?

Whilst we’ve continually mentioned “bright” colours as the hallmark of “dopamine dressing”, it’s important to note that this is simply an umbrella term for the typical colours used for this dress style. However, not all colours illicit the same feeling for the wearer or response from those surrounding; specific colours and patterns each hold their own representation, which also may differ from person to person, but there are some generic “meanings” connected to the primary “dopamine dressing” colours. 

Pink

Traditionally, pink has been associated with presentations of femininity and womanhood, but according to colour psychology is said to elicit feelings of love, kindness and calmness as well as being directly linked to dopamine release. 

Red

Another colour with direct links to dopamine release is red. However, unlike pink, it represents a stronger feeling associated with power and assertiveness, which is said to boost confidence and self-image. 

Green

Standing as the antipode of red, green offers a more calming effect – holding connotations of nature, health and life, great for those who need more calming influences in their life.

Yellow

Yellow is another one of the cornerstone colours of colour psychology, defined as an optimistic, uplifting and happy shade that stimulates feelings of enthusiasm, cheerfulness and confidence. 

Dopamine Dressing at Yumi 

Here at Yumi, we’re all about helping you find a way to dress that makes you feel happy, unleashing your confidence and having you feeling your best all year round. So, if dopamine dressing sounds like a style you would like to get into, then you’re in the right place.

There are plenty of pieces and styles for you to choose from when it comes to dipping your toe into the pool of bright colours, from pink wrap dresses and blue jumpsuits to yellow jumpers and leopard print blazers, all of which are bound to send your confidence and mood skyrocketing – regardless of the changing weather.