The last two years have been a whirlwind of emotions and tragedy. With the pandemic came a loss of control, and many things that once brought us joy became either inaccessible or even put on hold. Joy began to be depleted, and our connection to people and ourselves began to decrease. Due to this sudden and drastic change, many people started to turn to things that could be controlled and could spark joy. One of those things happens to be clothing.
One of the many things that are receiving some attention due to the pandemic is the connection between our mood and clothing/style. The connection between your emotions and style has become one of the 2021/2022 most significant trends. One of the biggest trends is “dopamine dressing,” which is dressing in a way that boosts your mood and brings you overall joy.
Studies have shown that there are psychological connections to specific colors, patterns, and fabrics. Styles and texture can drastically boost mood and more. In “Mind What You Wear: The Psychology of Fashion” by Karen Pine, Pine states, “What we wear affects how we feel so much that it can distort and determine our thoughts and judgments.” says the psychologist.
Not only this, but according to a lecturer in cultural and historical studies at the London College of Fashion, Maria Costantino, states, “Our bodies produce dopamine, and our nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. It has many functions: it is involved in reward, motivation, memory, and attention. When dopamine is released in large amounts, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward which motivates us to repeat a specific behavior.”
Bright oranges, apple greens, and hot pinks have been the most popular shades in this upcoming trend, along with eye-catching prints and bold accessories. Dopamine dressing has been emerging in the street style realm as well. For instance, dopamine dressing was often seen at the Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2022. Bright colors and crazy textures were dominating the streets in Copenhagen.
This emerging trend is proven to spark joy in your life and your wardrobe. So, even if the world is ending and we are forced back to wearing sweats every day, now we can incorporate some bold and bright textures to spice it up. 2022 is all about dressing ourselves in a way that makes us happy. We deserve it.
