Wellbeing

Have you tried dopamine dressing?

Discover the secrets to dressing yourself happy every single day, whatever your size, shape, age or budget

Have you ever worn a dress that made you feel like a million dollars? Or owned a pair of jeans that went with everything? If so, you’re already aware of the secret superpower our clothes can hold. While fashion may seem frivolous to some, clothes are, to us, what feathers are to a bird, or fur is to a cat – an important layer that stands between our most vulnerable selves and the elements. But, more than that, our clothes can be an outward representation of how we’re feeling; how we want the world to see us. From the power-suit and the first-date dress, to the slouchy jeans and favourite band tee, we’re dressing our mood every time we pull something on from our wardrobes. In fact, far from a frivolous pastime, fashion stylist Miranda Holder (mirandaholder.london, @TheMirandaHolder) says investing a little extra time into what we’re wearing is actually an important form of self-care. “It’s all about confidence,” she says. “When we feel we are looking good we stand taller, smile more broadly and speak more clearly. On a subconscious level we are giving ourselves the message that we are worth it, and we absolutely are.”

Take charge

Enter dopamine dressing – the practice of consciously selecting outfits which you know are going to improve how you feel about yourself. “It’s dressing with intention, styling from the inside out with your wellbeing at the heart of it,” says Miranda. Does this mean we need to put on our best frock and a full face of make-up every day? Of course not. “It’s falling in love with the process – and yourself – again,” she adds. And the great thing about dopamine dressing is, it doesn’t depend on your size, shape or budget, literally anyone can do it.

So, where to begin? “You definitely need to invest a bit of time at the beginning to really tune in to what suits you, what you love and above all what makes you feel good,” says Miranda. “The key is to consciously wear clothes you love and make you feel fantastic [even if that does mean donning your best dress for the school run]. It’s throwing out those pesky fashion rules and ignoring anyone who tries to tell you what you should wear. It’s dressing entirely for yourself, with the ultimate goal to make you happy. It’s embracing the tools in your wardrobe, letting go and having fun with texture, fabric, silhouettes, colour, accessories and so much more.” Feeling inspired? Read on to get started on your own wardrobe adventure.

Clear out

When it comes to feeling great, you would think the more options the better, but actually less is more when it comes to dopamine dressing. “Most of us have wardrobes bulging with clothes yet don’t wear the majority of them,” explains Miranda. “Having too many options, many of them wrong, will only cause frustration and overwhelm when dressing in the mornings, so it’s really important to remove anything that no longer serves us, which will help us to avoid decision fatigue.”

Set plenty of time aside to do this, and approach it with the right mindset as it’s an essential step. Miranda recommends setting the mood, playing your favourite music, lighting a candle… whatever will keep you comfortable for the long-haul.

“Assess each individual item of clothing,” she says. “You only want to keep items that fit and which you love. Anything that isn’t fit for purpose can be moved on, resold, given to charity, or if you can’t bear to part with it, stored in a separate area so you can clearly see exactly what you have. This will also help you to identify any gaps in your collection – make a note of these as you never know when the perfect piece is around the corner, even if you aren’t expecting it.”

Identify your happiest outfits

We’re talking about the outfits that make you feel your brightest and best… what is it about them that you love? How could you bring more of this into the way you dress? “Investing time into understanding what works for you at the beginning will save you hours later so it’s worth going on a journey of self-discovery to really ascertain what makes you feel like the best version of you,” says Miranda. “You might be surprised, an outfit which you loved five years ago may not work for you any more…be mindful to quash any negative self-talk that may arise and keep an open mind.”

Understanding what works for your body shape and which colours do (and more crucially don’t) will be invaluable and, if you aren’t inclined to splash out on the services of a personal stylist there are plenty of resources online to help with this, but the one ‘rule’ above anything else is simply – if you feel good, wear it.

Step out of your comfort zone

Exploring new colours and styles can make you feel zingy and reborn… it can give you extra confidence and a whole new lease of life. “Remember that dressing is a creative process, so embrace it!” Miranda says. “Experiment with new and interesting outfit combinations, combining new colours you have never dared try before or elevating your accessories game. Inspiration is all around us, in nature, interior decorating schemes, in art or magazines, so keep your eyes open for new ideas.”

Miranda shares a secret well-known by stylists called ‘high-low dressing’ which is taking something high end or smarter (say a sequin jacket) and teaming it with something low or more casual (say some loose jeans or trainers) for a more individual and interesting look. “This also enables you to avoid the ‘saving it for best’ adage, and get far more wear out of some of your most fun and favourite pieces,” she adds.

Find your ‘happy’ colour

Fashion is a language, a way of communicating without uttering a single word, and colour is a dialect all of its own. Colour psychology is employed by branding experts as it’s widely acknowledged that different hues have different connotations and evoke different emotions.

“Wearing optimistic orange or sunshine yellow is a great shortcut to boosting those feel-good hormones,” Miranda suggests, “but knowing which shades best suit you is another wardrobe weapon you need in your armoury.”

Having a professional colour analysis can be life changing (houseofcolour.co.uk is one place you can book a consultation) but Miranda suggests the best place to start is by identifying whether you are in the cool or warm skin tone camp. If you suit gold jewellery better, you are most likely warm toned and suit warm (yellow based) colours, but if you suit silver then chances are you’ll look better in cool (blue-based) colours.

Whatever you’re wearing, be comfortable

You can be in the most glamorous ensemble but if your shoes are killing your feet, you will feel awful, fidget, have bad posture and generally not enjoy yourself, which is the direct opposite of dopamine dressing. “It may sound obvious, but no matter how glamorous you want to look, comfort is paramount and should never be compromised in favour of aesthetics, and it is possible to have both,” says Miranda. “Look for natural, breathable garments that fit well and make sure your underwear or shapewear is your friend and research footwear. These days there is a plethora of supportive, well-balanced shoes available that don’t skimp on style.”

Accessorise

Accessories are the ultimate outfit – and therefore mood – booster as they can instantly transform a look from mundane to special. They’re also really fun to collect as whether you are on holiday, shopping at a market, or digging around in a vintage store you never know what treasure you might find. “Invest in a range of shapes and colours and experiment with putting the ‘icing’ on the outfit cake and what effect it has,” Miranda suggests. “Because they are so quick, accessories are also a great dopamine dressing backstop for when you are in a hurry – a bright, colourful scarf knotted at the neck, a pair of killer heels, or the most joyful pair of dangly earrings can all be your sartorial saviour when you are needing to look and feel good in a hurry.”