What Is “dopamine Clothing” and Can It Really Make You Happier?
Whether or not you think about the colors you wear in the morning, you are probably aware of some of the cultural meanings associated with certain shades of clothing. For example, in many Western cultures, wearing black has traditionally been a sign that a person is in mourning (or at least attending a funeral, wake, or memorial service). Meanwhile, red is considered the “color of power” and wearing it should send a message to you and others that you need to be taken seriously.
Another recent example of the application of color psychology is the concept of “dopamine clothing”. This time the idea is to use color, texture and style to lift your spirits.
What is dopamine?
If you need a quick refresher, dopamine is known as one of the so-called “happiness hormones” (along with serotonin) that greatly affects your mood, motivation, and ability to focus.
Generally speaking, when our dopamine levels are on the higher end of the spectrum, we tend to feel good (or at least decent) and more motivated for the day ahead. On the other hand, lower levels of dopamine can leave us feeling depressed, hopeless, and lacking the drive needed to complete even simple daily tasks.
What is dopamine clothing?
Chances are, you’re already familiar with some of the tips for boosting dopamine levels naturally, such as getting enough restful sleep , moving your body, and listening to your favorite music . Now you can add your clothes to this list.
Basically, dopamine clothing is wearing clothes whose colors, textures, and styles make us feel good. And there is no rule saying what it means to wear brightly colored clothes every day.
This is because while some people do feel their mood lift when they put on their favorite bright blue sweater or neon yellow socks, it makes others feel uncomfortable, cartoony, and out of character. Instead, they can feel the happiest and most authentic , for example, in a combination of black, brown and other neutral colors.
And that’s one of the tricks with dopaminergic clothing: We may question or ignore how we feel about certain colors or styles due to widespread cultural beliefs about it. But in this case, it’s all about how we feel when we wear a color, not how society tells us that it should make us feel (for example, that black makes us feel sad), or in a message , which this color allegedly sends to others.