Give a Gift
Photos in this article are provided by Canva unless otherwise noted.
Do you find yourself struggling with getting dressed every day? If you open your closet and feel less than inspired to put together an outfit, you’re not alone. For me, these feelings hit a few years ago as I entered my mid-30s post-pandemic. The girlboss-inspired career dresses of my twenties suddenly felt too stuffy for remote work, while my casual clothes were practical and comfortable but also quite boring. To top it off, my deep love of black clothing left me with a row of almost identical black tops and tees that didn’t feel special. As a lifelong lover of fashion, I could tell that I had lost my spark and I hated how it felt.
These feelings weren’t helped by the rapid cycle of microtrends popular on social media during and after the pandemic. TikTok and Instagram videos of influencers highlighting trends like dark academia, cottagecore, coastal grandmother, and whimsigoth flooded my social media feed and added to feelings of being both out of the loop and being unsatisfied with my current style. After a minor meltdown involving a vintage coat that I rarely ever wore, I had to do some self-reflection and ask myself, what can I do to make me love the clothes I have? Enter dopamine dressing.
What Is Dopamine Dressing?
Coined by fashion psychologist Dr. Dawnn Karen, dopamine dressing is the practice of intentionally wearing clothes that make you happy, activating your dopamine aka the neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. Dopamine dressing, unlike the above-mentioned style trends, is centered around experimenting with colors, patterns and style in a way that is catered to what makes the wearer feel good, not what is dictated by current style trends. This practice also encourages updating clothing you already have with details that make you smile. This can look like adding colorful elbow patches, painting your jeans or adding embroidered details to a simple tote bag.
The key combination of dopamine dressing is experimentation, intention and comfort. It’s hard to feel confident in your clothes if you feel uncomfortable, and when you intentionally choose clothing that makes you feel comfortable and bolder, you allow your best self to shine. Think about what colors boost your mood, what items are in your closet that you love wearing and what types of clothes you’ve always been drawn towards. Dopamine dressing also doesn’t mean always being dressed to the nines; it can be as simple as layering your favorite t-shirt with a cardigan or wearing comfy joggers with fun socks. If it makes you feel good and boosts your mood, you’ve participated in dopamine dressing.
Tips for Dopamine Dressing
Below are some quick tips for experimenting with dopamine dressing. Remember, the main goal is to boost your mood when you’re feeling low and to find creative combinations in your already existing wardrobe.
- Playful Accessories. Accessories are a fast and easy way to boost your mood. I’ve always been a fan of costume jewelry, so on days where my energy level is low, a quirky pair of earrings really does make a difference. This is also a cheap way to update your wardrobe. Most of my costume jewelry has been purchased at garage sales for less than $1.
- Hello, Glue Gun. Jumping off the previous tip, making accessories out of recycled materials has become one of my favorite hobbies. Tassels off a jewelry bag became J. Crew-inspired earrings. Sparkly scrapbook paper was cut into stars and hot glued to bobby pins. A pull tab from a carton of cold brew? I painted it gold and glued on a fake, oversized gemstone. Seeing possibility in everyday materials is a simple way to spark creativity.
- Make the Most of Mending. As mentioned earlier in the article, worn clothing items can easily be mended in whimsical ways. In the past year, I’ve experimented with painting fabric as well as adding small embroidered details to tops, customizing my closet in ways that I won’t be able to find with major retailers. Need to patch up an old long-sleeved top? Check out this article from Sophie Tarrant that walks you through adding elbow patches.
- Choose Color Combos by Instinct. A major part of dopamine dressing is getting dressed with outfits that make sense to you. We all have that one item in our closet that we love and have never figured out how to style, so start by selecting that item and laying it next to other items in your wardrobe to see what combinations catch your eye. For example, I have a sky blue and pink plaid midi skirt that I always struggle to style and it rarely gets worn. I laid out the skirt next to black, white, gray, and navy tops and the navy was what immediately caught my eye. I paired the skirt with a navy tee and matching ballet flats and boom, I have an easy, comfy spring outfit that has an interesting color combination.
- Play with High-Low. High-low is another creative way to mix and match items in your wardrobe. This concept combines pairing basics with statement pieces to create an elevated look. This can look very bold, such as pairing track pants with a frilly blouse, or more understated, like jeans and a t-shirt paired with daring chandelier earrings. The goal with this concept is to encourage you to stop saving items for special occasions, as being alive IS the special occasion. Make getting dressed a celebration of everything you love.
- When in Doubt, Sew! Dopamine dressing encourages you to explore the items you already have, but it also acts as a starting point for imagining what items you’d like to have in your closet. If you’ve always been drawn towards skirts over jeans but your wardrobe is filled with pants, sew yourself a classic skirt in your favorite color. Intentional sewing is the idea. Ask yourself what fabric feels good against your skin, what you love wearing, and what colors you’d like to add to your closet.
Playful Sewing Patterns
We’ve added some of our favorite playful sewing patterns to this article as well, so that you can start injecting some dopamine into your closet today!
- Hedgehog in the Flowers Embroidery Pattern (February 2026). Jennifer Carson’s embroidery pattern from our recent February issue is a great way to update your favorite pair of jeans. Her spring-themed embroidery design features a sweet hedgehog, buzzing bees, and delicate flowers.
Hedgehog in the Flowers Embroidery Pattern (February 2026). Designer: Jennifer Carson. Photography: Kelsey Wolfe Photography for Ampry Publishing.
- Sapphire Summer Peasant Blouse (June 2022) – This reader favorite pattern from Daniela Paz Gutierrez-Diaz is a comfortable and colorful top to make for your warm weather wardrobe. The off-the-shoulder neckline and billowing peasant sleeves give this classic top a romantic, bohemian feel.
Sapphire Summer Peasant Blouse (June 2022). Designer: Daniela Paz Gutierrez-Diaz. Photography: Ashlee Cole for Ampry Publishing.
- Vibrant Vinyl Tote Bag (March 2025) – Add movement to your wardrobe with this playful tote bag pattern from Debi Schmitz. Featuring a trendy fringe in a contrasting color, this purse pattern is large enough to hold your essentials and is a quick way to elevate your everyday outfits.
Vibrant Vinyl Tote Bag (March 2025). Designer: Debi Schmitz. Photography: Kelsey Wolfe Photography for Ampry Publishing.
- Elise Slip Dress Pattern (August 2024) – This simple slip dress by Lauren Merciris is a fantastic project that can easily be dressed up or down. Make it in a vibrant jewel tone and wear it on its own, layer it with sparkly tights and a chunky sweater for fall or wear it under a band tee for a stylish summer look.
Elise Slip Dress Pattern (August 2024). Designer: Lauren Merciris. Photography: MJG Photography for Ampry Publishing.
- Nightfall Embroidery Blazer Refashion (October 2023) – A longtime editor fave, this pattern from Olu Falola shows you how to transform a classic blazer with bright embroidery floss. This project is designed for thrifters who enjoy finding new ways to update an existing garment.
Nightfall Embroidery Blazer Refashion (October 2023). Designer: Olu Falola. Photography: Ashlee Cole for Ampry Publishing.
We hope our article on dopamine dressing has boosted your mood! The main point of dopamine dressing is to wear what makes you happy by dressing for yourself. What types of articles would you like to read? Let us know below in the comments!