I didn’t feel like myself until I started ‘dopamine dressing’

I also love that my wardrobe has the ability to bring joy to people I meet (Picture: Nicola Lewis)

While out shopping one day in October 2017, I noticed an incredible rainbow puffa jacket in a department store window and it stopped me in my tracks.

‘Wow, this is sensational,’ I thought and went to try it on immediately. As soon as I saw my reflection in the mirror, I knew I had to buy it. 

Unlike my other coats – which were all a bit boring, dark, and very plain – this one made me feel alive, bold, happy, and just more me.

I didn’t know it then, but I’d just stumbled across something known as dopamine dressing.

I bought the rainbow puffa jacket and in the process I discovered a whole new Nicola (Picture: Nicola Lewis)

As the name suggests, this way of dressing is all about wearing clothes that boost the happy hormone (aka, dopamine).

Often, that means opting for brighter colours, which have been proven to have an effect on us both on a psychological and emotional level.

For example, greens are thought to help lower your heart rate and blood pressure, while warm tones like orange and red give some energy and sass. Yellows bring joy, meanwhile blues and pastels bring calm and soothe stress.

For 18 years, I wore nothing but the classics – neutrals, greys, navy, and blacks (Picture: Nicola Lewis)

But joyful dressing can also mean wearing clothes that you love, that express who you are, and that make your personality shine through. 

And it’s fair to say that, prior to 2017, my wardrobe definitely didn’t do any of those things.

At that time I worked in the corporate world, which meant that for 18 years I wore nothing but the classics – neutrals, greys, navy, and blacks.

While these shades undoubtedly served their purpose – I never had to think too much in the mornings when getting ready, I could just grab something professional looking and go – looking back, I realised they also shaped the way I showed up in life.

I never thought to ask ‘Does this suit me? Does this feel like me? Am I happy wearing this?’ because it didn’t seem to matter. I was quite happy to slot into the background. After all, I was there to get the work done, not to be noticed.

In reality, these dark clothes were muting my personality and stopping me from expressing who I really was.

Only after leaving the corporate world to start my own professional decluttering and organising business, This Girl Can Organise, did I feel empowered to experiment with colour. That’s when I bought the rainbow puffa jacket and in the process I discovered a whole new Nicola.

From that moment on, that jacket became my iconic look and dopamine dressing became my way of celebrating who I am.

Instead of just grabbing something easy to wear, I choose my outfit based on how I want to feel (Picture: Nicola Lewis)

I started shopping in places like Never Fully Dressed, Joanie and Coast – brands known for bold patterns and colourful attire – and even found some wonderful coloured vintage pieces in thrift shops.

Before I knew it, my wardrobe had transformed from dull and drab, to fun and fab. It’s so colourful that, when I open the doors, I feel like a kid in a candy store and it makes me excited for the day ahead.

Now, instead of just grabbing something easy to wear, I choose my outfit based on how I want to feel. If I need energy, I reach for reds and oranges. If I want calm, I’ll lean into greens.

I’d just stumbled across something known as dopamine dressing (Picture: Nicola Lewis)

Generally speaking, dressing in colour every day really does boost my mood and that’s become even more important of late.

I recently turned 50, so there are days when menopause takes over and has me overthinking everything. But wearing colour always gives me confidence. It makes me feel radiant, happy, assertive and complete – and who wouldn’t want to feel that way daily?

I also love that my wardrobe has the ability to bring joy to people I meet.

I’ve been stopped in the street by people who comment on my outfits or tell me I look great. Some will even ask where I’ve purchased my dress or suit from so that they can buy it for themselves.

Every now and then I will meet someone who is a little unsure about stepping out in colour. Often they’ll say that it doesn’t suit them, that they don’t have the confidence to wear it or just don’t know where to start. My advice? Start small.

Dopamine dressing isn’t about following trends (Picture: Nicola Lewis)

Remember, dopamine dressing isn’t about following trends, it’s about asking yourself what colours and pieces make you feel like you. I’d rather have a wardrobe full of clothes that I feel amazing in than the latest fad any day.

For me, it all began with a rainbow jacket. For you, it might be a patterned blouse or even a colourful lipstick. Whatever the shade, you have to be brave enough to try.

I promise once you do, you’ll never look back – unless it’s in a mirror.

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