{"id":14081,"date":"2026-03-14T13:09:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T13:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/14\/dopamine-dressing-helped-me-inject-joy-into-my-dull-and-drab-wardrobe-2\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T13:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T13:09:37","slug":"dopamine-dressing-helped-me-inject-joy-into-my-dull-and-drab-wardrobe-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/14\/dopamine-dressing-helped-me-inject-joy-into-my-dull-and-drab-wardrobe-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Dopamine dressing helped me inject joy into my dull and drab wardrobe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Nicola <\/div>
I also love that my wardrobe has the ability to bring joy to people I meet (Picture: Nicola Lewis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u2018Wow, this is sensational,\u2019 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. <\/p>\n

Unlike my other coats \u2013 which were all a bit boring, dark, and very plain \u2013 this one made me feel alive, bold, happy, and just more me.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know it then, but I\u2019d just stumbled across something known as dopamine dressing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Nicola <\/div>
I bought the rainbow puffa jacket and in the process I discovered a whole new Nicola (Picture: Nicola Lewis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is dopamine dressing?<\/h2>\n
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As the name suggests, this way of dressing is all about wearing clothes that boost the happy hormone (aka, dopamine<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

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\"Nicola <\/div>
For 18 years, I wore nothing but the classics \u2013 neutrals, greys, navy, and blacks (Picture: Nicola Lewis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But joyful dressing can also mean wearing clothes that you love, that express who you are, and that make your personality shine through. <\/p>\n

And it\u2019s fair to say that, prior to 2017, my wardrobe definitely didn\u2019t do any of those things.<\/p>\n

At that time I worked in the corporate world<\/a>, which meant that for 18 years I wore nothing but the classics \u2013 neutrals, greys, navy, and blacks.<\/p>\n

While these shades undoubtedly served their purpose \u2013 I never had to think too much in the mornings when getting ready, I could just grab something professional looking and go \u2013 looking back, I realised they also shaped the way I showed up in life.<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DNfHuT8MeA9\/?hl=en<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

I never thought to ask \u2018Does this suit me? Does this feel like me? Am I happy wearing this?\u2019 because it didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

In reality, these dark clothes<\/a> were muting my personality and stopping me from expressing who I really was.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s when I bought the rainbow <\/a>puffa jacket and in the process I discovered a whole new Nicola.<\/p>\n

From that moment on, that jacket became my iconic look and dopamine dressing became my way of celebrating who I am.<\/p>\n

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\"Nicola <\/div>
Instead of just grabbing something easy to wear, I choose my outfit based on how I want to feel (Picture: Nicola Lewis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I started shopping in places like Never Fully Dressed, Joanie and Coast \u2013 brands known for bold patterns and colourful attire \u2013 and even found some wonderful coloured vintage pieces in thrift shops.<\/p>\n

Before I knew it, my wardrobe had transformed from dull and drab, to fun and fab. It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019ll lean into greens.<\/p>\n

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POLL<\/div>\n
Poll<\/title><\/svg><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Are you tempted to give ‘dopamine dressing’ a try?<\/h3>\n