How to Embrace Dopamine Dressing

Earlier this year, Pinterest Predicts revealed Dopamine Dressing would be one of the hottest fashion trends of 2022. Think neon handbags and nail polishes, primary colored dresses, and everything in between. In fact, I shared my initial thoughts about the colorful craze in my spring 2022 fashion trends post. Within the post, I shared about how this experimental fashion trend is unlike others. Dopamine dressing is not just about what you wear, rather it’s all about what makes you feel good. 

Today, I’m excited to be partnering with Nordstrom to dive into this color-forward trend and sharing my best tips for embracing bold, vibrant styles in a classic and timeless way. After all, dopamine dressing is not about looking like you’re wearing a box of crayons, lol. Instead, mood boosting outfits lift your spirit and send a clear message to others: you know who you are and what you like.

What is Dopamine Dressing?

Simply put, Dopamine Dressing is about embracing vibrant outfits and colorful palettes. I LOVE that. It’s no secret I’m a big proponent of living a “hue-tiful life.” Why be (or dress) boring, darling?! 🙂

There are countless ways to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe, home, and everything in between. Test it out with hues, textures, and textiles. It’s more about what works for you than how it’s stylized from the perspective of another. In some ways, dopamine dressing is a form of style-related self-care. It’s showing the world who you are, how you think, and your unique vision and perspective of the world.

After everything we’ve gone through since 2020, it’s no wonder this trend has caught on. If you’re like me, the work-from-home, social distancing experience transformed my wardrobe in an instant. Instead of gravitating towards dresses and heels, I found myself reaching for statement tops paired with joggers and leggings. Zoom was my office space, and I only cared about 1/2 of my outfit (what was shown on top, not on bottom). Wild.

In many ways, my closet started to feel like a relic just waiting to be re-discovered. Thankfully, as things lifted and we started to go back to work, I reverted back extremely quickly to fun, vibrant outfits. It was truly freeing.

Moreover, I wanted to blend the comfort of the pandemic with the hope and color of a new chapter. My wardrobe, like life, had turned a page.

Color Psychology

In case you don’t know, I’m a big believer in color psychology. For example, when you’re on a job interview, I recommend wearing navy or blue. Never red or black. Black is seen as a “power” color and red is seen as fiery. Blue is soft, serene, and approachable.

Yellow, on the other hand, is an instant mood booster. It’s seen as happy, healthy, and positive.

Green reminds people of money and nature. Purple is a regal hue. The list goes on and on!

All of that to say that color impacts our first impressions and the way people perceive us. Sure, it may sound ridiculous, but research shows time and time again color matters. Therefore, when I used to pick out my outfit for the day, I ask myself, “what message am I trying to send to others?” Since 2020, that question has evolved into “what message am I embracing for me, myself, and I?”

Vibrant Outfits

So how what are some ways to embrace vibrant outfits without looking like a Jackson Pollack painting? The key is to pick select pieces that draw your attention. Just pick one. Everything you’re wearing doesn’t need to be colorful. For example, if you pick a vibrant dress, keep accessories neutral and simple.

Chelsea 28 Dopamine Dressing

One of my go-to brands for dopamine dress options is Chelsea 28. First, I love how affordable these pieces are and the quality and caliber of the fabrics. SO good.

My favorite option? This marigold yellow midi dress paired with these bold Open Edit matching earrings. The v-neck dress silhouette is breezy but structured enough to not look overly matronly. Furthermore, I adore the tonal clip dots and ruffle-trimmed tiers. Best of all, the dress is only $119 and also available in white. I also love this version.

Chelsea 28 is all about meeting of-the-moments, an exclusive brand at Nordstrom. The collection embraces feminine pieces made to be mixed, matched and styled in a variety of ways.

Open Edit Dopamine Dressing

Another new-to-me brand that has fantastic options at incredible price points is Open Edit. Another exclusive brand to Nordstrom, Open Edit embraces the dopamine dressing mentality. From accessories and shoes to dresses and cropped blazers, their colorful concoctions add a big dose of style and pizzaz.

In fact, Open Edit is part of the Nordstrom Made collections, and they provide a curated array of wardrobe essentials and statement pieces in sizes XS-3X.

Don’t sleep on the accessories – especially the jewelry.

Something Navy

While searching for other Nordstrom Made brands, I came across the Something Navy collection, which is actually produced and manufactured by Nordstrom. If you’re unfamiliar, Something Navy is the brainchild of Arielle Charnas, who was kind enough to send me pieces from the line in the past.

After searching for bold and vibrant pieces, I came across this stunning ombré midi dress. It’s perfect. Beyond the sunset hues, I love the silhouette and variety of ways that you can style it. I especially love the textured pleats. There’s also a waist tie, but I personally love styling it with other belts.

Nordstrom Made – Halogen

Where do I start? Halogen has been a go-to brand for me for years. Whether it’s the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale or everyday pieces, it’s consistently a line I seek out for classic items for my closet. Halogen never lets me down.

Normally, Halogen sticks to more neutral colors, but every so often – they’ll surprise you with a colorful stripe or print (scroll below). This season, my favorite is

Rachel Parcell Collection

Next up is the Rachel Parcell collection, which always, always, always hits the mark. It’s clear that Rachel works diligently to curate a line that feels feminine, beautiful, and effortless. I’m a fan. After all, let’s talk about this ombré pink dress.

In fact, I still wear countless pieces from her line, including this pleated skirt and this floral print dress.

While Rachel doesn’t opt for neons or crazy bold colors, she’s not shy about incorporating thoughtful uses of color from season to season. Trust me – you will love this collection. Plus, I find the pieces to fit true to size.

Caslon

Of all the Nordstrom Made brands, Caslon is the effortless sibling. Think relaxed, cozy pieces that feel (and look) chill and ultrawearable. These are not fussy items whatsoever. But don’t fooled. Dopamine dressing isn’t all bold, bold, bold. In my humble opinion, Caslon is the best brand to start with if you’re nervous about color.

They have this way of making styles feel wearable but still memorable.

BP

For as long as I can remember, BP has been a part of my life. In fact, some of my favorite memories growing up was going to my nearest Nordstrom store to shop with my mom. We’d peruse the BP area, and I’d persuade her to buy me a few things here or there. Honestly, we spent so many hours in that department that I knew the flow chart by heart – where to find accessories, tops, denim, and jewelry.

Overall, BP is all about showing your self-expression through personal style. They have a unique range of basics but also fashionable, trendy styles.

In Closing – Dopamine Dressing

Looking to add a vibrant and colorful punch to your outfits from work to weekend? If so, start with these brands above. Impactful style doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

This blog post is in partnership with Nordstrom. Collaborations like this make Style Charade possible. All opinions are my own.