Dressed for every mood

HYDERABAD: The Covid-19 pandemic brought a lot of gloominess with it beyond one’s control, but now the mood is on an upward swing. Interestingly, the connection between our outfits and our state of mind is receiving renewed attention as style publications predict that the trend of 2022 — dopamine dressing — to be a constant. Dopamine dressing involves dressing in a way that brings you joy and boosts your mood. The connection between certain colours with mood is a known fact, dopamine dressing is far more than only colours, it is about the patterns, fabrics and textures as well.

“Synonymous with wearing all things exuberant, dopamine dressing is all about the energy of colours, textures, materials and visual flamboyance. House of Soi took this idea and has incorporated it in our latest offering, the Desert Rose collection. Dopamine dressing is the newest trend, which is all about enjoying the way you dress, being experimental and really expressing yourself. Here at House of Soi, we create or design our collections based on inspirations and vibes either while travelling, watching a movie or from anywhere where we find that creative spark.

Our latest collection is all about the colours and the prints which are experimental and our designs are creative yet functional, we want people to feel that hit of dopamine, and get that feel-good, happy hit when they wear our outfits. Our colours are vibrant and fun, silhouettes relaxed yet glamorous. We are all about fun, luxury and comfort!,” says Sarika Pawar, founder and creative director at House of Soi.

According to Archana from designer label Archana and Puneeth, dopamine dressing is all about dressing for the mood that you want to create, so the first step is to think about the mood you want to have. “Honestly I always dress according to my mood, weather and occasion, As the day begins, the first moments of your day thinking about how you feel and the colours, textures, and prints that make you happy. Then, wear it,” says Archana.

One of the most popular aspects of dopamine dressing is that you don’t have to buy anything new. Everything you need is most likely in your closet, points out Archana. “You don’t need to buy a whole new wardrobe to feel happy. Look at the pieces you continually gravitate toward, ask yourself what they have in common, and then double down on those attributes. So, if you find yourself drawn to pink dresses or heels, wear them more often. Creating a fashion mood board can help you discover your aesthetic. Colour therapy or chromotherapy has been used for centuries to help balance the body’s energy and even heal physical and mental health. While it has been shown that certain colours bring out certain emotions, our personal feelings toward colour are highly subjective. it’s important to dress in colours that make you happy, regardless of trends,” she says.

While colour is important to dopamine dressing, texture plays an important role, especially as multiple textures become popular in mainstream fashion. “Fabrics like tulle, velvet, ajrakh, khadi, embroideries and crochet are becoming increasingly popular. Playing with texture, especially in a way you haven’t before, can give you a dopamine boost. Dopamine dressing encourages us to feel good about our style. It helps us to get pleasure from wearing what we truly love, as opposed to mindlessly buying something or getting likes on an Instagram post. Let’s find happiness wherever we can,” concludes Archana.