By Staff Writer: Kayla Kocher
Dopamine dressing is the idea of getting dressed with intention to feel better, using bright colors, playful prints, meaningful accessories or even a comfort outfit that feels like you. The trend connects to what psychologists call “enclothed cognition,” the idea that clothing can influence mood and performance, according to the American Psychological Association.
The phrase went mainstream in the early 2020s, but a version of it also surged in China as “dopamine outfit” (多巴胺穿搭), promoted by creators on platforms such as Douyin and Weibo.
A Pressbooks entry from the University of Hawaii at Manoa describes it as a youth-driven trend built on vivid color and optimism, amplified by influencers including fashion blogger “Daytime Bear.”
Who is adopting it now? Pretty much anyone tired of looking and feeling gray. Color reads instantly on camera, and upbeat outfits make easy visual content for social media.The look is not limited to maximalists. Some people lean into dopamine dressing with one bold item, like hotpink shoes, a fruit-print bag or a neon scrunchie, and keep everything else simple.
For me, it also feels practical. I look washed out in black and dark brown, so I have always leaned into color. A bright outfit can make an ordinary Tuesday feel more like a main-character day. Errands feel less dull, and I move through the world with more confidence.
That is why it is on my 2026 trend list. After years of minimalist basics and algorithm-driven uniforms, people seem to be craving individuality again, and dopamine dressing is a low-stakes way to reclaim it. Fashion psychologist Karen Pine argues that clothes shape more than appearance. In her book “Mind What You Wear: The Psychology of Fashion,” she writes, “What we wear affects how we feel so much that it can distort and determine our thoughts and judgments.”
At the end of the day, if an outfit can make you feel a little more like yourself, it is worth wearing.