I’m teaching neurobiology this semester and we started to dip our toes into the wonderful world of neurotransmitters last week: those magic little chemicals in our brain that allow for our neurons to transfer information to one another. One such neurotransmitter is dopamine – it’s historically known as the “pleasure neurotransmitter.” When we experience something unexpectedly awesome, our brains get a burst of this feel good substance.
So, when you get a compliment from a stranger, hear someone tell you they loved you for the first time, or have that first magical bite of pizza and that indescribable cheesy, saucy goodness hits your tongue – you had this joyous burst of dopamine in your brain to accompany the pleasure. I have no doubt that my brain burst forth a fireworks display of dopamine when this perfect dress from Lilies & Remains fell into my lap.
Something I will spend a lot of time talking to my students about this semester is that dopamine is a bit more than just the simple “pleasure chemical” it’s famous for. Sure, we get that glorious burst when we receive an unexpected reward. But, over time, the dopamine bursts actually serve as teaching signals. Releasing the chemical every time you repeat an action that lead to that reward in the first place. Almost like a neurochemical instruction, steering you towards the things that will bring you joy. Over time, bursts of dopamine really start to signal anticipatory pleasure – you just know something good is coming…
So, I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising that, when rewarded with feel-good chemicals swirling around our brain after that first vintage dress, all you can think about is how to repeat those same steps to reclaim whatever it is you just felt.
The other day I saw someone on IG use the term dopamine dressing – I’d never heard it used in that context before, but nothing had ever so perfectly resonated with me. I saw it as a way of using our brain for good – associating garments with bursts of joy. And, over time, even just seeing them hanging in your closet will provide the dopamine burst to signal the good to come.
I did some googling, and found dopamine dressing is actually a thing. There’s a ton of psychology research into the topic (which I find insanely fascinating), which boils down to instilling joy through what we wear. And when you feel joyful, you are happier, more confident, more comfortable in your own skin. And thanks to that whole “anticipatory pleasure” thing, far more likely to do it again.
I think I’ve always been a bit of a dopamine dresser – only now I know it has a name…
I have to admit, I don’t think the dopamine has stopped churning since I was finally able to make this dress mine. It’s been a longtime ISO – not only does it satisfy my endless craving for appliqué, with its 3D flowers and flocked velvet stems fanning perfectly away from the waist, but I get to twin with the legendary Dita Von Teese (I mean…if you have to twin with someone…). Ever since I spotted this photo years ago, I knew I had to get one into my closet.
Knowing what I know about the brain, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I’ve been reaching for some of the most beautiful pieces I own lately. The softest cardigans. The dresses with the most intricate appliqué. The pieces that were the hardest to find and therefore brought a surge of adrenaline when I finally found them. My brain is literally trying to manufacture joy. It is trying to manifest happiness and confidence when I head out into a world where I feel anything but.
How have you been getting your dopamine hit lately?
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Lilies & Remains (similar modern or vintage here, here, & here)
Necklace: gift (similar)
Belt: Alannah Hill (similar)
Umbrella: Amazon
Handbag: Mary Frances
Shoes: Miss L Fire (similar here or add these to these!)
Lip Color: Nars Schiap
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Any items marked with a “c/o” (courtesy of) a retailer mean I was provided with an item for free in exchange for a review and/or feature on my blog. I always provide my honest opinion of any item I’m reviewing, regardless of whether it was sent to me as a courtesy item or if I purchased it myself. In addition, this post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links or ads on this site, I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase at no cost to you, which helps with the day-to-day running costs of my blog.
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