Made By A Fabricista: Dopamine Dressing

Do you ever find yourself constantly wearing the same colors? I find myself constantly wearing dark and subdued colors, which I know is my comfort zone. I work in an office environment, so I constantly wear black pants and skirts, typically with a gray or white top. In the spring, I’ll even throw an occasional khaki or olive green into my wardrobe. Gasp - so daring!

In an attempt to embrace color in my daily wardrobe, and create a happy headspace for myself, I decided to start to focus on dopamine dressing. I have heard for a while that wearing colors and clothing that makes you happy is inspired by the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. By wearing bright and bold colors, apparently people can boost their mood and confidence. That sounds amazing - sign me up!

I kept this idea in mind, and recently came across this beautiful, bright, and colorful abstract rayon challis (SKU CBB 8910). When I saw this fabric, it immediately made me smile, so I thought it would be absolutely perfect while keeping the theory of dopamine dressing in mind.

The hardest part was thinking of something I would want to make to showcase the bright and bold colors. I knew whatever I created would need to be fun and equally bold. Initially I was going to make a scrappy sundress, but I decided that wasn’t bold enough. I was trying to get myself out of my comfort zone, so why should I play it safe with a simple dress?

I decided to embrace the challenge and take it even further. I thought a cropped top with a high-waisted skirt would be fun and totally different from my normal attire. I created a cropped top using the Field of Dreams pattern from Pattern Emporium. Like all patterns, this top and dress pattern is chalk-full of options. I opted for a faux button V-neck top, with a low back, and fixed straps.

For the skirt, I used Pattern Emporium’s Free Spirt pattern. I made the split front option and created a higher waist by using 2” elastic for the waistband.

I cannot be more pleased with the result! When I put my new creation on, I immediately smiled at myself, and patted myself on my back for stepping out of my comfort zone. So if you’re on the fence about wearing bright and bold fabrics, give it a try! I know I am thrilled I did.