ONE in five people in the UK want to be braver with their style choices and experts reveal how this can lead to more joy
A STAGGERING 79 per cent claim their wardrobes are full of black, grey and beige clothes, research has found.
The poll of 2,000 adults, however, revealed that one in five wants to be braver with their fashion choice despite closets being dominated with these darker colours.
Red, green and purple are the colours people want to wear more of, but a quarter worry that brighter colours won’t suit them.
But almost half (48 per cent) believe wearing a fun outfit can make them feel happier, and people will don red attire to boost confidence.
The research was commissioned by an online personal styling service, Stitch Fix UK, which enlisted Shakaila Forbes-Bell, fashion psychologist and founder of Fashion is Psychology to analyse the findings.
Shakaila said: “Dopamine dressing is an idea born from one of the core principles underpinning our motivations to wear certain clothes – to satisfy our emotional needs.
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“When you wear something you love that holds symbolic value, your confidence increases and you feel happy.
“That happiness stems from a neurotransmitter called Dopamine that meditates in the brain – when it’s released, we experience feelings like pleasure, motivation and satisfaction.”
The study also found that more than one in three (36 per cent) adults will purposely wear bright outfits to boost their mood.
Although, 18 per cent will only delve into the bolder corners of their wardrobe if they are attending a party or going on holiday.
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When they do dress in exciting attire, 35 per cent even claim it helps to enhance their creativity.
The research went on to crown the residents of Cambridge as the UK’s brightest dressers – with almost a fifth claiming their wardrobe is made up of mostly bright colours.
Those in Sheffield came a close second.
And despite being at opposite ends of England, Plymouth and Newcastle also ranked highly with their number of daring outfits.
However, it was Londoners who have the blandest wardrobes – with only seven per cent stating that their wardrobe is full of brighter and bold outfits.
It also emerged that when dressed in an outfit that they are confident wearing, it makes people feel happy and optimistic.
Rich Simmons, style ambassador for Stitch Fix UK said: “Despite our default to darker shades during winter, Brits really do connect with colour when it comes to personal style and wants to be braver in their choices.
For many, it’s just about how to do it in a way that feels right. Dopamine dressing doesn’t have to mean head to toe red or blue, it’s all about your personal interpretation.”
Rich Simmons, style ambassador for Stitch Fix UK
“For many, it’s just about how to do it in a way that feels right. Dopamine dressing doesn’t have to mean head to toe red or blue, it’s all about your personal interpretation.”
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